Experience Phuket like the locals and with the locals! Try excellent small restaurants most tourists miss entirely, local food, desserts and drinks, markets, shops and even beaches!
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 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.
Mook Manee is one of the many restaurants that show Rawai Beach’s massive transformation from a relatively unknown fishing village to a hungry tourist dining magnet.
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.
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.
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 Sapam Thammaram is a peaceful Buddhist temple on Phuket’s east coast, just opposite Koh Maphrao (Coconut Island) outside Phuket Town and not far from the famous Laem Him Restaurant.
Ko Tee Sangkasi, listed in the Michelin Guide for Phuket, is a small restaurant on the outskirts of Phuket Town. The place has a red‑brown zinc roof, plastic chairs, and Pepsi‑Cola table covers, as is often the case in local restaurants. It’s always busy because the food is simple and really good.
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, 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, 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.
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 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 (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.
One of Phuket Town’s lesser-known Hokkien shrines San Chao Cho Ong, or Tai Yuan Tang, is a small but very old Chinese shrine on the… Read More »San Chao Cho Ong Shrine
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 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 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.
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.
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.
