Seasons in Phuket & the Andaman coast
The rain runs May to November
Which part of the country
It is rainy season in Phuket & the Andaman coast right now, and it runs May to November. The rain tends to come hard and short rather than all day, and it stays warm through it — so the thing to bring is a shell you can fold into a day bag, not a coat.
Going in February
The dry, calm half of the year and the reason the coast is busy — flat sea, reliable sun and hot afternoons.
What this means for your bag
Real sun protection
High-factor sunscreen, a hat with a brim and sunglasses. Reef-safe sunscreen is worth buying before you go — it is expensive and hard to find at the beach.
See the Beach & Pool Kit packQuick-dry fabrics
Cotton takes two days to dry in this air and starts to smell before it does. Synthetics and merino wash in a sink and are wearable by morning.
See the Summer Sun Kit packRoom for humidity
Everything stays slightly damp. Pack fewer clothes and plan to wash them, and keep anything that must stay dry in a sealed bag.
See the Summer Sun Kit packA bottle you will actually refill
Heat like this needs far more water than you think. A filter bottle also spares you buying a plastic bottle every two hours.
See the Health & Wellness pack
Build a packing plan around the season you are actually travelling in.