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Phuket's Quaint Little Town
Don't
miss a trip to see the town and its cultural treasures
Phuket town is a small urban
treasure full of surprises, many of which are not readily visible to the
visitor simply passing through. To really appreciate many of the attractions
here one has to spend time, hunt and often walk.
The rich cultural heritage evidenced in its architecture is perhaps the
foremost of attractions here. But there are also fascinating markets,
Chinese shrines and Buddhist temples and shopping opportunities, both modern
and traditional.
Phuket town was largely founded by Chinese who emigrated to the island to
work in the tin mining business. Many began as penniless coolies but ended
up as rich moguls. Thus, much of the interesting architecture of the town is
Chinese in style and origin. Thai of both Buddhist and Muslim origin lived
largely in rural villages, where the finest examples of their temples and
mosques are found.
Viewing Phuket Town from above:
One excellent way to get an overview of Phuket town is to go to the top of
Rang hill, one of the two very prominent hills on the northern edge of town.
Rang is the hill to the west, the one without the TV and communications
towers.
At the very peak of Rang hill is one of the best Thai restaurants on the
island, Tunka Ka Café, run by a true gourmet and lover of Thai
cuisine, Khun Thira. This is a great place to enjoy the overview of
the town from – and a great place to eat in. Khun Thira makes sure every
dish in his restaurant is just right. (if you want to see the love that goes
into food here, try Thira’s Som Tum, hot papaya salad). Khun Thira is
also one of the best-known characters in town, and your day is made if you
chance to meet him. It's also a favourite hang-out for the Thai staff of
PHUKET Magazine.
Sino-Portuguese Mansions
This description is given to several score houses set in grand gardens and
built by Chinese moguls, often about 100 years ago at the height of the tin
mining boom. The name reflects the influences of Chinese owners building in
European style in Singapore and Malaysia, where the Portuguese had set the
first standards for grand tropical mansions.. In fact, most of the
Sino-Portuguese buildings in Phuket town were built by Italians, whom the
wealthy Chinese employed. They also imported many of the materials, like
tiles and fittings, from Italy.
To see more of these beautiful old houses click on
Sino-Portuguese Mansions
Traditional Chinese Rowhouses
Phuket has some exquisitely preserved examples of traditional Chinese
rowhouses; in fact there are a few streets lined with them. Since these are
still lived in (and maintained proudly) we cannot see the interiors, which
are also preserved in traditional style. But the facades alone are worth a
walk down the right streets, for their traditional Chinese designs and
workmanship are indeed beautiful.
To see more of these click on the title above.
Chinese Shrines
Phuket town has about four or five major Chinese shrines, and like the row
houses, these are beautifully preserved, and well used by worshippers.
To see more of these click on the title above.
Shopping and Markets
Phuket Town offers the best shopping opportunities on the island, and the
prices here are lower than those at the tourist beaches. Scattered about the
town we can find shops specializing in souvenirs and handicrafts, fashion
wear and tailoring, silks and many other Thai-made products. The open-air
markets here are also interesting.
Click on the title above to get to our Shopping section.
Movie Theatres
The only modern movie theatres on the island are in the Town, close by
Ocean/Robinson department store. It is a multi-cinema complex with several
movies running at any one time, usually a mix of international hits and some
Thai movies.
See our Town Map.
Dining in Phuket Town
This is Thailand, and restaurants can be found in abundance in every town,
big or small. Phuket town has a good variety of cuisine available in some
interesting restaurants. There are fewer tourist clients here, and more
Thais and local expatriate residents, meaning that the Thai food will not
usually be modified for foreign tastes as it sometimes is in the beach
areas.
Phuket Town |
