Phuket on Foot: Old Town Strolls

Phuket is a beach island with poor pavements, so real walking happens in two places: Old Town in Phuket Town and a short forest trail in the Khao Phra Thaeo reserve. Most visitors walk Old Town on their own, which costs nothing, and the day below follows the clock from early breakfast to the evening street market.

Early: dim sum before the heat

Phuket dim sum is a breakfast habit. Boonrat Dim Sum, at 26/41 Bangkok Road, is listed by Time Out as open from about 05:30 to 10:30, with more than 50 items on offer. It also has branches on Dilok Uthit 2 Road and Chaofa Road. Hours differ between sources, so check before setting an alarm. The Time Out listing has the address details.

Morning: the Old Town circuit

Begin on Thalang Road and look up at the shophouses. Turn into Soi Romanee, a lane that served as the red-light and gambling quarter when tin money flowed. Torry’s Ice Cream on the lane is reported open from about 10:00 to 18:00 daily, though hours should be confirmed. Then loop through Dibuk Road, Krabi Road and Phang Nga Road. Stops that the Michelin Guide lists in its Old Town article include:

  • Saeng Tham Shrine, free to enter, on Phang Nga Road
  • Jui Tui Shrine and Kuan Im Teng next door
  • Wat Mongkhon Nimit, on Dibuk Road
  • the bookshop South Wind Books and the craft shop Rasada Handmade
  • the Phuket Thai Hua Museum, housed in a Sino-Portuguese building from 1934

Shrines are active places of worship. Keep your voice low, cover your shoulders and knees, and keep a respectful distance during any ceremony. Pavements thin out or disappear beyond the Old Town grid, so the circuit is best treated as a loop on its own. Bring water, since tap water is not drinkable.

Late morning: Bang Pae waterfall

Khao Phra Thaeo is a protected forest, and the Bang Pae waterfall is a level walk of about 10 to 15 minutes from the entrance. Foreign adults pay about 200 THB and children about 100 THB, according to Thai Holiday Guide . A far longer cross-forest route links Bang Pae with Ton Sai waterfall. It is roughly 7 to 8 km each way and hilly, so go early and carry plenty of water.

Sunday evening: Lard Yai walking street

On Sundays Thalang Road closes to traffic for a walking street, free to enter, from about 16:00 to 22:00. The crush is heaviest after 18:00, so the first hour is calmer. One 2026 guide says the market stretches onto Phang Nga Road as well. Many Old Town shops close early on other days, which makes Sunday the best evening to be there.

Getting to the start

The Phuket Smart Bus Dragon Line shuttle is free and links Central Festival, Old Town and OTOP. Its stops and times are on the Smart Bus timetable . Local blue songthaews leave the Ranong Road market for about 30 to 50 THB, but they have no strict timetable and do not run from beach to beach. If you take a taxi or tuk-tuk, agree the fare before getting in.

Read more: sightseeing in Phuket , solo activities and the 2-day Phuket itinerary .

To see what guided walks exist, search Old Town walks on GetYourGuide .