Markets in Phuket
Phuket's markets are worth timing rather than wandering into. Two of the four are weekend or evening events, and the difference between arriving on the right night and the wrong one is total. Between them they cover cheap clothes, designed craft, fresh ingredients and some of the best eating on the island.
Getting your bearings
Two of the four are in or beside Phuket Town, inland to the south-east, and two are in Patong on the west coast. If you are staying at a beach, the town markets are a deliberate trip rather than a stroll — worth it for the Weekend Market, and worth combining with dinner in the old town.
When they are open
The Weekend Market runs Saturday and Sunday evenings only. Chillva opens several nights a week. Malin Plaza and Banzaan are daily. As everywhere in Thailand, checking the day before you travel saves an evening.
Phuket Weekend Market
Also called Naka Market, just outside Phuket Town, and the largest on the island. Saturday and Sunday evenings, with clothes, accessories, second-hand goods and souvenirs across a very large site. The food section is the reason to come even if you buy nothing.
Chillva Market
In Phuket Town, built out of shipping containers and aimed at a young local crowd. Fashion, handmade goods and live music several nights a week, at a scale you can actually finish. The most enjoyable of the four to spend an evening in.
Malin Plaza
A few minutes from Patong beach, compact and busy, and the convenient option rather than the interesting one. Cheap shopping, grilled seafood, fruit shakes and snacks — a good stop before an evening out rather than a destination.
Banzaan Fresh Market
Also in Patong, and the one for anyone curious about how Thai food actually starts. A working fresh market downstairs, and a food court upstairs where vendors will cook what you have just bought in front of you.
What to buy
- Thai silk, sarongs and clothing
- Handicrafts and souvenirs
- Spices, teas and tropical fruit
- Local art and handmade jewellery
Practical notes
- Bargaining is expected. Do it politely and it works.
- Early evening is the sweet spot — the food is out and the heat has gone.
- Bring cash and small notes; card acceptance is rare at stall level.
What the food is like
The market food on Phuket is the best value on the island and the most reliably good Thai cooking available to a visitor. Grilled seafood, noodle dishes made to order, curries by the ladleful and fruit shakes for the price of a bottle of water. The Weekend Market's food section and the upstairs at Banzaan are the two worth planning an evening around.
Practical notes
- Come hungry rather than fed — the food is the point at three of the four
- Wear shoes you can walk in; the Weekend Market covers a lot of ground
- A small bag is worth carrying, since stalls do not hand out much
Getting there and back
None of the four is walkable from a west-coast beach except Malin Plaza. Taxis and tuk-tuks are the realistic option and are worth agreeing on before you set off, including the return — a market that ends at eleven leaves a lot of people looking for the same ride at the same time.