Whether you choose to strike a happy bargain in the busy open-air food markets, stroll around the lively night market, peek into the local shops and street stalls, or saunter into the high-end boutiques and westernised department stores, shopping in Phuket promises to be an unforgettable experience. What with the tantalising pieces of traditional handicrafts and antiques, beautiful jewellery, fashionable clothing and housewares, you’ll probably leave Phuket wishing you had brought along a much larger suitcase!
Shopaholics will rejoice in Phuket! A veritable shopper’s paradise, this little island offers the visitor an amazing range of shopping options.
Our Phuket shopping guide below will tell you all you need to know to get the best deals and best places to shop in Phuket. If you get hungry during your shopping spree, enjoy a great Thai meal at one of the many Phuket restaurants. Our Thailand shopping guide will give you some more shopping ideas on your Phuket holiday.
Phuket Shopping Guide
Bargaining
Most department and big stores have fixed prices. However, at the markets, shops and roadside stalls prices are not displayed and bargaining is the norm. Most vendors start off quoting double the price, so it’s probably a wise idea to start bargaining at a third of the price, and gradually increasing until you reach half the original price quoted.
Shopping in Thailand is a pleasurable experience. But do remain alert, look around and compare prices before you finalise. For expensive items, it is always a good idea to get a receipt.
Beware of the so-called tour guides, touts, taxi or tuk tuk drivers and even friendly strangers who come forward offering to assist and accompany you. Most of them get a commission, which is obviously added to your bill!
Markets
What sets the Thailand shopping scene apart is the street market. Especially around the beaches, you’ll find a fascinating medley of things –“branded”, but actually fake, T-shirts, watches, DVDs, gifts and souvenirs. Drive a hard bargain but do temper it with smiles – ill-humoured bargaining yields little result in Thailand.
Patong Beach Road
The preferred shopping destination of most tourists, Patong Beach road sells a variety of goods – beachwear, cheap designer items, watches, electrical gizmos and souvenirs. Most stalls are located on the road south of the Soi Bangla and also along a few smaller alleys. While some shops are open through the day, the place really comes to life only in the evenings.
Phuket CityPhuket City spells nirvana for the shopping aficionado! You’ll find that the goods here are much cheaper than in many other beach resorts.
Quite a few good souvenir, handicraft, and antique shops are located along the roads of Phang Nga, Montri, Yaowarat and Rassada of the “Old Town”. The Downtown Market on Ranong road, next to the beach’s bus station, makes for a memorable shopping ramble. A typical Thai fresh market, you can pick up vegetables, fruits, meats and even a few clothes.
Department Stores
If you aren’t quite comfortable with shopping in markets and roadside stalls, never fear. Phuket has a large number of international style shopping centres and department stores. Here, you can pick up both local and international brands. Look out for the malls and shops that have sales – they occasionally offer some really good bargains.
The posh new Jungceylon and the Central Festival has catapulted entertainment and shopping in Phuket to an altogether new plane. With a host of shops, cinema complexes, restaurants and other kinds of entertainment, these places promise you many delightful hours of shopping. When shopping for clothes alone, the smaller Robinson’s Ocean department store is a good option.
Handicrafts
Handicrafts in Phuket range from regional specialties to those that come from other parts of Thailand. Some popular souvenirs include curios made from seashells and coconut shells, delicate filigree leather pictures, lacquerware, ceramics and bronze goods. While some of these are made by traditional craftsmen, others are factory-made, employing the latest technologies and quality control measures. Definitely worth a look!
Nielloware is a unique handicraft of Thailand and is a traditional craft belonging to Nakorn Si Thammarat. Nielloware is a delicate art involving the application of etched designs on silver and gold receptacles. The designs are made from an alloy of silver, lead, copper and sulphur. Items made from Nielloware range from tea and coffee sets to handbag fittings and buttons. Since this southern province is quite close to Phuket, you’ll find that Nielloware is quite cheap in shops around the island.
