Souvenir Shop

Every time we go someplace, our daughter asks us to bring her back something – and you know what? We’d better not forget! You too – don’t forget to bring your friends, kids, mom, pop, or co-workers something back from the souvenir shop when you visit Phuket.

What could you get at a souvenir shop in Phuket? Refrigerator magnets! Ha! What do people give you when they go on vacation? It’s not much more than that, right? A t-shirt is probably your best bet – try to notice what your friend is wearing and buy that color at least. Make some sort of effort – right? Whatever you do, do NOT come back home with one of those wooden frogs with the ridged back that you rub with a stick to make it croak!

You know, there are a lot of shirt designs that have become a symbol of Thailand and if you’re buying for an expat, or good old boy – you can’t go wrong with one of these t-shirts: Chang, Leo, Singha, Same-Same, or something that mentions Phuket, Patong Beach, or something else about Thailand.

One gift we buy a lot of at the souvenir shops is those super lightweight sarongs that are about two meters long and a meter wide. They are excellent for use as towels as they don’t take up much space when you pack them and they are fast-drying with or without wind or fans after getting wet. They come in a shocking number of colors and patterns: the coolest patterns are probably the elephants draped in traditional Thai style decorations. Even though we don’t think riding elephants is something you should do!

There are lots of items made of bamboo, some of which the person you’re buying for couldn’t possibly have received as a gift before! For kids, funny socks, hats, some puzzle game, or a fancy hand fan that unfolds – are all reasonable. You’re not going to find something perfect, but there is an incredible assortment of souvenirs at the shops in Phuket – especially on the streets of Patong Beach.

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