Things to Buy in Phuket | Planet of Hotels (2023)

Shopping is a special component of vacation in Phuket. Here you can buy original souvenirs, useful and beautiful things for home and interior, clothing, and gastronomic delights. The island boasts many shopping centers, stores, markets, and reasonable prices. To avoid getting lost in all this abundance, you can use the list of the best goods and souvenirs in Phuket.

Cosmetics

Thai cosmetics are very popular because they have natural and effective formulas and a reasonable price. It is better to buy it in pharmacies, specialty stores, and large supermarkets, where the temperature regime and proper storage conditions are observed. The most popular product on the island for skin and hair care is coconut oil. You should pay attention to the marking Extra Virgin when buying it. There are a lot of cosmetic brands in stores on the island. The leaders include Sabai Arom, Darawadee, Oriental Princess, Royal Siam, Jinda, Madame Heng, Banna, Grace Crystal, Kok Liang, and Lolane. The popular brand Lemongrass House, which produces handmade professional beauty products for SPAs, is located in Phuket. You can also buy cosmetics from famous Chinese, Japanese, and Korean brands.

Cosmetics store © MosayMay / Shutterstock

Jewelry

The island is famous for producing gold, silver jewelry, and pearls. The best place to buy the latter is the Phuket Pearl Group's store, which sells products with pearls grown on its own farm. It also owns the luxury jewelry brand Amorn, which has designed and made crowns for several Miss World contests. The Gems Gallery jewelry factory store has been on the island since 1998 and covers 12,000 m². There are excursions to a mock dungeon to learn about the process of gemstone mining and the workshop where jewelry is created. The Wang Talang factory store specializes in rubies, sapphires, emeralds, jade, and diamonds. Its staff is a team of experienced gemological experts. There are also a lot of more affordable silverware and semi-precious stones, with river and sea pearls. But the real connoisseurs of moon metal jewelry should visit the SilveRado & Gems and Dolce Vita Gems Phuket stores.

Pearl jewelry in the store © Ruslan Kalnitsky / Shutterstock

Souvenirs

Elephants and other animal figurines made of wood, ceramics, and stone are very popular with visitors. You can buy them in souvenir stores or at the market, but the most original works are sold in the showrooms and workshops. Several of them are located in the narrow streets on the way to the top of Nakkerd Hill and the statue of the Big Buddha of Phuket. A watercolor or pencil drawing of views of the old part of Phuket Town, picturesque piers, boats, and beaches, which can be found at the Sunday fair in the capital, will fit perfectly into any interior. A wicker hammock would be a nice, useful, and relatively inexpensive purchase. You can admire the beautiful shells from around the world and also buy souvenirs, jewelry, and even utensils made of them at the Phuket Seashell Museum.

Handmade souvenirs at Phuket Night Market © Abdul malik bin madrasah / Shutterstock

Tableware and home decor from pewter and ceramics

You can buy beautiful tableware at the market, but there is no guarantee that it will be high quality and durable. Therefore, it is better to go to the Sangdamrong Kitchenland store for pewter products. And the most original ceramics can be found in the famous workshop Ceramics of Phuket. Its owners are sisters Khun Chernporn and Namfon Kanjanasaya. Back in 1992, they developed a special recipe for the clay with the addition of tin. When fired, the products made of it become very strong and last for many years. Their design is dominated by natural shapes and colors of the sea, sand, shimmering fish scales, coral, and seashells. In addition to tableware, the store in the studio sells bathroom accessories and interior décor. Here you can order ceramics products according to your individual project.

Handmade ceramics in the store © Natalya Kokhanova / Shutterstock

Medicines

Phuket pharmacies sell a variety of therapeutic products based on natural raw materials. They are used for colds, coughs, backaches, aching joints, and muscles. They are used for colds, coughs, back pain, and joint and muscle pain. They help to eliminate swelling and skin irritation after insect bites. Kamillosan M sore throat spray fights infections and relieves pain and inflammation. Toothpaste made of natural ingredients has strong whitening and disinfecting effects. ISME RasYan Herbal Clove, Prim Perfect Herbal, and Twin lotus herbal original are the most popular. The antiseptic mangosteen oil (or mangosteen iodine) from Abhaibhubejhr is an excellent wound healer. In addition, a variety of dietary supplements and medicinal sets are popular. However, everyone buys them at their own risk because the instructions and the description of the composition on the package are often very brief and presented only in Thai.

Medications © autogear.ru

Tea

People here prefer to drink green tea and dried herbs, flower petals, berries, and fruits. The best-selling tea is the famous blue tea, Nam Dok Anhan, made from Clitoria ternatea buds. It is characterized by a light herbal flavor and aroma and a long, sweet aftertaste. Anchan is healthy and refreshing. Emerald milk tea is famous for its delicate vanilla flavor and aroma. They drink it both hot and iced with the addition of condensed milk or cream. Matum tea is made from the fruit of the Bengal quince (baile), which is excellent for coughs and bronchitis. The islanders value it for its bright, fruity taste and tonic properties. Jasmine, ginseng, rosebud, and lemongrass teas are also popular.

Anchan Organic Blue Tea © Marina Shanti / Shutterstock

Fruit

You can bring from Thailand almost any exotic fruit. It is forbidden to take durians (because of the persistent unpleasant smell), watermelons (bursting under high pressure in the plane), and coconuts (because of the risk of drug smuggling). Mango is the most popular fruit among tourists. Rambutan, mangosteen, longan, and pitaya are also on the list of favorites. It is worth spending money on pineapples and bananas. The former are small in size but very sweet and juicy. The latter is also much smaller than usual and has a pleasant taste with floral and honey notes. Experienced travelers advise informing the seller when buying that the fruit will be taken out of the country. They will help you choose the hardest fruits, carefully pack them, and offer to buy a special plastic container for safe transportation.

Exotic fruits in the Asian market © Tatiana Grozetskaya / Shutterstock

Strong drinks

The range of these products on the island is extensive. Siam Sato rice wine and Lao Khao rice vodka (available in 40, 35, and 27 degrees) are a must. It also sells a premium brand of beer Phuket Lager Beer. Other popular producers are Singha, Chang, Leo, and Archa. Thai whiskey has an atypical taste as it is made from rice and sugar cane. The most famous brands are Mekhong Blend, Sang Som, and Hong Thong. Phuket itself produces excellent rum. The brand name is Chalong Bay. Fresco, a young fruit wine, is also available — pink strawberry, white apple, and red berry. Popular classic Thai grape wines are Mont Clair, Peter Vella, Kookaburra, and Chateau Vendome. In supermarkets, those looking for a particularly original alcoholic beverage should buy Yaa Dong, a dark brown herbal liquor. In Phuket, it is used as a medicinal remedy and added to whiskey.

Alcohol on the shelf in the supermarket © ARTISTBELLA / Shutterstock

Batik

Phuket is one of the largest producers of batik in Southeast Asia. Paintings can be made on silk, wool, or blended fabrics, but cotton is a classic choice. Very bright, contrasting colors characterize the local batik, and the patterns have abstract and natural motifs. The technique is used for all kinds of items such as bags, pareos, dresses, shirts, T-shirts, skirts, and scarves. You can buy a painting or a solid canvas to decorate the interior. The most visited workshops on the island are Phuket Batik and Chai Batik. Guests are offered a fine selection of hand-painted textiles and an introduction to the basics of this ancient Thai craft.

Batik © raditya / Shutterstock

Silk products

During the famous Thai silk production, the lengthwise threads have one color, and the transverse threads have another. The unique combination of the two shades allows the fabric to shimmer beautifully depending on the light. Jim Thompson Fabrics is the most important manufacturer in the country. Its selection is very wide — from clothing to furniture items. The most popular purchases among tourists are shawls, stoles, lingerie, ties, blouses, dresses, and fine silk linens. You should buy all of the above only in stores. A visit to Silk Collection (Chalong district), Jim Thompson branded boutiques in the major shopping malls Central Festival, Jungceylon, and King Power, as well as the stores at Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort and Katathani Phuket Beach Resort, are all excellent options.

Beautiful and colorful silk and cotton scarves © taboga / Shutterstock

Latex products

Phuket is home to plantations of the Brazilian Hevea plantation. Its juice is used to produce high-quality latex. Pillows and mattresses made from this natural material are hypoallergenic, have orthopedic properties, and do not lose their shape over 15 years. It is not recommended to buy products on the market since they often sell synthetic fakes. It is worth asking for a certificate to ensure the quality of the goods. The natural latex in the product's composition should be at least 96%. It should have an aroma characteristic of this material. It resembles the smell of dried milk. There are several well-known and trusted manufacturers on the island —for example, Ecology Phuket, Quatex Natural Latex, and Siam royal latex. Their products can be purchased in brand stores and shopping malls.

Market Goods © Niradj / Shutterstock

Brand clothing, shoes, and accessories

You can find products of many global brands at a lower price in Phuket's shopping malls since the production of these companies is located in Thailand. The most in-demand are items from Guess, Hermes, Zara, Balenciaga, Lacoste, Levi's, Chloe, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton. But Thai brands are worthy competitors. You can find creative closet items from Asava, Disaya, Greyhound, Kloset, Vatanika, Leisure Projects, Q Design and Play, Milin, P.MITH, Poem, Sretsis, Tube Gallery, and Wonder Anatomie. Findig, Jelly Bunny, and BOYY offer great shoes and accessories.

Things to bring kids from Phuket

While vacationing in Phuket, it is definitely worth buying these gifts to please any child.

Toys

You can buy wonderful wooden products — miniature copies of auto-rickshaw, figurines of animals, and special frogs with a comb in the markets and souvenir stores. The latter can be used to make squawking sounds with a wand. They are believed to attract happiness and wealth. Beautiful soft toys from the Thai brand Rainflower are sold in shopping malls. Each animal has its own story, name, and even a fragrance. They can also be made in the form of trinkets, pads, or cute handbags.

Sweets

Thai treats are based on sticky rice, fruit, coconut milk, sweet beans, and cane sugar. Most products have an all-natural composition, but a price that is too low can indicate the presence of artificial colors and preservatives. Children love Luk Chup, a sweet candy made from coconut milk and beans shaped into various fruits or vegetables. Coconut chips and toffee are no less popular. Exotic dried fruits like mango, jackfruit, durian, kiwi, guava, pineapple, and papaya are a great buy. Cashews are one of the favorite delicacies in Phuket. They are inexpensive and come in various flavors — soaked in fruit juices, chocolate, honey glaze, and salted versions with the addition of spices, herbs, or garlic. And be sure to offer children coconut sugar and matcha green tea chocolates.

You can buy many things in network supermarkets on the island — from clothes and shoes to medicines and food — inexpensively. Both tourists and locals love Tesco Lotus, competing with 7 Eleven, Big C, and Family Mart. There are also Makro Cash & Carry and Super Cheap wholesale centers on the island. The largest food market is Banzaan Fresh Market. For groceries, you can also go to the Downtown Market. A popular weekend night market on the outskirts of Phuket Town is also popular with visitors. It is called Naka Market or Sunday Market. The Expo Market is considered one of the best and most inexpensive clothing markets. Premium Outlet Phuket is located on the road between Phuket-Town and the airport. A huge Central Phuket is a leader among the shopping malls on the island. It consists of two buildings, Central Festival and Central Floresta. The second most important shopping center on the island is Jungceylon. Other popular choices are Ocean Plaza Patong and The Plaza Surin. King Power is a huge duty-free store. Tourists must have a passport and plane ticket to use this service.

It is obligatory to bargain at the market! You must be friendly, polite, and with a smile. In this case, the seller may give up the goods for two-thirds of the price. Prices in supermarkets, shopping malls, and boutiques are fixed. But you can ask about loyalty programs and get a nice bonus or discount, even if it was not originally provided.

As for medicines, numerous agencies and local guides recommend tourists shop in the Royal Pharmacies. They are considered the safest because they are official institutions under the royal family's patronage. But in fact, this is not the most convenient option, as there are only 11 of them in the whole country. Phuket pharmacies will offer the same range of products, and the prices will be much lower.

Phuket Town in detail

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