Thalang National Museum

Phuket


Thalang's museum chronicles Phuket’s history, from prehistoric Andaman inhabitants to the tin-mining era, with Thai and English displays. It traces southern Thailand's varied ethnicities and dialects, and recounts the legend of the ‘two heroines’ (immortalised on the nearby Heroines Monument), who allegedly drove off an 18th-century Burmese invasion by leading the island's women into battle dressed as men. The museum sits 200m northeast of the Heroines Monument, off Rte 4027, but was closed indefinitely for renovations at the time of research.

The prize entrance-hall artefact is a 2.3m-tall 9th-century stone statue of Vishnu, found in Takua Pa in the early 20th century.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Phuket attractions

1. Heroines Monument

0.21 MILES

Phuket's ‘two heroines’, Chan and Mook, supposedly drove off an 18th-century Burmese invasion by convincing the island’s women to dress like male soldiers…

2. Wat Sri Sunthorn

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Accessed by a tucked-away flight of steps, an enormous golden Buddha reclines on the roof of this immaculately kept modern temple named for one of Phuket…

3. Nam Tok Ton Sai

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Best reached from the west side of Khao Phra Thaew Royal Wildlife & Forest Reserve, this small waterfall is at its best between June and November. A few…

5. Wat Phra Thong

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About 7km north of the Heroines Monument, Phuket’s tranquil, 250-year-old ‘Temple of the Golden Buddha’ revolves around a half-buried statue, with only…

6. Nam Tok Bang Pae

4.66 MILES

You'll hear haunting gibbons' songs all the way along the jungly earth-and-concrete path to this waterfall, a 300m walk up from the Phuket Gibbon…

7. Phuket Gibbon Rehabilitation Project

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Financed by donations (2100B sponsors a gibbon for a year), this tiny sanctuary adopts gibbons previously kept in captivity in the hope of reintroducing…

8. Masjid Mukaram Bang Thao

5.13 MILES

This busy mosque provides a good insight into Phuket village life and makes an interesting change of scene from the beach. Its cream-coloured facade and…