Phuket｜The influence of Chinese culture (Part 2). Find the beautiful Chinese shrine in Phuket Old Town

Take a stroll through Phuket Old Town and you’ll likely find many Chinese shrines hidden among the beautiful Sino-Portuguese colonial buildings. This shows how much the Chinese immigrants integrated into the town, creating the town we see today. If you’re already out exploring Phuket Old Town, the many Chinese shrines are worth a visit. The Saeng Tham Shrine on Phang Nga Road is a little hidden gem with a stunning Chinese-style gate, incredible dragon carvings on the pillars, and beautiful street art celebrating Thai-Chinese culture. There is also the Fuzhou Club, a Chinese shrine with beautiful gates that are often decorated with beautiful Chinese-style lanterns that illuminate the area at night. The shrine is absolutely beautiful during the blue hour with all the lanterns glowing with light. Indulge in a delicious meal in Phuket Old Town There are many great restaurants in Phuket Old Town serving delicious traditional dishes that you should try. If you are looking for somewhere cheap to try local food, Lock Tien Local Food Centre is the best place. Lotte Food Center is home to many small street food style restaurants where you can enjoy a variety of dishes at your table. They serve delicious Hokkien mee, fresh spring rolls, satay skewers and more. You can also go to One Chun Cafe or Tu Kab Khao if you’re looking for somewhere to sample fancier dishes like yellow curry crab, dim sum and Phuket’s unique Kanom Jeen (soft, thin noodles made from fermented rice). Both places serve traditional dishes unique to Phuket and both are delicious, especially the crab in yellow curry. Their food is on the pricier side, but you really get your money's worth here. If all of these places seem overwhelming to you and you would rather discover restaurants as you explore, I highly recommend taking the Phuket Old Town Food Tour, which should take you to all of the hidden gem spots that many tourists don’t know about. Go to a cafe Now, if you want to drink delicious coffee, there are many great cafes in the old town. From local coffee shop style cafes serving traditional Thai coffee to more modern and cozy cafes where you can sit for hours drinking properly roasted coffee. For a traditional cafe, Kopitiam, an open-air cafe often seen in Singapore and Malaysia, is highly recommended. They serve traditional sweet espresso, as well as other desserts to go with it, with coffee prices starting from 60 baht.