Which days and what time does Karon Temple Market open?
The market runs on Tuesday and Friday, from the afternoon into the evening. One listing gives Tuesday from 4 pm to 9 pm and Friday from 4 pm to 11 pm. Another gives about 4 pm to 10 pm for both days. Temple markets change their schedule more easily than shops do, so treat both as a guide and check the current days and hours before making a special trip.
Going soon after the start gives you room to walk between the stalls. It gets busier as the evening goes on.
What the market sells
It is a mixed market, aimed at visitors and at people who live in Karon.
- Clothes and beach goods: t-shirts, Muay Thai shorts, sarongs, swimwear, bags, watches and jewellery.
- Handmade items: knitted toys, painted dolls and small figures made from wire and springs, plus skincare such as aloe vera and coconut oil.
- Food: the stalls near the main temple entrance sell Thai sweets made from glutinous rice and coconut milk, grilled and steamed meat, spring rolls, fruit and ready-made curries.
Bargaining is normal for clothes and souvenirs, and it works best when you stay polite. Food stalls do not usually bargain.
Visiting a working temple
Wat Karon is the main temple of the Karon community, and the market sits in its courtyard. Cover your shoulders and knees, which is the usual courtesy in Thai temple grounds, and keep your voice low near the temple buildings. Beachwear is out of place, even though some stalls sell it.
Getting to the market from your hotel
The temple is on Patak Road, roughly 500 metres from the shoreline, so from a hotel near the beach in Karon it is a short trip. From Kata and Patong the road runs over the hills, so work out the evening return before you leave. If a driver takes you, send a map pin of the temple gate.
If you are on a longer plan around the island, a driver by the day makes the market one stop among several: see hiring a car with a driver around Phuket.
Tuesday or Friday, and what to pair it with
If you can choose, Friday gives you more time: one listing has it running until 11 pm, against 9 pm on Tuesday, though the hours may differ now. Eat at the food stalls near the entrance, walk the rows, and you can be done in an hour or two.
It pairs well with an afternoon on Karon Beach, which is the long beach about 500 metres from the temple. The lookout over Karon, Kata and Kata Noi is a short drive south: see Kata Viewpoint. If you want something louder after the market, Bangla Road in Patong is the island's main nightlife street, over the hill to the north.
Fitting the market around your arrival or departure
Karon is 43 km from Phuket airport, about 1 hour 10 minutes by road. If you land on a Tuesday or Friday, you can still make the market: drop your bags at the hotel first, then head out. Our transfers have a fixed price per car, from 999 THB for a Sedan, the driver follows your flight number, and the meeting point is Gate 2 next to Exit 2 for international arrivals. See the Phuket airport to Karon taxi to book.
On a departure day, leave the market the evening before and book the Karon to Phuket airport taxi for a time worked back from your flight.
Questions about this transfer
On which days is Karon Temple Market held?
Sources we found list Tuesday and Friday, in the afternoon and evening. Hours differ slightly between sources, so check the current days and times before you go.
Where exactly is Karon Temple Market?
In the grounds of Wat Suwan Khiri Khet (Wat Karon) on Patak Road in Karon, about 500 metres east of the Karon Beach shoreline.
What should I wear to Karon Temple Market?
Cover your shoulders and knees. It is a working temple, so beachwear and very short clothes are not appropriate.
What can I eat at the market?
The food stalls near the main entrance sell Thai sweets with glutinous rice and coconut milk, grilled meat, spring rolls, fruit and ready-made curries.
How far is Karon from Phuket airport?
43 km, about 1 hour 10 minutes by road in normal traffic. The transfer is a fixed price per car, from 999 THB for a Sedan.