I’m not going back. We visited in March 2008, again at Christmas 2010/11, and now February 2012. This time it wasn’t really our choice. My niece decided to get married in Phuket, and we weren’t letting the rest of the family go without us! But you know, revisiting places can be tough. It’ll be a while before I can face it again.
We first visited Thailand together Christmas 1988 (give or take a year – my memory fails me). We flew in to Phuket, and stayed at Patong Beach. Phuket was only just opening up in those days. We stayed in the one hotel (still the ONLY hotel) on the beach – there were a few across the road though – and there was only the street parallel to the beach, and one other turning off diagonally with a few bars and restaurants. I remember the beach was wide and deep and had perfectly white sand. The sea was warm – so delightfully warm – and swimming every day was a delight. We enjoyed dinner that first night at a restaurant right on the beach – we tossed off our jandals and buried our feet in the sand, as we shared a whole fish. A perfect introduction to Thailand for my husband. Patong Beach was beautiful, pristine, and serene.
This is Patong Beach now.
Words can’t express my horror. It looks like something on the Costa del Sol. But this is my beloved Thailand, not a crass Spanish beach! There is nothing – NOTHING – like this in New Zealand. Or I think Australia, or the Pacific. I have no idea about beaches in the US. Most of the people on this beach are Europeans. You can tell by all the men in Speedos, and women in bikinis, regardless of their shape. (My sister called it “The place where you will always find someone who looks worse in a bathing suit than you.”) We, in the Southern Hemisphere – or perhaps the New World – don’t know how lucky we are to have space. Space to go to the beach and to enjoy privacy, or at the very least not to have complete strangers just a few feet away.
Looking at Patong Beach in 2012 made me want to cry.
PS. I have to note we didn’t stay in Patong, but about 45 minutes away, in a very peaceful spot, and it was great.
Aaargh! I hate places like that. I just don’t get why anyone would want to spend their holidays rammed in with loads of other people. At least you stayed somewhere quieter.
Although, some weirdos seem to love being around other people. A few times I’ve been out walking miles and miles from anywhere, and stopped for a picnic. And then ten minutes later another group will appear on the path, and stop right next to us. Why???
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Ugh. I haven’t been to Thailand, but I understand. We first went to Lake Louise (in Banff National Park in Alberta) in 1968 — parked by the big chateau hotel there & took a stroll around. There were people there, but it was a lovely serene spot. Went back in 1975, travelling with another family in two cars, & agreed that we’d meet up at Lake Louise. Pulled into the parking lot & my god, the cars & the PEOPLE. We couldn’t believe it. By some fluke, we happened to park just a few cars away from them, & left a note on their windshield (this being pre-cellphone days) — & we did eventually find them. We’ve been back twice since then, & the crowds continue to grow. It’s still a beautiful place, but you definitely don’t get that “out in the wilderness” feeling anymore when you’re there. It’s hard to get a photo without another person in it somewhere. And the glacier across the lake has melted a little more every time I see it. 😦
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Not a beach person, and I”m sure there are beaches in the US like this, but the ones I go to (Big Sur, Gulf of Mexico, National seashores) are nothing like this. I don’t even go to pools that look like this.
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It would have been fun to have embedded something in the photo so that we could have heard you screaming (literally).
I’m glad you found a way to escape the horror 🙂
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Horror indeed. I’m so sorry. (And I like Helen’s idea.)
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Sushigirl – that would drive me nuts.
Loribeth – I wish you hadn’t told that story. I’ve always wanted to go to Banff/Lake Louise. We planned a trip there over 20 years ago. But then I got sent to work in Thailand. And somehow we’ve never managed to organise another trip there.
Bridgett – pools like this would drive me crazy.
Helen – Good idea. Maybe next time.
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Yes was so glad we stayed away from this area, it was something i had never seen before and couldn’t help but look at what people were wearing or weren’t wearing. I felt very over dressed lol
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It’s true–“You can’t go home again.” Sad for you. But I’m laughing at your sister’s comment about the women in bikinis.
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