Phuket #3 in Best Places to Visit in December of 2023

Why Go To Phuket

Although Phuket, Thailand, offers a consistently warm climate year-round, its cool, dry weather and calm water in December make this month a great time to visit. Plan on spending most of your time sunbathing, swimming, scuba diving, and more at beaches like Nai Harn and Kata Noi. But remember, December falls within Phuket’s peak tourist season so you won’t find many deals for flights and accommodations during this month. Avoid a holiday visit in late December for slightly better rates.

Pure white sands, aquamarine waters, and limestone cliffs await travelers who visit Thailand’s southwestern island of Phuket. Surrounded by the Andaman Sea and about an hour by plane from Bangkok, this island is a little piece of paradise, which comes with a relatively low price tag for everything from its accommodations to spa treatments and boat tours. But along with its tropical appeal, Phuket beckons to travelers wanting to experience its flavorful cuisine (think: lemongrass, lime leaves, chilies) and its rich culture, heavily influenced by its reigning religion: Buddhism.

Although the island’s beaches and tourism operators have bounced back from the 2004 tsunami, which hammered its western coast and tragically claimed thousands of lives, it remembers the past with memorials and a better warning system, should the area once again come under threat.

Best Months to Visit

The best time to visit Phuket is between November and April, when weather conditions are ideal for beach activities like swimming and boating. The six months between May and October are monsoon season, and although accommodation prices are much lower this time of year, the water conditions can be dangerous.

Culture & Customs

Thai is the official language of Thailand and its island Phuket, but you’ll find that most tourist operators speak proficient English. Still, you might want to carry along a Thai phrasebook just to be safe. Some phrases you might want to memorize include: “hello,” sa wat dee; “how are you?,” sa baai dee reu; and “thank you,” kòp kun mâak. When you’re communicating with various taxi or tuk-tuk drivers, you might want to show them the address of your destination in Thai, especially if you’re traveling to places that are off the beaten track.

What to Eat

Phuket’s cuisine is an extension of the culinary delights found on the mainland. Tom yum goong (a soup with shrimp), som tam (a papaya salad) and green curry are all mainstays on the menus in Phuket. For an upscale Thai experience, visitors should book a table at Thong Dee The Kathu Brasserie, which earns high marks among recent travelers for its friendly and accommodating staff and consistently delicious meals. For a cheap but nonetheless delicious experience, travelers should head to O-Oh Farm Ta-Eiad in Phuket Town.

To get a deeper understanding of the local cuisine, travelers may want to book a cooking class, many of which are taught in English. The Kata Thai Cooking Class by Sally, located in Kata Beach, and Phuket Town’s Phuket Thai Cookery School are both traveler-approved. At classes like these, chefs coach travelers on how to make traditional Thai foods, such as prawn soup and green curry, among other dishes. These cooking classes charge the equivalent of about $60 to $90 per person.

Safety

One of the biggest safety concerns you’ll run into on a Phuket vacation are the dangerous rip tides and undertows at the beach, especially during monsoon season, which stretches from June to October. Make sure to pay attention to lifeguard warnings and all of the posted beach flags. For instance, a red flag means “no swimming,” a yellow flag means “be careful,” and a pair of half-red half-yellow flags signal that you should swim in between the two flags.

Because of the threat of the Zika virus, the Centers for Disease Control & Protection recommends that pregnant women and couples – or those hoping to become pregnant –

refrain from traveling to Thailand. All travelers can ward against mosquito bites by wearing bug repellant and skin-protective clothing, such as high-tech fitness wear.

There are some areas of Phuket that are known as hotbeds for sex trafficking, prostitution and drugs. For instance, Patong, which is known for its wild nightlife, is a center for such activity. Take care to be aware of your surroundings, especially in the evenings in areas like Patong.

Getting Around Phuket

The best way to get around Phuket is by tuk-tuk, though occasionally you might have to rely on another mode of travel, such as a taxi or rental car, if you want to travel beyond the town in which you’re basing your vacation. Not only is a tuk-tuk (a small yellow or red truck) the most atmospheric of all transportation options, it’s also one of the most convenient – they’re absolutely everywhere. Still, they can be expensive for trips outside of town, and a metered taxi, songthaew or rental car might be a better option.

To reach Phuket, most travelers fly into Phuket International Airport (HKT), which is located at the island’s northern end. Most of the accommodations are congregated in the south around Patong, Kata, Karon and Phuket Town. Travelers should check if their hotel offers an airport shuttle, and if not, they can hop in an airport bus, which takes travelers to Phuket Town. A taxi is probably the easiest and most efficient way to traverse the distance between the airport and accommodations. Although there are vans and minibus operators that offer rides from the airport to these southern locations, it can be hard to decipher which ones are reputable. If your hotel does not offer a shuttle service, ask if the concierge can recommend any reputable van or minibus operators.

Car
Travelers can rent cars through Avis, Budget, Hertz and a number of other operators at the Phuket International Airport, but they can also rent them through their hotels – usually at a slightly discounted rate. Travelers should obtain and carry an international driving permit, which you can get from AAA, along with their native country’s license. Visitors should keep in mind that in general the roads in Phuket are poorly marked and maintained, so consulting a GPS and several maps is highly recommended. Drivers should also note that speed limits are posted in kilometers.

Taxi
Taxis are becoming increasingly more common in Phuket, and they’re one of the best ways to get from the airport to your accommodations. Still, finding a metered taxi can be somewhat difficult, but using the Grab smartphone app, which operates much the same as Uber, can help.

Tuk-Tuk
A tuk-tuk, which is a yellow or red truck, is probably the most common way to get around in Phuket, but you’ll likely have to haggle for your rate. Keep in mind that fares within town shouldn’t cost more than 50 Thai baht (about $1.50) though some might charge a flat fee of about 100 Thai baht (around $3). You can hail them down like you would a taxi.

Songthaew
To travel between beaches, a songthaew – basically a pickup truck that’s been converted into two rows of seats – is a great option, as it’s much cheaper than a tuk-tuk (since the ride is shared among many passengers). These songthaews stop at the bus stops in popular beach towns, and they tend to operate from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and charge around 25 Thai baht (less than $1) per person for a ride.

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