Nai Dam Restaurant in Kathu
Nai Dam Restaurant in Kathu looks just like any restaurant by the roadside of Phuket. It’s not fancy, there are no exterior signs of luxury and even the restaurant signboard is hardly visible.
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.
Wat Khao Rang Samakkhitham – Phuket Golden Sitting Buddha
Wat Khao Rang (Kao Rang Temple) is a modest temple in Phuket town that would be somewhat anonymous if it was not for its large and majestic golden sitting Buddha. But is the giant Buddha not supposed to be much bigger and made of white marble?
10 Phuket Specialities and Local Dishes (and Where to Find Them)
What Phuket Phuket Specialities should you try, and where to find them? We already shared our Best Local Restaurants and Best Classic Thai Dishes, so here are 10 really local specialities dishes, or their popular Phuket variation.
21 Chinese Shrines in Phuket
There are quite a few Chinese shrines in Phuket, and each has its own characteristics and unique features, which always offer excellent photo opportunities. The large ones are very popular during the Chinese New Year in February or the Phuket Vegetarian Festival in October.
Cham Cha Market (ตลาดฉำฉา) – Phuket Specialties
Had enough tourist food and want to try real Phuket specialities? When visiting Phuket Town, if you have a bit of time and are curious about Phuket’s real local food, you have to stop by Cham Cha Market.
Kan Eang 2 Seafood Restaurant
Kan Eang 2 is not the most accessible place to find, but it’s one of Phuket’s best local seafood restaurants. Everyone here knows that there are 2 Kan Eang Seafood restaurants on the island.
Super Cheap Market Phuket
Super Cheap is quite amazing: you could organize a giant treasure hunt in it. We were writing a ‘Phuket Price Check’ story, trying to find 10 simple items we had written down on my list, but gave up halfway when we suddenly realized there was no way we could spot half of them.
Bang Pae Seafood
Bang Pae Seafood is a great local restaurant, very hidden on the east coast of Phuket. It’s not so easy to find, and yet, it’s busy on weekends with a mix of Thai, expats and some tourists brought by local friends.
Wat Mongkol Nimit – วัดมงคลนิมิตร พระอารามหลวง
Wat Mongkol Nimit or Wat Putta Mongkon might not be the most impressive temple in Phuket but this one means a lot to people living around Phuket Town. All temples are of course worth visiting but since Wat Mongkol Nimit is close to Thalang Road, the historical streets of Phuket Town it would complete your visit perfectly.
Wat Sri Sunthon – Phuket Reclining Buddha
Wat Sri Sunthon (Wat Srisoonthorn) is known for the immense golden Buddha reclining at the top of a large building in the ‘Pang Sai Yat’ posture, which corresponds to “Realizing Nirvana”. The statue seems to be staring endlessly at the frantic traffic on the nearby road to Phuket International Airport. Of course, you already knew that ‘Wat’ is the Thai word for ‘Temple’.
Banzaan Market in Patong Beach
Banzaan Market in Patong Beach is an excellent experience during your holiday. It’s easier to access than most local markets since it is just behind the gigantic Jungceylon Shopping Mall.
Wat Phra Thong – วัดพระทอง
Wat Phra Thong (or Wat Prathong), meaning ‘Golden Buddha Image Temple is a very old temple with an incredible legend behind it, the kind of story that irresistibly attracts people. It’s not very big or impressive, but everyone first wants to see the famous half-buried golden Buddha. So what is this strange legend about a temple in Thalang on the way to Phuket Airport?
31 Thai Temples in Phuket
Phuket Thai temples, or Wats, are always worth a visit; from the temple hidden inside a cave to the famous Wat Chalong, a visit to Thailand would not be complete without exploring a few of these magnificent and beautifully ornamented buildings.
Phuket Fresh Markets
Fresh markets in Phuket are always a great way to get close to real, local life with minimal effort. Markets are everywhere around the island, every community and every village has one, small or large, permanent or occasional.
26 Amazing Sino Portuguese Heritage Mansions in Phuket Town
If old Sino-Portuguese Mansions in Old Phuket Town fascinate you, you are in for a treat. There is more to Phuket than just the well-known Thalang Road, where everyone goes on a Phuket exploration.
Wat Suwan Khuha – วัดสุวรรณคูหา
Hidden in a vast cave in Phang Nga Province, Wat Suwan Khuha is a surprising religious site sheltering an immense reclining golden Buddha. If you feel like a little drive outside Phuket island, this is your chance to explore another side of Phang Nga!
Nam Yoi Restaurant Phuket
Nam Yoi Restaurant is a discreet local place tucked away on a remote street in Phuket Town. While it’s challenging to find, the effort is worth it for their excellent local and southern Thai cuisine. The setting is simple, prices are very affordable, and the food is exceptional.
Thavorn Phuket Museum
Built in 1960, the Thavorn Hotel has a long story in Old Phuket Town. The museum originally opened decades ago as a small quirky hotel attraction that was more an anecdotal storage of all the old stuff and equipment used in the many years of the hotel’s operation
Phuket Sunday Walking Street
Every Sunday night, Thalang Road in Old Phuket Town transforms into a 360-metre street market: local food, handmade crafts, street performances and the best people-watching on the island.
Kathu Waterfall
Kathu waterfall is small but can be attractive during the rainy season when the strong stream and the tropical vegetation are dense and green. It is more pleasant than the higher Tonsai and Bang Pae Waterfalls, and access is free of charge.
Monkey Hill Phuket Town
Phuket Monkey Hill is the best-known monkey playground on the island, a hill covered with immense red and white antennas in the back of Phuket Town. That hill may be easy to see but not as easy to reach: the road climbing to it is opposite the provincial hall
Wat Chalong Temple
Wat Chalong Temple is the largest, most revered and most visited Buddhist temple in Phuket, about 9 km south of Phuket Town. It was built at the beginning of the 19th century.
Tam Sua – Mixed Hardcore Salad (only for the brave!!) :D
Tam Sua is a tough variation of the well-known Som Tam even though the word Tam Sua practically means ‘salad anything’. The dish looks pretty much like the photo above every time I order it. So what’s inside? Here’s my version of Tam Sua. You’ll find that it’s really similar to a Som Tam… for the brave!
Big Buddha Phuket Reopened March 2026
Big Buddha Phuket is a 45m white marble statue on Nakkerd Hill with stunning views of Chalong Bay. Learn how to get there, what to expect and tips from a local.
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