If you want to feel at least a little bit of Thai culture, then you definitely need to visit at least one of the markets, where locals also buy their food :) After all, as you know, in Thailand, eating well and tasty is not just a need, but a whole “ritual” to which they devote a significant part of their lives :) Even their greeting “Savadiya” used to mean “Have you eaten yet?” and only after the Second World War did something like our “Hello” acquire meaning.
There are several such markets in Phuket, but Phuket Night Market (or in some sources they write Weekend Market, that is, weekend market) is the largest on the island, which is located in its historical center Phuket Town. Here you can buy almost everything your heart desires :)
From food - these are traditional Thai dishes, sweets, pancakes, shawarma, fruits, drinks for every taste and color, and so on and so forth :)
Among the things - these are clothes, shorts, T-shirts, scarves, panties, socks and much more. From trinkets - sunglasses, cosmetics, counterfeits of all kinds of brands like Apple and Beats, props in the form of jewelry, national Thai home decorations and countless other things that you don’t need at all, but are so alluring:)
Although the market is called a night market, it is better to come here from four to five in the afternoon until twelve at night. Then you have the opportunity to catch the very peak and enjoy not only the flow of food that greets you, but the noisy crowd that gives this place a special flavor. After all, we must admit, we all love to eat :) Any nationality needs to satisfy this primary need, which is why not only locals, but also Chinese, Europeans, a little less Russians, and representatives of other countries in Southeast Asia like to come here.
What's the best way to get to it? In general, if you tell any taxi driver about the “Night market”, then they will understand you without any problems :) The market itself is located, as I said above, in the Phuket Town area - this is the historical center of the island of Phuket. There is a market next to it, we also wrote about it earlier. For those who are planning to get there on their own, a map is attached:
And yes, don’t forget that during rush hours there are simply a huge number of people here, so park your car or bike 100 meters from the market, walk and you will avoid all unnecessary worries about “where is it better and safer to leave your vehicle” :)
By the way, you can always go back by taxi, there’s just a whole “hungry” flock of them here :)
P.S. And by the way, little advice finally:) Don't forget to bargain! This is a market and here you simply have to reduce the price of the goods at least a little, then you will have honor and respect)) BUT! If something like final price, no discount is written on the product, then most likely the minimum price is actually indicated here, respect the seller, the likelihood that you will bargain tends to zero, and you will also ruin his mood :)
Shopping in Phuket not as dizzyingly exciting as in , but the variety of formats retail outlets, among which there are not only hypermarkets and boutiques with world brands, but also private shops, as well as traditional Thai street markets where you can buy all sorts of exotic things, makes it a very good way to spend time. Since it is simply impossible to list all the outlets on the island, only the most popular ones are included in this article. If we missed anything interesting, be sure to let us know. ;)
Shopping centers in Phuket
Shopping centers in Phuket– this is what primarily attracts European tourists; the atmosphere there is more familiar to a shopaholic. Shopping in Phuket usually starts with visiting the largest of them.
Phuket Central Festival
The largest shopping center in Phuket, where a whole constellation of stores operates: under one roof there are 250 trading floors, including both traditional 7-Eleven and boutiques under the banners of famous world brands.
Jungceylon Phuket
Those who are concerned about the question " what can you buy in Phuket“, they really like to visit this shopping center next to , because there you can not only buy “royal clothes”, but also have fun. It offers visitors the Big C hypermarket, Robinson’s shopping center, cinema, bowling alley, beauty salons, with a dozen restaurants and cafes. There are more than two hundred small shops.
The Plaza Surin
Three-story shopping center near. It is possible that the most sophisticated shopping experience on the island. There you can buy the hottest new items from world fashion houses. There are several jewelry stores offering antiques and expensive furniture.
Ocean Plaza
It is a trading center for native goods. There are three of them on the island: one in the very center of the capital, the second in the southern part, the third on (according to our data, it is already closed forever). In addition to Thai souvenirs (which are available) and exotic trinkets, you can buy “skin” there for relaxation: shirts, shorts, hats and other small items. Sales are held regularly.
Home Pro Village
Shopping in trading platforms is more likely to interest those who have decided to become an expat and settle in Thailand for a long time. They sell goods for home and garden, as well as office furniture. A huge department of SB Design Square is dedicated to interior items, the range of which is so wide that something will be a discovery for you. Buyers are advised by a designer, assisted by a computer with a 3D monitor.
Turtle Village
If you were looking for high-quality Jim Thompson Thai silk, then Turtle Village shopping center is your place. In addition, on an area of 3 thousand square meters. meters they sell clothes and shoes, traditional Thai souvenirs. To avoid interrupting your shopping, you can stop by a cafeteria or restaurant.
Supermarkets and hypermarkets in Phuket
Tesco Lotus
Tesco Lotus chain supermarkets can be found throughout Thailand. Shopping in Phuket Town often begins and ends there. Simply because everything is there: food, small household items such as thread and needles and toothpaste, and appliances from toasters to washing machines. There are souvenir shops. Tired of walking between counters, you can look into the cafeteria and buy pizza or other fast food to take away.
Big C
Another chain retail establishment like our “Auchan”. Traditional three floors and secure parking at the entrance. The first floor is dedicated to eateries and an electronics store. You can also leave your backbone eater there. play area under the supervision of Thai Mary Poppins. On the second there is a hypermarket and a restaurant. On the third there is a bowling alley and souvenir shops.
Super Cheap
Something similar to our Cherkizon, although in format it belongs to a hypermarket. Daily sales and promotions with discounts. There is almost everything – what to put on your teeth and what to wear. To find this marketplace, take the road to the airport to the Premium Outlet shopping center, then turn right.
Phuket shops
Mr Singh Fashion Gallery
Buy clothes in Phuket possible in many places. But, if you need exclusivity and quality, then check out this store. In addition to ready-made women's and men's dresses, you can order individual tailoring according to patterns from world brands. Customers are served by the best Shanghai tailors. We sew business suits, evening suits and wedding dresses, separately trousers and skirts, blouses, shorts. The order will be completed within two or three days.
Pornthip (Sea Store)
The Pornthip store is a foodie's paradise where they sell delicious souvenirs. Everything is produced by a local factory under the same name - Pornthip. Fish and seafood delicacies, canned fruits and nut mixtures certified according to local and international standards.
R. K. Fashions
Phuket markets
If you are bored with civilized European shopping, then welcome to Phuket markets. The indescribable flavor of the Asian marketplace, a mixture of smells and aromas, expression and extreme. Hold on to your pockets, they'll tear you off by chance. Large markets are open on all days of the week. And on weekends people gather to trade in the squares. This centuries-old tradition, from which they made a bait for tourists. The seafood market on Rawai Beach is described.
Advice! Before visiting Thai markets, it is important to know the retail outlets in question. Most hucksters deliberately inflate prices for the upcoming auction, after which you buy the product at its regular price or slightly lower.
In the very heart of Phuket island is located one of the most colorful places - Sunday Market, or Night Market (which means Night market Day off). Here you will be offered souvenirs, clothes, shoes and all sorts of accessories. At the same time, while strolling through the bazaar in search of new things, you can treat yourself to local delicacies, which are available in unprecedented abundance.
Time and schedule of the night market in Phuket
Be careful, because the market is open from 16.00 to 22.00 exclusively on Saturdays and Sundays, and although it is called a night market, its opening hours are strictly evening. Closer to midnight, the last traders close, and it becomes impossible to find anything on the market. As for weekdays, only a few points are open at the site of this market.
How to get to the weekend market in Phuket
The market is located opposite the Naka Temple. The main landmark when searching for a market is the Central Festival shopping center or the Central Bus Station. From there you can walk/drive south along Chao Fah Tawan Tok Road until the intersection with Wirat Hong Yok Road. The market is practically at a crossroads. You can even get to the bazaar on foot; the journey from the shopping center to the market takes about 15 minutes.
- GPS coordinates: 7.880344,98.366082.
Prices at night markets in Phuket
Over time, this primordially Thai place has been chosen by armies of tourists eager to experience the local flavor. Signs with prices for goods are very rare here, so you can and should bargain here. This will help you buy goods at 2 or even 3 times cheaper. Products here are offered at approximately the following prices:
- Simple shoes (sneakers, slates and other delights) - from 60 baht.
- T-shirts, shorts and dresses - from 70 baht.
- A decent souvenir - from 40 baht.
- Dry goods: faux leather from 80 baht.
- Watches: the average price of a copy of expensive brands is 100 baht.
- Locally produced cosmetics are available for prices starting from 15 baht.
- There are stalls where you can buy any product for 69 baht.
Fans of culinary delights will certainly enjoy the second part of the market – the gastronomic part.
- Sushi or rolls: from 6 baht per piece.
- Grilled seafood: from 10 baht.
- A serving of noodles or rice: from 10 baht.
- Fruits and vegetables: from 30 baht per kilogram.
- Freshly squeezed juices and cocktails: from 40 baht per glass.
- Hundreds of types of flatbreads, sweets, donuts, drinks, meat, fish and other ready-made national dishes at delicious prices.
Shopping from the counter
The market is conventionally divided into two parts: ready-made Thai dishes and an abundance of goods for every taste and budget. It is in this market that you can fully immerse yourself in the variety of tastes and smells of real Thai cuisine. Be sure to try exotic delicacies, such as fried insects (grasshoppers, cockroaches, or something worse), or try traditional dishes in the native version: natural potato chips; grilled seafood in sauces of varying degrees of spiciness; soups from meat, chicken and fish; Thai desserts and much more. By the way, you can ask to pack all this Asian delicacy with you. You can also enjoy similar dishes in small cafes where you can drink a cold beer or try an unusual cocktail.
In the rest of the market, merchants offer so many odds and ends for sale that it's hard to predict what oddity you'll be lucky enough to buy around the corner. Here you can find ancient souvenirs made of leather or wood, aromatic oils for home and massage, Thai cosmetics, and there are also dozens of retail outlets with clothes, shoes, jewelry and other variety.
Precautions
Take a clean one with you drinking water, because the hot air, filled with specific smells, can make you feel a little uneasy and definitely want to drink. But you won’t be able to find bottled distilled water here right away. Well, of course, before you go to the market, make sure you have cash in your pockets.
Important tip
The best time to walk around the market is when it opens, therefore around 17.00. When the crowd of onlookers has not yet begun at the market, you have an excellent chance of finding a free place for your bike or car in a nearby parking lot.
Tourists coming to Thailand are sure to visit the markets in order to more fully experience the exoticism. There are quite a lot of them on the island. Markets on the island of Phuket can be either stationary or mobile. Some of them operate on set days of the week.
For example, the market in the Karon Beach area is open on Tuesday and Friday. On the shelves you can see various products and prepared foods, shakes, and fruits. Thai souvenirs and things are also sold here. Daily markets move. Their work depends on the influx of tourists. The same mobile market operates on Monday and Thursday in Kata Beach.
Clothing markets
In the area of the largest beach there is a market - OTOP market. The market on Patong Beach is located on the second line not far from the hotel. Here you can buy accessories, dresses, all attributes for leisure, cosmetics, souvenirs, shoes, clothes and so on. Clothing markets allow you to save on purchases, as it is customary to bargain here.
There is another bazaar in Patong where you can buy the same goods. Prices are the same in all markets. There is also a clothing bazaar on Kata Beach, but it is small in size.
Night shopping
The weekend market is open on Saturday and Sunday from 16:00. This is the most popular shopping destination among tourists. You can buy T-shirts here at low prices, but they are not of great quality. In this market you can buy cheap watches - copies of famous brands for 100-120 baht.
Souvenirs, shorts, jeans - all products are offered at affordable prices. Tourists always leave reviews about Thai food at the market. Here travelers not only bargain, but can also relax in the bar. The bazaar offers an abundance of:
- seafood dishes;
- crispy Thai omelette;
- crabs with any sauce;
- Thai seafood flatbreads;
- rice with mango;
- deep-fried chicken fillet;
- pancakes;
- small kebabs;
- cashew;
- coconut balls with honey.
Phuket Town Night Market is open from 16.00 to 22.00. You can come to the market at public transport. You should get off at the Central Bus Station stop. You can also reach the market on foot. For example, the path from shopping center The festival will take 15 minutes. All clothing markets marked on the map of Phuket.
Chatuchak has only a few rows where they sell old things. Flea markets are not necessarily second-hand stores. They also sell modern things here - chargers, cameras, bicycles. You can also find real antiques. It is open on weekends from 16:00 to 22:00. How to get to the flea market? You should go to Phang-Nga Bus Station. You need to focus on the Thai food court. Behind it is the Chatuchak market.
The Expo Market clothing bazaar is also of interest, where clothes are offered at low prices. You can buy here jewelry, clothes, shoes, souvenirs and so on. If you wish, you can have a snack in a cafe and sing karaoke. The pavilion has special chairs where a back massage is offered for 10 baht.
The fruit market is located in the city center. You can get here by public transport. The stop and the final one is Ranong Street. Fruit prices are approximately as follows:
- bananas - 10-20 baht (1 kg);
- mango-50-60 baht (1 kg);
- pineapples – 10-15 baht (piece);
- tangerines – 40-60 baht (1 kg).
The fish market is located in the south of the island. It is open every day from 10.00 to 20.00. There are always only fresh products on the shelves of Rawai. It is brought by sea gypsies. There is a huge selection of seafood - crabs, shrimp, lobsters, mussels, octopus and so on. Interesting fact: purchased products can be immediately prepared at a local establishment for an additional fee.
There is a special market that people of art – citizens of the state of Thailand – like to visit. Here you can hear music, or watch the artist as he creates. Many young people take photos there for memory. The market is quite young - it was opened 5 years ago. There are a lot of products there self made. The souvenir market amazes tourists with its diversity and low prices. People go to Phutai Market to buy Thai clothes, decorative items or gifts in ethnic style.
There are many handmade goods in Phuket. Tourists buy cups and glasses made of coconut, glasses, napkin holders with images of elephants, lamps, silk carpets, chests and so on in the markets. There are also unknown markets - for example, the bazaar of amulets. Of course, before buying a talisman, it is better to consult with the seller. Bargaining is common here.
- one of the many islands of Thailand, which attracts tourists with its luxurious beaches, stunningly beautiful nature and, of course, warm, clear water. However, this wonderful land in the middle of the Adriatic Sea is rich not only in this.
Night markets in Phuket
They deserve special attention. It is in these places that you can find everything, from simple fruits to strange things, the purpose of which is difficult to imagine. And this is where tourists should visit if they not only want to bask in the rays of the warm sun, but also want to experience the whole flavor of Thailand.
Night market Sunday market is the largest and most popular on the island of Phuket
For some reason, the first thing that comes to mind when you mention the name night markets in Phuket is night, free-standing shops with all kinds of goods and sleepy, uncommunicative sellers. But no, everything is completely different. The operating hours of such “local attractions” will surprise many - from 16.00 to 22.00. Of course, this schedule may vary, but the essence does not change: at three o’clock in the morning no one will sell you flip-flops or squid.
Knight Market is one of the most exotic and popular places in the world. It is the largest market on the island and it is for this reason that it is so popular among tourists. Night Market is open only on weekends. Starting from five in the evening, numerous counters, kiosks, and tents begin to open, offering tourists goods with a Thai flavor.
By six o'clock in the evening, the numerous streets of this market are crowded with tourists who, like butterflies, flock to the numerous smells of local food, lights and music heard from local shop windows. Perhaps, not one photo is capable of conveying everything that awaits the eyes of the guests. And, precisely for this reason, even without intending to buy anything, it’s worth visiting the Night Market just to recharge yourself with the unprecedented energy that permeates the atmosphere at the night market.
At 23.00, this paradise for shopaholics seems to fall asleep, turning off its lights, closing its windows and seeing off tired and satisfied tourists.
How to get to Night Market
You can get to Night Market as follows: by taxi, so by local transport, which is proudly called “knock-knock”. All you need to do is tell the driver "Naka market" and he will take you to this luxurious place, amazing with the abundance of goods.
If you prefer to visit local attractions on your own, then on the map you can see that "Sunday market"(the second name of the night market) is located near the famous one on the island. From the big store you should move towards the area Chalong and at the first traffic light turn left. Actually, this is the entire route to such a famous place.
It is important to note that a trip from, or any other beach will not take much time, and at the same time you will be pleasantly surprised by everything that the night market offers.
What to buy
The abundance of goods at the night market in Phuket is amazing and it is not surprising that many tourists are simply lost, wanting to buy more of everything. We invite you to consider the most popular products, without which you simply cannot leave this place:
For tourists who are going to visit this market for the first time, it should be noted that here you can need to bargain. Some sellers deliberately do not post price tags, thereby inviting tourists to enter into an interesting and useful dialogue with them. And, if you have the art of persuasion, then the cost of some goods can be reduced by 2-3 times.
Other night markets in Phuket
If for some reason it is not possible to visit the largest and most famous night market, the Sunday market, located in the heart of the island, then tourists are offered alternative options close to popular beaches. Among them, the following are worthy of attention for anyone who wants to know more about Thailand.
