Phuket Old Town — Shadows of the Smile

Your journey begins in front of the Thai Hua Museum, located at 28 Krabi Road, a symbolic starting point for this exploration of Phuket Old Town's heritage. This building, erected in 1910, was initially a Hokkien Chinese school founded by the Peranakan community, and its restoration in 1987 helped preserve its typical shophouse architecture. Directly opposite stands the Phuket Provincial Hall, a neo-classical edifice from 1935. This seat of the provincial government of Phuket, classified as a historical monument, merges Thai and European styles, with a decorated triangular pediment that testifies to its administrative role since the post-tin mining era of the 1930s. Here, you'll uncover the first puzzles that plunge you back into the city's history.

Continuing your walk through the streets of Phuket, you reach the On On Hotel at 19/5-6 Soi Ratanasurin, just 300m from the museum. Built in 1928, this boutique hotel is a restored Sino-Portuguese shophouse, famous for serving as a setting for Danny Boyle's film 'The Beach' in 2000. Its wrought-iron balconies are a perfect example of Phuket Old Town's 1920s architecture, reflecting the influence of prosperous Chinese traders. This stop will reveal clues about the trade networks that shaped Phuket's economy and the daily lives of its inhabitants, particularly the Peranakan tin magnates of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

At 400m from the starting point, Soi Romanee awaits you. This 200m long paved historic alley is lined with 12 Sino-Portuguese shophouses with remarkably preserved pastel-colored facades. Developed in the 1920s by the flourishing Chinese tin trade community, Soi Romanee is now classified as a heritage conservation zone by the municipality of Phuket. By exploring its nooks, you'll decipher codes related to the commercial exchanges and cultural influences that marked this prosperous period, discovering the essence of Phuket's Sino-Portuguese architecture.

Your journey then takes you to the Jui Tui Shrine, a Taoist temple erected in 1893 by Phuket's Hokkien Chinese community, located at 89 Roo Thai Sin, 600m from the Thai Hua Museum. Dedicated to the deities Hok Tek Cheng Sin and 18 trade protectors, this temple with its 7-story pagoda was a crucial spiritual center during the 1985 tin economic crisis. It embodies the resilience and faith of the local population in the face of economic and social challenges. Further on, the Phuket Clock Tower, a 15m high public clock built in 1960, marks the center of Phuket Old Town at the intersection of Phuket and Krabi Roads, 500m from the start. Repaired after the 2004 tsunami, it symbolizes the city's ability to overcome adversity.

As you complete your exploration of Phuket, you understand how each edifice, from the Phuket Provincial Hall to the Jui Tui Shrine, tells a part of the history of this resilient city. You have followed in the footsteps of Phraya Wichitsongkram (Khaw Sim Bee Na), governor of Phuket, and the Peranakan tin magnates, witnesses to the region's wealth and challenges. This interactive visit of Phuket Old Town, focusing on its Sino-Portuguese architecture and conservation, has offered you a unique perspective on Phuket's heritage. You leave with a deep understanding of Phuket's identity, a city that has preserved its soul through the centuries, offering an enriching and immersive cultural tourism experience.