Things to do in Phuket Town

Phuket Walking Street is a weekend market on Thalang Road in old Phuket town. Makeshift shops are set up along the 350 meters long commercial street that also features multiple permanent shops, restaurants, and guest houses. This carnival-like atmosphere provides an added attraction for tourists who can buy souvenirs, handicrafts, clothing, and electronic goods most affordably here.

Thai Hua Museum on Krabi Road in Old Phuket Town is a beautiful and well-maintained Sino-Portuguese building dating back to 1917. This recently renovated building was once a Chinese-language school called ‘Phuket Huabun School’, ‘Ratjunhua School’ and finally Thai Hua School’. Today this colonial building is a museum and exhibition space that is also occasionally used as a function hall.

One of the most popular temples of Phuket, Chalong Wat is an impressive building almost always flocked with devotees and tourists. The place is adorned with about three dozen carved Buddhas, intricate gold carvings, a serpent bannister of stone and lotus ponds. It is close to the Big Buddha, and both can be visited on a single trip.

Toh Sae Hill or Monkey Hill is often frequented by tourists who like to spend time watching the frolicky creatures up to their mischievous antics. They can also be fed little treats and even have been trained by a local man to perform some little tricks. As a massive tourist attraction viewing a range of unique macaques, monkey hill is also the tallest hill in Phuket.

Located on the east side of the Phuket Island, Phuket Old Town is the capital of the island knowns for its street art and traditional and Sino-Portuguese architecture from the 19th century. It is perfect for a half day, strolling across the streets, including Dubik, Ranong, Rasada, Yaowarat, Krabi and Thalang. Phuket Walking Street is set up here, every Sunday.

A popular landmark, the Phuket Weekend Night Market boasts an exciting range of products and an exceptional array of delectable cuisine. Also renowned as Naka Market, it is known for its quirky trinkets, pirated items, secondhand goods, souvenirs, and a vast collection of fashion staples, all for affordable prices. This market is also perfect for experimenting with exotic Thai cuisine, including bugs and insects.

The first Trick Eye Museum in southern Thailand, Trickeye 3D, is located on the corner of Montri and Phang Nga roads in Phuket town. It is a large two-story building that was a famous movie theatre until 2002. The main highlight is a feature gallery of 100 painted and sculpted scenes using trompe-l' oeil (meaning 'deceive the eye' in French) techniques.

Baan Chinpracha or Chinpracha house is one of the eighteen Sino-colonial mansions in Phuket and is the only one open to the public. Visitors are free to explore the ground floor, two-bedroom upstairs and the kitchen; the rest of the house is closed for visitors as people still live here.

Jui Tui Shrine is one of the most important temples on the island. It features red-washed exteriors and dragons constructed in honour of Tean Hu Huan Doy - the god of dancers and performers. Throughout the history of Phuket, the temple has been serving as a ground base for locals to celebrate the good and bad times. T firecracker house and fortune sticks are also located here.

Chillva market on the side of Yaowarat road is a fun and exciting place to explore, with its bohemian vibes and shops made out of ship containers.These shops sell a wide array of colorful goodies and local trinkets including clothes and other jewellery. It is also the perfect place to experiment with some exotic Thai cuisine - including some fried insects like grasshoppers and silkworms!

The Shrine of the Serene Light is a little Chinese temple in Phuket town. With its hidden entrance, colourful interiors, painted walls and ceramic decorations, it often attracts tourists who like to reflect in the quiet and serene atmosphere within the four walls of this temple. The temple also has a lovely garden.

Located at the end of Montri Road and Thalang Road in Phuket Town, the historical building of Phuket Philatelic Museum is the town’s first post and telegraph office. The building is inspired by Sino-Portuguese-style and contains old postal equipment, phones, and vintage Thai stamps.