Exploring Soi Romanee
Soi Romanee (Soi Romani) has become the most famous street in the historical centre of old Phuket town. This very short street has a long and colourful history. Today it is home to colourful cafes, souvenir shops, fancy ice cream parlours and small but posh guesthouses, but it wasn’t always like this. A long time ago, the posh Soi Romanee was the red-light district of Phuket Town!
We have always been fascinated by the old houses and mansions in Phuket. When we first visited it less than 20 years ago, the street was just a ghost from the past, and almost every house was just abandoned ruins. At the time, only a few curious visitors would walk this narrow street and take photos.
Soi Romanee 20 years ago
A long time ago, Soi Romanee was the red-light street of Phuket town, where one would find brothels, opium dens, gambling houses and other similar ‘innocent’ entertainments. It was then abandoned, and most of the shophouses fell into wrecks and ruins. As you can see in the photo above, it was quite a sight.
People then started to realize the potential of this Sino-Portuguese architecture, and some resurrected a few shop-houses on Thalang Road with great success, China Inn was one of the first, and the gold rush was on; everyone wanted to buy one and rebuild to its former beauty, with more or less success. Even though we considered buying one, we didn’t pursue the idea once we realized what the parking problem would be.
Soi Romanee Today
Little by little, house by house, Soi Romanee came back to life, first with a few tiny cafes and some offices, then a few stylish guesthouses such as ‘Phuket 346’. The street is lively all year round, especially since young travellers realized how great the alley was for selfies and Instagram photos!
The street is packed with live bands and tourists during the Old Phuket Town Festival. The rest of the time, it’s a colourful street with many photographers searching for a new angle and residents going through their daily routine, which has not changed since the early years of the road.
The beginning of the street near Thalang Road has been entirely restored. However, toward the end of Dibuk Road, you will still find a run-down restaurant, a small Chinese shrine inside a house, a suspicious old hotel, and an old-fashioned hairdresser still parking his bike inside his shop. People here seem to be halfway between ‘annoyed’ and fatalistic every time a camera points at them, which happens a hundred times a day.
We love to walk these streets away from festivals when every street is peaceful and you can actually see the houses. Early morning or at dusk on weekdays, the alley can still take you back in time, and the soul of the street remains.
Soi Romanee (or Romani, or Rommanee: pick one since even the residents don’t seem to agree on the spelling of the street) is between the famous Thalang Road on one side and Dibuk Road on the other side, just opposite the beautiful and revered Wat Mongkol Nimit.
Wat Mongkol Nimit
Wat Mongkol Nimit is a large temple that is quite peaceful despite being in the centre of town. This is probably the only place where monks live, and it is one of those beautiful Sino-Portuguese houses that everybody is fascinated with. Take the time to walk around the garden, each tree holds a Buddhist principle written both in Thai and English. Once you reach the back of the temple, you will find a nice, tall golden chedi that most people miss.
Where to Eat on Soi Romanee?
Coolies Club
Coolies Club is a brand new bar and restaurant located on the now trendy Soi Romanee in the heart of Old Phuket Town. Coolies Club is designed by Bill Bensley, a famous artist and hotel designer, such as the Slate in Nai Yang Beach.
Torry’s Ice Cream
Torry’s Ice Cream is a pink shophouse beautifully renovated into an ice cream parlour. The decor perfectly fits the selfie craze that keeps young locals and travellers busy in the street. Once you are done with your outdoor photos, you can take some more inside. The ice creams are really good, and the menu includes some Phuket-based variations such as O-Aew (clear jelly served with red beans and ice cream) and A-Pong (a Phuket-style crepe with ice cream with bits of crepe inside.)
Aungku Phuket Coffee Shop
Aungku Phuket is a café that has emerged at the intersection of two renowned streets in Old Phuket Town: Thalang Road, known for hosting the Sunday Walking Market, and the charming Soi Romanee, a favourite spot among Instagram enthusiasts. The establishment’s intentional design aims to captivate selfie enthusiasts, employing the traditional Sino-Portuguese architectural style reminiscent of the old shophouses on the street. The café’s exterior is adorned with mirrors and artificial flowers. Whether it’s daytime or evening, you can stroll past the coffee shop and observe a small crowd of people striking poses in front of the floral decorations.
Where to Stay on Soi Romanee
Phuket 346 Guesthouse
Phuket 346 is a typical Sino-Portuguese architecture shophouse converted into a guesthouse with small but comfortable rooms, a cafe, and a contemporary art gallery.
Address: 15 Soi Rommani, Tambon Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000
Phone: 076 258 108
Check the rates
The Rommanee Boutique Guesthouse
The Rommanee is a 2-star guesthouse next to 346 and includes a small but welcoming ‘Doubrew’ coffee shop. The Rommanee is popular for its superb decor, clean room, and great central location.
Address: 15 Soi Romanee, Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000
Phone: 089 728 9871
Check the rates
Where to Shop in Soi Romanee?
Rommy Shopping
Address: 21 Soi Rommani, Tambon Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000
Hours: 9 am – 8 pm
Phone: 099 156 9879
More photos of Soi Romanee
Soi Romanee in the past
Soi Romanee Map
Get the directions on your phone: https://g.co/kgs/8jaDnGC
Other Streets of Phuket
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