Phuket in January

The weather in January

A typical January day in Phuket climbs to 33°C and the night falls to about 25°C. Humidity averages 71%, and the month brings about 50 mm of rain, on about 6 days if you count every light shower. Thunderstorms come on one day or two a month.

Those are the Thai Meteorological Department's averages for its Phuket weather station, 1991 to 2020. Years vary: in three years out of five, January had between 10 mm and 65 mm of rain, and the wettest January in those years brought 324 mm.

January falls late in the weather office's cool season, mid-October to mid-February, cool only by Thai standards. The month after is the driest of all: Phuket in February

The sea in January

The north-east monsoon blows from about mid-October to mid-February, so in January the wind comes off the land onto Phuket's west-coast beaches, and their water is usually calm. The strong surf and rip currents belong to the other monsoon, May to October.

Now and then the monsoon surges and the sea gets up offshore. When it did in January 2025, the weather office forecast waves of 2–3 m offshore and told small boats to stay in port from 16 to 18 January. A boat trip can be called off at short notice when that happens, so leave a spare day in your plans.

On the beach, the flag is the rule: no swimming on red, take care on yellow, and green for calm water. A red-and-yellow flag means lifeguards are on duty.

The sea is about 28–29°C, its coolest of the year, which still feels warm.

The Similan and Surin islands

Both island parks are open from 15 October to 15 May, so January is in the middle of their season. Nobody has been allowed to stay the night on the Similan Islands since 2018, so most visits are day trips.

Every visitor to the Similan park needs an e-ticket, issued against a passport number, and the park limits how many people land each day. In peak season, book your trip well ahead.

Wear sun cream without oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor or butylparaben: Thailand's national parks have banned them since 2021.

Turtles on the beach

Sea turtles still come ashore to nest on Phuket's beaches in the dry months: a green turtle laid her eggs on Karon in January 2026, and leatherbacks nested on Mai Khao in February 2024.

If you come across a roped-off nest, keep back, and keep torches and phone lights off it at night. For a turtle in trouble on the sand, call 1362, the national parks' hotline, which answers day and night.

Sunset and golden hour

Sunset moves from 18:20 to 18:33 over January. These are some of the clearest evenings of the year: cloud covers less than half the sky on an average day.

For the gold, be on a west-facing beach or headland in the last half hour before the sun goes down.

What's on in January

The year starts with a holiday on Friday 1 January, and many people in Thailand begin it by giving alms to monks at dawn: Christmas and New Year in Phuket

Children’s Day is the second Saturday of January, Saturday 9 January this time. It isn't a holiday, but towns across the island each put on their own events for children.

Chinese New Year comes later this time, on Saturday 6 February, and Old Town's festival follows it: Phuket in February

Peak season

January sits in the middle of the high season, November to April. In January and February 2025, the hotel association for southern Thailand put Phuket's hotels at about 92% full.

Russia's New Year holidays also run until 10 January this time, and Russia sends Phuket more visitors than any other country.

In Thailand, Friday 1 to Sunday 3 January is a long weekend.

Book rooms and boat trips early, and a table for any evening that matters.

What to pack

• Cotton and linen: it's hot by mid-morning.
• A light jumper or shirt for a windy boat ride or a cold restaurant.
• A wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
• Reef-safe sun cream, for the national parks.
• Clothes that cover shoulders and knees, for the temples.