Phuket & the Andaman Coast - Thailand - page 584

Phuket Town
POP 94,325
Long before tourist T-shirts or flip-flops, Phuket was an island of rubber trees, tin
mines and cash-hungry merchants. Wander down streets clogged with Sino-Por-
tuguese architecture housing arty coffeeshops, galleries, wonderful inexpensive
restaurants and hip little guest houses; peek down alleyways to find Chinese Taoist
shrines shrouded in incense smoke.

Detour:
Big Buddha
Set on a hilltop just northwest of Chalong circle and visible from almost half of the island,
the Big Buddha ( Click here ) has the best view on Phuket. Once you're up here, pay your
respects at the golden shrine, then step up to Big Buddha's glorious plateau where you
can peer into Kata's bay, glimpse the shimmering Karon strand and, on the other side,
survey the serene Chalong harbour where the channel islands look like pebbles.

Sights

SINO-PORTUGUESE ARCHITECTURE
Stroll along the streets of Thalang, Dibuk, Yaowarat, Ranong, Phang-Nga, Rasada
and Krabi for a glimpse of some of the best architecture on offer. Soi Romanee off
Th Thalang is the most ambient area of town. The most magnificent buildings are
the Standard Chartered Bank (Th Phang-Nga) , Thailand's oldest foreign bank; the
THAI office (Th Ranong) ; and the old post office building , which now houses the
Phuket Philatelic Museum (Th Montri; admission free; 9.30am-5.30pm) . The
best-restored residential properties are found along Th Dibuk and Th Thalang.

Heritage Architecture

SHRINE OF THE SERENE LIGHT
( Saan Jao Sang Tham; 8.30am-noon & 1.30-5.30pm) A handful of Chinese
temples inject some added colour into the area, but the Shrine of the Serene Light,

Shrine