Hi all....
have just booked my first trip to puhket leaving melbourne on the 2nd of december.....
Im going with 2 mates and we are all 21 years old.....
Staying at the Patong Beach hotel........
If anybody could give me some info on this hotel that would be great.......
also can anyone suggest fun things to do for 21 years old guys looking for a good time.........
any infomation/adivce for first time puhket visitors would be really greatly appreciation

What can you do in Patong? I think they have opened a traditional theatrical workshop and bingo hall in town. Plus there's the clubs. Plus there's the hundreds and hundends of girlie and not so girlie bars where the ladies can often be cheaper than the drinks, with much worse hangover ramifications!! The clubs are fun enough, but full of "independent" worker girls and foreign men that believe every Thai (or Thai looking) girl in the club is a worker. I used to like evry so often sitting in the bar directly opposite Soi Crocodile I think it is, on Soi Bangla, the main strip (literally and figuratively); it is where the lady boys / kraktoeys have their area - very very funny to watch. Western guys pullings girls that seem to be packing something else Big dudes dressed up in garb hassling fresh tourists for money. Children walking along with their parents on their first night after buying that Patong is the perl of the Emerald Coast! If you can make Flash-a-go-go (the cafe area that leads to it is full of very aggressive girls that will grab your attention if you see what I mean crying "Buy me one drink?!"), that will probably keep you amused for a while. If sordid is not what you are after, move to Karon or better Kata.

Advice? Thailand's sex workers have a massive % of hep, aids and other nasties. If you are going to indulge (and I believe that is the only reason single guys go to Patong), then think twice and make sure the rubber is a good western brand, not Thai made as you might be going back home with something more than you expected and less than you would like.

If you want to find things to do outside Sleeze-and bad-taste-t-shirts-for-sale-ville, let me know

__________________
There are two categories of travellers, those that experience a country and those that take their home with them wherever they go.

Be warned, as with any forum, picking a fight with the admin guy is not recommended!

Hey mate...
Thanks for your help...
But thats not what i was talking about.....
were going to puhket to have fun in 35 degree heat.......
Picking up chicks is always fun but only other tourists i think no locals.....
just looking for some info on patong beach hotel and maybe some good clubs/ pubs/ places to have a fun time...

Karon and Kata for bar scenes more so then. Patong is not all bad / ropey, but there is so much that is it too often spills into what is not meant to be if you see what I mean. If the Patong Beach Hotel is the one that is actually on the beach, it is OK but the main attraction is being on the beach and having immediate access into town. There are some seafood restaurant (expensive, selling by the 100 grams, not kilo) and bars around there which are for regular, not Thai girl hunting tourists, but you will never get away from it. Maybe spend some time on the beach at Nai Harn (be careful of strong undertows)? I find the beach lounger scene there much less hassled; one vendor serving drinks to you at reasonable prices. Restaurants worth the call; New Moon in Nai Harn, Friendship Beach on the Rawai-Chalong Road, Lotus up the headland in Kamala, Don's (everyone knows Don's) - maybe if you meet some other tourists you can impress them with your local knowledge by taking them to these places

__________________
There are two categories of travellers, those that experience a country and those that take their home with them wherever they go.

Be warned, as with any forum, picking a fight with the admin guy is not recommended!

Dont let Mark scare you off. I agree that Karon and Kata can be a far more pleasant enviroment, but there is a lot of fun to be had in Patong. If you head for the Aussie Bar in Bangla road, you are bound to find a few tables full of "aussie chicks" out for some fun. The small bars in the night market opposite the Patong Merlin (not on the beach rd, but across from the main lobby) is also a fun place to sink a few and chat to some other travellers. Even the main girlie bars are full of other tourists (some female) that are just there for some people watching rather than some short-time action. If you stick to the non-transvestite bars,you wont get hassled unless you start showing some interest.

__________________
I love Thailand this much

there are some great bars in patong
Rock city for live 70-80's rock and roll beleted out by an englsh guy
Saxiphone for some great jazz. Both on the beach road
Coyotes mexican restuarant has a kick *** Filipinio band above Starbucks and right there outside is an outdoor beer garden setting with a really good African band

Check out the Tiger disco for dancing but stay away for Tai pan the worst music in town BUT some great freelancers hanging out after midnight

Couple of good English style pubs, on eon soi bangla the other on the beach road
or just grab a beer at 7/11 and watch the street show


As far as Patong beach hotel goes, its ok, over priced but ok. Patong beach sucks thou unless your into looking at what you will look like when your 50 or more and what your great aunt looks like topless and chairs in the high season 3 deep
Head to either end of the beach to relax or head over to kata Noi or Kamala

Grab yoursleves some motorbikes for 200 baht a day, ( drive DEFENSIVELY cause all the thais don't) and head out around the island. Plenty to see and do from Bunjy jumping to atv's, sight seeing, eating, shopping at Central, visit the gibbon rehabilitaion park and the waterfalls. If you have the cash spring for a private boat tour around Phang Nga bay.

You will not be bored for sure

__________________
A good Traveler is one who does not know where he is going to,
and a perfect Traveler does not know where he came from.

I just want to say, that we tried "new moon" on Nai harn, because I read good about it here.

Maybe other owners then the one you had, Marc, it was really not good and service far from friendly....

But restaurant's quality can change from season to season.

Is that connected in any way to the famous Saxophone bar in BKK? There is (or was) a guitarist who sometimes plays at the Victory Monument Saxophone who puts Clapton to shame.

__________________
“Not all those who wander are lost.” Tolkien.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.