Tesco Lotus: Discount Store

Further up the road on the right-hand side at the next intersection stands Tesco-Lotus. This mall was the first major modern shopping centre in Phuket and it has goods of a higher quality than Big C - indeed many visitors come from Patong buy Tesco's colourful beach shirts and shorts. Tesco-Lotus also has a decent liquor/wine outlet but don't forget those 'closing times'! It's basically a supermarket with a decent toys department and a pretty good electronics section. Tesco-Lotus mall also features perennials such as McDonalds, Boots, a good electronics shop, lots of fast food and more ATMs than you can shake a credit card at.

Upstairs in the food court the amount of decibels hurled at shoppers trying to lunch is almost unbelievable. Even Patong's Rock City can't beat the music coming out of the CD/DVD outlet, an 'Entertainment Center' with at least five games going at full blast, no less that two different flatscreen movies going at the same time, a 'Guitar Hero' game by the escalator and - on top of this cacophony the store girl makes tinny announcements over the tannoy. Perhaps the one redeeming feature here is the 'ball room' - a fun activity for small children; just remember to bring earplugs.