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German At the Sunday Walking Street Market in Phuket City you can find street food at its best... and the beautiful old town around it!
I ended up stranded in Phuket—or rather, Phuket Town—unexpectedly during my trip to Thailand. Phuket is known for its beaches, package tours, and the Thailand you see in travel brochures. But after a long day of traveling and endless arguments with taxi drivers over far too expensive fares, I’d lost all interest in any major adventures. Lucky me!
I hadn’t actually planned to stay in Phuket, but rather to take the ferry directly to Koh Lanta—though the ferry for that day had already left. So, at the next available opportunity, I ended up near the pier in Phuket Old Town. There I was—right in the middle of Phuket’s wonderful Old Town, which I would never have discovered if everything had gone according to plan. Phuket Town was a surprise and completely different from what I’d heard about Phuket up to that point.
Phuket Old Town: A mixture of China and Portugal
Phuket used to be a trading and transshipment hub for both the Chinese and the Portuguese —which is why many buildings in the Old Town still bear the hallmarks of this unusual combination.
Many buildings from that era still stand, and there has been a great deal of modernization and restoration, especially in recent years, which adds greatly to the charm of Phuket Town.
Hi, I’m Tatiana, the blogger behind The Happy Jetlagger. I love sharing honest, passionate, and authentic stories about my travels. All tips are carefully researched by me.
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Even on rainy days, Phuket’s Old Town is a worthwhile destination: Many small, quirky cafés and shops invite you to pop in, and the overall atmosphere is young and creative. And the wonderful pastel-colored building facades do the rest, making it impossible to stop gazing and marveling.
Sunday Walking Street Market in Phuket Old Town
I was lucky to end up in Phuket Town on a Sunday, because that’s when the Sunday Walking Street Market takes place, featuring all kinds of street food stalls and the most delicious treats. I just love street food in Thailand!
For me, this is the best chance to try Thai cuisine. You often get small portions, too. That way, you can spend the whole evening strolling through a night market and working your way from one street food stall to the next.
Street Food & Live Music
At the night market in Phuket Town—the Sunday Walking Street Market—there’s not only street food but also plenty of entertainment! So you can simply stroll from stall to stall or just listen to the live music: there’s a small stage set up right in the middle of the market.
I didn’t see that many Western tourists either—actually, there were more Thai people around. So the market seems to be (still) a real hidden gem! The room at Memory at On On turned out to be a total stroke of luck—it was right around the corner! I highly recommend it, especially if you’re just passing through on your way to Koh Lanta, for example, or island-hopping through the Andaman Sea.
Information & Address
The market is held every Sunday from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Thalang Road in Phuket Old Town. The name “Lard Yai” means “big market” and comes from the Talat Yai district.
Starting around 3:00 p.m., the entire street is closed to cars, and the vendors begin setting up their stalls. The stalls are set up in the middle of the street, leaving a narrow path on both the left and right for pedestrians. If you come in the afternoon, you can still take your time exploring the charming side streets and shophouses. Things get significantly busier starting around 7 p.m.
You should plan on spending one to two hours exploring the entire length of Thalang Road, plus a detour into the side streets—or even longer if you stop for meals. Most of the shophouses are open as usual during the market.
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