Going to Patong for the first time in April with my daughter, my friend, her hubby and their 2 kids. We are staying at Patong Merlin. Can anyone recommend best places to eat and shop close by. We are in Patong for 10 nts.

Kitty please, there are so many subjects on that!

For shopping, it is just everywhere! For mor modern shops, and real stuff, you have jung ceylon at the corner of Bangla!

There are so many restaurants near the Patong Merlin you will be spoilt for choice. We generally stroll and eat where ever takes our fancy.
For a cheap meal Sabai Sabai and Sweets get good patronage and are very popular with all nationalities. They can be found in the small streets (Soi) than run off the beach road near the Merlin... you won't miss them.
Have a great time.
Cheers Geri

Thankyou tintin and Geri. I realise that shopping and restaurants are everywhere but just hoped for some good recommendations. Ive since found a great site called www.cathyandgarystravelpages.com. Its got lots of good info on just about everything. Ive also seen that Jungceylon is only about 5-10 mins walk from the Merlin and that Markets are everywhere. Someone said the ones near the back of us called Otop Markets I think are the best ie. good prices and good to deal with.
I cant wait to get there. Ive been to Bali and Vietnam but I think Thailand will be the best by far. We are also having 3 nts in Bangkok on the way home staying at the Novotel on Siam Square. This stopover is purely to SHOP! With maybe a temple tour thrown in - just for a bit of culture. By looking at brochures - it looks like the Grand Palace Tour would be the pick of them, as we will only have time for one tour. If anyone could give me some info on if that is the best one, that would be great.
64 more sleeps to go!!!!!

Thanx Geri for your suggestions. My - its been a long time since Ive been called a "virgin" (a travelforum virgin!!!) I will let you know how Sabai Sabai and Sweets are when I come back. Only 64 more sleeps!!!

last nov - dec 07 it was my first trip to phuket , i stayed across the road from the merlin ,
heres the post i made when i returned , you might find something usefull

just back for phuket

as kitty1499 this site is great for info www.cathyandgarystravelpages.com

Kitty, You dont need to do a tour for the Grand Palace, just go there yourself, we did it like that, caught a taxi there, its certainly worth going to. Happy Shopping!!
Cheers for the comments re my webpages as well
Cathy

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http://www.cathyandgarystravelpages.com

Kitty
Don't believe anyone who tells you the Grand Palace is closed (until you get there and it is) there are touts that hang around and just want you to do a tour with them.
One of my absolute favourite is a boat on the Klongs, it's fascinating to see how everybody lives on the water, just don't wear your best frock as it will get splashed with the river water. Enjoy !!
Cheers Geri

Thanx screamin and cathy for your info. I will read your post screamin when I get time.
Now .... another question I hope someone can help me with. Im taking cash to Thailand and I need a safe backup in case that runs out!! Which is highly likely!! Ive read a few reports about credit card fraud on the rise so Im a bit reluctant to use mine. Ive asked at my bank (credit union) today and my atm card does not work over there. So ... my options are either to use my credit card or to get something called a Travelex card, which seems to work like an atm card with a pin number but its not linked to an actual account, so therefore a bit safer than a credit card. Only drawback is that there are costs with it, ie costs to initialise it and costs for every withdrawal etc. etc.
Can anyone advise me if this travelex card is a good thing or should I just stick to my credit card??? Knowing me - It will happen to me and Ill come home with another $2000 spent in Malaysia by someone else??!!!
Cathy - your website is fantastic and you must have gone to a lot of time and effort to set it up - so thankyou for doing that. Im actually rather jealous that you get to go on sooooooo many trips to Asia, as I have just started my travel journeys, having gone to Bali for my 40th in 2004, then Vietnam in 2006 and now Thailand this year. Next trip will hopefully be to China - have you been there yet????