Best Things to do in Old Phuket Town

While Phuket is best known for its beaches and the old town has no beaches nearby, it is still well worth a visit to experience the historical and cultural side of the island.

I stayed a few nights in the Old Town before moving to the beach on the west coast, so in this article, I will show you the best things to do and see in this beautiful Old Town of Phuket.

Old Town Phuket is a quaint historic town on the eastern coast of Phuket. It is known for its Sino-Portuguese shophouses, colorful street arts, trendy cafés, boutique hotels, vibrant night markets, and delicious food scene.

Phuket Old Town grew during the 19th century tin mining boom, when Phuket became one of the most important tin-producing in South East Asia. The wealth from tin attracted traders and immigrants from China, Europe and other Southeast Asian countries.

Today, you can still see many colorful shophouses and mansions built by wealthy tin merchants. They blend with Sino-Portuguese architecture style with a mix of European (Portuguese, British, Dutch) design with Chinese decorative details.

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14 Best Things to do in Old Phuket Town

1. Walking around and get lost

Old Phuket Town is relatively small, so if you don’t know what to do in the area, it’s best to just wander around and take in its beauty. Most of the attractions of the old town are centered around the main roads like Thalang, Phangnga, Dibuk, as well as many small alleys connecting between the main roads.

Along the way, you can spot colorful Sino-European style ancient buildings, museums, Chinese temples, beautiful street arts, night markets, and vibrant street arts.

Some famous places to look at are the Museum Phuket in Phangnga Road, Sunday Night Market on Thalang Road, Phuket Indy Night Market on Dibuk Road, and the colorful street art at Soi Rommania.

2. Eat lots of local authentic street food

The Old Town is known for its delicious local food with reasonable prices. The town has so many restaurants where you can try both Thai, Chinese, Malay, Indian, and many other cuisines.

Many restaurants are located in colonial style shop houses and are nicely decorated with red lanterns. My favorite restaurant is the 1000009 Thai Noodle Restaurant on Montri Road. They served tasty Thai noodle soup and other Thai food at really cheap prices.

Some famous dishes to try include Hokkien noodle, pad Thai, Kuay Jab, Roti, pancake, Thai curry, or Dimsim. The town has many street food stalls at the night markets, as well as several Michelin-recognised restaurants to explore.

3. Phuket Indy Night Market

The Indy Night Market is a good night market located on Dibuk Road in The Old Town. It is open from 4pm to midnight from Wednesday to Friday.

The market is a good spot to buy souvenirs, eat street food, and watch live performances. You can find shops selling clothes, local handicrafts, accessories, as well as many food options. There are tables and chairs to sit as well as a stage in the middle of the food court with live music.

Next to Phuket Indy Night Market is Limelight Shopping Mall where you can use the toilet, enjoy air conditioning, or find more shopping and dining options.

4. Chillva Market

Chillva Market is one of my favorite night markets in Phuket. The market is located outside of the old town, around 10 minutes drive by scooter. If you are not driving, you can use Grab taxi, Bolt, or InDrive to the market from the old town.

As many other night markets in Thailand, this market has a clothing/ souvenirs section, food section, and a stage with table and chair where you can sit, eat, and watch live music performances.

The market has a wide variety of street food. You can find many restaurants and street food stalls serving seafood dishes. You can try grilled seafood, pancakes, fresh oranges, crocodile, and fried insects.

The market is open from 5pm to midnight from Monday to Saturday. It’s closed on Sunday. I personally think this is a must-see market in Phuket.

5. Sunday Night Market

This is a popular night market in the heart of Old Phuket Town. It’s only open on Sunday on Thalang Street, so don’t miss it if you happen to be in town that day.

As with most markets, this one has many stalls selling local street food, souvenirs, clothes, accessories, paintings, and handmade crafts. Along the way, you can watch live performances.

The unique aspect of this market is that it is located in the historic area that is surrounded with beautiful colonial Sino-Portuguese houses, creating a picturesque backdrop as you shop and eat.

6. Naka Weekend Market

Naka Weekend Market is a popular night market located 10 minutes drive from Old Phuket Town. The market is more lively than Chillva Market and is a good place to spend your night on weekends. The market is open from 5pm to midnight on Saturday and Sunday.

It is a huge market and you can find almost everything at the market. From food, to clothes and souvenirs, Naka Market has it all. Make sure to bring cash and bargain politely.

7. Hunting for nice Street Art

The Old Phuket Town has a vibrant street art scene. You can see lively murals all around the old town, between shops on famous roads like Thalang Road, Soi Romanee, Dibuk, and Krabi Road.

You can just wander around the Old Town and come across many beautiful murals. Many things have changed over the years, but some remain since 2016, such as the King Bhumibol mural on Dibuk Road.

8. Shop for souvenirs

Phuket Old Town is a vibrant hub for souvenir shopping. It has many trendy boutiques, clothing stores, and shops selling Thai crafts.

You can shop for elephant pants, phuket-themed t-shirts, keychains, accessories, dried fruits, nuts, or spices. These products are sold widely at the night markets, and at independent stores in the old town.

9. Try Massage

Like many other touristy places in Thailand, you can find massage shops in Old Phuket Town as well as at the night markets. Many places offer seats outside where you can have a relaxing Thai massage and watch people.

Kim’s Massage is a popular massage parlor with several locations in Phuket, including one shop at the heart of the old town. If you want something relaxing, I recommend trying the oil massage. The traditional Thai massage can be very intense for first-timers.

The price is around 350 baht for 1 hour traditional Thai massage, and 550 baht for one hour aromatherapy.

10. Cafe Hopping

Old Phuket Town has many trendy cafes where you can try delicious cafes and take beautiful photos. The cafes are often located in ancient houses and nicely decorated with murals, flowers to attract visitors.

Some good cafes to have a look at include Bookhemian, Old Phuket Coffee Station, and Graph Coffee.

11. Check out the museums and historical attractions

If you want to learn about the history of the old town, there are many museums and ancient houses to explore. These are Thai Hua Museum, Trickeye Museum, Chinpracha House, and Phuket Museum.

Most museums are housed in a beautifully restored Sino-Portuguese building, offering a deep dive into the history of Chinese immigrants on the island. It showcases how these early settlers influenced the local community, particularly in the tin mining industry.

12. Visit Chinese Shrines

Many Chinese families settled in Phuket during the tin mining boom in the 19th century. They played a major role in business and culture. This is why you’ll find Chinese shrines, festivals (like the famous Phuket Vegetarian Festival), and Chinese-Thai cuisine in the Old Town.

You can find many red Chinese temples and shrines as you walk around the old town. The most popular temples are the San Chao Jui Tui and Shrine of Serene Light.

13. Drive a scooter up to Khao Rang Viewpoint

Khao Rang Viewpoint is located around 3km north of the Old Phuket Town. The viewpoint has stunning views of the city, especially at sunrise and sunset. You can drive a scooter to the top of the viewpoint or take a taxi ride here if you don’t drive.

At the top you can see monkey, Tunk-ka Cafe, and Khao Rang Breeze Restaurant where you can enjoy the meals with sweeping views of Phuket. On the way down to the main road, you can take a look at the Wat Khao Rung Samukkheethum Temple.

14. Hiking to the Monkey Hill Viewpoint

If you like hiking, you must check out the Monkey Hill Viewpoint. It is around 10 minutes drive north of the old town and is free to visit. The hike is moderate to challenging with some steep areas with big rope along the trail to support you.

Along the way, you can see lots of wild monkeys. On the top you have stunning views of the beaches and mountains of Phuket.