🏪 Markets & stalls

A cluster of stalls in Thong Sala — tom yum, crispy schnitzel and burgers

Wander between the stalls and build a meal — come in from the main road or from inside, by the clothing stalls. The soup stall is the heart of it: the tom yum base is vegetarian, and chicken or beef go into the broth only on request. Worth knowing too are Burger Shack, where a fried egg lands on top of the burger, and the schnitzel stall next to the samosas. Aim for lunchtime — by around five the soups are gone.

ℹ Some stalls shut early in the afternoon

A daily street-food market — chicken in a jar, Thai doughnuts, coconut ice cream

A no-frills food market in Thong Sala that changes character through the day — early morning brings the pa thong ko stall with its condensed milk, and the afternoon brings the boat-shaped sushi cart. Among the regulars: the Greek stall with the yellow sauce, the pad thai stand that serves it inside an omelette, and a new Nepali stall turning out good momos. Worth a full lap of the stalls before you order.

ℹ Not every stall is worth it, and some only trade at certain hours

Whole fish grilled in a salt crust — order ahead, numbers are limited

A stall in the Ban Tai market, opposite the church, with a small ritual built around it: you set a fish and an hour, and it reaches the table exactly on time. Order the rest of the food for that same hour — there's a full menu with kids' plates and several kinds of som tam — because the fish itself, a tilapia, is the main event, and it's better eaten there than delivered. On the way out, the stall across the way sells fresh garlic you can smell from a distance.

ℹ Book the fish and the time in advance

Night-market stalls: gyoza and sushi, salt-grilled fish, shabu soup

The classic Ban Tai evening: a row of stalls, a good atmosphere and plenty of options a few steps apart. You spot the fish stall by its loaded grill, and among the rest hides a surprise — kaiserschmarrn, the Austrian pancake, one of the best things in the market. An easy answer for a group evening, when everyone picks from a different stall.

ℹ May not run in the rain; stall quality varies

Addresses for Krabi: CRU for dinner, Umberto's for Italian

For anyone carrying on from the island to Krabi, a short list that covers the basics: Khun Noi Thai Food is Thai cooking beside a clear stream you can dip your feet in, Much and Mellow in Krabi Town does excellent coffee, food and pastries, and for pizza there is Marni in town or Glur in Ao Nang. Keep the list for your first evening there.

Night market food stalls — Thong Sala on Saturdays, Chaloklum Sundays from 4pm

They work just as well as a fruit and vegetable run, not only as dinner: the red peppers that ran out at Makro turn up at the big stall in Thong Sala, fruit and dates sit on the La Ceviche side, and coriander circulates in Chaloklum both at the stalls and in the corner shops. What is on offer changes from visit to visit — what was there this week is not promised next week.

ℹ The Thong Sala market is not always running in full