Graffiti in Phuket Town and Walking Route

Beaches of Phuket are undoubtedly one of the main attractions. But few know that the island is not only a sea resort with a world name, and also the historical heritage of Thailand. From popular Thai seats for recreation, including Pattaya and Samui, only Phuket boasts a significant contribution to the development of the kingdom.

In 2015, the island entered the Creative List of UNESCO as "Gastronomy city". Here you will find branded cuisine: Lappish, cafe with dumplings Dim-himself, real Potted pancakes and restaurants with perachnacan dishes. Gastronomic heritage slowly forms the appearance of the old town of Phuket. I will tell you about drawings and graffiti, which appeared on the walls of buildings in 2016 and immediately attracted the attention of Thai and foreign tourists. Street art has become part of the FAT project (Food Art Town) and "City of Gastronomy". All graffiti are located in old quarters, it’s easy to walk on foot a couple of clock. The article presents only part of the points, the complete graffiti guide can be found in my mobile guide. Swing it for iOS and Android.

How to get to Phuket Town?

Old town is located in the middle of Phuket Island. Most beaches here can be reached in city bus or sonGTEO. So called open yellow-blue trucks with two shops for passengers. A trip on this type of transport will open you all local flavor. Fare price is small, just 30-60 baht per person. Buses start walking from 7 am and finish at 5-6 pm. All routes of urban transport from your beach and the location of the final stop see in a separate article. If the buses do not stop next to your hotel, you can always get to the city by taxi. See taxi prices with Phuket Beaches.

Walk through the old city of Phuket

City buses come to the end station on Ranong Road Street (Ranong Road). From here and our pedestrian route begins on the old town of Phuket. Complete in the direction of one-way movement to the turn to the market. The place is rather colorful, here they sell vegetables and fruits here, and at night, when the fresh goods are brought, this chaos comes. On the outskirts of the market, closer to Street Krabi, you will see two drawings: a big figure of a three-headed Mardi bunny growth in the entire two-storey house and balloons on the wall opposite. The famous character was created by the Phuket artist Alex Face and depicts a girl in traditional Peravankan clothes: Colorful Sarone and Lace Kebaye. Mardi drives the basket with money. Women dressed like you can see on any holiday to Phuket Town or at the wedding descendants of Chinese immigrants.

Turn into the street Krabi (Krabi Road) and go to the street Yaowarat (Yaowarat Road). Along the way you can look into the Thai Hua Museum, telling about the history of Chinese immigrants in Phuket. On both sides of the street you will see the old Shophouse – a building with a shop or a cafe on the ground floor and living quarters on top. At the intersection of Yaowarat and Dybbuk (Dibuk Road) you will find another graffiti dedicated to His Majesty King Rama IX. He portrayed one of the most popular Phuket Thai monarchy group of artists from 4Studio.

From street Dibuk look in Buddhist temples Mongkon Nimit (Wat Mongkol Nimit), and then leave the lane Romani (Soi Rommani) street Thalang (Thalang Road). Lane Romani once upon a time was zlachnym place with opium dens and girls of easy virtue. Now here are located guesthouses and cafes. At the intersection of the alley to the street Thalang you will see three pictures: Mardi turtle dove and Pineapple. Already familiar three-eyed bunny Mardi this time tells about another culture page of the old Phuket Town. Desserts in the form of colorful turtles Ang-ku doing on Ghost Festival.

Near the wall located dove, drawn in the style of a clear geometry Bangkok artist Rukkit. Its wings and tail consist of name brand baby food that is familiar to all local Thais. Between the turtle dove and you will see the pineapple with a pencil. It would seem that everything points to the well-known Japanese song "Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen". Only figure appeared before the song. Should I think it’s graffiti inspired Japanese comedian Pico Tarot to write a hit? Or to limit the usual sweet Phuket pineapples?

Thalang on the street every Sunday Fair is held. It can be called the Arbat in Phuket. Here you will find products of local craftsmen and try the Phuket cuisine. And now we go on to explore the old city and its street art. Head along Phuket Street (Phuket Road) and turn to Phang Nga (Phang NGA Road). In a small courtyard you will see several animal graffiti at once. Make a photo against the background of a colorful tiger drawn by Thai artist P7. Or take a picture with a rhino bird, which you can watch on a lake of Cher Lan in Khao Juice National Park.

Before entering the Sintavee Hotel, you will see Street Art from the artist Rukkit: Tiger’s head, stylized Petardes, Susal Gold and Chinese Hieroglyph. Graffiti tells us about the festival of vegetarians who spend on Phuket every year.

Opposite the aller SOI PRADIK attached two drawings at once. A huge bird, a character of the Bangkok artist named Bon, riding a sire for the sea turtle. This graffiti talks about those times when the turtles sailed to Phuket to postpone the eggs in the sand. Now, unfortunately, due to the development of tourism, this happens rarely.

Opposite the Surfinhibition birds you will see a typical ceremony in the Chinese temple: aromatic sticks and candles are burning, the lions appear from smoke, pineapples and tangerines are cooked on the table, and a boy and a girl wish you a happy new year.

For reaching the hotel The Memory by On On on the left side, you will see a duck resembling the heroes of Disney cartoons. Graffiti made an artist Rukkit on the wall of a bookstore, where you can still taste the delicious soup with noodles. Yes yes, right in a shop with books. On the contrary, there is the Memory by On ON, the first hotel on Phuket. Here were filmed several scenes from the movie "Beach" with Leonardo di Caprio. You can go to the hotel’s hall and make several photos.

The next drawing is very easy to find on the wall opposite the bank of Casikorn, renovated in Sino-Portuguese style. Black and white lion with a serious muzzle wishes you a happy new year.

A few meters further will be the entrance to the Temple of the Serene Light (SHRINE OF THE SERENE LIGHT), built at the end of the XIX century. On the wall of the street leading to the temple, depicts vintage Chinese patrols, managing each other. Graffiti was drawn by Lyudmila Summer, a Russian artist living on Phuket. While this is the only street-art created not by Thaot. Luda, congratulations!

Opposite the temple is the restaurant Tu Kab Khao, which serves Phuket branded cuisine in the authentic atmosphere of an old mansion. The building is easy to learn about the sculpture of a huge Langust on the wall.

On the same side you will find two more pictures: Nadushka and Uncle, selling O-Tau. This is a real Phuket dish of fried molluscs, mixed with flour, egg and tarot, seasoned with white pepper and soy sauce. You can try O-Tau at the Fair on Talang Street on Sunday or in Restaurants with Phuket Brand Kitchen.

A few meters from the Seller O-Tau a sheet is drawn. Nothing special, just leaf. To return to the hotel by bus, turn to Yovarat to the street to a circle with a fountain, and then stop on Ranong Street.

Only first I recommend to look into the restaurant TFG The Food Gallery. There you can drink coffee, eat, and also see one more graffiti – a bird-sitting on the veranda. This drawing was made quite recently by the artist from ME Hong Sona named Pichit Paidan (Pichit Paidan).

Useful information

If you have an iPhone or another smartphone, download the Maps application.Me. It works offline, which is very convenient when there is no Wi-Fi at hand. My card with dots you can save in the form of a KML file and open in the application.

What to see and where to go in Phuket?

Since you got up for a walk to the old town of Phuket, you should see a couple more sights available on foot. Enjoying Street Art, do not pass by the 3D Museum of Optical Illusions on Phuket. You can make a photo and from the soul to have fun, becoming part of famous paintings. If you like fluffy pussies, look in a cafe cat. Here will be offered to drink coffee, eat dessert, and some simple thai dishes are already cooked for thoroughly. Combine a walk through the old Phuket town with a visit to one of the fairs: the street market on Sundays or Thalang Indie Market on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Different graffiti on Phuket much more than I have described. Figures Mardi bunny to decorate the walls of hotels B-Lay Tong and Foto Hotel. Street art can be found on the beaches of Patong and Rawai. In the future, artists will paint a few walls in Phuket Town, so the article will be updated. Have a nice walk!