Phuket Heritage Town

The town of Phuket grew rapidly, its streets lined with handsome buildings, and ships from all over the world called at its bustling port. Now the tin market is gone but the treasure of that period, the old Sino-Portuguese buildings are still attract people who come to visit Phuket.

Most of the buildings in Phuket's city center were constructed nearly a hundred years ago. These building show mixed Chinese and western influences in their architecture called Sino-Portuguese. It is a style common to all coastal tin-mining settlements on the Malay Peninsula . Many lovely examples can be found on Thalang, Krabi, Dibuk, Phangnga, Rasada, Ranong, Yaowarat, Phuket Roads a nd more. If you take a walk you will pass many of the more important of these buildings.

Though the old town is no longer the commercial hub of Phuket, most of the shophouses are still functioning as shops and residences. Today there is a gentrification as antique shops, cafes and European restaurants are making their appearance.