Phuket Weekend Market (Naka)

The Phuket Weekend Market, known as Naka, is in the Chalong and Wichit area, inland of the beaches. It is a drive from Patong, so book a Grab or Bolt for a fixed fare. Central Phuket Festival and a few massage shops are close, which makes the trip easy to combine.

It is the island's biggest weekend night market. It is large, local and busy, with food, clothes and everyday goods, and a crowd that is mostly Thai with plenty of visitors. Allow a couple of hours to walk it, and bring an appetite, because eating is half the point.

It is a weekend market, so aim for a Saturday or Sunday evening, and check which nights it trades on the day since schedules can change. Arrive early to find a good spot, because it fills up as the evening goes on. Ask your hotel if you are unsure.

Nearby are an open market, Maha Cheeva Thai Massage, Moty Shake Bar, Central Phuket Festival, Lyara Thai Massage and Tum Nuk Noud Thai. So there is a mall, a bar and several massage shops close by, which is convenient if you want a massage before or after the market.

If you like local markets, yes. It is a long way from Bangla Road and it is not a nightlife venue, so go for the food and the atmosphere, not for company. Combine it with a massage nearby and return to Patong by Grab or Bolt for the evening.

Naka is the island's biggest weekend night market, set out of town near Chalong. Lard Yai is a smaller Sunday street market along Thalang Road in the old town, with shophouses and cocktail bars on the doorstep. Pick Naka for scale and Lard Yai for atmosphere and a drink afterwards.

Keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket in the crowd, haggle politely where it is expected, and check the change you receive. Be careful with taxis and tuk-tuks on the way back, because fixed fares can be high, so use Grab or Bolt. Park carefully if you are on a scooter.

Go early on a weekend evening, walk the whole market before buying, and eat from the busiest stalls. Bring small notes and a bag you can close. Plan your ride back before you arrive, since the market sits away from the main nightlife areas of the island.