Are you looking for a taste of local culture and some unique shopping experiences in Phuket?
The island is home to a variety of bustling markets where you can find everything from fresh produce and delicious street food to handcrafted souvenirs and trendy fashion. And yes, rip-off football kids and designer gear, albeit the former is now far more prominent.
Whether you’re hunting for a special memento or want to soak up the lively atmosphere, Phuket’s markets offer something for everyone. Join us as we explore the best spots to shop, eat, and enjoy the vibrant market scene in Phuket.
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Find Your Closest Market in Phuket!
Bangtao Night Market
- Srisoonthorn Rd, Tambon Choeng Thale, Chang Thalang
- Monday 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm and Thursday 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
The Bangtao Night Market is located in the Bangtao Beach area on the west coast of Phuket Island. The market is situated outside Lotus, a bit of a walk up from Bangtao Beach (not to be confused with the Friday Boat Avenue Market, closer to Laguna).
The open-air market is open every Monday and Thursday from late afternoon and is mostly a food market. With a strong Muslim influence in the area, there are plentiful Halal options. Though it’s not the largest and most atmospheric of Phuket’s markets, it’s a great place to enjoy an evening out, get a cheap feed, and experience more local culture near Bangtao Beach, away from the resorts.
Banzaan Fresh Market
- Na Nai Road, Patong, Kathu District (next street back from Jungceylon)
- Open daily 6:00 am to 1:00 pm, then 6:00 pm to midnight
- Learn more at banzaanfresh-market.com
With over 200 stalls, this covered, open-air market in Patong is your place to come for affordable, fresh local food. It operates a morning and an evening market daily.
Breakfast includes dim sum, tea, coffee, rice noodles, chicken rice, red pork rice, and authentic Phuket local food. At the night market, you can find a seafood zone, street food, drinks and desserts, roti-tea, smoothies, and ice cream as well as a flower market section.
If the food prices in Jungceylon Mall in Patong feel too much, just head one street back you’ll find Banzaan Fresh Market for an affordable bite.
Boat Avenue Market (Friday Fun Market)
- Boat Avenue, Choeng Thale, Chang Thalang District
- Fridays 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Not to be mistaken for the Bang Tao Market mentioned above, the Boat Avenue Friday Market is a modern and upscale open-air market located in the Cherngtalay area of Phuket Island.
The market is situated off Boat Avenue (along Pasak-Koktanod Road), a popular shopping and dining area adjacent to the international food supermarket Villa Market.
Friday Market offers a variety of products, including local handicrafts, clothing, accessories, souvenirs, as well as a wide range of food and beverage options. You’ll find a great mix of Thai and international food, which you can enjoy with live music and street entertainment (albeit we wish there were a few more seating areas!)
There’s a great community feel here, both local and expat; we’d argue that it is currently the ‘best market’ in Phuket for its atmosphere and range of local options in an open-air setting that doesn’t feel stuffy and sweaty like many of the covered markets.
Chillva Market Phuket
- 141/2 Yaowarat Rd, Tambon Ratsada, Amphoe Mueang Phuket District
- The market is open Monday to Saturday from 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm (closed Sundays)
- Learn more here
The Chillva Market Phuket is located in Phuket Town, about 2.5 kilometres east of the Central Festival Phuket shopping mall.
This is a popular spot for shopping, dining, and entertainment, with local talent acts and live performances on stage.
The market has a unique and modern design, with colourful recycled shipping containers used as shops and food stalls. It offers a variety of local food, drinks, clothing, and handmade crafts – more genuine articles than you’ll find at other markets. However, we’re seeing a bit more of the ‘same, same’ stalls creeping in, along with secondhand items.
If you’re up for thrilling your taste buds or trying something new, you’ll find fried insects and crocodile meat among many other delicacies here! If that’s not to your tastes, seek out the Gelato Corner with the kids and sit back with the live entertainment.
It’s mostly open air, so it’s great in the dry season and on sunny days, but not so great on those rainy nights!
Kamala Market
- Kamala Beach, Tambon Kamala, Amphoe Kathu, Chang Wat (opposite Fantasea)
- Monday and Friday from 3.00 pm to 7:30 pm
This local market, held twice weekly, offers reasonably priced local food items. It also offers a very small selection of clothing, souvenirs, and paraphernalia. Seating is limited, and the area is only partially covered in the rainy season, so it can be a bit wet underfoot.
This is what we’d call a quite authentic local market experience, great for repeat visitors to the island that are looking to try something different at very reasonable prices.
Kamala Farmers Market
- 35 Kammala – Patong Rd, Tambon Kamala, Amphoe Kathu, Chang Wat (Opposite Big C)
- Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm (TBC)
A separate, smaller farmers market runs in Kamala three times a week (TBC, every time we check, we get different info!). Packed full of fresh fruit and vegetables, this is more the sort of market you’d come to for stocking the fridge and pantry if you’re staying in Phuket for a while with your cooking facilities.
Karon Temple Market
- Patak Road, Tambon Karon, Amphoe Mueang Phuket, Chang Wat Phuket 83100, Thailand
- Tuesday and Friday 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm
The Karon Temple Market, also known as the Wat Suwan Khiri Khet Market, is located in the heart of Karon Beach, a popular tourist destination on the west coast of Phuket. The market is situated next to the Karon Temple (Wat Suwan Khiri Khet) on Patak Road, about 500m from the beach.
It offers a mix of Thai and international food, as well as local handicrafts and souvenirs. It’s a great place to experience the local culture and enjoy an evening out in Karon Beach, though we’ve found nothing extraordinary to set it apart from other markets, its a fun local choice if you’re staying in the southern beaches.
Kata Night Market
- Kata Road, Tambon Karon, Amphoe Mueang Phuket, Chang Wat
- Monday to Saturday 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm (Closed Sundays)
- Learn more on their Facebook page
The Kata Night Market and Kata Walking Street are located just back from Kata Beach, a popular tourist destination on the west coast of Phuket. As the name might suggest, Walking Street consists of pedestrianised roads through the back streets, leading to the larger, original Kata Night Market behind.
The Kata Walking Street Market is very much focused on food, with ample seating and a great ambience. As you wander deeper back through the market, you notice that there’s a mixture of your usual suspects offering Thai souvenirs and clothing.
It’s a busy and bustling place to be on an evening after your day at the beach, and it’s definitely worth seeking out for a night even if you’re staying elsewhere on the island.
Kata Beach Day Market
- Soi Pakbang, Karon, Mueang Phuket District
- Friday to Sunday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Stretching along the road adjacent to Kata Beach, this is more of a collection of stalls than a formal market, but nonetheless, it’s worth checking off your list as there aren’t many that operate throughout the day. You’ll find a decent selection of street food on sale at reasonable prices for hungry beach-goers.
Otop Market
- 237/1-17 Rat Uthit Road, Ratong, Amphoe Kathu
- Daily 5:00 pm to midnight
- Learn more at otopmarketpatong.com
One of Patong’s original markets is still operational today, albeit it is quite scaled back from what it used to be some decades ago. It’s known for its selection of beach hut-style bars, playing Aussie sports and football games, and an array of clothing stores, tailors, tattoo shops and souvenirs.
It’s probably best known as your place to grab fakes, but even these stalls are dwindling in number, being replaced by far more appealing food stalls, ambient lighting, and live entertainment.
Your nostalgics may still enjoy a stop at Otop, but there are better places to shop these days.
Malin Plaza
- 51-52 Thanon Prachanukhro, Tambon Patong, Amphoe Kathu
- Open Daily 11:00 AM to Midnight
- Learn more on their facebook page
Found at the south end of Patong, Malin Plaza has really replaced Otop as the top market night spot in Patong. There’s a big foodie focus catering to both local and international tastes. If you’re after a budget night in Patong, this is your place with dinner sorted and a decent smattering of souvenirs, clothing items and knick-knacks for you to remember your trip to Phuket.
Naka Market (Phuket Weekend Market)
- Wirat Hong Yok Rd, Wichit, Mueang Phuket District
- Saturday and Sunday, 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm
- Learn more at phuketnakamarket.com
The Phuket Weekend Market, also known as Naka Market or Talad Tairod, is located in Phuket Town, about 2 kilometres from Central Festival Phuket shopping mall (walkable for some, but we’d recommend getting a Bolt/Grab).
There’s really a little of everything and anything. At the market, you can find a wide range of goods, including local food, clothing, accessories, souvenirs, and more. It’s probably the best spot these days for a wide range of football tops and beachwear.
Most of the market is covered (but no AC!- take a hand fan) with some outdoor seating areas and live entertainment. There’s also a decent selection of food from satay to grilled seafood, banana pancakes and millions of smoothie combinations!
Note that the Naka Food Center is open every day (7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.) but has way fewer stalls than the weekend version, which we’d argue is Phuket’s largest market.
Phuket Old Town Sunday Market
- Thalang Road, Tambon Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District,
- Sundays 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Arguably the island’s best night market, The Phuket Old Town Sunday Market (also known as the Sunday Walking Street Market, the Thalang Road Night Market, or Lard Yai Market), is located in the historic Old Town area of Phuket. Thalang Road is closed to traffic on Sunday evenings to make way for the market.
The Sunday Market offers a variety of food, drinks, clothing, accessories, and souvenirs, including Thai and international food. There’s a charming and nostalgic atmosphere, with many old Sino-Portuguese shophouses serving as the backdrop for the stalls and activities.
It’s a great place to soak up the local culture and enjoy an evening out in Phuket Town. However, it may be a victim of its own success. We warn you, especially when travelling with kids, that the Sunday Market can get very busy and crowded, so think twice before attempting to take a stroller with you (or walking as a large group).
There are limited spots to sit in the heart of the action, so we suggest grabbing your bites and then sitting near the Golden Dragon Statue (72nd Anniversary Queen Sirikit Park). The market has spilled over to this end of Thalang Road where there’s a little more breathing space, and some further live entertainment.
Top Tip: Toilets are hard to come by, there’s a rather grotty public bathroom near the statue for 10THB, or head across the park and look for Limelight, there’s nice clean (and free!) restrooms you can use.
Phuket Indy Night Market
- 68 Dibuk Rd, Tambon Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District (Limelight Avenue)
- Wednesday-Thursday-Friday 4:00 pm to 10:30 pm
- Learn more on their facebook page
The Phuket Indy Market, also known as the Phuket Indy Night Market or Limelight Avenue Phuket, is located in the heart of Phuket Town. The market is situated off Dibuk Road, just a street up from Thalang Rd, which is closed to traffic on market evenings.
If you’re sick of the rip-offs of fake clothes and other such trinkets, then this is the place to come for some more authentic homegrown goodness; think shoes and clothing, fashion accessories, and easy Thai snacks and drinks you can enjoy with live entertainment.
It has a more chilled-out atmosphere than other markets, quite popular with the local, younger crowd, or those wanting a change from the big bustling markets. It is small, but a great spot for dinner near the highlights of Old Town Phuket.
Rawai Fish Market
- Wiset Rd, Rawai, Mueang Phuket District
- Daily 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
The Rawai Fish Market is located in the Rawai Beach area on the southern tip of Phuket Island. It is open daily from early morning to evening and offers a variety of fresh seafood and fish caught by local fishermen.
You can find a wide selection of seafood, such as fish, crabs, shrimp, lobsters, and more, at reasonable prices (though long-time expats report that prices are rising considerably, so it’s no longer a hidden gem!).
Regardless, it’s a great place to buy fresh seafood, have it cooked at one of the nearby restaurants, or take it home to cook yourself.
Are you aware of any other small community markets in Phuket we may have missed? We’d love to add them to our listing and help family travellers find the best Phuket has to offer – let us know in the comments, especially if there are any timing or day changes to the above!
Head back to our guide on the best family-friendly places to visit in Phuket
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