If you only make it to Phuket Town once, make it a Sunday. As the afternoon cools, Thalang Road closes to traffic and becomes Lard Yai, the Sunday walking street. Locals and visitors stroll between the stalls under the colourful Sino-Portuguese shophouses that make Old Town so photogenic.
When and where
Lard Yai runs every Sunday from roughly 4pm to 10pm, along Thalang Road and on towards Phang Nga Road.
What to buy
The focus is on handmade and locally made things rather than mass-produced souvenirs: jewellery, art prints and photography, woven bags and textiles, hand-painted ceramics, vintage finds, and local spices and teas.
What to eat
Come hungry. Look out for Phuket specialities like o-tao (a fried oyster and taro dish), a-pong (thin coconut pancakes) and o-eaw (a jelly dessert that’s perfect in the heat).
Tips
- Arrive before 5pm for the cooler air, the best light on the shophouses and fewer crowds.
- Bring small notes. The stalls are cash only.
- Walk the whole street first. Prices and quality vary from stall to stall.
- Take a taxi or Grab. Parking near Thalang Road is very limited on Sundays.
While you’re there
Wander into Soi Romanee, the prettiest little lane in Old Town, and along Dibuk Road. Thalang Road was the first street in Phuket to have its overhead cables buried underground, which is why it photographs so well. For a deeper dive into the island’s Chinese heritage, the Thai Hua Museum on Krabi Road is a short walk away.