9 Things to Do in Phuket When it Rains
What to Do on a Rainy Day in Phuket
Phuket Island is not just for beach vacations. There is lots to do here even when the monsoons sweep in and things turn gray and wet. Thai cooking classes, for instance, are fascinating and can help you gain new skills for impressing your friends and family back home, while Phuket’s spas are internationally known for their feel-good factor.
There are several glitzy shows to take in, museums to visit, and heritage sites where you can gain a deeper appreciation for Thai culture. Whatever your taste or budget, when the skies turn gray and the beach is no longer an option, rest assured that there’s still plenty to get out to see and do.
1. Indulge in a spa treatment
Phuket has great wellness potential
Good for: Couples, Luxury
For many people, just hearing the word “Thai” prompts them to think “massage,” and a rainy day is an ideal time to seek one out. There are many wonderful spas located around the island offering a variety of treatments, from facials and body scrubs to traditional full-body massage. All budgets are catered for and many venues accept walk-ins, though if you’re looking for a full day of luxury you’d be wise to phone first.
You could even try multiple spas as the offerings are all so different. Try aromatherapy based on local herbs, or a combined spa and yoga treatment with sound bath. It’s a rejuvenating way to engage with Thai culture that will have you feeling fabulous.
2. Jungceylon Shopping Mall
An all-in-one mall for shopping, dining, and entertaining
Good for: Families, Food, Shoppers
Jungceylon in Patong is where you can escape those rainy day worries and go shopping for anything and everything. The range is enormous, from antiques, clothing, and fabrics to homeware, souvenirs, and more. The giant mall complex is easy to get to, just behind Bangla Road.
When you’ve finished shopping, there’s still plenty for you and your family to do. Check out the movie theater or visit the bowling alley, try the shell museum, 4D movie theatre, game arcade, or even the spa. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, the range of restaurants around the complex is extraordinary. Read more
Location: 181 Rat-u-thit 200 Pee Road, Patong, Kathu, Phuket 83150, Thailand
Open: Daily from 11am to 10pm
Phone: +66 (0)76 600 111
Jungceylon Shopping Mall
3. Central Phuket
Luxury brand shopping and more near Phuket Town
Good for: Families, Food, Shoppers
Central Phuket is an air-conditioned, fully equipped one-stop shopping mall just outside of Phuket Town. Rightly regarded as the shopping hub of the island, Central plays host to over 120 stores including everything from luxury clothing brands to lifestyle fashion, beauty, home and electronics, and more.
It’s very easy to spend a full day here, so if the rain shows no signs of stopping it’s a great place to take shelter. It’s not just shopping either, you can catch the latest movies and dine out at your choice of international restaurants including French and Japanese cuisine, in addition to local Thai outlets. Read more
Location: 74-75 Wichitsongkram Rd, Wichit, Muang, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Open: Daily from 10.30am to 10pm
Phone: +66 (0)76 603 333
Central Phuket
4. Phuket Trickeye Museum
An interactive museum that puts you in the picture
Good for: Families, Photo, Unusual
Phuket Trickeye Museum is an interactive 3D art gallery offering amazing photo opportunities and great fun for the whole family. Located at the corner of Montri and Phang Nga in a large, 2-story building, Phuket Trickeye Museum features a gallery of about 100 scenes painted using trompe-l’oeil, meaning “trick of the eye,” techniques.
There are five different themed zones to discover, including aquarium, jungle, and masterpiece. In addition to these incredible scenes, there’s an augmented reality area where, with the aid of a downloaded app, you can bring the images to vivid life. Read more
Location: 130/1 Phangnga Rd, Talat Yai, Muang, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Open: Daily from 10:30 am to 8 pm
Phone: +66 (0)76 212 806
Phuket Trickeye Museum
Good for: Families, Photo
Located on the Bypass Road on the northern outskirts of Phuket Town, Baan Teelanka features no less than 3 exciting attractions/activities to entertain the whole family. Baan Teelanka itself is a 3-storey house built leaning on its roof. It’s adorned with a maze-shaped garden in its backyard (not so great for rainy days, obviously). The Chamber of Secrets is the third activity that you can enjoy here, with 2 rooms from which you’d have to escape from by finding clues and solving puzzles to open the doors. Read more
Location: 51/11 Village 5, Chalermprakiat Ratchakan Thi 9 Road, Rassada, Muang, Phuket 83000
Open: Daily from 9.05am to 6.15pm
Phone: +66 (0)84 456 5279
Baan Teelanka
6. Museums in Phuket
Museums and mansions to enjoy
Good for: Families, History, Photo
There are several museums in Phuket where you can learn all about the city’s colorful and interesting past. Prime examples to immerse yourself in the country’s rich history include the Thalang National Museum, which covers the early history of the island, the Phuket Mining Museum, which detail’s the industrial development of tin mining in the area, and the Phuket Thai Hua Museum, which documents the history of Chinese migration in Phuket.
There are also many old Sino-Portuguese colonial-era mansions in Phuket Town that are open to view. These are each great and inexpensive days out for the family that you’re not likely to forget for a long time. Read more
7. Thai cooking classes
Thai cooking lessons with professional chefs
Good for: Families, Food, Unusual
Learn how to cook Thai food and impress your friends and family. Thai cuisine is a unique blend of tastes and textures that has developed over hundreds of years, combining a range of influences with fresh local produce. The beautiful part is that you can learn to prepare it in a single class!
Go shopping with the chef, prepare the ingredients under their supervision, enjoy your own cooked meal and get a certificate: it’s that simple. A number of resorts offer indoor programs for adults and kids as well as fruit-carving classes. Try learning a new skill, it’s a souvenir that lasts a lifetime. Read more
Good for: Families, Photo, Budget
Phuket Aquarium is a fascinating place to explore. Learn more about the colorful and vivid marine life in the seas around the island. Walk through the aquarium’s see-through tunnel and get close up and personal with hundreds of brightly colored and striking fish. It’s a dry and comfortable way to learn about marine life – and there’s no chance of getting seasick, either! Read more
Location: 51 Moo 8, Sakdidet Rd, Muang, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Open: Daily from 8.30am to 4.30pm
Phone: +66 (0)76 391 126
Phuket Aquarium
9. Wait a few minutes
Benefits of visiting during the rainy season
Good for: Adventure, Families, Photo
Savvy visitors soon learn to savor the blessings of a rainy day in Phuket. The crowds vanish, the scents and colors of the flowers become stronger, and the island, while remaining balmy, gets an invigorating cooldown.
Hotels offer amazingly low rates during the off season when the weather is more changeable, and what may start out as a wet day may very well turn sunny within hours: it rarely rains for long periods of time, even in the height of the monsoon season. Just pack an umbrella and enjoy.
This article includes opinions of the Go Guides editorial team. Hotels.com compensates authors for their writing appearing on this site; such compensation may include travel and other costs.