Shopping in Phuket Thailand

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While Phuket lacks the variety and sheer volume of handicrafts and other local goods seen in Northern Thailand and Bangkok, there are still some great buys to be had here. Shopping in Phuket offers silks and cottons, ready-to-wear and custom made clothing, batiks, leather goods, jewellery; ceramics and antiques are among the more popular items. And due to the boom of upscale property developments on the island, there's also a fabulous range of home décor products and furniture.

Several markets in Phuket exist at various locations, adding to the charm of shopping in Phuket; some are permanent, others operate in the mornings and evenings according to Thai tradition and then there are there are markets specifically catering to tourists, sporting mainly souvenirs and handicrafts; these can be found in most the tourist centres.


Phuket City Shopping

If shopping is your thing, Phuket City is the place to get your fix. Many of the same items that are sold at Patong and other beach resorts are cheaper in the city.

In the “Old Town” along Montri, Phang Nga, Rassada and Yaowarat roads, are a number of Phuket's better handicraft, souvenir and antique shops. Walking around this area is also a pleasant opportunity to see some of Phuket's remaining sino-portuguese architecture in the form of shophouses and a few large houses.

On Ranong road, you can experience the sights and sounds of a Thai fresh market at the Downtown market next to the beach-bus station. Apart from the fruits, vegetables and meats, there are also some basic clothing items for sale.

For more clothes, there are the weekend markets that sell cheap clothing as well as shoes, jewelry, household items, plants and pets among other things. (See markets for more information).

Phuket City has a few department stores selling a wide range of items. These are mostly located on the Bypass road (Chalermprakiat Rd.), on the edge of the city. The largest of these is the recently opened Central Festival Phuket, a modern shopping mall with a department store. This is the place to go for brand name products. There are also numerous restaurants and an excellent cinema in the mall.

On the same road are Big C and Tesco Lotus supercentres. These are large hypermarkets with attached shopping centres containing shops and restaurants.

The most recent addition to the shopping centres in the area is Index Living Mall. A huge furniture superstore with a handful of smaller shops and restaurants.

In the centre of the city, on the corner of Tilok Uthit 1 road, is Robinson Ocean department store. This is fairly small but has a good range of brand name clothing. Further down the same road is Ocean Shopping Mall, an even smaller department store. The second floor is worth a look for the clothes. Many of the items you will see along the stalls in Patong can be found here for less, as well as many other fashion items and accessories. There are also a few stalls and shops along Tilok Uthit road selling clothes and souvenirs.


Patong Shopping

After Phuket City, Patong is the next best place to do your shopping in Phuket. There is the recently opened Jungceylon, a large shopping complex, as well as plenty of clothing boutiques, souvenir shops, tailors, and of course roadside stalls.


Patong Department Stores

Shopping in Patong reached new heights with the eagerly anticipate and much delayed opening of Jungceylon on
Rat-U-Thit road. The huge three storey complex contains a mixture of shopping, dining and entertainment facilities, including Carrefour, Robinsons department store, SFX cinema and a good selection of dining outlets.

For cheaper brand name items, mostly clothing, Patong's modest but well stocked Ocean Plaza Bangla department store is also worth a visit.


Patong Markets & Stalls

There are quite a few shops and stalls open during the day, usually from the late morning, but it is at night that the streets really come alive. When the sun sets, Patong becomes a huge night bazaar with a continuous stretch of shops and stalls all along the beach road (Taweewong rd.), which overflows down into the many side streets.

Items on sale include t-shirts, beachwear, watches, sunglasses, sarongs, handicrafts, souvenirs, music CDs, DVD movies, computer games, electronic gadgets and various other toys. (See what to buy).

Other street shopping zones include the area around the Paradise Complex, off Rat-U-Thit 200 Pee road, which sets up most nights of the week, and the road leading up to Patong Hospital, which is lined with stalls selling clothes catering mostly to locals and tourists.


Bang Tao, Surin Shopping

other notable Phuket areas for shopping are Bang Tao and Surin beaches. Both of these areas cater to the villa property market, and as such have a surprisingly good range of upscale boutiques and furniture stores.

Fine Thai furniture can be found near the Laguna Phuket resort

Several antique and home furnishing shops are located just outside the Laguna Phuket resort complex, while within Laguna is a shopping centre called Canal Village, which has high-end giftware, silks, spa products and home décor shops including Jim Thompson. At Surin, on the main road just north of the beach is the Surin Plaza, with boutiques and fine dining options.

An open-air market in Bang Tao, opposite the Cherng Talay police station, is a lively and very local shopping area, with all sorts of cheap items for sale including t-shirts and other clothing.


Phuket Markets Shopping

Markets are what shopping in Thailand is all about. The street markets in the beach areas sell all kinds of clothing, such as “brand name” t-shirts, DVD movies, watches, along with gift and souvenir items. Remember to compare prices, and bargain hard but with a smile. Ill-tempered bargaining will get you nowhere in Thailand.

The fresh markets sell fresh produce, such as fruits and vegetables. While they might not have too many items on a tourist's shopping list, having a look around a fresh market can be an enjoyable way to mix with the local people and soak up the colours and smells. If you have a keen interest in Thai food and how it is prepared, a visit to a fresh market affords an opportunity to see all the ingredients that are used in Thai cooking before they are prepared.


Street Markets

Patong Beach Road
This is the main shopping street catering to tourists. All along the beach road south of Soi Bangla, and down a few of the small alleys, are stalls and shops selling cheap designer goods, beach wear, watches, some electrical goods and souvenir items. Quite a few stalls and shops are open during the day but the street really comes alive in the evenings.


Bangla Road (Patong)
Pretty much a continuation of the stalls and shops along the
beach road, interspersed with beer bars. As with the bars, the shopping is best in the evenings.


Patak Road (Karon Circle Area)
Similar to Patong Beach Road, but much fewer stalls and shops by comparison.


Taina Road (Kata)
Quite a few shops and stalls beginning at the intersection near Dino Park and continuing down Taina Road. Also some more shopping at the southern end of Kata, before the road goes over the hill to Kata Noi.


Chao Fah Variety (opposite Wat Nakha, Phuket City)
Also known as the new weekend market, this market recently sprung up on the outskirts of Phuket City, just off Chaofa West road opposite Wat Nakha (Nakha Temple). This is now Phuket's largest weekend market, having taken over from the now defunct Chatuchak Phuket market. There is a wide range of items on sale, including clothes, accessories, pets, home decorations and plenty of delicious food.


Phuket Square (Tilok Uthit 2 Rd, Phuket City )
Another new market near the Royal Phuket City Hotel. Features clothes, decorative items, furniture and household goods. Open 'til late.


Cherng Talay market (near Cherng Talay police station)
This market, which is open on Sundays and Wednesdays, is a much smaller version of the weekend market in Phuket City.


Fresh Markets

Most Thais in Phuket still buy their groceries from fresh markets, and there are dozens all over the island. Some of these are everyday, while many operate a couple of days a week.


Downtown Market (Ranong Rd, Phuket City)
This market has been in existence since the city's early history, when pirates and traders came to sell their wares or pick up supplies. These days the shoppers are mostly housewives and cooks, but it is a buzzing and colourful market nonetheless.


Robinsons Market (Talad Kaset)
Located in a small road between Robinsons and Ocean department stores, this market is open during the morning hours. However, at night, there are lots of food stalls serving cheap and tasty Thai food.


Department stores

• Central Festival, bypass rd, Phuket City
  
• Robinsons, Tilok-U-Thit 1 Rd, Phuket City
  
• Ocean Shopping Mall, Tilok-U-Thit 1 Rd, Phuket City
  
• Phuket Shopping Centre, Rassada Rd, Phuket City
  
• Ocean Plaza, Thaweewong Rd, Patong
  
• Ocean Plaza Bangla, Bangla Rd, Patong