Driving to Central Phuket in Phuket Town
The large shopping centre in Phuket Town is one of the few places on the island where you can leave a car in shade, under a roof, with no questions about kerb colours. There is one price for that: a multi storey car park runs by its own rules, and anyone entering it in a rental car for the first time loses time both going in and coming out.
Updated 13 September 2026
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The entrance and how the car park works
The way in comes off the city road through its own slip road, and it is signed considerably better than most turnings on the island. Then the ramp begins, and that is where the first hesitation happens: the turn on the ramp is tight, the lane is narrow, and somebody is already close behind you.
There is a height limit bar at the entrance. A car is not affected by it at all, while a tall minivan with a roof rack is, and checking that with your eyes before you drive in is better than checking it with the sound from the roof.
The levels and not losing yourself in them
The floors resemble each other to the point of being indistinguishable: the same columns, the same rows, the same lighting. The only thing that genuinely works is remembering the level number and the nearest exit, rather than the fact that you parked by a blue column.
The covered levels are several noticeable degrees cooler than the open roof. If you are staying for a couple of hours, the difference between a covered floor and the top open deck is the difference between a normal cabin and a scorching one.
What that means for the car
The aisles between rows are narrow, ninety degree turns come one after another, and the columns stand close to the edge of the markings. A compact car takes all of that without thinking; a large one needs constant mirror work and a wide entry into every turn.
Reversing out of a space between two tall vehicles is where people most often catch a column or a neighbour. Some rental cars have no sensors and no camera, and in a narrow aisle there is no rearward view either, so reverse into the space and drive out forwards.
What the shade gives you
A car that has stood for three hours on a covered level is a car you simply get into. The same car after three hours on the open deck needs a few minutes with the doors open and the air conditioning running, and until then the wheel cannot be held.
There is a practical side too: the dashboard plastic and the seat material in rental cars last longer when they are not roasted daily. Using a covered car park where one exists is a habit that saves trouble at the return handover as well.
ImportantA scrape from a column in a narrow car park aisle is the classic case that comes off the deposit in full under a rental agreement. Insurance often does not cover minor bodywork damage, or covers it with an excess. Reversing into the space and driving out forwards removes most of that risk.
Where to park inside
First rule: do not chase a space by the entrance. The nearest rows are always full, and a lap of the floor looking for one takes longer than parking calmly a level higher and using the lift.
Second: choose a space with no tall vehicle on at least one side. Your view when reversing out depends on your neighbours more than on your skill, and a tall pickup beside you blocks the aisle completely.
The open roof
The top open level is nearly always free, and that is its only merit. In the middle of the day a car there heats up more than on any street parking, because the concrete around it radiates heat from every side.
If there is no choice and you did park on the roof, open all the doors for a couple of minutes when you come back before switching the air conditioning on. The cabin cools faster that way than it does if you try to blow it through with the doors shut.
- A level higher rather than a lap of the nearest rows
- Reverse in, drive out forwards
- Avoid spaces flanked by tall vehicles
- Covered level over the open roof, always
When to arrive
On a weekday morning the car park is half empty and the whole trip takes as long as the drive itself. That is the best time for a large shop: free rows, free trolleys, an easy exit.
A weekend evening is the opposite: the ramps stand still, the levels are full and a queue forms at the exit. Planning a quick fifteen minute stop at that hour makes no sense, because getting in and out will take longer than the errand.
Rain as a factor
During a downpour the shopping centre becomes the gravitational centre of the whole district and the car park fills faster than usual. It is also the one place in town where the car stays dry and you do not walk to it through water, which in the wet season counts for a good deal.
How to fit it into the day
The shopping centre sits in the town, and the historic quarter and the town markets are close to it. The logic is straightforward: the car stays on a covered level and you move around the centre on foot, without solving the parking question again at every stop.
That also makes it a convenient starting point for anyone driving into town from the coastal districts: arrive, leave the car in the shade and walk. You come back to a cool cabin rather than a baking one.
Fuel stations in the area are plentiful and the tank is easier to fill before you arrive. Looking for a station after the shopping, with a full boot and in evening traffic, is noticeably less pleasant.
If you want a car sized for a shopping run rather than for narrow lanes, say so when booking. Message us on WhatsApp with your dates, or Telegram if you prefer, and mention how much boot space you need.
TipPhotograph the level number and the nearest sign when you leave the car. You will come out of the shopping centre somewhere other than where you went in, and without that photograph the search takes longer than the shopping did.
Cars for this trip
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Common questions
Is there parking at the Central Phuket shopping centre?
Yes, it is a multi storey car park with ramps and covered levels, entered from the city road through its own slip road. The covered levels are cooler than the open roof, and in the heat that difference matters to the cabin.
Will a tall vehicle fit on the covered levels?
There is a height limit bar at the entrance. An ordinary car and a standard minivan pass, while a vehicle with a roof rack or a box on top should be checked by eye before driving in.
How do I avoid losing the car in a multi storey park?
The floors look identical, with the same columns, rows and lighting. Only the level number and the nearest exit help, ideally photographed, because you usually leave the shopping centre by a different door from the one you entered.
When is the best time to drive there?
On a weekday morning the car park is half empty and the entrance is clear. On a weekend evening the ramps stand still and a queue forms at the exit, so a short visit stretches to double the time.
How do I avoid scratching the car in the car park?
The aisles are narrow, the columns sit close to the markings and there is no rearward view between tall neighbours. Reverse into the space and drive out forwards, and choose a spot with no tall vehicle on at least one side.
Is the covered level worth it over the open roof?
For anything longer than a few minutes, yes, because the roof deck heats a car more than street parking does. The concrete radiates from every side and the cabin needs several minutes to become usable again.
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