The bustling centre of Phuket is often overlooked in favour of the beaches, but there's a lot to see and do (and spend your money on!) in Phuket Town. Recently upgraded to "city" status, Phuket Town features an exciting mix of old and new, simple and sophisticated, peaceful and pulsating.
Phuket Town is where a part of the real Thailand can be found.
You could walk around these streets taking photos every day,
...during day and night time.
Unlike many Thai provincial capitals, Phuket Town fairly shines with personality and nowhere more so than its Old Town.
In this historically rich part of town you will find shrines, temples (Buddhist and Chinese), ornate and beautifully preserved 'shophouses', quaint cafés, tiny printing shops, impromptu private and public museums and even a mini ex-red light district.
There are some new buildings too, but the old early 20th century shophouse architecture predominates.
The heart of Old Phuket Town is Thalang Road,
in particular the block between Thepkassatri road and Yaowarat road.
Thalang Road is the core of Phuket's Old Town
and the commercial centre of the past.
A lot of renovation has been done in recent years,
and the ugly electric and telephone cables have disappeared,
so the beautiful Sino-Portuguese shophouses
and grandiose Sino-colonial
mansions,
in this area are great photo motifs now.
