A typical tour in Phuket Old Town usually starts off at Soi Rommanee. Once headed in, you will be greeted by the ever popular Torry’s ice cream shop. A few steps away bring you to the middle of Thalang Road. The exciting Thalang Road spans four hundred metres long and is home to an array of gift shops, local cafes, hardware stores, clothing and jewellery shops.
Just beside this stretch of touristy and colourful row of shops lies a quaint and more peaceful Krabi Road.
Krabi Road continues the Sino-Portuguese styled architecture and gives off a slightly different vibe to the other roads where a mix of old businesses, boutique hotels and residency coexist.
We invite you to spend half day in Krabi Road. Below are some of our recommendations.
The Besavana Phuket
Spend the night at The Besavana Phuket. I must admit finding a parking lot in Phuket Old Town can be quite challenging. Staying in this hotel allows you to park your vehicle in their private lots. This hotel is clean and value-for-money. A night in this hotel costs approximately 900 THB (30 SGD). Note that there is no lift.
Address: 63/3 Krabi Road
Website: https://www.thebesavanaphuket.com
Downtown Fresh Market
Head to this fresh market early morning for a true local vibe. It is just a minute walk from The Besavana. At the market, you will see outdoor push-carts and tents selling fresh local produces and butcheries.
Photo Credit:
https://www.phuketemagazine.com/street-art-where-it-is-and-how-to-take-the-best-photos/
Rose Espresso Cafe
For brunch, check out the cosy Rose Espresso Cafe. They open early and serve a great variety of Western bites. We have always enjoyed our meals at Rose Espresso. So you can’t really go wrong with them plus they have been around for many years.
Address: 13 Krabi Road
Phuket Thai Hua Museum
This is such an important place for the local Chinese community. The descendants of early immigrants from China studied in this first Chinese Language School which has now moved to a bigger venue. The school is now a museum and must-go site to understand the history of Thai Hua community in Phuket.
Tickets - Student 120 Baht, Adult 200 Baht
Address: 28 Krabi Road
Mai Nam Shophouse
Of course, don’t forget to drop us a visit. Just few metres away from Thai Hua Museum, we are located in a century old Sino-Portuguese shophouse. Join us for some plants shopping or sipping our in-house roasted, single origin coffee while having fun experimenting with Terrarium making.
Address: 16 Krabi Road
Chinpracha House
Another prominent landmark, Chinpracha House is built by a Chinese Hokkien tin miner and now his descendants open up the house to promote the Baba-Nyonya (Peranakan) culture in Phuket. We like that the tour is guided by one of the descendants. He communicates well in English and shares his personal stories around the small corners of the mansion. You can also rent a set of Baba-Nyonya traditional attire (400 baht) and take photos around the house. Makeup and hairdo not
included!
Tickets - 150 Baht for foreigners.
Address: 98 Krabi Road
Ryn, Authentic Tea & Slow Drop Coffee
Another cosy cafe. We love the loft inside, and the shopfront is super cute! Order one of the wide selections of matcha after a long day out!
Address: 8 Krabi Road
Yoy Pochana
End off the day at Yoy Pochana. They open at 5pm. This has to be our to-go spot for dinner. They serve porridge with a mix of Thai-Chinese-Phuket dishes. It is almost like a Teochew style porridge place but I reckon this to be even better because they actually cook the dishes fresh. There are also ready-to-order dishes like the Chap Chye and the braised intestines.
Address: 33 Krabi Road
Hope to see you there!