Phuket Sunday Night Market in Old Town

The Phuket Sunday Night Market in Old Town is one of the island’s most vibrant and unmissable experiences. While Phuket is home to several night markets, none compare to the lively atmosphere, colorful stalls, and cultural charm of this weekly event.

Every Sunday evening, Thalang Road in Old Phuket Town transforms into a buzzing walking street, illuminated by strings of lights and framed by the district’s famous Sino-Portuguese buildings.

The air fills with the aroma of sizzling street food, the sound of live music, and the chatter of both locals and travelers exploring the endless rows of vendors.

From freshly cooked Thai dishes and tempting desserts to unique souvenirs and handmade crafts, the Phuket Sunday Market offers something for everyone.

This market is a perfect addition to any Phuket itinerary, whether you’re visiting for a few days or a couple of weeks. Whether you come to eat your way through the stalls, shop for local treasures, or soak up the electric atmosphere, visiting this market is a must-visit!

How to Get to Old Phuket Town Sunday Night Market

Getting to the Old Phuket Town Sunday Night Market is part of the adventure, whether you’re weaving through the island’s winding streets on a scooter or hopping into a tuk-tuk for a lively ride.

The market’s location on Thalang Road makes it accessible from almost anywhere in Phuket, and the journey there offers glimpses of charming neighborhoods, bustling local life, and even a few scenic coastal stretches.

No matter where you’re staying, getting around Phuket is made easy with many options to consider.

The market is located on Thalang Road in Old Phuket Town.

• Scooter rental is the easiest way to get around Phuket and gives you the most freedom.
• If you don’t ride scooters, you can take a taxi, Grab, tuk-tuk, or hop on the local blue bus (Song Taew).

TIP: If you take a taxi or tuk-tuk, check the Grab app first for a price estimate and agree on a similar rate with your driver.

The local blue bus costs just 40–50 THB and runs from 6:30 AM until 5:30 PM every 20–30 minutes. There’s no set timetable, so be patient.

Travel times to Old Town:

• Patong: 20–25 minutes
• Kata Beach: 25–30 minutes
• Kamala, Bang Tao, Surin: 35–40 minutes (traffic may extend travel time)

About Phuket Walking Street/Thalang Road

The Phuket Sunday Night Market is referred to as “Lard Yai Market” by locals; this translates to “Big Market” in English.

It makes sense why locals have given the market this name; as you walk through the night market on Thalang Road, countless vendors sell food, clothes, and more!

Every Sunday from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM, Thalang Road transforms from a normal street into a walking street full of food vendors, clothes vendors, and more.

Locals and tourists fill up the street to come experience this picturesque night market in Old Phuket Town.

What’s at the Old Phuket Town Sunday Market?

There is an absolutely endless number of different foods to try, freshly squeezed drinks/coffee, and many clothing items being sold, including dresses, tees, and so much more.

On both sides of Thalang Road are several stores that also sell clothing, bags, souvenirs, spices, and more. So keep an eye out for the stores on the side of the road as you explore the many vendors in the middle of Thanlang Road!

FOOD: A lot of street food, Papaya salad, Pad Thai, Pad Kra Pow, several noodle/rice Thai dishes, fresh fruit, fried fish/crab/shrimp, and so much more.

For dessert, you can find all the Thai classics like mango sticky rice, Thai pancakes, and more. The street food and dessert options are endless.

DRINKS: There are plenty of drinks to try, including freshly squeezed juices, sugar cane, and smoothies, as well as bartenders serving takeaway cocktails/beers.

ART: Local artists are everywhere at the Phuket Sunday Night Market. Some will draw your photo, others have already made paintings to sell, and several half-coconuts have been made into art or handmade wooden elephants.

CLOTHING: Like any night market in Thailand, a lot of different clothing is often sold there, and at the Phuket Sunday Night Market, it was no different from traditional Thai clothing, raw fabrics, logo t-shirts, and much more.

If you like thrift shopping, a few vintage tee vendors sell great finds in the northern part of the walking street.

LIVE MUSIC: As you walk along the market, you will continuously spot several musical acts, from musical instrumental performers to kids dancing to a skit, karaoke, and more.

If you spot the young girl singing Brittney Spear’s best tracks, give her another tip for me; there was a crowd around her, and she seemed to be popular!

SOUVENIRS: Whether it’s your first or seventh time visiting Thailand, you must go home with souvenirs!

The Phuket Sunday market is one of the best places on the island to go souvenir shopping; you can find jewelry, handmade art, creams, and more.

Also, the side shops on both sides of the road sell many souvenirs worth checking out!

What to Buy at Phuket Night Market

Here is a list of things you may want to purchase at the night market to take you back home with you!

For reference, all these items can be found in most night markets within Thailand!

• Thai Snacks
• Tiger Balm
• Thai Spices
• Thai Silk

• Elephant Pants
• Handmade Beach Bags
• Wooden Elephant sculptures
• Soap Carvings

What to Eat at Phuket Old Town Market

The main reason the Phuket Sunday night market is the best night market in Phuket is because of the large food selection here. There are way too many foods to try here!

I’ll give you some suggestions but honestly, eat with your eyes, walk around and whatever looks good, buy a bit of it but make sure you try many new foods!

• Pad Kra Pow / Spicy basil stir fry with beef/pork on rice.
• Fried Crab Meat
• Papaya Salad
• Crispy Butter Rolls
• Oyster Omelette

Foodies looking for a guided tour, I recommend this Phuket Old Town Food Tour!

Phuket Sunday Night Market Hours

The market only happens every Sunday; any other day you visit Old Phuket Town, the market won’t be there.

Hours are from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM every Sunday.

LOCATION – Thalang Rd

But here’s a tip, you can come around 4:00 to 4:30 PM and see if any of the vendors are up and ready for business.

The night market gets very busy, so any opportunity to try food before the rush is a good idea!

Tips for Visiting the Sunday Market in Old Town

A few tips you should know before visiting the Phuket Sunday Market are the following:

• Vendors accept Cash Only and try to come with different-sized bills, making for easy payment.

• Come at 4:00 – 4:30 PM, and see if any vendors are ready; if not, walk around Old Town Phuket for a bit.

• While Pick-Pocketing is more common in Bangkok, I’d advise you to keep an eye out for your pockets at any market in Phuket because it’s densely crowded.

• After your evening at the Phuket Town Sunday Market, check out one of the many amazing rooftop bars in Phuket Town; they’re one of the best things to do at night in Phuket.

Other Phuket Night Markets to Visit

While the Sunday Night Market in Phuket is the best night market on the island, it’s inconvenient because it’s only open on Sundays.

If you can’t make it, here is a list of other night markets in different areas of Phuket you should visit!

If it’s your first time visiting Thailand, you must visit a night market or two. Night markets are a large part of Thai culture.

Weekend Market (Naka Market)

Famous for being the original night market in Phuket. Naka Market is just a short distance from Old Town Phuket Sunday Market. To be clear, it’s a different night market entirely.

Naka Market is close to the beautiful Wat Nakaram Buddhist temple, and I suggest you pay a visit before going to Naka Night Market!

As the name suggests, Naka Market is only open on Saturday and Sunday starting at 5:00 PM — LOCATION

Malin Plaza Night Market

The Malin Night Market is located in the Patong Beach area of Phuket and is the largest night market in that area.

Conveniently, this Phuket Night Market is open every day, so no matter the day of the week, you can come by to try lots of street food and shop.

There’s plenty of seating here for you to use once you’ve bought a few foods. BBQ, fresh seafood, fresh fruit, it’s all here! — LOCATION

Kata Night Market

Located in the popular Kata Beach area, the Kata Beach market is a smaller Phuket night market.

At this night market, there’s plenty of seating in the middle, and several restaurants offer menus for ordering food. As you walk, there are also traditional vendor stalls selling food!

Kata Night Market is the perfect place to go after a long day at Kata Beach! — LOCATION

If you’re staying in Kata Beach and don’t want to wait till 5:00 PM to go to the night market, you can find the same foods at the Kata Street Food Road on the beach or the Kata Street Food Market, which are both open at 12:00 PM noon till 10 PM.

Where to Stay in Phuket Old Town

Old Town Phuket is an excellent area to stay in Phuket. It’s very walkable, with plenty of amazing restaurants serving not only Thai cuisine but also international dishes, trendy shops, and, of course, the Sunday Night Market. Plus, it’s a more affordable base than the beach areas, which will bring down your trip costs to Phuket.

• Blu Monkey Hub Hotel – 4 Star

A fully modern hotel with a beautiful black/white interior located in Old Phuket Town.

Rooms are quite spacious here; the lobby has a swanky bar and even a pool for guests.

• The Memory at On On Hotel – 3 Stars

Located in the heart of Old Phuket Town, this boutique-style hotel mixes old-school with new-school.

The older interior has been kept intact, but modern touches within the hotel are noticeable.

• The Blanket Hotel – 3 Stars

A beautiful modern hotel that’s located slightly south of Old Phuket Town, only two streets from Thalang Rd.

Large, spacious, clean rooms and excellent location are also perfect for those looking to budget their stay.

• The Dorm Hostel – Hostel

Rated the best hostel in Old Phuket Town, The Dorm Hostel is a lovely, clean, modern hostel offering private dorm-style sleeping cabins.

They have a lovely communal space and serve breakfast/lunch at the hostel.