Phuket Old Post Office and Stamp Museum
The Phuket Philatelic Museum, also known as the Phuket Post Office Museum, is a modest building located in a historic heritage building on Montri Road in Phuket Old Town.
Real Phuket
I’ve lived in Phuket since 1994, and this section is where I share places that tourists rarely find. Noodle shops that have been around for 100 years. Shrines where incense still burns daily. Breakfast spots where nobody speaks English and the food is better for it. None of this is polished or designed for Instagram. Some places don’t even have a sign. But this is the Phuket I know after 30 years, the one locals actually live in. If you’re willing to wander a bit, it’s all still here.
Phra Aram Sakhonkhet Mansion
Phra Aram Sakhonkhet Mansion is a historic Sino-Portuguese building located in Phuket Old Town. Its beautifully renovated white exterior distinguishes it and represents an important part of Phuket’s architectural heritage.
Chuan Heang Dim Sum Restaurant
Chuan Heang is a locally famous dim sum restaurant located in Phuket Town that has been serving traditional breakfast fare for over 100 years. This historic establishment represents one of Phuket’s most enduring culinary traditions and is considered arguably the oldest breakfast restaurant on the island.
Prawn Noodle Ao Ke
Prawn Noodle Ao Ke in Phuket Town serves Hokkien-style prawn noodles that have kept locals and visitors coming back for more than a decade. The restaurant earned recognition from the Michelin Guide for consistently delivering simple, well-executed bowls built around one thing: prawn broth.
Pink Boat Restaurant
Pink Boat is a small seaside restaurant on Phuket’s east coast, located just before the well-known Laem Hin Seafood restaurant. This casual spot offers southern Thai kanom jeen noodles with generous portions of fresh veggies and a panoramic sea view, all at wallet-friendly prices.
Mae Ting Kanom Jeen
Mae Ting Kanom Jeen is one of Phuket Town’s popular breakfast destinations, serving traditional rice noodles with curry (Kanom Jeen) to locals for decade
Pho Ta Toh Sae Shrine
Pho Ta Toh Sae Shrine is a small, old Chinese shrine renowned for its unusual display of tiger statues, located on Monkey Hill in Phuket Town. You will discover dozens of tigers in varying sizes and ages guarding the entrance and lining the inner courtyard.
Roti Chaofa
Roti Chaofa is a halal restaurant on East Chaofah Road in Phuket Town that’s been serving breakfast since the 1980s. The restaurant has long been famous for its handmade rotis and Thai-Muslim curries at budget-friendly prices.
Mee Ko Lan
Mee Ko Lan, originally called Mee Lok Tien, is a legendary noodle shop in Phuket that’s been open for more than 100 years. The story of these noodles began with Ko Lan’s teacher, a Cantonese immigrant who settled in Phuket.
Kluay Mai Thai Restaurant
We heard about Kluay Mai Thai from local chefs and Michelin‑starred friends, so we booked, pre‑ordered, and drove to Chalong. The GPS ended in a quiet lane where a small Thai house sat behind trees.
Phuket Road in Phuket Town
Phuket Road runs through the eastern side of Phuket Old Town and ends at Saphan Hin, linking the historic centre with the waterfront park area.
Best Hokkien Noodle Restaurants in Phuket
Phuket Town’s Hokkien noodles are a simple way to taste the island’s Peranakan roots. We’re talking thick yellow egg noodles, stir‑fried fast in a hot wok with seafood or pork, leafy greens, soy sauces, and a little stock for a glossy finish.
Peranakan Culture in Phuket Town
Discover Peranakan culture in Phuket Town with our concise guide to Old Town streets, museums, and heritage homes, plus tips for food, photos, and planning.
Wat Karon (Wat Suwan Khiri Khet)
Wat Karon, or Wat Suwan Khiri Khet, sits just inland from Karon Beach and has been part of the local community since 1895. It received its royal charter in 1939, marking its official status as a Buddhist temple in Phuket.
San Chao Mae Yanang Shrine
San Chao Mae Yanang Shrine, stands on Krabi Road in Phuket Town. A Chinese migrant founded the temple in 1853 during Phuket’s tin-mining boom, when many Chinese families settled on the island and brought their beliefs and rituals with them.
Sam Pai Kong Shrine
Sam Pai Kong Shrine, often called Bangku Shrine, stands on Thepkasattri Road in Koh Kaew, a few minutes east of the British International School. They believe Chinese tin mine workers built the first modest hall more than 100 years ago.
San Chao Jeng Ong Shrine
Tucked behind Vachira Phuket Hospital on Yaowarat Road, San Chao Jeng Ong Shrine is easy to miss. A banyan tree guards the entrance, filtering afternoon light onto a red facade trimmed with jade-green tiles and twisting dragons.
Jok Samui Restaurant
Jok Samui Restaurant sits near the Jui Tui Temple intersection where Ranong Road meets Pattiphat Road in Phuket Town. The small shophouse is old and packed with character. Faded green tiles, humming ceiling fans, and two stainless steel tables set the scene for bowls of comfort that draw a crowd each night.
Ratsada Road in Phuket Town
Ratsada Road (Rassada Road) sits just a few blocks north of the more photographed streets like Thalang and Dibuk, but it’s a stretch we often find ourselves returning to.
San Chao Cho Ong Shrine
Post Views: 1,616 One of Phuket Town’s lesser-known Hokkien shrines San Chao Cho Ong, or Tai Yuan Tang, is a small but very old Chinese… Read More »San Chao Cho Ong Shrine
Rong Kopi Restaurant
Rong Kopi (โรงโกปี๊) is a small, always-busy restaurant tucked beside the Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket Town. It’s the kind of place you might walk past if you’re not paying attention—but once you step inside, it’s hard to forget.
Pun Tao Kong Shrine
Pun Tuao Kong Shrine (San Chao Phra Pun Tao Kong) is a small Chinese shrine sitting quietly on the edge of the road at the top of Patong Hill. Many people drive past it without noticing, but locals know it well.
Sui Boon Tong Shrine
Sui Boon Tong Shrine is a lesser-known Chinese shrine, but despite its discreet location and modest entrance, it remains an active spiritual site and plays a meaningful role during the annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival.
Chao Lay Sea Gypsy Village
Besides the Westin Siray Bay Resort and the temple, Koh Sirey is home to a Sea Gypsy village also known as Chao Lay. It’s not very large and not impressive, but it has a certain charm, as it hasn’t changed in ages
Aikwanich Mansion on Dibuk Road
You can’t miss this mint-green building when you walk through the heart of Phuket Old Town — it sits right at the corner where Dibuk Road meets Yaowarat Road, just opposite the Locktien Local Food Court, a beautiful example of the island’s old Sino-Portuguese architecture.
The Real Phuket
Phuket is known today for its beach clubs, resorts, and nightlife, but beyond the modern lifestyle, there is another side that many forget — what we call the “Real Phuket.” This side of the island hasn’t disappeared. It’s just a little quieter and often hidden.
Roti Taew Nam
Roti Taew Nam is one of those rare places in Phuket Town that never seems to change. Set right at the entrance of the Sunday Walking Street Market, this tiny shop has been around for more than 70 years.
Long Hun Keng Shrine ⛩️
Long Hun Keng Shrine (肜雲宮) is a small and lesser-known Chinese shrine located along Thepkasattri Road in Phuket Town. Despite its modest size and low profile, it holds cultural significance for the local Chinese-Thai community, especially during the Vegetarian Festival.
Krua Praya Phuket
Krua Praya Phuket Restaurant is a hidden gem that offers an authentic Southern Thai dining experience. Nestled in a beautiful garden setting under the shade of small trees, this restaurant provides a casual yet charming open-air atmosphere.
Palai Seafood
Palai Seafood has been around for a long time — one of those names that come up when people talk about where to eat seafood near Chalong. It’s not hidden or secret; in fact, it’s right by the sea on the road that leads to Mor Mu Dong.
Talad Kaset Market
Kaset Market is in Phuket Town, behind Robinson shopping centre. It may be a bit smelly and dark for the first-timers, but it offers really good local produce in a fun local atmosphere and a good choice of goods)
Samnaksong Charoentham Kamala
Wat Baan Kamala is a modest temple near the entrance of town. It is quite modest, but the long lines of small golden Buddhas are worth a photo and a glimpse of real Thai life. Remember that this is a religious site so don’t wear too short clothes.
Wat Suwan Kirikhet (Karon Temple)
Wat Suwan Kirikhet is a small but beautiful temple in the back of Karon Beach that frequently hosts the popular Karon Temple Market and occasional funfairs, which are always fun to visit.
Wat Ladthi Wanaram (Wat Tai)
Wat Ladthi Wanaram, located in Chalong Subdistrict in the south of Phuket, is a temple of the Mahanikaya sect. The temple occupies 26 rai of land and has a rich history. It was founded in 1758 and received its royal charter on February 5, 1957.
Wat Sophon Wanaram
Wat Sophon Wanaram is a tiny but brightly decorated temple on the road between the Heroine monument and Bang Pae waterfalls. It is easy to spot the gate by the roadside.
Wat Sapam
Beautifully standing on the east coast of Phuket just opposite Koh Maphrao (Coconut Island), Wat Sapam is not often visited as cars usually drive (too) fast in these curves, and the street leading to the temple is hard to locate.
San Chao Hainan Shrine in Phuket Town
Located on the popular Thalang Road in the heart of Phuket Old Town, the Hainan Shrine is more than just a place of worship. Built in 1910, this beautiful shrine has been a cultural and spiritual centre for over a century, especially for the Hainanese community in Phuket.
Wat Thepnimit
Wat Thepnimit (วัดเทพนิมิตร) is a local Buddhist temple located in the Wichit subdistrict of Phuket, near the Wichit Subdistrict Office and not far from Phuket Town.
Ranong Main Market in Phuket Town
Ranong Main Market is the real deal. This is where Phuket Town’s restaurants buy their ingredients, where grandmothers pick their fish, and where you catch the blue bus to the beaches.
Wat Sawang Arom
Wat Sawang Arom is a temple of the Mahanikaya sect located in Rawai, south of Phuket Phuket Island. Established in 1942 by Phra Bunrod Thammakamo, the temple covers an area of approximately 9,636 square meters.
Wat Nakaram (Wat Naka)
Wat Nakaram (Wat Naka) only main characteristic is the golden Chedi standing next to the main temple. Located just across the road from the famous Phuket Weekend Market, it’s an excellent opportunity to visit both simultaneously.
Wat Tha Rua
Wat Tha Rua is a Mahanikaya sect temple in Tambon Si Sunthon in Thalang, just before the Heroine Circle on the way to Phuket International Airport.
Wat Khosit Wiharn
Wat Khosit Wiharn (วัดโฆษิตวิหาร) is a Buddhist temple located near Phuket Town. The temple grounds encompass approximately 87 rai and are situated near Thep Krasattri Road, adjacent to the Khao To Sae National Forest Reserve (Monkey Hill).
Wat Wichit Sangkharam (Wat Kuan) วัดวิชิตสังฆาราม
This vast and beautiful temple on the fringe of Phuket town also plays a significant role for Phuket citizens but is rarely visited by tourists because of its location in the city’s back streets.
Wat Cherngtalay
Wat Cherngtalay, historically known as Wat Tin Le, is an ancient and revered temple located in Phuket Province. It has served as a spiritual centre for the people of Cherngtalay for generations. One of its most notable figures, Luang Por Plod, served as abbot from 1852 to 1886.
Wat Luang Pu Supha (Wat Si Supharam) วัดสิริสีลสุภาราม
Wat Luang Pu Supa is where the oldest monk in Thailand, who is more than 112 years old, lives. Parts of this temple are still under construction. Quite large and built over an artificial pond, the temple grounds include a golden Chedi and a large but unfinished hemispheric Chedi.
Wat Suwan Khiri Wong (Patong Temple)
Wat Suwannakhiriwong is a Mahanikaya sect temple located in Patong. Spanning 17 rai, the temple is bordered by Phra Barami Road, a canal, and the foot of a mountain, with villagers’ houses nearby. The current abbot is Phra Khru Pothipanyakan. Established in 1769 and originally named Wat Pa Tong, the temple later became Wat Suwannakhiriwong.
Wat Nai Harn – Wat Nai Harn (วัดในหานภูเก็ต)
Wat Nai Harn is a local Buddhist temple situated just a short distance from Nai Harn Beach. The temple complex features a main ordination hall, a sermon hall, monks’ residences, and a pagoda-style structure adorned with intricate golden sculptures.
Sheng Tek Beo Shrine
Adorned with intricate artwork depicting sins and punishments, Sheng Tek Beo in Phuket Town is a shrine that plays a key role in the Por Tor festival, or Hungry Ghost Festival, which occurs every year around September. The central celebrations occur at this shrine dedicated to the Por Tor god, or king of hell.
Wat Ban Koh Siray – วัดบ้านเกาะสิเหร่
Built atop a hill on Koh Sirey, a small island only 20 km square next to Phuket Town, Wat Ban Koh Siray is visible from quite far away. Driving up to the temple is easy, and a small road surrounds it, surrounded by many small shrines dedicated to people who passed away.
Cue Bar in Phuket Town
Cue Bar is a friendly place to enjoy live music and pool in the Phuket Old Town area on Phang Nga Road. The bar is split into two sections, with its main bar, pool table and stage found on the air-conditioned ground floor space with a sports bar vibe, and an open-air rooftop bar.
Khum Kathu Mookata in Kathu
Khum Kathu is a popular mookata restaurant with a unique location by a small lake. In addition to the relaxing view, the open air allows a cool breeze to flow through the dining area.