| Phuket is an exciting place for any traveller. The | | | | are some market stalls selling local knick knacks |
| island has its fair share of sun, sea and sand, but | | | | that would make great gifts for people back |
| another side of any trip to Phuket is the shopping. | | | | home. |
| From markets selling designer fakes to large | | | | On Saturdays and Sundays, the Phuket weekend |
| stores with brand-name electrical goods, Phuket | | | | market comes to life offering cheap T-shirts, |
| has it all and usually for a lot cheaper than you | | | | shoes, DVDs, CDs and pets. The market is huge |
| would be able to find in the West. | | | | and is usually packed to the rafters, but there are |
| Though it may not appeal to everyone, some of | | | | some great bargains to be had if you’re |
| the best places to go shopping for most goods | | | | prepared to do a little exploring. The market is |
| are the malls. Central Festival in Phuket Town is | | | | located off Chao Fa West Road. |
| one of the biggest. It has a wide range of clothing | | | | Take a walk through Patong and you’ll find |
| stores, including Zara, and there are shops selling | | | | yourself hounded by vendors selling everything |
| sportswear, footwear and more. | | | | from watches to suits. Bear in mind that the |
| There are also print shops and a large retail outlet | | | | sellers in Patong are catering to a mass market |
| with designer labels, perfumes and so on. For | | | | and, as such, the quality is often low and the |
| electrical goods, there’s Power Buy and a | | | | prices high. Patong is, however, the best place to |
| few other shops. There are also places to buy | | | | pick up fake DVDs, CDs, computer software and |
| music and DVDs. Fans of videogames, however, | | | | videogames. |
| will find cheaper products in Patong. | | | | Buy fakes at your own peril as you may have |
| Restaurants in Central Festival range from Fuji | | | | trouble taking them through customs on your |
| and KFC to Pizza Hut and Oishi, as well as Sizzler. | | | | way home. If you feel the urge to buy a suit, |
| The other major mall in Phuket is Jungceylon, | | | | you’re probably better off making the short |
| which is a huge, sprawling mass of shops and | | | | trip up to Bangkok, where the quality of the |
| stalls. The selection is much the same as at | | | | tailors is considerably higher. |
| Central Festival, albeit with a few more electrical | | | | Phuket isn’t exactly a shopper’s paradise |
| stores. There is also a better selection of | | | | in the same way Bangkok is, but it has enough |
| restaurants at Jungceylon and in the base there | | | | going for it to keep most people happy. |