The island's cultural heart, inland from the beaches — Phuket Old Town, a charming quarter of colourful Sino-Portuguese shophouses, cafés, street art, temples, markets and a buzzing weekend walking street, reflecting the island's Chinese-and-Malay tin-mining heritage. Atmospheric, characterful and walkable, away from the beach scene; the base for travellers who want culture, great food and local character over sun-and-sand. Phuket's most authentic, photogenic side. Delightful and different.
A look around
What you’ll be living next to. Swipe through.
€25–50
typical per night in Thailand
Easy on the wallet
Among the cheapest areas to sleep in Phuket.
Where it sits
The circle is Phuket Old Town and roughly a 10-minute walk around it.
How far is everything?
From the middle of this area to the city's headline sights — pick your own on the city page and these become your list.
- The Big Buddha31 min taxi10.5 km
- Patong Beach32 min taxi10.6 km
- Kata & Karon (beach)37 min taxi12.2 km
- Kata & Karon Beaches37 min taxi12.2 km
- Karon & Kata viewpoints38 min taxi12.7 km
- Surin & the northern beaches47 min taxi15.8 km
- A Thai massage & spa48 min taxi15.9 km
- Phang Nga Bay & James Bond Island134 min taxi44.7 km
- Phi Phi Islands day trip138 min taxi45.9 km
On your doorstep
What you’re living next to if you stay here.
- 3.Phuket Old Town — The island's most characterful corner — Phuket Old Town, a charming grid of streets lined with beautifully restored, pastel Sino-Portuguese shophouses and mansions, built by Chinese tin-mining barons, now full of hip cafés, boutiques, galleries, temples and street food. Wander the photogenic streets (especially Thalang and Soi Romanee), admire the colonial-Chinese architecture, browse the shops, and soak up the culture and history that most beach-goers miss. A delightful, atmospheric contrast to the beaches; lovely by day and lantern-lit by night. A charming, unmissable cultural highlight.
- 7.Southern Thai food — Phuket has a rich, fiery food culture all its own — southern Thai cuisine at its spiciest, plus the island's unique Peranakan (Chinese-Malay) 'Phuket-style' dishes like Hokkien noodles and moo hong pork, superb fresh seafood, and legendary street food and markets, especially in the old town. Graze the night markets and street stalls, try the local specialities, and cool the heat with fresh coconut; the flavours are bold, complex and delicious, and often absurdly cheap. A tasty, essential highlight beyond the resort restaurants. Come hungry and spice-tolerant.
- 8.Old Town street art — Phuket Old Town is dotted with wonderful street art — vivid, often playful murals tucked down its lanes and on the walls of the Sino-Portuguese shophouses, many telling stories of the island's Peranakan heritage, tin-mining history and local life. Wander the old town with a camera to hunt them out (there's even a mural trail), discovering a new painting around each corner; it's a fun, free and creative way to explore the historic quarter. A delightful, photogenic highlight that pairs perfectly with the old-town cafés and shops. Colourful and charming.
When are you staying?
Booking.com & Airbnb open searched to Phuket Old Town; flights via Google Flights.