The best shopping in Karon Beach can often be found in its retail plazas and shopping precincts. The quiet, family-friendly town has no big shopping malls, but it does have dedicated shopping streets, where you'll find tightly packed collections of stores. These sell mostly souvenirs for visitors, including cheap clothes and beach toys.

Karon Beach is no shopper’s paradise, so designer labels and unique wares might be hard to come by here. However, for those with a family in tow and looking for essentials (and maybe a few surprises), the shopping scene here will certainly not disappoint. There are also a few good tailor’s shops and artists around if you want something a bit special.

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    • Shoppers

    Karon Market takes place in Wat Karon’s compound twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays. You can find a wide choice of local products and food, though some of the items o display are definitely tourist-oriented.

    You can find fluorescent Singha beer singlets, Thai-style bags, scarves and sarongs, as well as beachwear and flower-shaped soaps. Karon Market, like most outdoor markets in Phuket, starts late afternoon when the heat of the day dissipates.

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    Location: Wat Karon, Patak Rd, Karon, Muang, Phuket 83100, Thailand

    Open: Tuesday from 4pm to 9pm, Friday from 4pm to 11pm

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    • Shoppers

    Karon Bazaar (or Shopping Sale Karon Plaza) is a large covered and market-like mall in the central area of Karon Beach Road. The bazaar has just about everything you'll ever need while on vacation in Phuket, including beach essentials, clothes and souvenirs,

    With concrete floors, neon lights and a corrugated metal roof, Karon Bazaar is a smaller version of the famous Phuket Weekend Market in Phuket Town. A few shops are air-conditioned. You can find the market in between Woraburi Phuket Resort and Moevenpick Resort.

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    Location: Patak Rd, Karon, Muang, Phuket 83100, Thailand

    Open: Daily from 10am to 11pm

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    Soi Old Phuket

    Soi Old Phuket
    • Shoppers

    Soi Old Phuket (also known as Aroona Karon) is a street near Karon's Beach Road. Named after the adjacent Old Phuket Resort, and designed in the Sino-colonial style, you'll find many boutiques, massage parlors, bars, restaurants and tailor shops. It’s a good place to buy colorful beachwear, light tropical shirts, bags of all sizes and styles, silk souvenirs, and even to book a tour to explore the region.

    At the end of the afternoon, vendors erect stands in the middle of the street, creating a market-like atmosphere. Not only is it enjoyable to explore on foot, but you can also find costume jewelry and trinkets at bargain prices.

    Location: Soi Withet, Karon Rd, Karon, Muang, Phuket 83100, Thailand

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    Karon Plaza

    Karon Plaza
    • Food
    • Nightlife
    • Shoppers

    Karon Plaza is an L-shaped shopping destination along Lung Phochuan Road in Karon. Made up of guesthouses, bars, restaurants, beauty salons and massage parlors, it’s an amusing place to stroll through, especially at night when the place comes alive with loud bars and pubs.

    You can make your purchases, have a meal, then party within the same place. Karon Plaza also has a couple of tailor shops and stalls selling sunhats, beachwear, T-shirts, baseball hats, and beach paraphernalia.

    Location: Luang Phor Chuan Rd, Karon, Muang, Phuket 83100, Thailand

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    Center Point Village

    Center Point Village
    • Food
    • Shoppers

    Center Point Village is a small shopping plaza along an 80-meter-long covered corridor in Karon. Located right next to Karon Princess Hotel on the Beach Road, the plaza contains around a dozen shops and restaurants. There's a convenience store, a pharmacy, a tailor, a clothes shop selling beachwear, and a spa products shop.

    Location: 194/2 Karon Rd, Karon, Muang, Phuket 83100, Thailand

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    Amorn’s Tailors Phuket

    Amorn’s Tailors Phuket
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    Amorn’s Tailors in Karon has been catering to the needs of clients since 1997. They have a stock of high-quality fabrics, including cotton, silk, wool and linen, all in a range of colors. You can have a whole new and custom-made wardrobe at this store. All work is done in-house – the company’s staff members include a pattern maker, tailors, and machinists. Call in advance to arrange a free pick-up from the local area.

    Location: 55 Kata Noi Rd, Karon, Muang, Phuket 83100, Thailand

    Open: Monday–Saturday from 10.30am to 10pm, Sunday from 5pm to 10pm

    Phone: +66 (0)76 530 314

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    Siam Herbal

    Siam Herbal
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    Siam Herbal is a long-established medicine store in Karon Center. Thailand has a very long history of traditional medicine, and though it's mostly considered as an alternate remedy, these products have proved their efficiency for centuries.

    The Siam Herbal store has a good range of natural spa products and herbal mixtures that could ease just about anything, from benign squeamishness and skin irritations.

    Location: 144/ Soi Karon 2, Karon, Muang, Phuket 83100, Thailand

    Open: Daily from 10am to 5pm

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    Karon tattoo studios

    Karon tattoo studios
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    Karon's body art scene has around a dozen studios that offer quality designs, clean and sterile settings, and talented artists. Karon tattoo studios are found around the resort town – popular spots include Army Freedom Tattoo Studio in Bangla Plaza, Climax Tattoo in Karon Plaza, and Andaman Tattoo on the Beach Road. Most tattoo studios in Karon use bamboo sticks (usually for sak yant or Buddhist tattoos) or electric machines (for modern designs).

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    Souvenir shops at Hilton Phuket Arcadia

    Souvenir shops at Hilton Phuket Arcadia
    • Shoppers

    There's a good number of souvenir shops at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia hotel, located on the Karon beachfront. They typically sell upmarket and quality items, including Persian/Indian rugs and silk scarves. Note that these items are mostly Thai-made and Southeast Asian products that are not necessarily cheap.

    Location: 333 Patak Road, Karon, Muang, Phuket 83100, Thailand

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Stephan Audiger | Compulsive Traveler