Situated on the eastern coastline of Phuket Island is the charming Phuket Town. It presents a tantalizing mix of Sino-Portuguese heritage blended perfectly with contemporary Thai culture. Phuket Town delights in a tropical climate, offering year-round warmth. However, the optimal time to visit is between November and April when the climate is drier and more consistent.

Phuket Town, in contrast to the beach-centric regions of Phuket, is a rich display of 19th-century architecture in its Old Town district. Colorful shophouses and stately mansions dot its narrow streets. Here, life takes on a leisurely rhythm with morning markets, classic coffee houses, and local-owned eateries shaping the city's daily life.

What truly distinguishes Phuket Town is its genuine cultural ambiance. Every Sunday, the Walking Street Market on Thalang Road changes the historic quarter into a dynamic bazaar offering local crafts, street-grub, and live dances. Be sure to sample local delicacies like Mee Hokkien (stir-fried noodle dish) and O-aew (shaved ice garnished with red beans) at the heart of the market.

Landmarks you must explore include the elegantly preserved Chinpracha House, a former 19th-century mansion that provides a peek into the life of previous tin-mining elites, and the brilliantly coloured Shrine of the Serene Light, quietly tucked away in a nondescript alley. The recently renovated Lard Yai Sunday Street Market is a cultural hub where the old and the new coalesce beautifully.