Best Time to Visit Phuket (Phuket Weather Month by Month)
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Phuket is a beautiful destination and it can be a little tricky to decide when the best time to visit Phuket is. On one hand you want to visit when the weather is nice and hot but on the other you don’t want to go during the busiest period and deal with crowds of tourists.
Whether you’re travelling on a budget, looking for hot or cooler weather or just looking to avoid the crowds, you can find the best time to visit Phuket for what your preference is.
You will find a breakdown of the weather in Phuket month by month so that you can decide what is the best month for you to visit. We also share the sea temperatures month by month for anyone that is like us and loves to be snorkelling, diving, surfing or anything water-based.
When is the Best Time to visit Phuket?
In general, the best time to visit Phuket will depend on what type of traveller you are and your main purpose for visiting Phuket. If you’re looking to visit Phuket purely for sightseeing then you may want to visit when the weather is a little cooler and possibly going into the rainy season. If you’re looking to visit Phuket for sightseeing then we would recommend visiting during October, November and December.
However, if you’re a sun worshipper and like to kick back on the beach and enjoy the warmth then you will want to visit during January and February when the weather is warmer and there is less likely to be rain.
If you’re planning to travel to Phuket on a budget then the rainy season may be better for you as the costs for travel and accommodation will be lower. You will be wanting to travel May – December so you have a really good window here!
Whilst we went diving in October, if this is your plan for visiting Phuket then November – April is actually the best time to go diving in Phuket.
If you’re still not sure which month is the best time for you to visit Phuket then below we’ve dropped a breakdown of the weather month by month so that you can make your own decision.
When is the Best Time to visit Phuket on a Budget?
Phuket is one of the more expensive spots to visit in Thailand because it is one of the most touristy destinations. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t better times to visit than others.
If you’re travelling to Phuket on a budget then you will want to try and visit around the rainy season because you will find that with less people visiting, the costs are cheaper.
The rainfall / monsoon season in Phuket falls between May – October with September and October being the cheapest months because it is the highest chance of rainfall. Guess what?! We visited at the end of September, start of October ourselves and can absolutely confirm that this is true.
If you’re looking to save money on flights and accommodation then this is the best time to travel to Phuket on a budget. We didn’t find that the rain impacted our plans or our trip but everyone is different so you will need to weight up what is more important for you!
Below we’ve added a hand accommodation map which will help you find great and affordable hotels for the dates that you want to visit Phuket!
When is the hottest time to visit Phuket?
If you’re an absolute sun lover and want to be a beach babe this year then March & April is the best time to visit Phuket for hot weather.
You can expect temperatures between 27 Degrees Celsius / 80 Degrees Fahrenheit up to around 36 Degrees Celsius / 97 Degrees Fahrenheit during these months. Often in April, it can exceed this as well.
We would not recommend travelling during this time if your plan is to visit a load of temples and do a lot of sightseeing. If you’re just looking for a relaxing holiday in Phuket then this is the time of year you’d want to visit.
When is the Rainy Season in Phuket?
Everyone seems to always be scared of visiting a destination during a rainy season but we actually found it to be a really pleasant experience for us and a good break away from blistering unbearable heat.
The rainy / monsoon season falls between May – October with September and October being the months with the most downpours. In our experience, it is still worth visiting Phuket during the rainy season and it didn’t impact our trip at all!
You will find that the rain tends to come in short, large downpours instead of lasting all day (like we experience regularly in the UK). We’re just saying don’t necessarily fear visiting during the rainy season but you may find that your plans can change during this period. If you’re a flexible person and relaxed, you will find that the rainy season is absolutely fine to visit.
Phuket Weather Month By Month
If you’re still not sure what the best time to visit Phuket is for you then this breakdown of the weather in Phuket month by month should help you decide!
Phuket Weather in January
January is a great time to visit Phuket if you’re looking for plenty of sunshine, minimal chance of downpours and also low humidity.
During January, you can expect the temperatures to hit average highs or around 33 Degrees Celsius / 91 Degrees Fahrenheit so it’s safe to say that it is going to be sweltering. Temperatures will hit lows of around 25 Degrees Celsius / 77 Degrees Fahrenheit so even when the temperatures are low, there won’t be much relief from the heat!
With these kinds of temperatures, it’s safe to say that whilst it is a fantastic time to visit Phuket to enjoy sunny weather, it is probably not the time of year to do a lot of heavy sightseeing.
On the bright side (literally), you can expect around 4 days of rain in Phuket in January and as they are often short bursts, it is unlikely that an umbrella is going to be your best friend!
As you can guarantee the weather in Phuket during January a little bit more, with that you will find that costs are more expensive for flights, accommodation and potentially even tours.
With that, you will also find that the beaches can be more crowded, tours are busier and attractions are difficult to visit so it is a peak season to visit.
Naturally, with higher temperatures in January in Phuket, this is a great time for water activities such as snorkelling, diving etc. Water temperatures reach around 29 Degrees Celsius / 84 Degrees Fahrenheit.
Even though the weather is incredible in January, we wouldn’t actually recommend this as a time to visit Phuket because it is busy & expensive. However, if you’re just looking for a relaxing holiday in Phuket then this is the perfect time for you!
Phuket Weather in February
Very similar to January, the weather in Phuket in February is very warm so it is still considered peak season.
There will be high temperatures of around 34 Degrees Celsius / 93 Degrees Fahrenheit so it is actually a little warmer than January. The low temperatures at the same as January so you won’t really be expecting any cool temperatures in February at all with lows of around 25 Degrees Celsius / 77 Degrees Fahrenheit.
February is actually the best month for avoiding the rain with only approximately 2 days of rainfall so if you are the type of person that completely hates the rain, this is the month for you to visit Phuket.
As you can expect, with good weather, prices are more expensive so we would not recommend this to anyone that is travelling on a budget.
This is a peak season to travel so it will be busier, more crowded and as we mentioned, more expensive so it is not a time of year we would recommend to travel again unless you’re looking to just chill out by the pool or on the beach.
Average water temperatures are around 29 Degrees Celsius / 84 Degrees Fahrenheit so it is still a fantastic time of year to go diving or snorkelling in Phuket!
Phuket Weather in March
Whilst the weather in March is very similar to February, you will expect more days of rainfall, approximately 7 days of rainfall so even though it is really warm, you will occasionally have a break in the heat!
High and low temperatures are the same as February so you will expect to get highs of 34 Degrees Celsius / 93 Degrees Fahrenheit and low temperatures of around 25 Degrees Celsius / 77 Degrees Fahrenheit.
It is a great time to travel and right at the end of the dry season so it will still be expensive but nowhere near as much as January, February & December.
You will find that the water temperatures are really good as well still around approximately 29 Degrees Celsius / 84 Degrees Fahrenheit and can even reach up to 30 Degrees Celsius / 86 Degrees Fahrenheit.
Overall, it is a good time of year to visit Phuket if you want both decent weather in the dry season but slightly a little bit cheaper. It is still the peak season so expect crowds and busy areas and we recommend booking tours and accommodation well in advance.
Phuket Weather in April
April is the beginning of the rainy / monsoon season so you will find that it starts to attract less tourists which could be a good time to travel for some and not so much for others.
Despite it being the beginning of the rainy season, it is a very hot and humid time of year to visit Phuket. Temperatures can reach highs of around 34 Degrees Celsius / 93 Degrees Fahrenheit and lows of approximately around 26 Degrees Celsius / 79 Degrees Fahrenheit.
Understandably, going into the rainy season, we start to see more expected rainy days in Thailand, approximately 12 days you will see rain in Phuket in April.
This is still a great time to visit Phuket for a holiday but do anticipate that you may be interrupted with short bursts of rain from time to time! With the humidity, you may not find it the best time of year for sightseeing but if you can handle the heat well then who knows!
It is still a busy time of year to visit so expect crowds especially as Songkran Festival which is a Thai New Year takes place during April so it is a very peak season to travel as a result of this.
For snorkellers and divers alike, expect water temperatures of around 30 Degrees Celsius / 86 Degrees Fahrenheit so it’s a great time for divers especially to get a few dives under their belts!
Phuket Weather in May
May is a great time to visit if you’re looking to do some sightseeing in particular because whilst the temperatures are hot, we are officially into the rainy season so you will expect small breaks from the heat during the day.
Even though it is the rainy season, we would recommend travelling during this period as prices also start to come down. The average high temperatures in Phuket in May start to drop slightly to 33 Degrees Celsius / 91 Degrees Fahrenheit so even with the increased rainfall, it is still going to be very warm. Low temperatures still are only at 26 Degrees Celsius / 79 Degrees Fahrenheit so even the average low temperatures are nothing to worry about!
The average number of days with rainfall does increase to 18 but because the days are still very warm, this may be a welcome break from the heat. As we mentioned, the rain always comes in short bursts so it’s nothing terrible to worry about!
As it is the start of the rainy season, May is considered a low season so you will find that the prices start to drop when visiting Phuket and fewer crowds.
This makes it a perfect time to visit to avoid large crowds. This is the same for if you’re planning to go diving because the boats will be a lot less busy as well. Water temperatures are still averaging around 30 Degrees Celsius / 86 Degrees Fahrenheit but it can also occasionally drop to around 27 Degrees Celsius / 80 Degrees Fahrenheit.
Generally, we would say May is a great time to visit for sightseeing, budget travellers and water activities but not so much for a relaxing sunshine break!
Phuket Weather in June
Now we are getting further into the rainy season, the temperatures start to drop in Phuket in June hitting average high temperatures of around 32 Degrees Celsius / 90 Degrees Fahrenheit.
Whilst this is still not cold, especially for those of us from the UK, it is a little bit of a drop from previous months. Low temperatures will reach around 25 Degrees Celsius / 77 Degrees Fahrenheit.
The rainfall days are very similar to May and you can expect around 18 days of rainfall during this month in Phuket. Despite this, the weather is very warm and can be quite humid as well!
Due to this being into the rainy seasons, prices to travel to Phuket and stay in Phuket start to drop more than earlier months so it is a cheaper time to travel.
Water temperatures are still averaging around 30 Degrees Celsius / 86 Degrees Fahrenheit but with the number of rainfall days, you may find that boat trips may get cancelled so whilst it is good and cheap to go diving, you will need to have some flexibility in case plans change!
It is an off-peak season so a great time for sightseeing especially and even better for those looking to keep costs low!
Phuket Weather in July
July is also one of the wettest months to visit Phuket and with that comes a lot of humidity too despite the temperatures slowly decreasing.
High temperatures now reach around 31 Degrees Celsius / 88 Degrees Fahrenheit. Low temperatures still stick to around 25 Degrees Celsius / 77 Degrees Fahrenheit so even though the high temperatures are decreasing, the low temperatures are still sitting similar to previous months.
Now that we’re in the rainy season, you are fully into the rainy season so you will find that July is not as busy in Phuket which also means lower prices & less crowds everywhere!
The average sea temperatures are still around 30 Degrees Celsius / 86 Degrees Fahrenheit so you don’t need to worry about the water being too cool for sports & activities. However, there are approximately 19 days of rainfall during the month so you may need to consider your plans changing as a result of this.
July is not a bad time to visit as long as you’re comfortable visiting in the rainy season. Due to the type of travel we prefer to do, this would be an ideal time to travel and see plenty without too many tourists!
Phuket Weather in August
The weather in August is very similar to July and we still see the same high temperatures of 31 Degrees Celsius / 88 Degrees Fahrenheit and low temperatures of 25 Degrees Celsius / 77 Degrees Fahrenheit so you can still expect warm temperatures despite the rainy season.
Despite the high and low temperatures staying the same, the sea temperature does drop slightly to approximately 29 Degrees Celsius / 84 Degrees Fahrenheit but these temperatures are still perfectly comfortable temperatures for water activities.
The average amount of rainfall days is still around 19 days in Phuket during August but they are usually small bursts of rain. As a result, this is still part of the off-peak season so it is still great for budget travellers and avoiding large crowds.
Phuket Weather in September
We visited ourselves in September and despite this being one of the wettest months of the entire year to visit Phuket, we found that it did not impact our plans at all.
High temperatures still reach around 30 Degrees Celsius / 86 Degrees Fahrenheit and low temperatures are around 24 Degrees Celsius / 74 Degrees Fahrenheit so plenty of heat to go around!
As one of the wettest months of the year in Phuket, you can expect around 21 days of rainfall throughout September so bear this in mind when making your plans!
Sea temperatures reach around 29 Degrees Celsius / 84 Degrees Fahrenheit so still really great water temperatures for activities. Just as well really because the reason we visited Phuket at the end of September was to go scuba diving.
As it is known as one of the wettest months to visit, as you can expect September along with October is one of the cheapest months to travel to Phuket. You will also find that it is quite empty which is a great opportunity to explore without being bothered!
Phuket Weather in October
Alongside September, October is also one of the wettest months of the year to visit Phuket which of course still means cheaper prices.
When we visited Phuket, we went at the end of September, start of October so we did get to experience some of Phuket’s weather in October. We found that it wasn’t as bad as all the reviews we read online and there was only 1 day that we really got caught in the rain.
However, it is still very warm with average high temperatures of 31 Degrees Celsius / 88 Degrees Fahrenheit so despite the rain, there’s still lots of heat! Low temperatures only drop to 24 Degrees Celsius / 75 Degrees Fahrenheit so you won’t need to worry about that either!
Average water temperatures reach around 29 Degrees Celsius / 84 Degrees Fahrenheit so still great temperatures for diving but be mindful that with so many rainy days in October that boat trips could potentially get cancelled.
The highest month for rainfall days, you can expect approximately 23 days of rainfall in October so in this month, an umbrella will be your best friend!
Unsurprisingly, with it being the wettest month, you can expect minimal tourists in Phuket during October and the cheapest prices throughout the whole year.
Phuket Weather in November
The rain clouds start to break in Phuket during November with a end to the rainy season and drawing closer to the dry season.
High average temperatures can reach around 31 Degrees Celsius / 88 Degrees Fahrenheit so it’s safe to say that the temperatures are pretty consistent in Phuket!
Even though the high temperatures have increased, sadly the low temperatures decrease to 23 Degrees Celsius / 73 Degrees Fahrenheit.
The sea temperatures stay pretty consistent averaging around 29 Degrees Celsius / 84 Degrees Fahrenheit so still great for water activities!
The number of rainfall days start to decrease hitting around 16 days in Phuket during November so there is definitely much less rain than the previous 2 months.
As the rain starts to decrease, tourists slowly begin to flock back to Phuket, prices are still relatively cheap at this time of year but you will notice that they start to increase.
It is still the off-peak season but as the month goes on, you will find more tourists starting to travel back to Phuket.
Phuket Weather in December
December is a brilliant time to travel Phuket as the high temperatures are around 31 Degrees Celsius / 88 Degrees Fahrenheit. Low temperatures are a bit lower of around 23 Degrees Celsius / 73 Degrees Fahrenheit so it can be a little cooler than other months at times.
The number of rainfall days starts to drop again to just 10 days within the month! You’ll have plenty of sunny days that’s for sure!
As expected, sea temperatures sit around 28 Degrees Celsius / 82 Degrees Fahrenheit so still reasonable temperatures but one of the lowest throughout the year!
Phuket is a great destination to visit for either over Christmas or New Years. If you plan your flights correctly, it won’t be too expensive either!
December starts coming into the peak season but prices are still reasonable. You will find as it draws closer to Christmas and New Years in Phuket that it becomes busier so you may find more crowds during this time.
Summary: When is the best time to travel to Phuket?
It depends on what type of traveller you are as to what the best time to visit Phuket is. If you’re someone that is looking for hot temperatures & relaxing in the sun then you may want to visit during the peak season (between December – April).
If you prefer warm temperatures and less crowds then May, June and November may be a better time to visit but note that May & June is within the rainy period so you may get some spots of showers!
For any budget travellers, you may want to go during September / October, they are the wettest months of the season but this is when we travelled and we honestly didn’t find it as bad as what we expected!
No matter what time of year you decide to travel, Phuket is a gorgeous part of Thailand and has something to offer everyone no matter the season!
