Boat Avenue Phuket is an open-air shopping and dining street at the entrance to Laguna Phuket in Cherngtalay (Choeng Thale), about 5 minutes by car from Bang Tao Beach. It is where people staying in Bang Tao go for dinner, groceries and the Friday night market, and it sits right next to the Porto de Phuket mall.
It is not a sight you cross the island for, and it is not cheap by Phuket standards. But if you are staying anywhere between Surin and Laguna, you will probably end up here more than once. This guide covers what is at Boat Avenue, when the Friday market runs, where to eat, how it differs from Porto de Phuket and how to get there.
At a Glance
- Where: Entrance of Laguna Phuket, Cherngtalay, on Phuket’s west coast
- Friday market: Every Friday, from about 4 or 5 pm until 9 pm (as of October 2026)
- Good for: Dinner, groceries from Villa Market, the Friday market, an evening stroll by the lake
- Next door: Porto de Phuket, an open-air mall run by Central Group
- Getting there: About 5 minutes by car from Bang Tao Beach; free parking that fills up on Fridays
- Cost: Free to visit; restaurant prices are higher than in local Thai places
In This Guide
- What Boat Avenue Is
- The Friday Night Market
- Where to Eat and Drink
- Shopping and Supermarkets
- Boat Avenue vs Porto de Phuket
- Getting to Boat Avenue
- Best Time to Go
- What to Combine It With
- Where to Stay Near Boat Avenue
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Sources
What Boat Avenue Is
Boat Avenue is a low-rise cluster of restaurants, bars, cafés, shops and a supermarket built around open walkways and a small lake, on the main road into Laguna Phuket. Phuket 101 describes it as an open-air shopping and dining neighbourhood at the entrance of the Laguna complex (Phuket 101).
Boat Avenue opened in late 2013: its developer planned a grand opening for the whole complex on 22 November 2013 (C9 Hotelworks), and the Villa Market supermarket followed in December. It has grown since then into the busiest part of Cherngtalay (Phuket 101).
Laguna Phuket itself is a resort complex on a 3 km stretch of Bang Tao Beach with six hotels, lagoons and a golf course. Boat Avenue is outside the resort gates, so anyone can drive or walk in.
The Friday Night Market
The Boat Avenue night market runs every Friday evening. Laguna Phuket lists it from 5 pm to 9 pm (Laguna Phuket); Phuket 101, updated in October 2026, gives 4 pm to 9 pm (Phuket 101). Arrive around 5 pm and you will catch it either way.
Phuket 101 calls it the Fun Friday Avenue Market. Expect local produce, clothing, crafts and Thai street food, sometimes with live music. It is a relaxed neighbourhood market rather than a big tourist bazaar, and you can finish with a sit-down dinner a few steps away.
- Bring cash in small notes for the food stalls.
- Come early for the food stalls and an easier parking space.
- If you are staying in a Laguna hotel, the resort shuttle drops you at the entrance, about a 5-minute walk away.
Missed Friday? Laguna Phuket runs its own Lifestyle Weekend Night Market at Laguna Grove every Saturday and Sunday from 5 pm (Laguna Phuket), a short drive from Boat Avenue.
Where to Eat and Drink
Boat Avenue has dozens of restaurants, from noodle shops to steakhouses, and most of them are international rather than Thai. Several of the best tables are on the lake at the back. These are a few that Phuket 101 lists (as of October 2026, Phuket 101):
| Place | What it is | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Tatonka | Long-running fusion restaurant | A Boat Avenue classic |
| Luca Cini | Italian trattoria, open since 2014 | Pasta and wine |
| Etna | European, on the lake, since 2024 | Breakfast to late dinner |
| Paed Sen | Thai and Vietnamese noodles | A quick, cheap meal |
| Tu Kab Khao (Porto) | Southern Thai, Phuket Town branch | Local Phuket dishes |
Prices are closer to a mid-range restaurant at home than to a Thai street stall. For cheaper Thai food, the Friday market is the better bet, or the local restaurants in Cherngtalay village and along Bang Tao Beach. Our guide to the best food in Phuket lists the local dishes worth ordering.
Shopping and Supermarkets
The main shop at Boat Avenue is Villa Market, a high-end supermarket with a wide range of imported goods. When it opened in 2013 it was 1,200 square metres, more than twice the size of the Chalong branch (C9 Hotelworks). Phuket 101 lists it as open 10 am to 10 pm (as of October 2026).
If you are staying in a villa or apartment with a kitchen, this is where to stock up on cheese, bread, wine and breakfast basics. Around it are fashion and jewellery shops and furniture showrooms (Phuket 101).
Boat Avenue vs Porto de Phuket
Porto de Phuket is the open-air mall directly next to Boat Avenue, and most people visit both in one trip. Porto de Phuket is part of Central Group, one of Thailand’s largest retailers, and calls itself an open-air lifestyle retail centre (Porto de Phuket).
| Boat Avenue | Porto de Phuket | |
|---|---|---|
| Feels like | A dining street by a lake | A small, modern mall |
| Best for | Dinner, bars, Friday market | Chain shops, Tops supermarket |
| Who runs it | Independent restaurants and shops | Central Group |
Porto de Phuket has a Tops Food Hall supermarket and branded shops such as Boots and Supersport (Phuket 101), plus a kids’ zone and regular events. Boat Avenue is the better place for an evening out; Porto is the practical stop for a pharmacy run or a rainy hour.
Getting to Boat Avenue
Boat Avenue is on Bandon-Cherngtalay Road at the entrance of Laguna Phuket, about 5 minutes by car from Bang Tao Beach (Phuket 101). Bang Tao lies halfway between Phuket airport and Patong on the west coast (Phuket 101).
- From Bang Tao Beach: about 5 minutes by car.
- From Phuket Airport: Bang Tao is about 17 km away, roughly 25 to 35 minutes by car.
- From Patong: about 18 km to Bang Tao, 35 minutes or more over the hills.
- From Phuket Town: about 22 km to Bang Tao, 35 to 45 minutes.
- From a Laguna hotel: the resort shuttle to the entrance, then about a 5-minute walk.
Distances to Bang Tao are from Phuket 101 (Phuket 101) and drive times are approximate. Parking at Boat Avenue and Porto de Phuket is free, but it fills up quickly on Friday evenings (Phuket 101). On market night, a taxi or a scooter is easier.
Best Time to Go
The best time to go to Boat Avenue is a Friday evening, from about 5 pm, when the market is on and the restaurants fill up. Any other evening is quieter and still good for dinner by the lake.
Boat Avenue is mostly open-air, so heavy rain in Phuket’s rainy season, May to October, can cut a market visit short. Our guide to the best time to visit Phuket has the month-by-month weather.
What to Combine It With
Boat Avenue works best as the evening half of a Bang Tao beach day: sand in the afternoon, dinner and the market after sunset.
- Bang Tao Beach: 6 km of sand a few minutes away. See our Bang Tao Beach guide.
- Surin Beach: a smaller bay just south of Bang Tao; see our Surin Beach guide.
- Canal Village: a small shopping centre inside Laguna Phuket with shops, cafés, an ATM, currency exchange and a pharmacy (Laguna Phuket).
- Kamala Beach: the next bay south after Surin, calmer than Patong; see our Kamala Beach guide.
Where to Stay Near Boat Avenue
Staying in Bang Tao puts Boat Avenue, the beach and Laguna’s restaurants within a few minutes of your door, and the airport is about 17 km away. It is a good base for families and longer stays, with a supermarket for self-catering on your doorstep.
This is where we at Silqhaus come into the picture. Silqhaus, a Phuket and Pattaya holiday-rental company, has two ZcapeX2 apartments at Boat Avenue in Bang Tao with pool views, and Zcape1, a 43 sqm apartment with a big terrace, also in Bang Tao. Every home is run by our own local team, you can message them directly from day one, and booking direct is at least 10% cheaper than the same home on Airbnb, Booking.com or Vrbo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Boat Avenue in Phuket?
Boat Avenue is on Bandon-Cherngtalay Road at the entrance of Laguna Phuket in Cherngtalay, on the west coast of Phuket. It is about 5 minutes by car from Bang Tao Beach, next to the Porto de Phuket mall.
When is the Boat Avenue night market?
The Boat Avenue market runs every Friday evening until 9 pm. Laguna Phuket lists it from 5 pm and Phuket 101 from 4 pm, so arriving around 5 pm works (as of October 2026).
Is Boat Avenue a mall?
Boat Avenue is an open-air street of restaurants, bars and shops around a lake rather than an indoor mall. The neighbouring Porto de Phuket is a small open-air mall run by Central Group.
Is there parking at Boat Avenue?
Yes. Parking at Boat Avenue and Porto de Phuket is free, but it fills up quickly on Friday evenings during the market.
Is there a supermarket at Boat Avenue?
Yes. Villa Market at Boat Avenue is a high-end supermarket with a wide range of imported goods, and Porto de Phuket next door has a Tops Food Hall.
Boat Avenue will not be the highlight of your Phuket trip, but if you stay in Bang Tao it quickly becomes your local high street. Go on a Friday for the market, eat by the lake, and stock the fridge at Villa Market on the way home.
