Phuket Weekend Market
Markets are where you can sample real life, local life - it's all laid bare for everyone to see. I've always been a big fan of markets and despite all the modern shopping malls and supermarkets that have sprung up around Phuket (Tesco Lotus, Big C, Central, Jungceylon and more) the local markets are as lively as ever. You'll find fresh markets in all areas of Phuket, some daily, some only on selected days. One of the biggest is in Kathu in between Patong and Phuket Town - see Kathu Local Market. Well worth a look.
The Phuket weekend market (aka night market) is located just outside Phuket City off Chao Fa West road, near Naka Temple. There's a Google Map at the end of this page. It's open Saturday and Sunday starting late afternoon, up to around 10pm. Along the same road is also a fresh market (called the Talad Sot Mai - "New Fresh Market"). The weekend market is not really for buying fresh food, but there are stalls selling fruit and there are loads snack stalls for buying deserts, corn, drinks, spicy snacks, noodles and of course fried insects! I've been in Thailand since 1999. Never eaten a fried insect and have no plans to eat a fried insect.
It's one of those "you can get anything here" markets - you'll find entire stalls selling nothing but remote controls or comic books or fluffy toys. There are also some random secondhand stalls where you're never quite sure what you'll find. Many stalls are selling clothes, new and secondhand. We visit the weekend market every couple of months if we happen to be passing. There are CD and DVD stalls (all originals of course!), handicrafts and antiques too. It's become quite popular with tourists now, but don't expect to find something on the scale of Jatujak market in Bangkok.
You don't see many beggars in Phuket. So it's quite noticeable at the weekend market. Each time we go I see several poor souls with disabilities and I suppose no family to support them. Having traveled in some very poor countries in my life, I admit to having a hard heart, but here it stands out more. On our last visit I did give this guy some money...
The weekend market starts up in the afternoon and carries on into the evening. Many people go in the evening and it does get quite busy. Hard to park a car sometimes. We go there every now and then. My wife can always find some clothes to buy! If you go in the evening, you could more or less eat your dinner at the market by buying and sampling different snacks like the yummy (and slightly spicy) fish cakes below.
This blog likes to show a bit of local life and the weekend market is a good place to start if you want to see the real Phuket (although quite a lot of other tourists also go!). Remember, it's on Saturday an Sunday - there's another interesting little market in town which takes place on Thursday and Friday evening - the Indy Market. Try some snacks and food from the many foodstalls, grab a cold beer from the bar that can be found somewhere in the middle of the market.. actually there are a few places selling drinks. Easy to get to from Phuket Town. If you come from Patong it takes about 20 minutes. I think a tuk tuk will charge about 400 Baht. or of course you can rent a moped for about 200 - 250 Baht per day. Best to go late afternoon / early evening when the temperature cools down a bit. Enjoy!
• More Weekend Market Photos (my Flickr photos)
Phuket Weekend Market / Night Market - Location Map
View Phuket Weekend Market in a larger map
The Phuket weekend market (aka night market) is located just outside Phuket City off Chao Fa West road, near Naka Temple. There's a Google Map at the end of this page. It's open Saturday and Sunday starting late afternoon, up to around 10pm. Along the same road is also a fresh market (called the Talad Sot Mai - "New Fresh Market"). The weekend market is not really for buying fresh food, but there are stalls selling fruit and there are loads snack stalls for buying deserts, corn, drinks, spicy snacks, noodles and of course fried insects! I've been in Thailand since 1999. Never eaten a fried insect and have no plans to eat a fried insect.
It's one of those "you can get anything here" markets - you'll find entire stalls selling nothing but remote controls or comic books or fluffy toys. There are also some random secondhand stalls where you're never quite sure what you'll find. Many stalls are selling clothes, new and secondhand. We visit the weekend market every couple of months if we happen to be passing. There are CD and DVD stalls (all originals of course!), handicrafts and antiques too. It's become quite popular with tourists now, but don't expect to find something on the scale of Jatujak market in Bangkok.
You don't see many beggars in Phuket. So it's quite noticeable at the weekend market. Each time we go I see several poor souls with disabilities and I suppose no family to support them. Having traveled in some very poor countries in my life, I admit to having a hard heart, but here it stands out more. On our last visit I did give this guy some money...
The weekend market starts up in the afternoon and carries on into the evening. Many people go in the evening and it does get quite busy. Hard to park a car sometimes. We go there every now and then. My wife can always find some clothes to buy! If you go in the evening, you could more or less eat your dinner at the market by buying and sampling different snacks like the yummy (and slightly spicy) fish cakes below.
This blog likes to show a bit of local life and the weekend market is a good place to start if you want to see the real Phuket (although quite a lot of other tourists also go!). Remember, it's on Saturday an Sunday - there's another interesting little market in town which takes place on Thursday and Friday evening - the Indy Market. Try some snacks and food from the many foodstalls, grab a cold beer from the bar that can be found somewhere in the middle of the market.. actually there are a few places selling drinks. Easy to get to from Phuket Town. If you come from Patong it takes about 20 minutes. I think a tuk tuk will charge about 400 Baht. or of course you can rent a moped for about 200 - 250 Baht per day. Best to go late afternoon / early evening when the temperature cools down a bit. Enjoy!
• More Weekend Market Photos (my Flickr photos)
Phuket Weekend Market / Night Market - Location Map
View Phuket Weekend Market in a larger map
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I love the markets in Thailand from the small areas that seem to spring up at random to the permanent markets they're all great. One of my favorites is the market we visit when we go to see my wife's parents in Mae Sot, it's this huge place with just about everything you could possibly want even if you don't already know that you want it. There's also a really good (and cheap) one at the Friendship Bridge to Myanmar called the Moei Rim market. Just absolutely fabulous stuff.
I assume the market is only for weekend? I won't have weekend in Phuket. Is there any night market where I can sample a lot of local foods?
Sure, only the weekend, but you can try local markets all over the island. The market on Nanai Road, Patong has lots of food stalls. There is another I drive past daily at Chalong near Chalong Circle (Ha Yaek Chalong), and Kathu Market near my house, which I must blog soon, is open every day/evening with loads of food stalls. These are local markets - not tourist markets!!
I will have a bit of a "layover" at Rassada Pier while on my way to Koh Phi Phi. Are there any good open markets/shopping centers within walking distance of the pier? Thanks!
Hi aisforandy,
No markets within walking distance but there are markets in Phuket town about 3km from the pier.
Hi Jamie's
Do you know where is Cashew Nut factory is? if you be kindly show me how to get there greatly appreciated, I has been looking for it since last year.
Thank,
Hugh
Hi Jaime
Great postings.. Whats the best way to get to this market from Patong Beach (and if known, what cost)
From Patong Beach, about 20 minutes by taxi or tuk tuk and I guess they will charge about 400 Baht each way. Location - see the Google Earth link on this page. Taxi drivers will know Naka Temple (Wat Naka).
Cashew Nut Factory? - http://www.google.com/search?q=phuket+cashew+nut+factory
Hi Jamie,
I love your blog and will certainly try a lot of good restaurants during my stay from 30/11 until 14/12/2009 ! One question : my husband would like to try to taste some insects. Can we find places in Phuket where we could experience that kind of "lunch" ? Thanks !
Dany (Belgium)
I don't know any restaurants that specialise in insects.. but you can see a photo on this page - they certainly sell insects at the weekend market and I sometimes see vendors walking the streets with a tray full of fried grasshoppers... it's not something I or my wife ever eat.
thanks, Jamie ! We'll pay a visit to this WE market, sure ! It seems to be something crispy like chips... May be I'll have a try !
Hi Jamie, We are currently in Phuket and I wanted to thank you for your blog which has become my reference tool for all things good during our stay. No Simon Cabaret for us thanks!! We are staying in Karon Beach and walked down past your store yesterday, might pop in and say G'day next week. Looking forward to the weekend market tomorrow then Wat Chalong and drive to Big Buddah next week, will be interested to see how far along they have come in it's construction since last year. Keen also to see Phi Phi islands but my son get very seasick so trying to consider all options of transport before deciding. Again thanks so much for being a source of reliable information and adventure.
Kind regards,
Amanda (Australia)
Hi Jamie,
Thanks to your beautiful blog. I'll be in Phuket on 25th August for a 5 days 4 nights trip. I wonder if this weekend market is the same with the Phuket Town Jatujak Weekend Market as mentioned in this site:
http://www.phuket.com/shopping/phuket-town.htm
If it's not, is Jatujak Weekend Market recommended and could I find some souvenirs on those weekend markets?
Sorry to shoot u with questions :)
January (from Jakarta-Indonesia)
Hi January - yes it's the same place, the name Jatujak (Chatuchak) is a copy of the big market in Bangkok, but the locals here don't use that name, it's called Naka market as it's next to Naka temple. Not much souvenir shopping but certainly some stalls that have interesting things to buy and it's worth a visit for the sights and smells and streetfood :)
Hi Jamie,
I would like to ask if it possible for me to take bus from patong (around junceylon) to weekend market? Where to take bus and how much does it cost? Thanx...
Hi,
No bus from Patong to the weekend market. No bus from Patong afer dark. Will need to take taxi or hire a car.
Hi Jamie.....great blog !!! Lucky I stumbled onto it coz I will be flying off to Phuket in 5 days' time.
I'm very interested in the Naka weekend market u mentioned here and wud love to visit it. I'm staying in Karon and will be driving our own car.
Is it possible for you to show us exactly where is the location of this weekend market in Phuket City please....thru a google map link or sumting ? Or maybe give us some street names of it ?
Tks n rgds. :)
Hello - there is a Google Earth link on this page.
hi Wow great blog. My husband and I are going to phuket soon. We are from South Africa. We are taking our two year old son with. Can you recommend any childfriendly hotels near the weekend market that is save and clean? Thanks an lot.
Well you can get to the weekend market from anywhere, its about 20-25 minutes from Patong or Kata or Karon Beaches. If you want to stay near the market you won't be near the beach. Closest hotel that I can think of is the Dara Hotel which is just on the edge of Phuket Town, only a few minute drive to the weekend market.
• More Hotels in Phuket Town
Wow Jaime, this is my second time going to Phuket. I still find something amazing on your blog each time I visit it. You really put a lot of effort on your blog. I hope that your efforts are all worthwhile. To support you, I have been booking my accomodation through Agoda from your website link. All the best! - Cheers, Dawn
Thank you, Dawn!
Yep, Agoda is the place to look for hotels in Phuket, every click on Agoda helps feed our kids :)
Happy Travels!
Jamie
Hey Jamie, lat time i visited Patong i headed to the awesome night markets on the Phuket Town bus but went too far and some local people drove me back down to the markets for free :-) Where's the best place to get off the bus? Cheers!
Hi Kel,
Well, the market is not in town, or on the bus route from Patong.. and do note that the buses don't run after dark. If getting a bus late afternoon from Patong it will pass a big junction on the edge of town where you have the Central Festival Mall - get off at this junction, then head south - look for the Dara Hotel, you can see it from the junction, a colourful building - walk past that and about another 800m, the turning to the left leads to the market - follow the crowds!
Hey, thanks. I thought thats where i should get off the bus. We went way tooo far on the bus last time. I know i could get a taxi the whole way but i really like the bus, and a good walk :-)
Hi Jamie,
Your site is very informative and I love it. A quick question. My family and I, Hubby and 4 young kids will be in Phuket for 6 days in June. I would love to visit the Naka weekend market but as you mentioned, it doesn't have much souvenirs or handicrafts. Could u suggest any other market that offers more souvenirs and handicrafts and some local food cuz going to so many different places with 4 young kids is going to be difficult. Appreciate it.
Best regards,
Nat
Well, the weekend market does have some hanicrafts .. but actually walking around it with 4 young kids ain't that easy! It's big and crowded. You can try the vey top floor of the Big C shopping center, or there is the "OTOP" shopping area in Patong or quite a few small shops in Phuket Town especially in the area near the old Robinsons shopping mall.
the market is open from friday to sunday onli?
Saturday and Sunday only.