While people primarily visit Phuket for its famous beaches and sunny weather, Thailand’s largest island is also home to a beautiful Old Town full of colourful buildings that make for some great Instagram spots.
Phuket is such a diverse and beautiful island, yet often people don’t even venture into the Old Town, an area full of rich heritage.
So after my latest visit to Phuket I put together this guide of all the best photography spots in Phuket Old Town, including the best times to visit and more, to help make your trip easier.
Phuket Old Town
For an island that is mostly known for its many beaches, Phuket has one of the prettiest Old Towns I have ever seen and I would definitely recommend you spend at least a half day here.
Phuket Old Town is so charming, with many colourful colonial buildings and townhouses featuring Portuguese and British architectural influences.
The Old Town is full of history and is an absolute must visit when you are in Phuket. It’s honestly one of my favourite spots on the whole of the island.
If you’re keen to get Instagrammable shots of the colourful buildings, the most popular streets to visit are Thalang Road, Soi Romanee, Dibuk Road, Krabi Road, Phang Nga Road and Yaowarat Road.
Early morning is definitely the best time to visit if you want to get photos without the crowds. During the day the Old Town gets very busy with cars and people, plus the lighting is a lot harsher for photos.
That being said, it’s great to come back to experience the Old Town when it is busy as it has such a nice lively atmosphere!
1. Thalang Road
When you get to Phuket Old Town, head to Thalang Road first. Thalang Road is the heart of Phuket Old Town, lined with colourful and ornate Sino-Portuguese and Chinese-European buildings that date back to the 19th century.
The vibrant buildings and shop fronts are similar to the Peranakan Houses you’ll find in Singapore, and they make for a really picturesque backdrop for photographs.
There are lots of lovely cafes and boutiques dotted along the road, making it a nice lively area to explore.
Thalang Road looks lovely during the day, and also at sunset as the lights start to come on!
Enjoy strolling down the street and taking in the atmosphere, and definitely make sure to check out The Loof Bar – a rooftop bar on Thalang Road where you can enjoy the views below, as well as get a lovely view of the sunset!
2. Soi Romanee
Soi Romanee is a charming little lane just off Thalang Road, famous for its pastel-coloured buildings that give off old-world charm vibes.
This narrow street was once a red-light district but is now a very popular spot for photographers and is an absolute must-visit if you are after the best Phuket Old Town Instagram spots!
The beautifully restored shophouses with their intricate details and colourful exteriors make it a perfect location for getting some photographs.
This is probably my favourite street in the whole of Phuket as all the buildings are just so cute, plus not many cars or motorbikes come down it so it’s a bit more relaxed.
It is definitely THE most photogenic street in the whole of Phuket and one you can’t miss!
Aungku Phuket Bakery sits at the corner of Thalang Road and Soi Romanee and is a massive Instagrammable spot due to its pink beautiful flower wall and mirrors which make for some really nice photos.
You’ll probably notice the crowds of people waiting to get photos before you even see the flower wall – that’s how busy it is!
Aung Ku Bakery also has really aesthetic looking cakes and pastries, so give it a try if you fancy something sweet – the upstairs floor inside the cafe is very Instagrammable too!
As when visiting Thalang Road, if you want to get photos without other people in, and enjoy the street without other tourists, you’ll want to visit Soi Romanee first thing in the morning.
Especially if you want photos of the Aungku Phuket Bakery wall, you’ll want to visit before 9am, otherwise crowds of people arrive to take photos!
The shop Baan Rommanee has a cute sunflower wall outside – but if you walk through the store to the other side (by the Shell petrol station), you’ll see an even bigger sunflower wall that’s a lot quieter and you can get soe lovely photos here!
3. Dibuk Road
On the corner of Dibuk Road and Yaowarad Road is this iconic turquoise coloured Sino-European style building (Google maps location here).
It is located on the corner of a busy intersection, meaning it’s hard to get a picture without all the cars going past. If you want photos here, it’s a good idea to arrive first thing in the morning.
Walk further down the road and you’ll see these gorgeous houses.
On Yaowarad Road the buildings aren’t as ‘Instagrammable’ as on some of the other streets – they look a little worn down in comparison. However, I just loved this rustic look, it really added to the charm!
44. Phuket Sunday Walking Street Market (Lard Yai Market)
Every Sunday, Thalang Road transforms into the bustling Lard Yai Market, offering a variety of street food, local crafts, and live street performers.
The market takes place on Sunday evenings from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM and has a lovely vibrant atmosphere – it’s a must-do if you’re here on a Sunday!
You can get some really nice photos of the lively market stalls under the warm glow of streetlights. And make sure to try the street food!
5. Mongkhon Nimit Temple
Mongkhon Nimit Temple a lovely Buddhist temple in Phuket at the end of Soi Romanee, just off Dibuk Road. As you’re walking down Soi Romanee, you’ll see Mongkhon Nimit Temple at the end of the street.
The temple is very beautiful, and despite bring very close to the centre of Phuket Old Town it sees surprisingly few visitors and is therefore very peaceful! It’s a really nice place to stroll around when you want to escape the crowds.
The grounds are very large, and there are benches outside for you to sit down and admire the temple from the outside.
Mongkhon Nimit Temple has lots of ceremonies that you may be lucky enough to witness, plus is also a school for monks so you may see some monks here.
Overall, Phuket Old Town is definitely worth a visit. Enjoy cafe hopping, getting photos and admiring the stunning and unique architecture. It makes for a lovely break between all the beaches!
If you’re looking to do some day trips to the islands from Phuket, why not check out a day trip to James Bond Island, Phi Phi Islands or even to the Krabi 4 Islands, where you’ll find the iconic Thale Waek sandbar!
Caterina McGrail is a Travel Writer and ex-Flight Attendant based in Australia. She has visited 85 countries and lived in several – including Italy, Australia, United Arab Emirates and England. Her work has been featured in a variety of popular travel publications including Fodors, Escape, Australian Traveller and Bear Grylls, as well as several international aviation and travel companies. She only writes about places she has personally visited, and aims to give real, honest advice to help her readers.