One of the best-preserved Sino-Portuguese buildings in Phuket, Chinpracha House (facebook.com/ChinPrachaHouseMuseum; adult/child 150/50฿; 9am-4.30pm) reveals the Chinese-Malaysian, Dutch and British influences that shaped the architectural landscape in Old Phuket Town.
Built by businessman and philanthropist Pra Pitak Chinpracha in 1903, the ornate mansion was Phuket's first Ang Mor Lao, or Red-Hair Mansion. It takes its name from the Europeans who came to Southeast Asia during the tin-mining boom between the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Exploring the manor, you can spend an hour or two taking in Victorian furniture, Italian ceramic tile floors, rare Chinese decorations and Greco-Roman columns, while learning about this turbulent period of Phuket's history. Ask for Khun Tiw ("Deeoo") to delve deep into Phuket's Thai, Chinese & Peranakan culture. He's the owner of Chinpracha House and provides a wealth of information. You'll find his local history museum on Th Krabi on the fringes of the Old Town.
