Thing to do
Phuket Sunday Walking Street Market
Phuket Town's Sunday evening market, known locally as Lard Yai, filling Thalang Road with street food, crafts and performers from late afternoon.
Old Phuket Town Heritage Walk
A self-guided stroll through Phuket Town's Sino-Portuguese streets, taking in Thalang Road, Soi Romanee, old shrines, museums and Baba-style cafés.
At a glance
- Type
- Self-guided heritage walk
- Area
- Phuket Old Town, Phuket, Thailand
Good to know
- Free
- Cafés and shrines along the route
Why we recommend it
Old Phuket Town is the island's historic centre and the best antidote to its beach resorts. Its streets of narrow, deep shophouses and grand mansions were built by Hokkien Chinese families who came to work in, and later to own, the tin mines that made Phuket wealthy. The mix of Chinese, Thai, Malay and European influences produced the Sino-Portuguese style seen along Thalang, Phang Nga, Krabi, Dibuk and Yaowarat roads, and the Baba community that grew from marriages between Hokkien miners and local women still shapes the town's food and festivals.
A good walk starts on Thalang Road, the main street, lined with restored shophouses, cafés and small shops. Halfway along, Soi Romanee branches off towards Dibuk Road: a lane of about 125 metres of pastel-painted houses that was once the town's gambling and red-light quarter during the tin boom and is now the most photographed street in Phuket. From Thalang Road, the covered, air-conditioned passage called The Oasis Thalang links through to Dibuk Road. On Phang Nga Road, look for the On On Hotel, built in 1927, and on Krabi Road, the Thai Hua Museum and Chinpracha House. The Shrine of the Serene Light can be reached through a narrow passage near Kopitiam by Wilai, and the red-fronted Hainan Shrine dates from 1910.
The old town is as much about eating as looking. Kopitiam by Wilai serves Hokkien-style noodles, One Chun has a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its Phuket dishes, and China Inn occupies a restored shophouse with a courtyard garden. Small coffee shops are dotted along every street, making it easy to stop out of the heat.
Early on a weekday morning is the most pleasant time, when the cafés are quiet and the light is soft on the façades. Allow at least two to three hours to walk, look inside a museum and stop for food. Wear comfortable shoes and carry water; the pavements are narrow in places and traffic can be busy. On Sunday afternoons Thalang Road closes for the walking street market, which changes the atmosphere completely, so choose your day to suit what you want.
The walk suits couples, photographers, families with older children and anyone interested in history. The old town is in the centre of Phuket City, around 14 kilometres from Patong; taxis can drop you on Thalang Road, but parking is limited, so leave a car in a public car park and walk in.
Old Phuket Town Heritage Walk FAQs
Where does the walk start?
Thalang Road is the natural starting point, with Soi Romanee branching off halfway along.
How long should I allow?
Two to three hours including a museum visit and a café stop.
What is Soi Romanee?
A lane of about 125 metres of restored shophouses, once the gambling and red-light quarter of the tin-mining town.
When is the best time to visit?
Early on a weekday morning, when it is cooler and the streets and cafés are quieter.
Which museums are on the route?
The Thai Hua Museum and Chinpracha House, both on Krabi Road.
Where can I eat?
Kopitiam by Wilai, One Chun and China Inn are among the old town's well-known places.
Is there parking?
Parking is limited, so it is easier to arrive by taxi or use a public car park nearby.
Is it busy on Sundays?
Yes. Thalang Road closes to traffic for the Sunday walking street market from the afternoon.