Phuket Walking Street

Opened since October 2013, Phuket Walking Street is the newest attraction in Phuket Old Town. Known by locals like Lard Yai, which literally means "big market" in Thai Southern Dialect, this weekly evening market takes place every Sunday on the recently renovated Thalang Road, right in the middle of the Sino-Portuguese historical neighborhood of Phuket Town. Like most islands’ open-air markets, it begins in the late afternoon when temperature becomes more pleasant and attracts thousands of local and foreign visitors. Thanon Thalang is one of the oldest streets in Phuket reflecting the rich history of the island. The particular architectural style called "Sino-Portuguese" characterizing the street and most of Phuket Old Town is a bizarre mix of European and Chinese styles mixed together. Its main feature is the single or two-storey building with a narrow frontal, but offset by a remarkable depth. Thalang Road has always been a fascinating commercial area, but the burial of unsightly electric cables in 2012, the beautiful renovation of the house's facades with the addition of light effects that change from blue to green to magenta, give the street a more modern look, while preserving its historical appearance. Phuket Walking Street' main entrance is on the eastern side of street where an imposing wooden Chinese-style gate was installed. The 350m-long cosmopolitan shopping street hosts a colourful mix of Baba, Indian and Thai Muslim shops, as well as plenty stalls, restaurants, coffee shops and street performances. The Baba traders are descendants of Chinese immigrants established in Phuket at the beginning of the nineteenth century during the mining era. In shops and stalls you'll find textiles, utensils, clothes, sports equipment, jewellery, T-shirts, local handicrafts, souvenirs and traditional medicines. All Baba' shops along Thalang Road continue their activities every day of the week, enjoying a great popularity on Sunday night in a street usually very quiet on weekends. Phuket Walking Street also allows visitors to discover some typical southern Thai culinary specialties along with the usual foods and drinks you'll find in every outdoor market, such as beef and pork snacks on sticks, chicken and grilled calamari, steamed crabs, fresh fruit shakes and a lot of Khanoms, the traditional Thai desserts.Read More