Phuket is an all year-round holiday destination with plenty of sunshine, glorious sunsets, fun activities, first-class shopping and rich culture and heritage.
Choosing the best time to visit depends on what you want to do here, it’s all down to personal preference. Unlike Europe, Phuket only has two seasons, the wet season, May to November, and dry season, December to April.
One thing you can be sure of is that whichever month you choose it will always be warm, as the year-round temperature rarely falls below 30°C.
Phuket has a tropical monsoon climate, that means it varies between warm, slightly cool and rainy. It is never really cold, for those of us who live here, it might be a little chilly in the rainy season, but as a visitor, you would probably disagree and enjoy the refreshing climate after a downpour.
November is a pleasant time to visit, it’s quiet and the temperature perfect. The rains are nearly over, the sea bids farewell to the rolling surf and return to a calm oasis, and even if the skies are gloomy there’s plenty of sunshine in between showers to enjoy time at the beach.
Festival of Lights
During this month we celebrate Loy Krathong, a pretty festival of lights significant in Thai culture. Falling on a full moon, the evening is a beautiful sight as small floating vessels decorated with colourful flowers and lit by candles are released into the water and hot air lanterns float away on the sea breeze.
With a reputation as Thailand’s most popular island destination, Phuket’s main attraction is the beach life.
As December approaches, the skies turn startling blue and the holiday-makers chasing some winter sun all arrive, there’s an air of excitement for the festive season and the island is buzzing. The Andaman Sea is perfect at this time of year for swimming and snorkelling the colourful corals, scuba diving, and luxurious boat tours.
By mid-December Phuket is full of life,
the beaches are busier, the restaurants are bustling, and the bars and clubs are in full swing, with some beach clubs, such as Catch Beach Club gearing up for a glittering season of live music, and crowd-pulling entertainment from famous DJs, including Bob Sinclar amongst others. There’s a lively atmosphere and plenty to do.
January is the peak of high season.
It can get a little more crowded at this time of year on the popular beaches, but if you’re in the know, there are some hidden gems we will tell you about soon. Having the island busier is a lot of fun and the weather is sublime. Escape the crowds and go out on a private boat charter where you can spend a lazy day on a deserted beach working on that sun-kissed tan or take a diving trip around the natural underwater reefs.
Nature lovers
can enjoy a hike through the rainforest or trek to the top of one of the islands viewpoints and marvel at the rich colours of the sunset over the Andaman Sea.
As it starts to get hot
from February onwards, the island celebrates Chinese New Year with red lanterns adorning the streets, street processions and impressively loud firecrackers. Most of the festivities are held in the Chinese Taoist shrines in Phuket Old Town where the atmosphere is festive with busy street markets.
Thai New Year
As April arrives so does the heat, this is the hottest month of the year. Join in the craziness that is Songkran water festival, Thai New Year, when everyone takes a holiday and spends the day splashing and throwing water at each other. There are water guns, loud music and dancing, and so much fun. It’s an amazing experience, you can’t go outside without getting drenched!
May brings the start of the monsoon season which goes on until October. The pace of life on the island returns to a slow and steady one as most tourists have returned home.
We still have a lot of sunny days during the monsoon months where you can enjoy a tour to Phang Nga Bay on a private luxury yacht, take advantage of the waves and test your skills at wake-boarding, or challenge a friend to a game of golf at one of our championship golf courses.
It never rains all day every day, it can be torrential in the morning and bright sunshine in the afternoon. The temperature of the sea has an annual average of around 27 °C, so it is always warm enough for water sports, though not always calm enough for swimming, so please take heed of the warning flags.
September and October are our wettest months, the sea can be rough with high waves and scuba diving and boat trips might be cancelled. It’s not always safe to swim on Phuket’s beaches at this time as there can a strong undercurrent. However, it’s perfect weather for surfing! Enjoy some board-riding action at Nai Harn, Kamala and Kata beach, whilst the beach at Surin offers more of a challenge.
Shopping at Central Floresta or Jung Ceylon is a fun way to spend your afternoon should the heavens decide to open; both have cinemas and are priced very attractively for comfy seats or go for the First-Class option. Rainy days are also ideal for a trip to see the elephants at the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, they adore the rain and will enjoy splashing around in their mud baths while you quietly observe their glee. Venturing out in the rain and exploring the rich culture and heritage of Phuket Old Town and its museums is always a great gloomy day activity too.
