Wondering which Phuket night markets you should visit? Which ones have survived the pandemic? So were we, so we asked our insider Rich for his best shopping tips and he came up with this detailed guide to which night markets in Phuket you should add to your itinerary.

Thailand is a shopper’s paradise. From its vast shopping malls to the evening street vendors hawking clothing, snacks, traditional handicrafts, jewelry, and more – you can buy almost anything here. And Phuket is no exception.

Whilst you can shop from 10 am-10 pm at the shopping malls, if you’re looking for a bargain and some excellent Thai street food, the night markets are where it’s at.

Phuket has several amazing night markets operating in set places, on set nights. We’re going to have a look at these markets: where you can find them, on which nights, and what they are selling. But first, a little advice for bargaining with the local vendors…

Try not to be too aggressive when you barter for a better price. By all means, barter, but be aware that the vendors are trying to make a living and feed their families, and have been suffering from the lack of tourists during the pandemic.

The best way to start to barter, though, is with a little Thai. Simply point at the item you like and ask, “tao rai?” Male speakers add a “khap” at the end, while female speakers add a “kaa.”

Making even a small effort with the language can go a long way in Thailand. Now, you may be concerned that you will not understand their reply – a translation app is your friend here. And if the second price is still a bit too high, say “kii baht?” in an incredulous tone. “Kii baht” means “how many baht?” Now you will probably have the vendor laughing at your Thai pronunciation, but they will be more inclined to bargain with you.

So now that you know how to ask for prices and barter, let’s check out the array of night markets you can visit in Phuket to practice your new Thai phrases.

Map of Phuket Night Markets

Phuket Markets – Which days are they on?

Market	When
Naka Market	Saturday & Sunday
Phuket Walking Street (old town)	Sunday
Karon Temple Market	Tuesday & Friday
Phuket Indy Night Market	Wednesday, Thursday & Friday
Fun Friday Avenue Market	Friday
Vintage Night Market	Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday
Chillva Market	Mondays through Saturdays
OTOP Night Market	Daily
Kata Night Market	Daily

Phuket Weekend Night Market – Naka Market

The Phuket Weekend Market is located a few minutes to the south of Phuket’s biggest shopping mall, Central Festival, on the outskirts of Phuket Town. It’s known by a few different names too: some refer to it as Naka Market, and the Thais sometimes call it “talad tairod,” which translates as “car boot sale.”

The market itself is huge, and has two main sections; the food section and the goods section. “The goods” can be almost anything. With plenty of clothing on offer and bric-a-brac, this market is excellent for picking up some bargain souvenirs.

You can easily spend a couple of hours here roaming between the stalls, but don’t forget to check out the food options too—Thai street food is delicious! Pad Thai, mango sticky rice, and chicken-on-a-stick will keep your energy levels up for more shopping and bartering!

When: Saturdays & Sundays
Where: V9J8+6F Wichit, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket

Phuket Walking Street

If you’re only going to visit one of the night markets in Phuket, this one would be a great choice. Phuket Town Walking Street is in the heart of Phuket Town and is known to the locals as “Lard Yai Market.” It runs the length of Thalang Road and is set amongst the colorful Sino-Portuguese architecture of Old Town, making it a very photogenic market. 

With stalls in the center and on each side of the road, there are plenty of stalls to browse. This market is a great place for souvenir hunting; there are plenty of Phuket-themed t-shirts, carvings, and trinkets to bargain for.

On our recent visit, there was live music and even some ballroom dancing going on. Phuket’s old town markets are very touristy but a lot of fun. Arrive in the late afternoon for a chance to capture some photos of the market and the architecture.

But again, do not neglect the amazing food stalls! Try some mango rice or a som tam (green papaya salad), and if you don’t want your som tam too spicy, ask for it “mai pet.”

When: Sundays 4pm-10pm
Where: Thalang Road Phuket Old Town

Karon Temple Market

If you are staying in and around Karon or in Kata Beach, this night market is very easy to get to. Ask for “Wat Karon,” with ‘wat’ being the Thai word for ‘temple.’ The temple is a ten-minute stroll from Karon Beach.

The stalls offer a wide variety of local products and, of course, lots of great food, the grilled meat is a good choice here. The market starts at 4:00 pm, so it’s the perfect place to go for a post-beach snack.

When: Tuesdays & Fridays 4pm-10pm
Where: Wat Karon

Phuket Indy Night Market

The Phuket Indy Night Market is at Limelight Avenue Mall, just off Dibuk Road. It’s close to the location of the Sunday night market, but unfortunately, they run on different days. Known by locals as “lard ploy khong,” this is a great place to pick up some Thai trinkets and baubles as souvenirs. And, guess what? There are tons of awesome food sellers too, including delicious fried chicken and Vietnamese Pho stalls.

When: Wednesday,Thursday & Friday 4pm-10pm
Where: Limelight Avenue Mall

Fun Friday Avenue Market

The Fun Friday Avenue Night Market is more convenient for those staying a little farther north on Phuket Island. It’s located on Boat Avenue, near Bang Tao Beach and Phuket Laguna, and only runs on Fridays. It’s a little smaller than many of the others on this list, but it complements the permanent shopping at Boat Avenue nicely. Boat Avenue has some cool boutique shops and a supermarket, and the weekly addition of stalls selling street food, fresh fruit shakes, and souvenirs makes Friday night the time to visit. 

When: Fridays 4pm-9pm
Where: Boat Avenue, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket

Vintage Night Market

Also known as Kathu Night Market, this one is easily reached from Patong by taxi. Situated half-way between Patong and Phuket Town, this relatively new market is gaining popularity. There are a few stalls selling clothing and souvenirs, plus the obligatory local food stalls. There’s also a couple of bars and a live band playing too. It’s still reasonably small and is a perfect stop-off on the way to or from Phuket Town. 

When: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday
Where: Boat Avenue,

Chillva Market

Chillva Market is arguably the best night market in Phuket. It’s a cool place to hang out for the Thai teenagers, as well as being a great place to grab some bargains, watch some street performances, and, you guessed it, to sample some simple-yet-delicious local Thai cuisine. Located a short distance north of Central Festival, it’s also easy to reach from Patong.

The market is a little more hip in its wares on offer, with an array of stalls and shops made from repurposed shipping containers. There are lots of clothing and footwear stalls to try out your bargaining skills with at this big market, and you may be able to find counterfeit luxury watches here too.

When: Mondays through Saturdays 5-11pm
Where: W94F+R8 Ratsada, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket

OTOP Night Market

This night market is a permanent fixture in Patong and also has plenty of shopping and eating options. You can find it opposite Patong’s Hard Rock Café, and it is within walking distance of Patong Beach and most of the hotels in Patong.

The initials stand for ‘one tambon, one product’, with ‘tambon’ being similar to ‘village’ in English.

There are stalls selling handicrafts and souvenirs, a few bars at the back, and a plethora of food stalls with seating.

When: Daily 5pm-12am
Where: OTOP Shopping Paradises 237/15-20 Patong Beach

Kata Night Market

Located on Patak Road, in Kata, this night market is more geared towards the tourists than to the local Thais. Which makes it the perfect place to try out your Thai bargaining phrases. The market is ideal for picking up local handicrafts, souvenirs, and gifts to take back home. There’s also a food court in case all that shopping and bargaining starts to make you feel hungry. 

Whilst shopping at Phuket night markets can be fun and you can grab a few bargains, please be aware of the laws regarding counterfeit and fake goods. It’s illegal to export such goods from Thailand, and it may well be illegal to bring such items back to your home country.

The Thai government has been trying to stamp out the trade of fake goods in recent years. The chances of you getting into any serious trouble are very slim, but there is a small chance that your new “Rolex” doesn’t make it onto the flight.

Aside from the legalities, enjoy and embrace the Thai night markets – as the Thais do! And if you can’t find the perfect gift or souvenir or your bargaining skills let you down, you will not be disappointed by the good food on offer at affordable prices and you may even develop a penchant for eating fried insects along the way!

When: Daily 4pm-10pm
Where: Patak Rd, Tambon Karon, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket

Heading to Chiang Mai, check out our Chiang Mai market guide before you go.