Shopping
While not on the same level as the legendary shopping in Bangkok, Phuket is still a great place to find bargains in Thailand. The island has everything from air-conditioned shopping malls to noisy night bazaars and open-air village food markets.
The best place to find Thai silk and other traditional Thai souvenirs in Phuket is Kamala Beach. Cheap souvenirs such as hats and scarves are available along the beach walkway in high season, and there are a number of shops near the beach restaurants selling sarongs, toys, and hand-carved items. There are even shops along Kamala's main road that will turn out copies of a traveller's favourite suit remarkably quickly. One popular souvenir from Phuket is pearl jewellery, available locally from the Phuket Pearl Factory in Sapam.
There are two main shopping malls in Phuket: Central Festival Phuket and Jungceylon Shopping Center. Central Festival Phuket is dominated by a single Central Department Store selling everything from silk sarongs to designer watches, while Jungceylon Shopping Center has more than 200 stores. Most department stores and shops have fixed prices, while market stalls and street vendors are willing to bargain anywhere from 10 to 40 percent off the original price.
Nightlife
Phuket's nightlife is second only to Bangkok for sheer buzz. The liveliest resort area in Thailand, the larger towns on the island offer plenty of entertainment into the wee hours of 5 or 6am. Many restaurants and markets also stay open until 11pm, enhancing the festive atmosphere.
The epicentre of Phuket's nightlife is Patong Beach, and within the town, Bangla Road is the main concentration of bars and clubs. Options range from seriously dodgy beer bars to upscale cocktail lounges, as well as pumping nightclubs, rowdy karaoke bars, gay bars, jazz clubs, relaxed pubs and go-go bars. At the top end of Bangla Road, visitors can party into the early hours at several side-by-side establishments. Paradise Complex is Patong's gay area, with more than 50 bars, karaoke clubs, restaurants and discos.
Lady bars, or beer bars, are clustered together and staffed with beautiful women tasked with getting patrons to drink as much as possible through drinking games or sheer distraction. In Patong, travellers will find the famous 'ladyboys' (or katoeys) of Thailand. While katoeys working in bars are notoriously friendly, visitors should remember that they are working and will expect drinks, gifts, or money for their time. If the seedy clubbing scene isn't what travellers are looking for, many hotels in Phuket stage Thai dance shows, including elaborate drag cabaret shows. Tourists should take care not to go out alone at night, and to keep an eye on their drinks at all times.