Phuket Town offers eighteenth century charm

pa href=”http://1stopthailand.com/phuket/”Phuket/a is best known around the world as a holiday destination that boasts spectacular stretches of beach, crystal-clear waters and luxurious resort accommodation, but there’s another side of the popular resort island that many visitors find has a special appeal. /p

pThe Old Town, dating from the 18th century, is characterized by the Sino-Portuguese architecture of its mansions and shophouses, which are still decorated with a combination of European and Chinese art. /p

pIn the 18th century Phuket was an important port and was also the base of a thriving tin-mining industry controlled by the Chinese. The Chinese tin miners eventually played an important role in creating the blended Sino-Portuguese style of the town./p

pOriginally the island was called Bukit, which is a Tamil word that means “crystal mountains”. As a port, it was a regular stop on the route for Indian and Arabic sailors to stock up on provisions and to repair their vessels. /p

pWhenever the weather was unfavourable, visiting ships would ride out the storms in Phuket, waiting for winds that would take them across the Andaman Sea back to India and further west. At times, the wait could last for months, which contributed further to the development of the town, and added to its cosmopolitan nature./