What to do in Phuket Old Town? Walking tour guide of streets, temples, shops and restaurants

Our walking guide to Phuket Old Town and Old Street will save you time and energy! The historical part of Phuket, Thailand is not large, but it is informative and exciting enough to spend half a day exploring. On this page we break it down by street and describe the main points of interest, important landmarks and of course the best places to eat Thai food! It is easy and fun to explore even on a rainy day, and there are plenty of little cafes and restaurants to take a break and have lunch or dinner. Phuket Old Town has always been one of our most popular items on our list.

What to do in Phuket Old Town?

The streets are lined with many Sino-Portuguese style shophouses, small and colorful stores, some great local Thai restaurants and, more recently, a lot of young coffee shops. A stroll through town will also be an opportunity to visit both Thai temples and colorful Chinese shrines, as well as several museums and some beautiful old mansions.



Lately you can also admire a lot of beautiful murals and street art decorating the walls of old buildings. Things are looking better now that the Phuket Municipality has buried all the cables on Thalang and Diphu Roads underground.

The city center and famous Thalang Road are the most exciting parts of Phuket Town, but the other streets are also full of things to explore.



Our suggested walking map, starting from the famous Thalang Road

1. Thalang Road

Thalang Road (East) is probably where you start and spend a lot of time. It’s charming and a popular Instagram playground, especially if you stop by the Sunday Walking Street Market.



Don’t miss the little coffee shop at the corner called Chino Cafe Gallery (L). Not only do they serve delicious coffee and sweet Phuket round cakes, but you can also admire some beautiful photos taken by Phuket photographers hanging on the walls (apparently there will be a gallery on the second floor soon).



Further up the road are three notable restaurants, Wei Lai and Kopitiam Restaurant (M) are two small affordable local restaurants serving delicious Thai food. The famous China House Cafe (N) is a more sophisticated but pricey meal in a beautifully renovated Chinese shophouse, which also happens to be a handicraft shop.



Near the China Guesthouse, Cafe (N) is a small Chinese shrine hidden inside an unassuming entrance. From there you will walk past many Muslim cloth and tool shops whose owners are trying to carry on with their trade like nothing has ever happened in Phuket. Look around for all the charming little guesthouses, bookshops, cute little boutiques and plenty of little coffee shops.



Don’t miss Oasis Walking Street, a road connecting Thalang and Phang Nga! It’s full of stalls selling original souvenirs and local snacks, and is a great place to escape the heat or rain.

2. Soi Romanee

Just off the famous Thalang Road, Soi Romanee (P) has colorful buildings that make it the most photographed street in Phuket. But the most beautiful part of Phuket Town is the red-light street and gambling area. Now, you can stay in one of the small guesthouses or have a drink in a cafe while watching the permanent Instagram contest going on here.



Don't miss the chance to visit some of the temples: At the end of Soi Lomni (P) is Wat Mongkol Nimit (Q) an important place for the people of Phuket, where locals often hold ceremonies. It is a beautiful temple with a golden stupa at the back and some beautiful traditional houses used by the monks as dormitories.



Go back through Romanee Lane (P) and turn left again onto Thalang Road, where you can admire some renovated shophouses, notably a Honda motorcycle showroom and a new cafe.

3. Phang Nga Road



The three highlights of Phang Nga Road are the Temple of Serene Light (W), the Amulet Market and the On On Hotel (V). The On On Hotel (V) has an exciting story that almost everyone has seen in the movie "The Beach", but not many people know that the hotel is not in Bangkok as shown in the movie, but in Phuket Town. Until recently, the On On Hotel was almost as bad as in the movie, and it only cost 200 baht a night! In 2013, the hotel was completely renovated with superb technology, retaining the spirit of the hotel, and the price is still relatively cheap, but it is not a beautiful budget hotel.



Next to the An An Hotel, the Shrine of Tranquil Light (W) has another anecdote. For a long time, this shrine was hidden behind a building and only known to the locals. It was a secret that no one wanted to share. Finally, they brilliantly renovated and widened the decorative gate, while the shrine itself was almost untouched, and now it has become a famous landmark.



Across the same street is the Amulet Market (X), a long covered alley where amulet lovers come mostly on weekends to exchange and discuss amulets. It is a mysterious topic to us, but some rare amulets have very high value, depending on their age, origin and the monk who gave them.



Continue walking until the end of Phang Nga Road until you reach The Clock Tower Building (S), which I believe was once a police station and is now the Peranakan Museum. Across the street is the old Standard Chartered Bank (R) which is also a museum.

4. Dubuque Road


Continue along Dibuk Road to admire more shophouse architecture and its typical arches, designed to protect walkers from the sun and rain. Keep your eyes open for shops selling some typical Phuket sweets and breads. If you happen to be on this section of Dibuk Road during dinner time, don’t miss the opportunity to try delicious Phuket cuisine at one of the newly renovated restaurants.



Then at Dibuk and Yaowarat Road, you’ll find a trendy local food court called Lotte Restaurant (I) that serves some unique Phuket specialties. Opposite Lotte is a beautiful shop called Pink Flamingo Cafe (J), found in an old corner shop that was originally the former headquarters of the Kian Nguan Mining Company when tin mining was the main industry in Phuket.



5. Yaowarat Road



To reach Yaowarat Road from the bus station, go against the flow of traffic towards Fountain Circle (C) and turn left. If you are lucky, on the left, you will find a dark passage leading to the mysterious Lempanong House (D), a fantastic abandoned Sino-Portuguese mansion. Unfortunately, the gates seem to be closed recently, but there is a way to admire this mansion from above.



Across the street are antique shops worth stopping by. One is the old Kanom Jeen shop (Y) run by a clever young man who has kept the shop in its original condition, making it an exciting photo opportunity. Next to it is also an old pharmacy (Y) which is amazing, with its roots and ingredients stored in a hundred wooden drawers. If you plan to take photos there, be aware that the shop owner can be grumpy as he may encounter more photographers than shoppers in a day, so if you plan to take photos, buy something!



Continue straight until you reach Thalang Junction. If you are short on time, turn right onto the famous Thalang Road and hop onto Road 6. If you continue straight, things will become less exciting, but you will be able to see more heritage mansions.



Next to Flamingo Shop (J) there are a few other shops worth mentioning, some old ladies sit all day and sell some delicious Phuket speciality cakes and pastries. Try the famous Kacang Ice, which is shaved ice with syrup on top and red beans inside, a perfect way to cool down during the heat and long walks. Opposite is the Gu Letian Food Court, a place worth stopping for a light local lunch.



If you cross the intersection and continue down the other side of Yaowarat Road, you’ll find three small, well-maintained mansions. One of these is the lovely Endless Summer Cafe and Boutique (K). Many of the shophouses around Old Phuket Town have been turned into coffee shops, heritage hotels and guesthouses.

6. Krabi Road

Take a left and admire the superb shophouses on Krabi Road, especially the amazing Thai Hua Museum (E). You can stop and visit it; it describes how Phuket became what it is today. If you continue on, you will reach the Satun Road intersection, where you will find two of Phuket's main landmarks:

The Blue Elephant Restaurant (VI) is a grand mansion set in a vast park, which was once the Governor's residence. Now it is an upscale Thai restaurant and high-end cooking classes. The price for a meal is on the higher side, but you are welcome to have a drink at the bar and even browse the souvenir shop for free.



Right next to it, the Chinpracha Mansion (G) is a private museum that has appeared in several famous movies. It's relatively shabby, but you should visit it because it could disappear at any time, as the owner died not long ago.



To return, turn right before Blue Elephant (V) onto Satun Road. From there, take the next right back onto Dibuk Road, where you’ll find Luang Prabang Naralak Mansion (H), another beautiful Sino-Portuguese building still preserved in its original condition.

7. Ratsada Road



If you choose to walk back up Phuket Road, you’ll come back to two buildings that are impressive in unusual ways. The first is the quirky Tawong Museum (T), hidden inside the Tawong Hotel, probably the first hotel on the island. The museum consists mainly of a strange collection of old toys, photos and piles of items from a murky past of Phuket, most of which are old used equipment and the history of the hotel. It’s fun and dusty!



Behind the Thavorn Museum, don't miss the next U-shaped street on the left. The fantastic old mansion (U) still stands proudly outside the walls. Most of the time, the gates of the mansion are open, so if you are not shy, you can walk in and act normal, as I did countless times to take pictures. After leaving this mansion, you are almost on the way back to the Fountain Circle (C).

8. Phuket Road

Phuket Road doesn’t have many major landmarks, but it connects Thalang Road and Ratsada Road. It’s best known for the Casablanca Hotel, Quip Rooftop Bar, and the excellent One Choon Local Restaurant mentioned in the Phuket Michelin Guide. There’s also the much-loved Wan La Men, a very local spot that serves a surprising number of delicious Thai desserts.



9. Ranong Road

If you come to town on the local blue bus, you will arrive at Ranong Road, next to Phuket City Market (A), which may be the first or last item on your list. The market consists of the main building where the bus station is located and the old open-air market across the street. It is fun to explore both because you will see vegetables, fruits and spices that you have never seen before.



Don't miss the Thai Airways Office (B) In the same area there is a beautifully renovated white Sino-Portuguese villa. Unfortunately, you can only take exterior photos from the parking lot as the building is not open to the public.



If you follow the traffic, you will reach the Shrine of Retu (Z), an important Chinese temple, and the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. In addition, the unique Lorong Market (A) sells Phuket food and sweets.