Best time to go to Phuket for a perfect weather and where to go?
Julie Parment and Tony Samson last update: 16/04/2024When is the best time to go to Phuket?
The best time to visit Phuket is from early January to late March. However, it is possible to consider a trip to this tropical paradise for most of the year.
Thailand's largest island has everything to make you dream with its stunning palm-lined beaches, crystal-clear waters of the Andaman Sea, and magnificent landscapes. To top it off, Phuket enjoys constant warm temperatures all year round due to its proximity to the equator!
Phuket has two distinct seasons:
- The rainy season, between April and November, is characterized by frequent showers and often overcast skies.
- The dry season, between December and March, when it hardly rains. The heat is not overwhelming, and the sky is clear all day long.
When is the best time to visit Phuket for diving? If you dream of exploring the underwater world, the dry season is the best choice. Whether with tanks or snorkeling near the beach, you will have perfect conditions: good visibility and gentle currents. In contrast, the rainy season can make sea excursions complicated due to waves and wind. Ferry connections to nearby islands may even be suspended, especially to reach Koh Phi Phi.
However, during the dry season, especially in January and February, tourist influx is at its peak. The nicest hotels are often fully booked, and the place becomes very lively. The island is crowded with tourists, and everything is much more expensive than the rest of the year.
If you want to enjoy an ideal climate to laze on the beaches of Patong, Kata Beach, or Karon Beach without having to fight for a spot, choose March: the balance between crowds and weather is quite good! Tourists are fewer, prices are slightly cheaper, and the rains have not really arrived yet.
Another option is to visit Phuket during the rainy season, between April and November. Right in the low tourist season, the island regains a peaceful atmosphere, and it's the perfect time to enjoy the authentic ambiance in the old town of Phuket Town. This time of year has many advantages: the average temperature is very pleasant, it doesn't rain every day, and everything is cheaper! However, avoid the rainiest months of May and October.
Annual weather in Phuket
For information about the climate and the weather city by city in Phuket for a specific month, click on the corresponding line below:
| Month | Our opinion | View Details | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 85°F | good weather | |||
| February | 86°F | good weather | |||
| March | 86°F | good weather | |||
| April | 88°F | tolerable weather | |||
| May | 86°F | bad weather | |||
| June | 86°F | tolerable weather | |||
| July | 85°F | tolerable weather | |||
| August | 85°F | tolerable weather | |||
| September | 83°F to 85°F | tolerable weather | |||
| October | 81°F to 85°F | tolerable weather | |||
| November | 85°F | tolerable weather | |||
| December | 85°F | tolerable weather |
Best time to travel to Phuket by cities
Climate and Weather in Phuket
The climate in Phuket is tropical wet and is influenced by monsoon winds. Located in the Andaman Sea, off the southwest coast of the mainland, the island is mountainous, which can impact the weather conditions. It can pour rain on one side and be sunny on the other! Furthermore, even though typhoons and tropical storms may hit Hong Kong or the Philippines, Phuket is spared.
The sea temperature remains stable, between 29 and 30°C (86°F) . The air is warm all year round, but, as mentioned earlier, the weather in Phuket has two seasons:
- The dry season from December to March.
- The rainy season from April to November.
Climate during the dry season in Phuket
Between December and March, the weather is very pleasant on the island. Thanks to the light warm winds, temperatures are quite bearable, with the thermometer ranging from 26°C (79°F) at night to 30°C (86°F) at the hottest part of the day. In December, it still rains 14 days in the month, but the showers are short-lived and mostly occur at night. Between January and March, the weather is perfect. Clear blue skies and sunshine are on the agenda: ideal for fully enjoying beach pleasures!
Climate during the rainy season in Phuket
Between April and November, the monsoon is in full swing. The two periods of seasonal change, April-May and September-November, are the rainiest. Thunderstorms are frequent in the late afternoon or evening, and humidity levels are at their highest. Although this may disrupt your trip a bit, it is rare for the island to experience several consecutive days of heavy rain. Typically, it's a few refreshing tropical downpours followed by the return of the sun.
From June to August, it rains less often, but the showers are much more intense and the winds can be strong. The thermometer drops a bit, and the air temperature is more pleasant than in May or June, although humidity levels are very high. Most of the time, the sky is overcast, without it being bothersome.
Temperatures and rainfall in Phuket
On these 3 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Phuket and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Phuket town, Patong, Bang Rong, Bang Tao Beach and Bang Wad, as well as the month-by-month sea temperature for coastal cities.
Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in Phuket
Find out when Phuket has its high tourist season (the period when the influx of tourists is highest) and off-peak tourist season using our data and figures.
Tourist seasons in Phuket
The months with low numbers of tourists are: April, May, June, July, August, September and October. The number of visitors to Phuket is high in: January, February, March, November and December.
- Very low season in Phuket: May and June.
- Low season in Phuket: April, July, August, September and October.
- High season in Phuket: March and November.
- Peak season in Phuket: January, February and December.
Figure: Visitor index for Phuket month by month
Where to go in Phuket?
This table allows you to see the maximum temperature for each city and our opinion on the weather month by month (see colour legend below the table).
| Cities | jan. | feb. | mar. | apr. | may | jun. | jul. | aug. | sep. | oct. | nov. | dec. |
| Phuket town | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Patong | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Bang Rong | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Bang Tao Beach | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Bang Wad | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Chalong | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Coral Island (Koh Hey) | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Kamala Beach | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Karon Beach | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Kata Beach | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Kathu | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Koh Lon | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Koh Mai Thon | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F |
| Koh Siray | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Mai Khao Beach | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Nai Yang Beach | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Pa Klok | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Panwa Beach (Khao Kad Beach) | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Rawai | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Sai Kaew Beach | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
Legend:
good weather
tolerable weather
bad weather
very bad weather
About Phuket
What can I do in Phuket?
Beaches / swimming
Nature and countryside
Culture and heritage
Sports
Family travel
Crafts / shopping
Gastronomy
Nightlife
Is this weather information for Phuket reliable?
Climate data for Phuket has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Phuket allows us to determine the average for each month in Phuket town, Patong, Bang Rong, Bang Tao Beach, Bang Wad, Chalong, Coral Island (Koh Hey), Kamala Beach, and 14 other cities.
So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.