Phuket town is the largest urban territory. The government House, built a century ago, was used as a setting in the movie "The Killing Fields". The Central market bustles from early morning to noon. The original Chartered Bank is the oldest in Thailand and still has a colonial look. One can climb the hill which gives the island its name (Bukit is the Malay word for hill). An outdoor Thai restaurant here give charming vistas of the city.
Near Phuket Town is the Butterfly Garden and Aquarium. The latter is especially colourful. Khao Phra Thaeo National Park is still virgin jungle.
There are two museums, one in Phukey town,the other in Talang, the latter with some excellent maps and inexplicably, a large collection of artifacts from Mollucas.
There are around 30 Buddhist temples on the island. Among the most interesting is Wat Chalong, with its gift statues of two revered monks; Wat Phra Thong with its half-buried Buddha statue ; Wat Phra Nang Sang has three thousand-year Buddha heads, as well as some fascinating allegorical frescos. There are also several Islamic Mosques, since about half the population is Muslim.