Phuket and Patong Beach

Krabi and Phuket are definitely tourist towns, full of restaurants and bars and lined everywhere with shops. What makes Phuket stand out however are the hoards of tourists and the nightlife. There is one street that is always mentioned in any guide book, Bangla Road, that is side by side bars filled with tourists. Western style bars and discos with pool tables and dart boards to make any tourist feel right at home. But then why do people come to Thailand? To feel at home?

You can also find McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, 7-11, Pizza places and almost every restaurant is a combination of European or Western food with either Indian or Thai food. We've eaten at a couple of these restaurants, and although the idea of a "European" menu might be attractive when your stomach is aching for something it's accustomed to, I haven't enjoyed any of it. Sad but true I've enjoyed my meals at Burger King and Subway more. Thailand is famous for being a very cheap place to spend a holiday, but eating at Burger King is just as expensive as it is back home, so unless you're not on a budget tourists need to venture out to find a "local" establishment.

Don't you just love the effort they made to put a Thai spin on good-ol Ronnie!