Phuket, a bustling administrative district and a popular beach resort yet little is known about Phuket before the burgeoning tourist trade. A small portion of Phuket’s history remains preserved as a reminder of what life used be like during the “Tin Boom” of the 19th century. “Old Phuket” is filled with historic buildings and monuments that relate to an era gone by, yet many of these places are exquisitely preserved and tell the tale of what life used to be like 100 years ago.
Among the buildings that can be seen here are Buddhist or Taoist temples, colourful and ornate shophouses, palatial mansions, quaint cafes and public museum that depict the history of the region. At the heart of Phuket’s Old Town is Thalang Road which was the heart of the areas commerce in the bygone days. A number of shophouses are still open and sell traditional items such as Chinese medicine ingredients, antiques and handicrafts.
The architecture of this region is characterized as being Sino-Colonial or Sino-Portugeese, many of these buildings sport exquisite lattice work and are usually greater in length than in width. Traditional houses usually have their cooking and bathing areas at the back and an air shaft is built in to the houses so the cooling sea breeze can ventilate the building.
Located a short distance away from Thalang Road is Soi Romani, a Red Light District of yore. The area is little more than a glamorized back alley where Chinese laborers working in the region’s Tin mines came for a little solace and entertainment. Each year an elaborate festival is held in Thalang Road, Soi Romani and the nearby Krabi Road this celebrates Phuket’s connection with China and the straits of Malaya. Locals dress up in colourful traditional dresses known as the “Yaya” style, a dramatic representation of historic events is acted out in a historic mansion on Thalang Road.
Being an area of high tourist activity a Phuket hotel will not be difficult to locate nearby.
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