Best time to visit Phuket
December to April are the driest months. Not surprisingly, they also make up the biggest chunk of the island’s high season. January to February is the coolest period, perfect for sightseeing, but it’s also the most crowded.
Temperatures begin to rise and the monsoon kicks in mid-May, lasting until October. August-October is the period that catches the most rainfall, so if you can avoid it, do so. November is when the high season begins again.
Things to know in Phuket
Language: Thai, their language can be quite daunting to non-native speakers, especially its lengthy words and tongue-twisting pronunciations, but as with every other language, it only intimidates in the beginning. English isn’t widely spoken, but what the locals lack in English fluency, they make up for with their friendly attitude toward tourists.
Currency: Thai Baht (THB). Exchange rates at the airport are bad, so if you have a MasterCard/Visa/Cirrus ATM, just withdraw from one of the many machines inside the terminal. If you don’t have one, just exchange enough to get you to your hotel.
Modes of payment: Cash. Although some restaurants and hotels accept credit cards, smaller establishments prefer cash.
Safety: Phuket is generally safe and tourist-friendly. But scams run aplenty, so always be on guard and vigilant.
Electricity Info: 220V
Things to do in Phuket
Phuket Old Town
Is a great place to be and really gives you a glimpse of what life was like on the island 100’s of years ago when the Chinese and Europeans arrived and started mining for tin.
There are many stunning examples of Sino-Portuguese architecture and Chinese shop houses, which are still to this day operating as traditional textiles, gold, and printing businesses.
Nowadays, they are also home to quaint cafes and coffee shops, clothes boutiques and some lovely restaurants, guesthouses and local bars.
Koh Phi Phi
Koh Phi Phi consists of 2 islands. Koh Phi Phi Don (the main island) and Koh Phi Phi Leh, where the legendary Maya Bay is located and the Hollywood movie The Beach was filmed.
Koh Phi Phi Leh is mainly visited by tourists doing day trips from Phuket. I would recommend you to go to the Rassada Pier in Phuket Town and take a boat to Koh Phi Phi Don for about 500 baht. You can stay there a couple of days and enjoy the famous and spectacular Phi Phi Viewpoint or go on a tour to the Maya Bay with a longtail boat on your own.
Big Buddha
Sat on his mountaintop is always awe-inspiring, it is huge and can be spotted from most places in the south of the island. It is even more impressive from the top and there are some brilliant viewpoints all the way up the mountain, not just from the summit.
Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island
Surrounding the north and eastern coast of Phuket is a magical place of such breathtaking natural beauty that James Bond Villain Scaramanga opted to build his secret hideout amongst the limestone outcrops and tiny islands, in the classic film The Man With The Golden Gun.
You can visit ‘James Bond’ Island by boat and depending on your tour itinerary you can also enjoy island hopping in the stunning bay, snorkeling, lunch at a floating Muslim fishing village and sea kayaking through spectacular limestone sea caves.
Food in Phuket
Tom Yum Goong
Tom Yum Goong is basically known as the mixture of spicy prawn and sour soup which is one of the most favorite dishes of the Thai. Tom Yum Goong Mae Nam is the original version of all variations of Tom Yum which includes Tom Yum Talay (seafood), Tom Yum Gai (chicken), Tom Yum Kradook Moo (pork ribs). The most important part of all Tom Yum is its soup made from coconut milk, red chili, mushroom, herbs, and other spices.
Mee Hokkien noodle
This simple dish of stir-fried noodle with prawn keeps noodle fans coming back over and over again. The thick yellow fried noodles, prawns, pork, squids, egg and bean sprouts are all in a perfect combination that makes everything taste extra good. Noodle is served with sambal chili and a squeeze of lime juice.
Kanom Jeen Phuket
Kanom Jeen is another well-liked soup using chicken, mushrooms, galangal, tomatoes, and lemongrass cooked in coconut milk. Normally, the dish is added with some chili but it's not that spicy, it's sure flavorful. To make a mind-blowing bowl of Kanom Jeen, you need to pick up some of the best ingredients of beef, chicken, fish, crab, and vegetables.
Khao Man Gai
Khao Man Gai is definitely a soul-satisfying chicken rice for all diners. It issues a new taste among hundreds of usual chicken rice in Southeast Asia. Khao Man Gai hosts the most delightfully flavorful and pleasingly textural items as boiled chicken, steamed jasmine rice, chicken broth and a unique sauce of ginger, garlic, chili and soy sauce. Khao Mai Gai is truly tapped into the local and global culinary scene.
Let's enjoy Phuket!