Patong

Patong was a banana plantation and fishing bay until backpackers found it in the 1970s. Development since has been rapid, dense and largely unplanned — the bay filled from the beach backwards and then climbed the hills.

The 2004 tsunami struck here hard and the seafront was rebuilt within a couple of years, which tells you most of what you need to know about the town’s commercial energy.

A long, gently curving bay with soft sand and full facilities. Busy year-round at the centre, noticeably calmer at the northern and southern ends. Monsoon currents from May to October are genuinely dangerous here — the flags are not decorative.

Every cuisine and every price point, from street food to fine dining, plus the island’s only real nightlife district along and around Bangla Road. Quality varies enormously; the good places are excellent.

The most complete in Phuket outside the town: a large mall, supermarkets, markets, pharmacies, banks, clinics and a hospital, most of it walkable.

There are international school options within Patong itself, with larger campuses towards Phuket Town and Thalang. Patong has clinics and a hospital; the major private hospitals are around thirty minutes. This is the one area where you can genuinely live without a car.