Jungceylon and Central Festival are Phuket’s indoor shopping malls and combined have over 200 shops. Most of these are known name brand outlets, but each of these also has a shopping arcade where some great souvenirs can be had at bargain prices.

The twice a week Indy Market on Dibuk Road is not to be missed. This market sells all sorts of things from Thai snacks to ladies’ handbags and makes for a fantastic evening out. If you miss it you can always go to the weekend market where you will find pretty much anything, as it is a bit like a mini Chatuchak Market. Coming here is definitely something you will remember, and you don’t even need to buy anything to enjoy it. The market is an attraction all on its own. It can be found on Talad Tai Rot near Central Festival and runs from 16:00 to 22:00 every Saturday and Sunday.

There are of course plenty of other shops scattered throughout the entire island, with many being located in Patong. No matter what you are looking for you are sure to be able to find it in Phuket.

The fair lasts for seven days and of course takes place at Wat Chalong, which can be found on Chaofa Road in Chalong. During the seven days there are numerous stalls selling anything fried you can think of, as well as stalls selling plenty of goods, clothing and souvenirs that can be had for great prices. The fair comes alive each night with live entertainment that includes dancing, music and Muay Thai among other things, and like all Thai festivals there will also be contests and raffle draws.

Wat Chalong is one of the most important temples on the island and is extremely beautiful, so it is worth visiting regardless of the festival. But I do ask all tourists to please respect the Thai culture and Buddhist religion by making sure that your shoulders and knees are covered once entering the temple grounds. Otherwise just have fun and mingle with the locals.

The Year of the Dragon is the most celebrated of all the zodiacs in the Chinese calendar as it is the mightiest of all the signs. This year marks the Water Dragon and Phuket’s Old Town will light up with fireworks, colourful decorations and people dressed in red. Although in many countries this holiday is celebrated over 15 days, here in Phuket only the first day is celebrated, which in on January 23rd.

For those really wanting to experience this great holiday the best way to do this is to go and join in on the festivities, which of course includes eating. There are certain foods that are believed to bring good luck if eaten on this day. These include fish, dumplings, melon and pumpkin seeds, noodles, sweets and taro cakes. Don’t forget to hit the market, as the Chinese New Year is famous for its bargain prices.

The fair kicks off on January 1^st at 3:30pm and features food kiosks, booths selling local arts & crafts and souvenirs, carnival attractions and fair games, and is something that people of all ages can enjoy. There is also night entertainment in the form of live music and traditional Thai dancing. The fair is a fantastic way for tourists to mingle with the locals and learn more about the lovely Thai culture, as well as taste Thai delicacies and sweets.

Although this is a popular festival used to bring in the New Year, it is also an important charity event. The fair holds a lottery each year and all ticket sales go to the Thai Red Cross in Phuket, which is great organisation aimed at helping locals in need. The event itself is free, however purchasing a ticket is highly recommended, as last year the first prize was a 3 million Baht home.

The Phuket Red Cross Fair will take place at Saphan Hill Park in Phuket town and will run from the 1^st to the 7^th of January. It will begin at 3:30pm each afternoon and carry on into the evening.

The festival takes place at Phuket’s Central Festival and will feature both local and international Jazz musicians. It will run for three evenings, and begins at 18:30 each evening starting tonight (December 16^th). Tonight is titled ‘Trendy Jazz’; tomorrow is listed as ‘Classic Jazz’, while Sunday will be ‘Pure Jazz’. I am not yet sure which type of Jazz I will prefer so I think I may turn up for all three.

Unfortunately I cannot seem to find out how much the tickets are, but from the looks of it if you spend 1,500 Baht at Central Festival Phuket you will receive tickets for two. This seems easy enough to do, as I am sure I can manage to spend that quite easily with all of the shopping and food options available. This is not a large sum of money to spend to enjoy a few good evenings out.

For more information on the event and a list of the musicians visit http://www.centralfestivalphuket.com/events.aspx?Id=127.

Some may think that this shortage of beer is a major crisis, especially with the high season just beginning. While others are using it as an opportunity to make fast money, with some bars and restaurants charging ridiculous amounts of Baht for a bottle of this favourite brew. It is not just Singha bottles that are dwindling, Heineken and Tiger are at a shortage as well. The solution seems simple to me; drink Leo or Chang.

As a local living here it is a bit worrisome as it may greatly affect business for some on the island. Although it does not directly affect me, it is just another hit to the already problematic high season. Many local business owners fear that they will take a direct hit as they will be unable to provide beer at reasonable prices, or will be unable to restock as the prices on beer are fast rising.

I do realize that many tourists enjoy drinking Singha, Heineken and Tiger while on holiday here but it is not the end of the world. You can still enjoy a beer-drinking holiday if you stick to Chang and Leo.

‘Logos Hope’ began its journey on July 1^st in Sri Lanka and docked in Phuket on Thursday August 17^th, where it will remain until August 28^th when it sets sail for Malaysia. It will be open from 10am to 9pm Tuesday to Saturday and from 2pm to 9pm on Sunday and Monday. The entrance fee to board the ship is only 10 Baht, and all proceeds go to funding this incredible project.

This is an excellent way to meet a great group of people from different parts of the world while at the same time promoting a terrific cause.

In this market, you see a long row of stands, each displaying hundreds of amulets and behind them, there also some other small row of shops, also selling amulets and Buddha images. The display attracts a variety of people, using magnifying glasses to check the wares and it is always quiet with serious discussions among the buys and the sellers.

The Phuket Amulet Centre itself was established over 20 years ago and it now has 20 small outlets though it has moved a few times.  So if you are a Buddhist or just interested in Buddhism, this is the place for you to buy an amulet for protection and it is very good traditional Thai gift to give to friends, you left at home as many of them signifies luck, happiness, but mainly protection.

There are more than 40 different stores selling all kinds of traditional crafts, handicrafts, wooden items, silks, and Thai clothes with traditional designs. Some of the highlights at Canal Village are the silk products. This is a great alternative to the more expensive items at the touristy shops of Jim Thompson.

Canal Village itself is just a great place to go for a walk and enjoy the pleasant setting. The shopping complex is very natural, and the various shops are set around a lovely Thai-style courtyard.

There are a number of convenient services available at Canal Village such as ATMs, currency exchange desks, and even film processing. The beautiful location is also an attractive place to stop and enjoy some delicious Thai food or perhaps a cup of coffee at one of the many delicious restaurants on offer at Canal Village.

Canal Village forms part of the larger Laguna shopping complex, so if you need to get some other things like groceries, daily essentials, or perhaps a book to enjoy on the beach, you will also be able to find all of these things and much more in the other sections of Laguna.

The Canal Village opens each day of the week so you can come and enjoy this beautiful shopping location whenever you please.

Jungceylon is located in Patong, the heart of Phuket. However, Jungceylon is essentially a destination in and of itself, with a large variety of specialty shops, department stores, restaurants, cafes, and entertainment facilities. There is little doubt that visitors to Jungceylon could soon lose track of time as they enjoy the stunning interior decor and the numerous bargains on offer throughout the centre.

Jungceylon is well laid-out and divided into four different zones, each specialising in a different type of product and theme. Zone 1 is a great place to head if you’re looking for something to take back home as a souvenir, stocking a variety of elegant Thai handicrafts, furniture and silks. Zone 2 is the entertainment section of Jungceylon, offering everything from cinemas, djs and lights displays. Zone 3 offers a variety of international and Thai cuisine, whilst zone 4 is the location of a variety of international supermarket chains and a number of leading fashion brands. Throughout these zones are some very interesting architectural features including shops with historical Sino-Portuguese shop front designs.

Jungceylon is open daily from 11am, and closes at 10pm from May to October, and 11pm from November to April.