Escape the heat in Phuket with a trip to the mall

Unable to bear the heat in Phuket, I decided to escape to the Central Phuket shopping mall, a local recommendation. The largest shopping mall in southern Thailand, Central Phuket is made up of two huge buildings, Floresta and Festival, connected by a sky bridge. It looks like a crystal palace in the tropical sunshine. I walked through the atrium with its green plant waterfall and visited the Floresta building, which is home to luxury brands. At the 8-meter-high Dior counter, the sales assistant was helping me find the right foundation shade for my tanned skin. After three days in Phuket, my foundation shade had changed by three shades! The Festival building is home to more affordable brands, with local designer stores and fast fashion brands. The food court on floor B1 was a pleasant surprise, with the smell of Thai curry and freshly baked durian pastries wafting through the air. I had to try the pandan coconut pancakes wrapped in banana leaves! The crispy outer layer and coconut milk filling were delicious, and the condensed milk added just the right amount of sweetness. Standing on the glass bridge on the second floor, I could see tourists with Hermès bags on one side and local students with Thai milk tea on the other. This mall, which connects different consumer dimensions with a bridge, is like a miniature version of Phuket. It has the luxury of a vacation destination, but also the warmth of everyday life. If you want to experience modern Thai life, spend half a day here.