7 Best Markets in Phuket for Weekdays & Weekends

Arguably, the best and most lively night market for young people in Phuket is Chillva night market. This market is great to explore for food, live music and drinking, you could easily spend a couple of hours here. In addition, the market hosts an immense range of clothing and accessories - from t-shirts and hats, to perfume and jewellery, Chillva is a fantastic market to do some shopping.

Phuket Sunday Walking Street Market, or Lard Yai Market as it is known to the locals, is certainly one of the top things to do in Phuket Old Town and something that everyone should experience at least once. The market takes place every Sunday from 4pm - 9pm on the historical Thalang Road. The popular road is lined with food and clothing vendors. You can purchase snacks; enjoy live entertainment or just opt to embrace in the lively hustle and bustle of the road during these hours.

Located close to the Central Festival in Phuket Town, the Phuket Weekend Night Market, also known as Naka Market, is a grand extravaganza not to be missed by those visiting Phuket. It is a rather big night market but it is also very popular - meaning that it can get quite crowded and busy. This is the perfect market to enjoy hours of fun, walking around the market. It has two very clear sections - one for shopping and another for food.

Every Friday evening at Boat Avenue in Bang Tao, Phuket, you will witness the “Fun Friday” night market. This market is very popular each week. Although this is not the largest market in Phuket, It’s vibrant and lively nature attracts many people of all ages on a weekly basis. You will find lots of tasty and authentic Thai dishes to try at this market like Som Tam, fried noodles and other flavoursome dishes.

Even without the night market, Boat Avenue is worth a visit if you are visiting Phuket. It is an area which hosts many shops and restaurants and is particularly popular with expats living in the area. The area often comes most alive in the evenings.

Just half way between Patong and Phuket Town, is the sub district of Kathu. Here you will find the relatively small, but still popular, Kathu night market. Although this is still a relatively up and coming market, it is already rising in popularity, perhaps due to the delicious food that you can find here at exceptionally fair prices. You will also find a few bars, built from recycled shipping containers, and a live band playing. This may be the perfect place to try some Thai delicacies - how about some fried bugs? Here you’ll find grasshoppers, silkworms and crickets all deliciously fried.

Located in the Limelight Avenue section, and a short walk from the popular Thalang Road of Phuket Town, is the fun and lively Phuket Indy night market. Although it is no longer as popular as it once was, with night markets like Chillva stealing the spotlight, this is still an interesting and worthwhile night market to explore on a week day if you are in the area.

This market was the first of its kind hosted in Phuket Town and it was and still is where a lot of inspiration was sourced for the Phuket Town Walking Street night market. It is where many young Thai’s choose to present their often hand-made crafts and creatives. The market opens Thursdays and Fridays from 4pm - 10.30pm bringing a special kind of vibrance and energy to the street.

The Phuket Swap Shop, although not technically a traditional Thai market, could not be left off of our guide of markets to experience in Thailand. The Swap Shop prides itself on how it promotes sustainability, community and it’s support of charitable causes. The Swap Shop takes place once a month in Phuket and at a new location each time. Previous locations have included the likes of Friendship Beach Resort and Cafe Del Mar. Here you can bring clothes to donate to the swap and then you can take others in return, free of charge - hence the sustainable nature of this market. Rather than shopping for new items, you will be taking pre-owned and pre-loved clothing items and giving them a new home while also doing your part for the planet.

The Swap Shop also tends to have a number of stalls set up by locals and expats, selling hand-crafted or organic products. Here you can find items such as hand-crafted jewellery, naturally made candles, macrame plant holders and much much more.

Additionally, there is often a raffle held on the day of the swap for a local charity. So keep your eyes peeled, purchase some raffle tickets and you could be going home with a fantastic prize.