Phuket Travel Time & Weather - Our Experiences During Rainy Season

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The best time to visit Thailand’s popular island is during the months of December to March. This is the perfect time to plan your Phuket vacation, and you can expect plenty of sunshine on the beaches of Phuket. Between May and October, Phuket experiences its rainy season, which can, however, be more budget-friendly for a trip. In this article, you’ll learn which time frame you should choose for your vacation and what you need to keep in mind regarding Phuket’s weather.

The Best Tips for the Travel Season in Phuket

The weather in Thailand and Phuket is partly influenced by local conditions and strongly by the annual monsoon. We’ll share with you all the tips about the rainy season in Phuket, what you can still do, which weather peculiarities there are, and what it’s really like during the rainy season. At the end, you’ll also read our personal recommendation for the best time to plan your trip to Phuket.

1. Weather and Climate in Phuket

Phuket is a tropical island where high temperatures and humid conditions prevail all year round. Typically, you’ll find high humidity, just like anywhere in Thailand or Southeast Asia. Temperatures remain very stable throughout the year, regardless of whether it’s the rainy or dry season. As you can see in the climate table (see point 3), the average temperature is just below the 30-degree mark, with April always being the hottest month in Thailand.

The water temperatures also remain steadily around 25 degrees or higher. Sometimes the sea is already very warm during the hot seasons. However, it never gets extremely cold, so you can go swimming at any time of year. It only depends on how rough the sea is.

The division of the seasons and the different weather patterns are due to the monsoon, and we’ll explain this in more detail in the next point.

2. Seasons in Phuket (Dry and Rainy Season)

Basically, the seasons can be divided into two different periods. There aren’t four seasons like in many parts of the world, but rather just a dry season and a rainy season in Phuket. Roughly speaking, you can split it into two periods of six months each. The dry season lasts from November to April, and the rainy season lasts from May to October.

Dry Season in Phuket

In the dry season, there are more hours of sunshine, lower humidity, and less precipitation. Although April essentially heralds the end of the dry season and November marks the beginning, there can still be more rain and precipitation during these transition times.

If you’re planning a Phuket vacation, the dry season months are the best choice. It’s the most beautiful time to enjoy days at the beach or other activities. There’s a lot of sunshine, the sea is usually calm, and it’s also the peak season for visitors. From January to March, you can expect the least amount of rain, which is perfect for sun lovers. The downside, however, is that hotel prices are at their highest during this dry season, but at least you generally don’t have to worry about bad weather.

Rainy Season in Phuket

During the rainy season in Phuket, it can get quite wet. On average, there are 20 days of rain per month. September and October bring the most rain, and there can sometimes be very heavy rainfall due to the monsoon.

If you’re imagining that it rains all day, we can tell you that’s often not the case. The rainy season is mostly characterized by short, intense showers followed by periods of sunshine. It’s rare, but still possible, that it could rain all day, every day. However, even during the rainy season in Phuket, you’ll have some pleasant weather moments.

In return, there are other appealing aspects during the rainy season. The landscape is beautifully green, which is why this period is often referred to as the Green Season. If you’re flexible with your travel plans, aren’t bothered by some rain, or can imagine other activities besides beach visits, then a rainy-season vacation in Phuket can have its advantages.

3. Climate Table for Phuket’s Rainy Season

Of course, the weather can’t be predicted precisely, and many factors can influence it. However, we want to show you the average values in our climate table for Phuket. These are calculated from the past few years and offer a guideline for choosing the best months for your trip to Phuket.

4. What Does the Rainy Season in Phuket Mean?

This is the most frequently asked question for many vacationers considering a trip to Phuket. What does it actually mean when Phuket is in its rainy season? Can you still plan a vacation, or should you absolutely avoid this time?

Unfortunately, it’s not so easy to answer. As you can see from the climate table, on average there are about 20 rainy days per month, which conversely means there are about 10 days when it doesn’t rain at all. Nevertheless, it can certainly be cloudy, and there will be fewer hours of sunshine. On the plus side, you can get great deals on accommodations, especially at Phuket’s top-class hotels.

However, you also have to expect certain limitations during the rainy season, especially when it comes to swimming at the beach. If the sea is too rough, the currents are strong, and there are large waves, swimming can become dangerous. Red flags often warn you at the beach to stay out of the water. You should definitely heed these warnings!

Rainy season in Phuket also means that you may not be able to do many outdoor activities. Night markets may not take place due to the rain, visiting temples might literally fall through, boat tours to the surrounding islands stay on land, and overall, you might spend more time in your accommodation than you had hoped.

Nevertheless, it’s not all bad. The waterfalls carry more water during the rainy season, whereas in the dry season they often have little or no water. You might have to adjust your activities a bit, but Phuket still has plenty of alternatives, which we’ll show you in point 6 with our tips for the Phuket rainy season.

5. Weather Peculiarities in Phuket

Phuket is Thailand’s largest island, so it can often happen that you have rain in one spot while it remains dry in another. For example, you visit Phuket Town and it starts to rain, but then you drive south to Patong and find everything is dry and the sun is shining. This kind of microclimate is not unusual on Thai islands. Moreover, rain clouds often get stuck over the mountains, of which Phuket has plenty. If it rains during your vacation, just change your plan, drive to a different part of the island, and enjoy better weather there.

Normal weather apps often work poorly in Thailand or are very inaccurate. For instance, thunderstorms are frequently forecasted that never materialize—and this happens almost daily during the rainy season, which can be off-putting to travelers. For current weather forecasts, as well as storm warnings, etc., you can check the Thai Meteorological Department’s website or weather radar apps like Windy or WetterOnline. With these apps, you can see the rain clouds, how they move, and if they’ll actually arrive at your location. Keep in mind, however, that they’re really only accurate for the next few minutes to hours.

6. Tips for the Phuket Rainy Season

Even if you travel to Phuket during the rainy season, there’s still plenty to do on the island. You can find some of these activities in our detailed article on Phuket tips. If you’re traveling with your family, also take a look at our tips for Phuket with kids.

Here, we’d like to list 10 ideas for activities in Phuket that can make your vacation pleasant even on a rainy day:

• Aquaria Phuket + Trickeye Museum – You can find both in the Central Festival shopping mall in Phuket Town.
• Patong or Kata Surf House – both places offer a Surf House where you can learn to surf partially indoors, even in the rain.
• Simon Cabaret Show – for evening entertainment, you can watch a cabaret show, for example, in Patong.
• Phuket FantaSea or Magic Carnival – both are located in Kamala. There are evening shows or other activities like a fair at the Magic Carnival. Everything is covered.
• Visit shopping malls – You can shop or simply stroll around, even in the rain, for instance at Jungceylon in Patong, Central Festival in Phuket Town, or the Robinson Lifestyle Mall in Thalang.
• Kidzoona Phuket – An indoor playground for children, e.g., in the Jungceylon Mall.
• Upside Down House – Here, the world is upside down, interesting for the whole family, with great photo spots.
• The Selfie Experience – Not far from the Central Festival shopping mall and the Upside Down House. A modern museum with plenty of interactive photo opportunities in various themed areas.
• Massage or spa – There are countless massage and spa options on Phuket. A rainy day is perfect for a bit of relaxation and pampering.
• Take a class – There’s a wide selection, from batik classes to cooking classes to yoga.

Note: If you know of more great options, feel free to share them with us in the comments, and we can expand the list.

7. Our Recommendation: When Phuket Is at Its Best

Over the past few years, we’ve visited Phuket at many different times, in the rainy season, the dry season, and even during the peak season around Christmas, and we have a good feel for which time is best for the island.

In general, we can say that the weather is very good around Christmas and New Year. However, everything on the island is often very expensive during that period, and it’s even more crowded than usual. If you’re vacationing in Phuket for two weeks, we’d honestly advise against visiting during the rainy season. You’ve earned your vacation and want to enjoy good weather, which isn’t always guaranteed during Phuket’s rainy season. Of course, you could still get plenty of sunny days, and there are many things you can do in the rain, but you may be a bit restricted.

For a Phuket trip, we would choose the months of February and March. April is still okay, but it’s the hottest month in Thailand, and by the end of April, the rainy season also starts. February and March aren’t as crowded as the Christmas period and are a bit cheaper. If you don’t mind a bit of rain, we can also recommend May. We’ve been there in May over the last few years and managed to get great deals on hotels, and aside from a few showers, we mostly had good weather. Maybe we were just lucky. You’ll definitely be safer with February and March. Alternatively, November could also be an option.

In summary, for a vacation in Phuket, we recommend February and March, as well as May or November if you don’t mind a few rain showers and want slightly cheaper accommodation prices.

Phuket: Tours And Tickets

Do you enjoy being out and about with a guide who really knows their stuff? Then we recommend a guided tour with a local. This way, you can experience Phuket in a completely different way and also find activities for the rainy season in Phuket. At GetYourGuide, you’ll find many exciting tours for Phuket.

Have You Ever Visited Phuket During The Rainy Season? Would That Be Something For You, Or Do You Prefer Playing It Safe? Feel Free To Share Your Experiences With Phuket’s Travel Season In The Comments.