Phuket was not always a tourist paradise; mining once thrived here, especially tin extraction, which formed the basis of the local economy. Traveling around the island, you may notice how many small lakes and ponds there are here - these are also consequences of tin mining: old abandoned workings that have become a charming element of Phuket's landscape. Thanks to mining operations, workers from different countries came here, which ultimately led to the formation of a certain environment where many nationalities coexist peacefully.
In the Kathu area, not far from the Loch Palm golf club, is the Phuket Mining Museum, which engagingly tells the centuries-old history of tin mining on the island. The two-story museum building, opened in 2009, was built in a mixed Sino-Portuguese style.
The museum's exhibition is arranged to convey the atmosphere of different eras as accurately as possible. Numerous skillfully made installations and models impress with their realism. You will be able to visit a real mine, examine rock samples, and see the process of tin extraction and processing. A separate exhibition is devoted to the history of geology.
A reconstruction of old Phuket Town looks very interesting: here you can stroll through shops and cafes, sit in a traditional Chinese tea house, visit a pharmacy, or even an opium den.
