10 Things to Do in Phuket in August

The Thai island of Phuket is home to a number of must-see tourist destinations: viewpoints with breathtaking views, traditional markets, shopping malls, stunning natural areas, museums, cultural shows and more. Then there is the priceless architectural heritage, reflected in the temples and buildings scattered throughout the streets of the old town.

During your visit in August, you can feel like a local by celebrating the Hungry Ghost Festival and Queen Dowager Sirikit's birthday. You'll also have the chance to hike to the Kathu Waterfalls, or visit the famous upside-down house, among other great things to do in Phuket.

If your visit to Phuket coincides with the last week of August, then you can join the Hungry Ghost Festival. This is a religious celebration held annually by the locals, who prepare some traditional dishes to feed their deceased ancestors, who visit the earth on this day.

To enjoy this celebration like a local, you should visit one of the Buddhist temples on the island. For example, the Jui Tui Shrine, a 14th century Buddhist temple; the Wat-Chalong Temple, whose façade is covered with thousands of crystals, among others.

In any of these temples, you will see how the faithful offer cakes in the shape of turtles to the deceased. They also light three sticks of incense and bow in their honour.

In addition to witnessing this atmosphere of respect and religiosity, you can explore the respective temple and learn about its history and discover its architectural and scenic beauty. Afterwards, you can continue with other activities on your itinerary: go shopping, join a Thai cooking class in Phuket, etc.

Queen Dowager Sirikit is considered the mother of the Thai nation, so her birthday (12 August) corresponds to Mother's Day throughout the country. If you are in Phuket during this date, you can enjoy the high level events held at the temples.

This is a very important celebration in Phuket and throughout Thailand. From early in the morning, the streets of the island are decorated with jasmine garlands and blue flags, which is the colour of the queen. Also, throughout the day, you can enjoy some traditional parades in the streets of Phuket Town.

And, if you head to places like Jui Tui Shrine Temple, Wat Chalong Temple, Wat Wichit Sangkaram, Karon Temple, Wat Doi Thep Nimit Monastery, among others, you will see Buddhists and Thais worshipping the Queen Dowager. In these religious precincts, you will be surrounded by an atmosphere of celebration: traditional music, dances, fireworks and more.

At the end of this experience, you can continue discovering Thai culture. In this sense, a good option is to take a food tour of Phuket at your own pace in the island's day and night markets.

The sunny and clear days of August should not only be spent visiting the paradisiacal beaches and natural areas of the island, but you can also take advantage of these good weather conditions to walk around the old town of Phuket, enjoying its picturesque streets and important architectural heritage. You will be able to enjoy its picturesque streets and important architectural heritage.

During this panoramic walk, you will enjoy the Sino-Portuguese architecture, which dominates the buildings on this side of the island. You will find a real visual spectacle in each façade, which is full of detail and colour.

Amongst some of the historic buildings in the old town, you will see the following:

• The Police Station, located at the intersection of Phuket Road and Phang Nga Road. The building was erected in 1910 and is notable for its clock tower.
• The Kian Nguan Mining Copany building on Dibuk Road, formerly known as the island's mining company headquarters.
• The Standard Chartered Bank; this was the island's first bank and today, inside, you'll find the Peranakan Museum or Baba Museum, dedicated to the culture of the island's Chinese emigrants.

Also, if you take a look at the corner of Thalang Road and Rommanii, you'll discover the street art of a couple of Thai artists, Alex Face and Rukkit. You can't help but take a picture next to these murals. Without a doubt, the Old Town is a destination worth visiting, whether you do it on your own or join a guided tour of Phuket.

Although August in Phuket is the rainy season, the heat on the island is a constant weather condition. Therefore, during your stay of 1 to 5 days in Phuket or more, you should stop by one of the local ice cream parlours to refresh your palate.

You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to ice cream parlours, just take a stroll through the streets of the island's old town. For example, Thaivetro Ice Cream, Ice World Phuket, Manzoni Ice Cream, Lucky Scoops Phuket, Always Summer Coconut Icecream, among others.

No matter which ice cream parlour you enter, you'll be amazed by the variety of flavours and presentations offered to soothe the heat. You will find lemon, mango, hazelnut, chocolate, creamy coconut, and the popular rice and mango ice creams, among many others. You will also have the opportunity to try some iced drinks: coffee, green tea, etc.

After recharging your batteries and refreshing yourself, you can continue exploring the island. Perhaps visit the Great Buddha Maravija, whose structure dominates the island's landscape, go to Cape Promthep to watch the sunset or return to the hotel to connect with the transfer service to Phuket airport if it's your last day in town.

Although Phuket in August is a rainy place, during the month you'll get several days with plenty of sunshine and clear skies, ideal for hiking activities. A good place to visit within minutes of the island is the Kathu Waterfalls, where you can enjoy a magical natural setting.

You will need to travel to the Kathu district on a route of at least 29 minutes by car from the centre of Phuket. Upon arrival, the real adventure begins. This is a walking circuit of approximately 1.8 kilometres, which will take you through a wooded region with vegetation and wildlife.

The route of this trail requires very little effort, so it is an activity aimed at people of any age, being ideal if you are in Phuket with children, as they will have fun in a safe environment and breathe fresh air.

Once at the waterfall, you will be amazed with this small fall of crystal clear water, which flows through a series of rocks, creating a staggered effect. You can take photographs, enjoy the tranquillity of the place and even dive into this natural pool to cool off.

If you want to spend a different kind of day in Phuket, away from the heat or unexpected rain that characterises August, you should visit the Jungceylon Shopping Centre. This is a must-visit leisure destination, where you can also take advantage of the seasonally low prices to do some shopping.

At this large shopping mall on Patong's Bangla Road, in addition to browsing the dozens of shops with all kinds of products and visiting the food bazaar with traditional gourmet and street food restaurants, you can enjoy the daily fountain show. This takes place between 9am and 9pm, specifically in the mall's central courtyard.

You'll see a large wooden pirate ship as a backdrop for the fountains. The water jets rise and fall to the rhythm of the music for a few minutes. You will be able to take amazing pictures, especially if you are in this Phuket mall at night, as the show is complemented by a lighting system.

Your 3-day itinerary in Phuket or longer during August is not complete without a magical sunset from the Karon Viewpoint. You'll be amazed at the melting pot of warm colours that forms on the horizon in this month, due to the sky being kept clear by the 7.75 kilometres per hour monsoon winds generally recorded.

This tourist destination is about 40 minutes' drive from central Phuket. Access is free and the climb to the top of the viewpoint is signposted. Just check the weather forecast beforehand and select a clear, rain-free day to make the most of the experience.

Once at the viewpoint, you will have a full panoramic view of the three beaches: Karon, Kata and Kata Noi. You will also see the Pacific Ocean and the island' s lush vegetation. All this, bathed in the last rays of the sun, which break through the low cloud cover and create a picturesque landscape.

Phuket in August is not just about beaches and cultural destinations, as the island is also home to entertainment venues such as the Upside Down House, which will amaze you with its ingenious and fun architectural concept. Take shelter from the sun and the seasonal rains and discover the inner world of an unconventional home.

This 13-metre high upside-down house is located about 15 minutes' drive from the centre of Phuket. When you arrive, the first thing you'll notice is that the roof is touching the ground, so you'll have to enter through the roof. You will feel like you are walking on the roof towards the second and first floor respectively, as everything is inverted.

Inside you will see all kinds of furniture in each of the rooms (living room, bathroom, bedrooms, kitchen, etc). You will also see lamps, decorative paintings, mirrors, curtains, electrical appliances and more. No doubt, in any corner of this house you will be able to take amazing photographs, where nothing is what it seems.

Afterwards, you can stroll through the garden area where you will find a 1000 square metre labyrinth, designed by the British architect Adrian Fisher. And, to end the adventure, you will have the opportunity to take part in an escape game in one of the rooms.

Information of interest

• Price: around 12€ per person.
• Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 18:00.

During the month of August, you will find a wide variety of seasonal tropical fruits in Phuket. Visit the Central Market in this region and buy some fresh fruits and other produce, brought every morning directly from the local orchards and jungle area of the island.

This food market is located on Ranong Road or the shopping street on the west side of the island. It is a picturesque and lively place, frequented daily by locals and tourists who, like you, are in search of new aromas and flavours.

You can visit the market on your own or through a guided tour of Phuket. Either way, you will find dozens of stalls inside the building with fruits, seafood, vegetables, spices, traditional foods ready to eat, etc.

Among the fruits you can buy are coconut, pineapple, mango and strawberry. Exotic fruits such as Keo Mangkon (dragon fruit), malacoo (papaya), frang (guava), among others. You can also get some preserves made from these fruits.

Don't let the monsoon winds of August stop you from taking advantage of the scenic beauty and warm waters of the island's paradise beaches. During this month you can take a stroll along Panwa Beach, as it is sheltered from the winds and therefore the waves are very gentle and safe.

Once on this beach, you can walk along the long white sandy shore and dive into the calm turquoise waters, which reach an average temperature of 29ºC during August. In addition, if you wish, you will have the opportunity to rent the necessary equipment for snorkelling and, why not, hire an instructor to teach you the basic techniques of this sport.

Although this beach does not have a red flag, before visiting you should check the weather forecast in Phuket. This way, you will avoid any inconveniences.

August temperatures in Phuket tend to average a high of 32ºC and a low of 25ºC, being one of the hot months of the so-called monsoon season, which runs from mid-May to the end of October in Phuket.

During this month, you can expect up to a maximum of 19 rainy days, corresponding to 286 millilitres. The seawater temperature averages 29°C and the predicted UV index is 12, so you need to stay protected to avoid heat stroke.

If you are planning to visit Phuket in August, you should be aware that the island has a very low tourist influx during this month. This is because it is monsoon season, so you will experience several days of rain and high temperatures.

However, these weather conditions are favourable, as you will have no problem buying tickets to the island's shows and attractions. You will also be able to visit temples, beaches, markets and other tourist destinations without the crowds that are common during the dry season, i.e. from the beginning of November in Phuket until the first days of May.