Phuket · Phuket historic district with shophouses and street art
Phuket Old Town has shophouses and mansions from the era when tin mining brought prosperity to the island. Sino-Portuguese buildings and murals preserve traces of the Peranakan community, where Chinese, Malay and Thai cultures met; some old buildings are now used as museums or cafés.
At Thai Hua Museum on Krabi Road, learn about the history of Phuket’s Chinese community, then try local foods such as Hokkien fried noodles, dim sum and apong. The Lard Yai market on Thalang Road is a Sunday event; the Old Town’s streets and buildings can be seen on other days too.
Shophouses and mansions built when Phuket prospered through tin mining remain in the Old Town. Their façades show the history of the island, where Chinese migrants and Malay and Thai cultures met, in buildings combining commercial and residential uses.
The Sino-Portuguese buildings along both sides of the road show an urban commercial side of Phuket, different from its beach resorts. Some historic buildings are still used as restaurants, cafés and accommodation, bringing the street’s past and present together.
Thai Hua Museum on Krabi Road is a place to explore the history and heritage of Phuket’s Chinese community. The museum building itself is also one of the Old Town’s historic buildings.
After visiting Thai Hua Museum, return to the street to see shophouses, murals and businesses that are still open. Seeing the museum and the commercial street together shows how Old Town’s architecture extends beyond a single exhibition room.
Phuket’s local foods include Hokkien fried noodles, o-tao, loba and o-aew. Some places serve dim sum and dumplings or khanom chin rice noodles with curry in the morning; apong is a snack you can try as well.
Tasting local dishes at restaurants in the old streets is one way to experience the food culture left by Phuket’s different communities. Lard Yai Market on Thalang Road is held on Sundays and is a separate event from the Old Town itself.
No. The historic shophouses, murals and restaurants are part of the neighborhood and can be visited on other days. Lard Yai Sunday Market is a separate event on Thalang Road, listed from 16:00 to 22:00 on Sundays.
Thai Hua Museum on Krabi Road covers the history and heritage of Phuket’s Chinese community. Sino-Portuguese shophouses from the tin-mining era and old mansions also remain along the streets.
Local foods include Hokkien fried noodles, o-tao, loba and o-aew. In the morning, you can find dim sum, dumplings and khanom chin rice noodles with curry; apong is also available as a snack.
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Sharing image credit: Christophe95 / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
