The old town of Phuket Town is located in the depths of the island, away from the beaches and tourist bustle. At the end of the XIX century. large reserves of tin were discovered in this area, which attracted investors and immigrants from China and served as the beginning of the rapid development of the city. The architecture received a colonial Sino-Portuguese direction. Low-rise houses with columns, shutters, and European-style architectural stucco are paired with square wooden doors, gongs, and Chinese-style red lanterns.
The old town occupies several blocks between Thalang, Krabi, Dibuk and Pang Nga streets. There are many cozy cafes, beautiful mansions in Chinese and Portuguese styles, inexpensive hotels, massage parlors, unusual "shop houses", workshops and shops. Also in this part of the city are several museums, Buddhist and Chinese temples, a gilded dragon sculpture, and even a former mini-red light district.