Joanna James
As one of Australia's top beach holiday hotspots, the Gold Coast is also a shopper's paradise. Here are five markets every visitor should explore during a trip to the sun-kissed region.
Located within close range of Surfers Paradise beach, inside The Esplanade, The Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets are some of the best shopping hubs in the Gold Coast. Open on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, The Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets are open from 4pm to 9pm. More than a hundred stalls occupy the seaside area when the markets are in full swing with vendors selling everything from baked goods to handmade and home cultivated items. Those in search of accessories, fashion items, unique gift items and home ware will find the beachside market offers a wide variety of choices while jewellery fanatics and beauty product enthusiasts also won't be disappointed.
These popular night markets are some of the best on the coast of Brisbane as there are frankly no other markets quite like the NightQuarter thoroughfares. The entire market consists of converted shipping containers that now house restaurants, shops, bars, food outlets, arcades and boutiques, creating an atmosphere which resembles a community festival rather than a traditional marketplace. The food served at these markets is the main attraction for tourists who can head to High Street Food, Tapas Street or Hawker Street to wine or dine on different delicacies. Home ware and crafts are found in The Alley while the Side Street is the ideal venue to get a massage, a haircut or a psychic reading.
Those based at Avani Broadbeach Gold Coast Residences or similar rests will find that spending the day at the Beachfront Art and Craft Markets is one of the best things to do in Broadbeach. More than 150 shops occupy this vast market which takes place on the first and third Sunday of the month from 8am to 2pm. Located at Kurrawa Park, the Art and Craft Markets are known to shift from Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads and then once again over to Coolangatta on rotation. With a history that goes back 20 years, the Beachfront Art and Craft Markets remain one of the best thoroughfares for the artistically inclined.
Asian food fans should not miss the chance to dine their way through the Chinatown Street Markets located in Southport's Young and Davenport Streets. The bustling food market features Thai, Chinese Japanese, Korean and Malaysian food and serves up delectable treats from 5pm to 10pm on the first Saturday of each month. The easiest way to reach the markets is to hop on the G:Link of the LRT ( light rail system) which stops right in the heart of the thoroughfare.
Having first opened in 2008, the Village Markets is another popular marketplace in the Gold Coast. Open from 8.30am to 1pm every first and third Sunday of the month, the market is held at the Burleigh Heads State School Oval, Burleigh Heads and the Lower Gold Coast Highway alternately. Specializing in art and fashion, it is one of the trendiest markets in town.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
