In the years since, the five main Old Town streets, Dibuk, Thalang, Phang Nga, Rassada and Krabi roads, plus Soi Romanee and other small lanes have been given a facelift. Much to every photographer’s delight, unsightly power lines along Dibuk and Thalang roads have now been buried, allowing the beauty of the centuries-old Sino-Portuguese buildings to shine through. More power line projects are in the works for other streets.
Soi Romanee has seen the most striking changes. This narrow one-way lane was once a rowdy red-light street for Chinese immigrants back in Phuket’s heady tin-mining days. Then it saw a decline, and up until about five years ago most of its buildings sat in an unused and crumbling state. Since then, nearly all of the two-storey structures lining the Soi have been given a bright new coat of pastel-toned paint and some hip cafes and offices have opened up.
A one-stop shop explaining Phuket’s past is found along Phang Nga road. This new Phuket City Information Centre has photos and displays that explain the meaning behind the different architectural details of the buildings in the area, plus models of an old-style well and oven. Here, you can pick up a free booklet called ‘Enchanted Phuket Town’, published by the Phuket City Municipality that’s brimming with information, in both Thai and English, about Old Phuket Town, nearby attractions and suggested walking tours.
Next door there’s been another transformation at the On On Hotel. Built in 1929, the hotel’s intricate white facade has made a striking presence in the area, so much so that it was chosen as a backdrop in the film ‘The Beach’ starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Inside, it had a rather grand lobby area but the guest rooms upstairs were small and rather dingy. Up until recently, it was a cheap spot favoured by backpackers on a tight budget, but it is now renovated and the rooms have had a major facelift. The hotel has been rebranded ‘The Memory at On On Hotel’.