Cha-Am Shopping
Where to Shop and What to Buy in Cha-Am
Not exactly renowned for its shopping offerings, Cha-Am after all has other things going for it. While shops in town cater mostly for the locals, and a new supermarket for the needs of a slowly-growing expat community, Thai people are known for their skills and craftsmanship. So be on the look-out for some local crafts like shell work, printed fabrics and carvings even, sold by some beach vendors and at a few places in town
The best it gets around here is the discount Premium Outlet where branded items can be bought for a fraction of the price you would pay in Bangkok’s department stores. This attracts many Bangkok shoppers eager for a bargain. Beyond this there are a couple of market experiences where you can soak up the local way of life and try some tasty food. If you are looking to buy souvenirs then head right on down to the Beach Road where there is an assortment of handmade Thai crafts.
Beachside
On the Beach Road you will find an abundance of souvenir goods, particularly items made from shells. This is also the place to head for disposable beach attire. Items such as flip flops, sarongs, T-shirts, hats and shorts can all be found but for the most part these stalls cater to the local market so don’t expect anything in the way of ‘high fashion’. What this stretch of shopping is good for are Thai tokens and remembrances or ‘khong fak’. It’s definitely a place to go to buy gifts that are representative of the country’s innate craft-making abilities such as homeware goods, lamps, garlands, wind chimes and figurines.
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Cha-Am Night Market
In Thai this is known as a ‘talat nad’ and is open everyday in the same spot except for Mondays and Wednesdays. The market moves around, so on Mondays it is further down the junction of Narathip Road by the Family Mart. On Wednesdays it can be found down at a junction near the train station which is why people may refer to it as the ‘Train Station Market’.
Popular mainly with locals, you can buy clothes, DVDs, CDs and cutesy accessories here. Other than this there are a fair few food stalls and Fridays are usually the busiest days when more traders turn up. This market is not necessarily loaded with things that you would want to buy but it has a great atmosphere and is a good way to interact with the locals and gain an insight into the Cha-Am market experience.
Cha-Am Wet Market
This market is just for food and while it is a common occurrence for Thais to experience such as environment on a regular basis, for most westerners it is quite insightful, if not a little stinky. This is where locals come to buy the ingredients for much of the stuff you will eat when in Cha-Am – fish, vegetables, meat and fruit. Open everyday between the cooler hours of 06:00 and 10:00, it is definitely worth taking a trip down to. Food markets are a good way to learn more about the culture of a place and this one in particular promises a pretty cool start to the day.
Highlights: Fish, meat and vegetables
Opening Hours: 06:00-10:00
Address: Central Cha-Am
Premium Outlet
If you are looking to buy branded clothes at discounted prices then the Premium Outlet should be your first port of call. Stocking brands such as Naf Naf, Lacoste, and Jaspal, G200 you should expect to find a few steals here. Some items are discounted as much as half of what you would usually pay. Some stuff even competes with the prices you would pay for counterfeit brand-name goods in Thailand’s markets.
Highlights: Adidas, Nike, Levis, Diesel and G200
Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00 weekdays and 09:00-20:00 weekends
Address: Phetkasem Road
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