Phuket Town in Thailand | Thailand | Phuket | Attractions
If, during your stay in Thailand, the idea to go to Phuket comes to your mind, today I will answer the question „What to do in Phuket and is it worth going there at all?”. Besides, you will learn:
- What cultural influences intersect in the city?
- Where to sleep and what to eat in Phuket city?
- How to get?
- What are the city’s attractions and how much time to spend in the city?
- What to avoid in the area and why?
A brief historical outline
Phuket is Thailand’s largest island, located west of the mainland in the Andaman Sea. The area is famous for its natural beauty, such as white beaches with crystal waters, as well as lush greenery. It’s one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world. I think these are obvious facts, well known to everyone.
But did you know that Phuket is also the largest city on the island? Although today it’s a popular tourist destination, for many years Phuket played a key trade role on the sea route between India and China. It was the Chinese who had a significant influence on the appearance and structure of the city. Over time, it became an important point on the trade route between Europe and Asia. Phuket made its living mainly from maritime trade, fishing and agriculture, but also had a rich history of tin mining. The Phuket community developed as a trading center, over time attracting merchants from various regions of Asia, including China and Muslim countries.
Due to pirates prevalent in the surrounding waters, the island temporarily lost interest from merchants. Robberies and boardings effectively discouraged ships from visiting these areas. Tin mining turned out to be such a great advantage that even despite marauding pirates, the island’s popularity returned.
This region is interesting because many influences from all over the world are mixed here. As you can see, you will encounter traces of Chinese, Muslim, French, Portuguese, Dutch and Malay culture here. A complete cultural mix that is reflected in its appearance, tradition and atmosphere.
How to get to the Phuket Town in Thailand?
In our case, we wanted to get to the city from Patong, a resort located on the western side of the island. And I’ll anticipate any questions – yes, getting around Phuket is extremely easy, because everywhere you will meet taxi and tuk tuk drivers calling you. But! The trick is to find transport cheaper than greedy drivers offer.
Additionally, I must mention that on the island of Phuket, the Grab application (the Asian Bolt/Uber) is not particularly affordable. I advise you to install the InDrive app for yourself, where you can negotiate prices with the driver. The app is extremely useful in Thailand and Bali. Thanks to it, instead of the 500 THB (about 12,50 EUR) proposed by cab drivers, we paid 301 THB (about 7,50 EUR) for transportation. I know that 5,00 EUR is not a huge difference, really. But if you are traveling for several months, respect your budget!
If you want to get to Phuket Town in Thailand from the island’s airport, it’s equally simple. You can choose from Grab, InDrive or even a bus, which will definitely be the cheapest option. The bus runs regularly and ends in the city center, Phuket Old Town.
Where to sleep in Phuket Town in Thailand?
Definitely in the center! The central part of the city is full of historic buildings that have been transformed into atmospheric accommodation for tourists. Accommodation prices in the city are not excessive, and thanks to the rich offer, every traveler will find something for their budget.
We decided on Go Inn Phuket old Town, but due to the absurd check-in method, I do not recommend this hotel. According to the instructions, we should have received a QR code to scan, which would allow us to get into the room. The problem was that no one sent it to us, there is no reception at the hotel and there was no contact with anyone for many hours. Finally, a cleaning lady checked us in (!), and she sent photos of our passports to the owners of the facility and gave us the code.
Where to eat?
I highly recommend Phuket Indy Night Market – a night market in the city, which may not be particularly large, but makes up for it with the variety and quality of dishes. If you don’t know what you want, take a food tour of the stands! The offer includes both Asian and Western dishes.
For coffee and cake, I recommend going to Comfee Phuket, an extremely cozy (as the name suggests) cafe, where we spent a few pleasant hours. By the way, it’s a very good place to work remotely – quiet and comfortable, very aesthetically pleasing. The cafe has a total of three floors, so you’re sure to find a place to hole up and work or relax.
If you want an unforgettable experience with Thai cuisine, Blue Elephant is a must-see. The exclusive restaurant has been honored with many awards, including a Michelin star. It combines historical charm with contemporary elegance and avant-garde. At Blue Elephant you can also sign up for cooking classes.
What to do in Phuket Town in Thailand?
Old Town
I won’t make this up – the city can boast mainly of its historic center. Anyway, I remember my visit very fondly because I like such atmosphere. I like wandering aimlessly through the streets and observing everyday life. The city center is incredibly colorful. The colonial buildings delight with their vivid colors and creative decorations around them. A walk through the streets full of colorful houses and historic shops takes you to a historical, unique world.
The center is small enough that you can easily explore it on foot along the main streets of Thalang, Phang Nga, Krabi, Dibuk and Yoawarat. Thalang Street has many stores and stalls selling souvenirs, but also fabrics, clothes and handicrafts. They are located in historic buildings that have been adapted for commerce and services. It is probably the most popular street in the city, also known for its Chinese-Portuguese architecture.
I am sure that if only the weather were a bit nicer, the streets would be full of life. During our stay, it rained almost constantly, so the city streets were empty.
In addition to eye-catching buildings, the old city is also full of artistic murals and street art. Some of them relate to the region’s history, culinary traditions and the nation’s culture. Look for them carefully; they are often found on side streets and at not-so-obvious locations.
Places to see in Phuket city:
- Surin Circle clock tower,
- Saeng Tham Temple,
- Golden dragon statue (Hai Leng Ong),
- 3D art museum (for fans of this kind attractions or children).
Khao Rang
Khao Rang is a peak located in the northwestern part of the city, which you can climb on foot or by scooter.
The route starts a bit from the old town and is less than 3 kilometers one way. Part of the road leads in the shade, and the entrance itself is not very steep. Nevertheless, it is worth preparing for this short „trekking”, especially when it is extremely hot. You need about 45 – 60 minutes to get to the top.
On the way, you can stop by the Wat Khao Rang Samakkhitham Buddhist temple emerging from the greenery. A very nice, colorful temple, perfect for a short stop during the trip. On the way you will also pass a television station building.
Khao Rang Top
At the top you will find a parking lot where you can park your vehicle. From the top you have a nice view of the city surrounded by mountains, surrounded by the lush vegetation of the island. A little further you will see the Andaman Sea. In addition to the viewpoint, you can also meet monkeys playing here. Don’t approach them with food – they become aggressive and will try to take the food out of your hands at all costs.
At the top you’ll find at least two recommendable eateries, a viewing point, several shops, benches and toilets paid 10 THB. Locals often visit this place in the evening to enjoy the view of the beautifully lit Phuket Town.
At the top, it’s worth resting in one of the available restaurants. We decided on Tunk-ka Cafe, which had a great location. We ordered drinks and spent the next hour enjoying the views, which are the main attractions of this place.
The entrance to the restaurant leads through a slightly hidden path, and the restaurant itself is not particularly clearly marked.
The entire visit to Khao Rang took us about three hours. During the descent, we decided to hang around the TV station building, hoping that something interesting would happen to us. Unfortunately, nothing like that happened :).
Don’t visit while on Phuket!
The entire island of Phuket is also (unfortunately) a hotbed of shady businesses that use wild animals to earn huge amounts of money from their misfortune. Below I present you some confirmed places where animals suffer, to the delight of unaware or ignorant tourists. There are certainly many more such places. I decided to include this fragment here because it is clear to me that everyone is looking for places that are worth seeing, not those that should be avoided. Thanks to this, I hope that my message will reach more people.
If you want to take your child to any of these places while in Phuket, just skip it. Don’t normalize or justify such „attractions” as attractions designed for children. Don’t show your children bad role models and don’t desensitize them to animal harm.
Tiger Kingdom – Phuket
Dramatic animal abuse, perhaps at its worst. Drugged, tortured and terrified animals, touched and captured all day long by irresponsible and thoughtless tourists and cruel and ruthless trainers. At the facility, each trainer is equipped with a stick and a whip to „discipline” disobedient animals.
The training of feral cats is extremely drastic and begins from the animal’s earliest years. Due to their wild nature, they are often drugged so that when they come into contact with a „client”, they are calm and obedient. The animals’ apathy is also due to their all-day „wakefulness” mode, for contact with tourists. Adult tigers sleep up to 18 hours a day, which is prevented in such places. The end result is that the animal is constantly stupefied, drugged and intimidated. Can a worse form of psychological abuse of animals be imagined?
Nopparat Elephant Camp and Real Kathu Elephant Sanctuary
Extremely despicable and audacious places that have the audacity to hide under the name „Sanctuary.” Riding elephants, or exploitation and abuse of animals are the order of the day there. Besides, the animal is expected to do what humans tell it to do, after all, it has to satisfy the attraction-hungry tourists. Elephants are kept in small enclosures and only released for a „parade” in front of tourists for photos, rides and baths. Some elephants are kept on chains. The baths that can be taken with the elephants take place in fecal-contaminated water, which is danger to humans.
If you want to read about a place that takes much better care of elephants, please read the post about Kulen Elephant Forest in Cambodia. In Kulen, elephants have over 400 hectares of forest at their disposal, and keepers are fighting to rebuild the Asian elephant population.
Phuket Bird Park
A place where for 500 THB (approx. 12,60 EUR) you can enter and look at birds locked in too small and damaged cages. Feeding or even a photo with the bird is extra paid. According to guests, many birds have part of their plumage torn out, which is an obvious sign of the animals’ poor mental condition. According to visitors, some of the cages are empty due to poor maintenance of the birds and their death as a result of neglect (this is not confirmed information).
Apart from birds, other animals can be found in several cages, like rabbits, whose physical condition are also not so well.
A large oceanarium-like place with a sizable amount of marine flora and fauna. It’s located in the Central Phuket Floresta shopping center and has three levels. Inside you’ll find numerous sharks and „smiling” stingrays, jellyfish of various sizes, otters and penguins. Small aquariums showcase exotic colorful fish from coral reefs, while terrariums on the second floor display frogs, lizards and spiders.
Opinions about this attraction are divided. Certainly, there could be ways to improve conditions for the animals there, but out of all the list, this place seems to be the lesser of two evils.
Summary – Phuket Town in Thailand
I decided to raise the issue of exploited animals because while in Phuket I was shocked by the popularity of these unethical places. It’s an absolute disgrace to Thailand’s image that such attractions are doing well and making exorbitant amounts of money from harming animals. I am particularly upset by the fact that it’s mainly tourists from other parts of Asia who like this type of attractions and promote businesses further.
Nevertheless, it’s worth staying in Phuket town and the surrounding area, even for a moment. I recommend devoting one whole day to sightseeing. The city is charming and if you are a person who likes to get lost in the winding streets of the old town, you will certainly like its atmosphere.
