Thanks to its strategic southern Thailand location and rich natural bounty, Phuket’s backstory is a fascinating, multifaceted one. Europeans (Dutch, Portuguese, French, and British) began to land on the Andaman Coast’s largest island from the 16th century, but the greatest group of international arrivals were the Chinese, who flocked here to stake their fortunes on the 19th-century tin-mining boom.
These workers married into Phuket’s Siamese community, giving birth to the local Baba (Peranakan) culture. This distinctive cultural heritage is visible throughout Phuket Town, from its architecture to its cuisine. Ditch the beach towel: Phuket Town whizzes you right back to the island’s roots.
Much More Than a Day Trip
Plenty of travelers blitz through Phuket Town on a half-day visit; however, staying a couple of nights allows you to sample its busy nightlife, where locals and expats mingle. Moreover, you can dig into its deliciously varied culinary world (Thai-style dim sum for breakfast?), explore its vibrant art scene, discover an increasing number of artisan cafes and innovative cocktail bars, and snooze in century-old hōrng tăa·ou (shophouses) transformed into boutique guesthouses.
Sino-Portuguese Architecture
Phuket Town’s Baba inhabitants made their fortunes in tin-mining and subsequently turned their attention to constructing majestic, European- and Chinese-inspired mansions featuring breezy terraces, elaborate wood-carved doors, and central tile-floored courtyards. Others established slim, multi-level shophouses, adorned with louvered windows, upper terraces, and elegantly arched ground-floor porches. Over the last decade, many of these buildings have been colorfully restored, serving as cafes, restaurants, boutiques, and guesthouses. A shining example is Chinpracha House off Th Krabi, still lived in by the six-generation descendants of its original owner.
A DIY walking tour of Phuket Town’s Sino-Portuguese highlights could begin at the mango-yellow Standard Chartered Bank, before meandering along vibrantly repainted Th Thalang and Soi Romanee, where shophouses gleam with pastel-pink walls and stuccoed pillars under swaying Chinese paper lanterns. Check out the beautifully refurbished Phra Pitak Chinpracha Mansion (now the famed Blue Elephant Thai restaurant) and delve into local history at Phuket Thaihua Museum on Th Krabi.
Chinese Shrines
Phuket’s cultural capital isn’t solely defined by its tin-mining grandeur. Sprinkled amid the Sino-Portuguese storefronts are a number of serene Chinese temples still in use. One of the most enchanting is the elaborately carved, restored 1889 Shrine of the Serene Light, a Taoist shrine with intricate wall etchings, located off Th Phang-Nga.
Visit in late September or October, and you’ll witness these hushed worship spaces burst into action for Phuket’s famously frenzied Vegetarian Festival. Expect thunderous firecrackers, vivid street parades, masses of vegetarian food, and skewer- and knife-pierced worshippers. This important local celebration invokes the nine emperor gods of Taoism through self-mutilating mediums, predominantly men. Jui Tui Shrine and Bang Niew Shrine are significant sites for festival activities.
Fabulous Food
Phuket Town’s multicultural makeup means its cuisine is as diverse as it is celebrated. From super-fresh seafood to some of the best curries outside the Indian subcontinent, Phuket Town’s culinary creations, both traditional and innovative, are served on shophouse porches and inside early-20th-century mansions. Here, Chinese and Malay flavors mingle with southern Thai cooking, producing a deliciously varied local microworld of Peranakan cuisine, with distinctive specialties found only in this part of Thailand.
On Th Thalang, Kopitiam by Wilai is a great spot to savor some soulful southern favorites; try the mee sua (sautéed noodles with egg, sea bass, prawns, and squid). A few doors east, Abdul’s Roti Shop doles out hotplate-fresh roti with sweet banana or savory massaman curry, while Mee Ton Poe on the Clock Tower Circle is the place for hokkien noodles. At Cookie House, pick up boxes of Phuket’s signature cookies made from freshly pulverized almond paste, egg yolks, and butter.
Long-established, antique-filled Sino-Portuguese townhouse Raya attracts a loyal following for its well-priced, authentic Phuket specialties like mŏo hong (pepper-and-garlic-braised pork) and mēe gaang pŏo (crab-meat curry with noodles). Just around the corner, sister restaurant One Chun serves a similarly enticing Phuketian menu. For Phuket favorites in a stylish setting, head to Tantitium or Tu Kab Khao, both located in restored Sino-Portuguese buildings.
At the gourmet end of Phuket Town’s dining spectrum, Suay surprises diners with chef Noi Tammasak’s fantastic fusion fare, which includes lemongrass lamb chops and mango sticky rice with black-sesame ice cream.
Crafted Coffee and Cocktails
Phuket Town’s coffee and cocktail scenes have exploded recently, with Thai beans and local herbs enriching menus. There are numerous urban-chic locations for a caffeine fix, whether it’s an Aeropress latte, a nitro cold brew, or a single-origin espresso. With exposed brick décor and creative ambience, Th Thalang’s café-gallery Bo(ok)hemian exemplifies Phuket Town’s creative buzz. Neighbour DouBrew lures coffee enthusiasts with its inventive coffee selections and beautiful setting. On Th Dibuk, award-winning Shelter Coffee is a popular hangout for artful brunch bites and innovative coffees, complete with a quaint back garden.
From beans to spirits, the Old Town’s artisan cocktail offerings have also taken center stage. Dibuk House, set within a historic building, shines with highly experimental liquid creations involving house-mixed gins. More crafted cocktails can be found at Tantitium and Club No 43, both just a short stroll away.
Boutique Sleeps
Phuket Town boasts excellent-value lodgings, often found in refurbished century-old buildings radiating historical charm. Cheap accommodations abound in characterful, contemporary hostel dorms, like Ai Phuket Hostel.
If you prefer a more upscale experience, book one of four artistic, polished-concrete rooms at boutique-chic The RomManee, which is tucked behind a bright turquoise façade on Soi Romanee. For a delightful upper-midrange choice, Casa Blanca Boutique Hotel offers a blend of white-on-white elegance, complete with a private pool and Sino-Portuguese history.
Art and Fashion
Many of Phuket Town’s historical shophouses now house an eclectic mix of boutiques and local artist-owned studio-galleries. Discover Thai-vintage-inspired women’s couture at Ranida, or browse through a rainbow of fabrics at Ban Boran Textiles. With kaleidoscopic canvases, metallic furniture, and vibrant background music, street-art-inspired Drawing Room stands out as Phuket Town’s most original gallery.
Market Mania
To truly immerse yourself in Phuket’s culture, explore the local markets. Phuket Town’s bustling Weekend Market, located 3km southwest of town, resembles Bangkok’s legendary Chatuchak Weekend Market, albeit on a smaller scale. On Sunday afternoons, an evening shopping spree unfolds at Th Thalang’s Walking St (starting from 4pm).
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First published in September 2016.
