Cherng Talay and the nearby Bang Tao Beach have always been a popular spot for tourists in Phuket. The area is also known as Laguna due to the massive resort area bearing this name that contains seven hotels including Banyan Tree Phuket, Angsana Laguna Phuket and Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket.
The resorts are nice, but Cherng Talay lagged behind Patong and other more developed areas of the island. A lack of retail spaces, restaurants and other facilities meant guests who wanted to leave the area would need to trek 20 to 30 minutes in order to find something.
That all changed in 2012 with the opening of Boat Avenue. The mixed-use commercial mall, one of developer Boat Pattana’s most ambitious projects, welcomed international grocery store Villa Market, many high-quality local restaurants and businesses under retail giant Minor Group to Cherng Talay.
When developing Boat Avenue, Boat Pattana dreamed of creating something unique. They strived to build a place that had never been seen before on the island. In order to accomplish this, the company had to think outside the box.
Boat Pattana came up with the idea to develop Thailand’s first container mall. This allowed it to construct an eco-friendly development that also embraced Phuket’s status as a port. The firm used old shipping containers and the mall makes up an integral part of Boat Avenue.
Go inside Boat Avenue
Boat Avenue has become a hub for central Phuket with both tourists and the local population flocking to it. In fact, the shopping centre is an informal meeting spot for many people due to its close proximity to most points. Phuket International Airport, Patong and Phuket Town are all less than a 30-minute drive away.
Location isn’t the only positive. You can enjoy food from around the world at Boat Avenue. Mexican, French, Chinese, Italian, American and, of course, Thai restaurants can all be found here along with a few coffee shops.
There is also the aforementioned Villa Market for those wanting ingredients to do the cooking themselves. You will find a wide range of foods from around the world with a good selection of UK and US favourites.
Boat Avenue is home to several boutique clothing stores as well. A couple of furniture and home improvement shops, ATMs and free parking can also be found in the shopping complex.
Cherng Talay keeps growing
Boat Avenue has served as a catalyst for development in the Cherng Talay area of Phuket. There is no better example of this than Thailand’s largest retail player, Central Group, deciding to launch a THB1 billion (USD32 million) development in Cherng Talay.
The exciting Porto de Phuket is expected to open in late 2019 and will be the first luxury shopping complex in this part of Phuket. More than 65 percent of the development will be dedicated to green spaces as Central Group envisions it as a modern lifestyle hub.
In addition to international restaurants, a department store and plenty of branded shops, Porto de Phuket will host playgrounds, beauty spas and dedicated areas for pets. There is also a space reserved for local products.
The developer believes at least three million tourists will visit Porto de Phuket every year, which would immediately make it one of the most popular shopping malls in Phuket.
This type of development would have been unheard of ten years ago, but Cherng Talay has established itself as a key area of Phuket. International visitors enjoy the surroundings and easy access to the beaches. However, its hard to envision Laguna becoming such a key place without Boat Avenue.
For more information on Boat Avenue, please visit www.boatavenuephuket.com