Wellness in Phuket Old Town

See the locations on Phuket Old Town Google Map by #treasuresofthailand

The Raintree Spa เทศบาลนครภูเก็ต: 1 Montree Road, Phuket Town. A day spa with Traditional Thai massage, Aromatic Oil Massage, Body treatment, Facial treatment and spa packages. Good review on tripadvisor.com

Picture marhas1
Swimming flowers at the entrance of The Raintree Spa

Picture marhas1
The Raintree Spa

Good morning old Phuket: History and Overview

See the locations on Phuket Old Town Google Map by #treasuresofthailand


Picture marhas1

The old quarter of Phuket Town formerly was called Tongkah. It was the home of the Baba Community with mixed Thai-Chinese heritage. Tongkah used to be a mining town. From the 1820s onwards, mining was in the hands of Chinese, especially from Penang in Malaysia. Coastal vessels brought tin from Phuket to Penang, and
returned with food and other goods.

Some guides call the architecture in the old town of Phuket "Sino-Thai". Others name the buildings Baba. Sure they are similar to those you find for example in Penang, Malacca and Singapore, in the British Straits Settlements. Timber, terracotta, lime mortar, lime plaster and limewash have been used as materials for construction. Mostly you will discover shophouses with the shop in front and living and storage rroms in the back. In front of the shops arcades, known as five-footway, offer shade to pedestrians. Read more about the Shophouse Architecture at Lestari Heritage Net.

In 2003 the Old Phuket Town Foundation was formed with the goal of revitalizing the old centre. The old town has been declared 'conservation of cultural heritage zone' by the Office of Environmental Policy and Planning of the National Environment Board. Simce then there is a 12-metre height limit for new buildings - to maintain the shophouses with two to three storeys. Read an article about Phuket's Old Town MOvement by Khoo Salma Nasution.

This blog presents Old Phuket street by street - and the Phuket Old Town Google Map helps you to organzie your personal walking tour. The best time for this: early morning, when the heat of the day has not yet reached its peak.

The streets of Old Phuket (click on name):
Thalang Road
Soi Rommanee
Dibouk Road
Phang Nga Road
Ratsada Road
Thepkrasattri Road
Krabi Road and Phitak Chinpracha House
Yaowarat Road
Phuket Road
Temples
Hotels and Guesthouses in Phuket Old Town


Read more about the history on Lestari Heritage Net and see ths video by avcphuket

Read Old Phuket - The Tin Legacy by John Leicester.

Take a Historic walking tour of Phuket Town.

Good morning old Phuket: Krabi Road

See the locations on Phuket Old Town Google Map by #treasuresofthailand


Phra Phitak Mansion - Blue Elephant: 96 Krabi Road. Phra Phitak Chinpracha, also known as Tan Ma Siang, built this mansion at 96 Krabi Road during the second World War and completed in 1940. He made his fortune from mining tin. Today Blue Elephant, a Thai chain, runs a restaurant with cooking school here.


Phitak Chinpracha house: 98 Krabi Road. Built by Phitak Chinpracha, also known as Tan Ma Siang, in 1903. The owner, Khun Pracha, started showing his villa to visitors many years ago. Since his death in 2006 his wife still shows visitors around. Guests are welcome from 9 am till 4:30 pm. It is closed on Sundays. Tel: 076-211167 and 076-211281. The house and grounds were used for the movies "The Killing Fields" and "Heaven and Earth". Read more and see pcitures in tourismthailand.blog. See picture by Anneleen.

Picture Xosé Castro


Back to overview and next street:
Good morning old Phuket: History and Overview

Good morning old Phuket: Thepkrasattri Road

See the locations on Phuket Old Town Google Map


Picture Condimentasm
Veg Gallery. 48 Thepkrasattri Rd.


The old Phuket Post & Telegraphic Office is a Philatelic Museum today.


Back to overview and next street:
Good morning old Phuket: History and Overview

Good morning old Phuket: Yaowarat Road

See the locations on Phuket Old Town Google Map by #treasuresofthailand


Picture Eustaquio Santimano
Private Collection เทศบาลนครภูเก็ต, 265 Yaowaraj Road. Handwoven goods from Kashmir and jewelry.


Casa 104: 104 Yaowarat Road. Phone: 086-0241907. Café and Guesthouse. "The scarlet red interior of the entire ground floor area screams at ambling passersby to wander inside", wrote Phuket Gazette. Owner Chawalit Rattanachinakorn, a fashion designer, said, he wanted to pay homage to Mediterranean interior design concepts. See picture by al_Khemist


Baan Klung Jinda: 158 Yaowarat Road. In this mansion from 1907, decorated in old Chinese style, you get served Old Siam dishes today. A brief tour can be arranged, if you eat here. The mansions once served as the residence of the provincial treasurer.
See picture by flyphuket. "It's the place to go if you want to dress up for dinner", comments concierge.com.


Sanaeha Bar: Read more and see pictures by PhuketStays


Back to overview and next street:
Good morning old Phuket: History and Overview

Good morning old Phuket: Temples

See the locations on Phuket Old Town Google Map by #treasuresofthailand


Hok Guan Kung Shrine:

Picture Eustaquio Santimano


Jui Tui Shrine (also: Tao Bo Keng) ศาลเจ้าจุ้ยตุ่ย: Dedicated to Kiu Wong, god of vegetarians, built in 1911. Jui refers to water and Tui refers to mortar. In front of the shrine there used to be a wide canal.

Picture (drs)ayko
See pictures from inside the shrine on jamie-monk.blogspot.com

Picture (drs)ayko

Picture (drs)ayko


Shrine of the serene light:

Picture Wilson Loo

Picture Wilson Loo


Back to overview and next street:
Good morning old Phuket: History and Overview

Good morning old Phuket: Thalang Road

See the locations on Phuket Old Town Google Map by #treasuresofthailand


Picture marhas1


Thalang road used to be the most importand trading street in Phuket. Today you find many cloth merchants here.


Picture marhas1
97 Thalang Road


Picture marhas1


Picture marhas1


Picture marhas1


Picture marhas1


Picture marhas1


Picture marhas1


Picture marhas1
108 Thalang Road


Picture marhas1


Picture marhas1


Picture marhas1


Picture marhas1


Picture marhas1



Wilai: 14 Thalang Road. The best restaurant to try Baba food. Read more at the Sydney Morning Herald. Walking through Wilai you reach Saan Jao Sang Tum - the Shrine of Serene Light.

Nguan Choon Tong: 16 Thalang Road. A shop with natural Chinese ad Thai herbs, founded more than 80 years ago by an immigrant from China. First a Chinese doctor makes a diagnosis, then the herbalist prepares the medeicine. Read more on thaiwave.com.

China Inn Café and Restaurant: 20 Thalang Road. At the backyard of an old shophouse. Thai and Western. Read the story of the owner and the house on phuketobserver.com

Picture krisprachant

The Loft Antiques: 36 Thalang Road. Rare jewelry, textiles, carvings, furniture and Buddha images.

Thalang Guesthouse: From 350 Bath. 37 Thalang Road. 12 rooms, all with private bathrooms, in an old shophouse, two with aircon, the others with fans. Critical reviews on tripadvisor.com. See picture by geneder.

Bo(ok)hemian Café: 61 Thalang Road. See picture on katherinebobo.wordpress.com


Back to overview and next street:
Good morning old Phuket: History and Overview

Good morning old Phuket: Ratsada Road

See the locations on Phuket Old Town Google Map by #treasuresofthailand


Picture marhas1
Phuket Center Apartment, 62/20 Ratsada Road


Picture (drs)ayko
Le Café in Phuket Apartment Center


Picture marhas1
Soul of Asia, 37+39 Ratsada Road. Mr Eric Smulders has converted two old Chinese shophouses into a gallery with Master Paintings (Chagall, Dali, Picasso, Warhol) and Asian Antiques and Furniture.


Picture marhas1
56 Ratsada Road


Picture marhas1
Lai An Lao ไล่อันเหลา, 58/2 Ratsada. Thai. Chinese and Western restaurant. Well known for Nam Prik Goong Siab น้ำพริกกุ้งเสียบ: whole, dried shrimps, eaten with vegetables as an appetizer, among the spiciest dishes in Thailand, according to phukettourist.com.


Anna's Café: Outstanding Thai food according to phuketvogue.com

Salvatore's: Italien, great pasta according to phuketvogue.com

Oriental Pleasure: 27 Ratsada Road. From Thai silk (mainly from Surin Province near the Cambodian border) to spa and aromatherapy products, silverware, pearls, bed and table covers.

Thavorn Hotel: 74 Ratsada Road. Critical review on tripadvisor.com


Back to overview and next street:
Good morning old Phuket: History and Overview

Good morning old Phuket: Phang Nga Road

See the locations on Phuket Old Town Google Map by #treasuresofthailand


Picture marhas1
The old Police Station with clock tower, built in the early 1900, and
SME Bank, 94 Phang Nga Road


Picture marhas1
Chartered Bank, Phang Nga Road, north side


Picture marhas1
On On Hotel, 19 Phang Nga. Phuket's first hotel, starring in the movie The Beach, where it stood for a dilapidated guesthouse in Bangkok, as travelfish.org notes. "The rooms are uncomfortable. Fluorescent light from the hallways streams into the rooms all night long, the walls are paper-thin and the corridors noisy", warns travelfish.org. "Really low level hostel", adds tripadvisor.com. Kopi de Phuket has a coffee corner at the On-On Hotel.


Picture marhas1


Picture marhas1


Picture marhas1


Picture marhas1


Pictures marhas1
Gold Center, 93 Phang Nga


Picture marhas1


Picture marhas1


Picture marhas1


Sinthavee Hotel: From 400 Bath. 89 Phang Nga Road. 9-storey-hotel. Mixed reviews on tripadvisor.com


Back to overview and next street:
Good morning old Phuket: History and Overview

Good morning old Phuket: Phuket Road

See the locations on Phuket Old Town Google Map by #treasuresofthailand


Picture marhas1
Caramba House, 16 Phuket Road: Thai Restaurant, in Sino-Portuguese style.


Picture marhas1
Detail of Caramba House


Picture marhas1
Phuket Road, between Caramba and "Do Re Mi"


Picture marhas1
Do Re Mi Music Instrument Shop, 32 Phuket Road


Picture marhas1
Crossroads Phuket Road/Phang Nga Road


Back to overview and next street:
Good morning old Phuket: History and Overview

Good morning old Phuket: Dibouk Road

See the locations on Phuket Old Town Google Map by #treasuresofthailand


Picture marhas1
Where Dibouk road starts at Thepkrasattri Road

Picture marhas1

Picture Eustaquio Santimano
Dibuk Restaurant, 69 Dibuk Road, Thai and French. Read good review by Phuket Wan.


Picture Eustaquio Santimano
Luang Amnart Nararak Mansion, constructed in 1911. See pictures on www.artandcultureasia.com


Phuket Town Café: 86 Dibouk Road.


Casa Pagoda: 42 Dibuk Road. Home Furnishing shop.


Back to overview and next street:
Good morning old Phuket: History and Overview