Phuket is hot all year, and its season is set by rain and waves, not by temperature. Below are the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) normals by month, hotel occupancy from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports (MOTS), closing dates of marine national parks and TMD’s fresh forecast for the 2026-2027 season. Checked on 19 October 2026.
Phuket weather by month
TMD 1991-2020 normals for the Phuket station in the town (48 564). TMD counts a rainy day from 0.1 mm of rain, so short downpours count. Hotel occupancy: MOTS data for Phuket province in 2025.
| Month | Rainfall, mm | Rain days | Day max, °C | Night min, °C | Hotel occupancy 2025, % | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 49.9 | 5.6 | 33.0 | 25.0 | 86.4 | dry, hotel occupancy at its peak |
| February | 24.0 | 3.4 | 34.0 | 25.4 | 82.1 | driest month |
| March | 80.7 | 7.5 | 34.4 | 25.9 | 79.4 | dry, hottest days |
| April | 135.1 | 11.7 | 34.2 | 26.3 | 81.8 | warmest on average, 7.5 thunderstorm days |
| May | 236.9 | 18.9 | 33.2 | 26.1 | 74.0 | rains begin, in 2026 on 15 May |
| June | 249.4 | 18.6 | 32.6 | 25.8 | 66.8 | rain, waves on the west coast |
| July | 240.2 | 19.1 | 32.3 | 25.6 | 70.7 | rain on about 19 days |
| August | 308.7 | 19.5 | 32.2 | 25.6 | 68.9 | Maya Bay closed from 1 August |
| September | 350.4 | 21.7 | 31.8 | 25.1 | 65.8 | wettest month, emptiest hotels |
| October | 336.0 | 22.7 | 31.8 | 24.9 | 77.6 | Similan Islands open from 15 October |
| November | 178.2 | 15.9 | 32.1 | 25.2 | 78.6 | half the rain of October |
| December | 82.0 | 10.3 | 32.1 | 25.0 | 84.1 | dry, hotel occupancy climbing |
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast for a particular year: in 2026 TMD recorded the start of the rainy season on 15 May, and in May the west coast of the south received 90% more rain than normal (TMD monthly summary). For the town and airport stations and the method, see Phuket weather by month: TMD normals.
Phuket seasons: high, transition and low
TMD describes three seasons for the whole country: cool from October to February, hot from February to May and rainy from May to October. Phuket sits on the west coast, on the windward side for the southwest monsoon, so its rain and waves fall in May-October. The grouping below is ours, based on TMD and MOTS figures; there is no official classification of Phuket seasons.
| Period | Months | TMD rainfall | Hotel occupancy 2025 | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High season | December-March | 24-82 mm | 79-86% | dry, calmer sea on the west, more people |
| Hot transition | April | 135 mm | 81.8% | hot, thunderstorms begin |
| Low season | May-October | 237-350 mm | 66-78% | rain, waves on the west, emptier hotels |
| Transition | November | 178 mm | 78.6% | half the rain of October |
What is open and closed through the year
Marine national parks close for the monsoon: DNP writes that in the rainy season wind and waves make trips unsafe. Dates are from the park pages, status on 19 October 2026 from the DNP list.
| Place | Closed | Open | Status on 19.10.2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Similan Islands | 16 May-14 October | 15 October-15 May | open, some dive sites closed |
| Surin Islands | from 16 May | DNP announces the opening date | no closure in the park’s DNP listing |
| Ko Rok (Mu Ko Lanta park) | 16 May-15 November | 16 November-15 May | closed |
| Maya Bay (Phi Phi) | 1 August-30 September | the rest of the year | open from 1 October according to press |
The closure of Maya Bay from 1 August to 30 September is announced as annual in the Phi Phi park’s 2024 notice (PRD), and Time Out Bangkok confirms the reopening on 1 October 2026. All islands around Phuket with seasons and fees are in Phuket islands.
TMD forecast for 2026-2027
The forecast was issued on 9 October 2026, and TMD will update it in the last week of October:
- From mid-October to mid-November, thunderstorms over 30-50% of the Andaman coast and waves of 1-2 m
- For the whole cool season TMD expects waves of 1-2 m in the Andaman Sea and 2-3 m in the Gulf of Thailand, higher in places
- In November and December TMD sees a high chance of tropical cyclones that may pass near the Gulf of Thailand and the south
- TMD expects El Niño to strengthen by the end of 2026, which may push temperatures above normal
This is a long-range statistical forecast and does not replace the forecast for the coming days.
How to choose a month
- The sea and islands with no compromise. January-March: the driest period, parks open, but hotel occupancy 79-86%
- Fewer people and readiness for downpours. June-September: hotel occupancy 65.8-70.7%, waves on the west beaches, some islands closed
- Heat without rain. February-March. April is hotter on average, but it brings 135 mm of rain and up to 7.5 thunderstorm days
- Late October and early November. The Similans are already open, and November has half the rain of October
- Surfing. Monsoon waves on the west attract surfers, and Karon municipality writes about surfers at Kata
Who the low season does not suit: those with one holiday in June-September and a plan built around far islands. Trips will have to move with the weather and the closures.
Month by month in more detail
- Phuket in October: rain, waves, the Similans reopening
- Phuket in February: the driest month and the height of the season
- Phuket in the low season: what to do from May to October
- Phuket beaches without waves and which Phuket beach to choose
- When to go to Thailand: Phuket compared with Samui, Pattaya and the north by month
FAQ
When is the best time to go to Phuket?
For the sea and island trips, December to March: TMD normals give 24-82 mm of rain and 3.4-10.3 rainy days a month. February is the driest at 24 mm. If you want fewer people and can live with downpours, look at June to September: hotel occupancy in 2025 was 65.8-70.7%.
When is the rainy season in Phuket?
TMD describes the southwest monsoon as blowing from May to October, and in 2026 it recorded the start of the rainy season on 15 May. By the normals most rain falls in September (350 mm) and October (336 mm), on 21.7 and 22.7 days. November is a transition month at 178 mm.
Which month is the hottest in Phuket?
April: the average temperature is 29.6 °C and the average maximum 34.2 °C. March has the highest average maximum, 34.4 °C. The absolute maximum at the town station over 1991-2020 was 39.2 °C, and it fell in April.
When are there the fewest tourists in Phuket?
According to MOTS, hotel occupancy in the province in 2025 was lowest in September at 65.8% and highest in January at 86.4%. That is hotel occupancy for the province, not the number of people on a beach. We do not publish accommodation prices until we collect our own dated measurements.
When is the sea calm in Phuket?
Usually from December to March, when rainfall is lowest: that is how TMD and DNP describe the seasons of the Andaman coast. Rawai municipality warns of strong waves at Nai Harn from May to October. In any month the flag on the beach decides, and a forecast does not replace it.
Sources
- TMD. Climatological Data of Thailand for 30 Year Period (1991-2020), Phuket station (48 564), printed page 82
- TMD. Seasons and climate of Thailand, pages 2-3
- TMD. Cool season forecast 2026-2027, issued 9 October 2026
- TMD. Monthly Weather Summary in Thailand, May 2026
- MOTS. Tourism statistics by province 2025 (xlsx, monthly sheets)
- DNP. Mu Ko Similan National Park
- DNP. Mu Ko Lanta National Park (Ko Rok)
- DNP. Opening and closing status of national parks
- Government Public Relations Department (PRD). Maya Bay and nearby areas closed until 30 September 2024 (7 August 2024)
- Time Out Bangkok. Maya Bay reopens October 1 after annual closure (29 September 2026), press
- Rawai Municipality. Nai Harn Beach
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