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, breathtaking natural areas, museums, cultural shows, etc. In addition, there is the priceless architectural legacy, 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 the birthday of Queen Dowager Sirikit. 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 during this day visit the earth.

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

In any of these precincts, 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 honor.

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 of 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 (August 12) 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. Therefore, from early in the morning you will see the streets of the island decorated with jasmine garlands and blue flags, which is the color of the queen. Also, throughout the day, you can enjoy some traditional parades in the streets of Phuket Town.

And, if you go 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 sites, 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 gastronomic 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 dedicated to visit the paradisiacal beaches and natural areas of the island, you can also take advantage of these good weather conditions to walk around the old town of Phuket. You will be able to enjoy its picturesque streets and important architectural legacy.

During this panoramic walk, you will enjoy the Chinese-Portuguese architecture, which predominates in the buildings on this side of the island. You will find a true visual spectacle in each facade, which is loaded with details and lots of color.

Among 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 first bank of the island and, at present, in its interior you will find the Peranakan Museum or Baba Museum, dedicated to show the culture of the Chinese emigrants of the island.

Also, if you take a look at the corner of Thalang Road and Rommanii, you will discover the street art of a couple of Thai artists, Alex Face and Rukkit. You won't be able to avoid taking a picture next to those 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 make a stop at one of the local ice cream parlors to refresh your palate.

You will have many choices when it comes to ice cream parlors, just take a stroll through the streets of the old town of the island. 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 parlor you enter, you will be amazed by the variety of flavors and presentations offered to soothe the heat. You will find lemon ice cream, mango, hazelnut, chocolate, creamy coconut, the popular rice with mango, 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, in case it is your last day in the city.

Although Phuket in August is a rainy place, during the month you will get several days with plenty of sunshine and clear skies, ideal for hiking activities. A good place a few minutes away from the island is the Kathu Waterfalls, where you will enjoy a magical natural environment.

You will have to travel to the Kathu district on a route of at least 29 minutes by car from the center of Phuket. Upon arrival, the real adventure begins. It is a walking circuit of approximately 1.8 kilometers, 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 pictures, enjoy the tranquility of the place and even dive into this natural pool to cool off.

If you want to spend a different day in Phuket, away from the heat or unexpected rains that characterize the month of August, you should visit the Jungceylon shopping center. This is an unmissable leisure destination, where you can also take advantage of the seasonally low prices to do some shopping.

In this large shopping mall on Patong's Bangla Road, in addition to browsing the dozens of stores 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 9:00 am and 9:00 pm, specifically in the mall's central courtyard.

You will 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 will be amazed with the melting pot of warm colors that forms on the horizon in this month, due to the sky being kept clear by the generally recorded monsoon winds of 7.75 kilometers per hour.

This tourist destination is about a 40-minute drive from downtown Phuket. Access is free and the ascent 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 lookout point, you will have a complete panoramic view of the three beaches: Karon, Kata and Kata Noi. You will also see the Pacific Ocean and all the surroundings of the island with its lush vegetation. All this, bathed by the last rays of the sun, which pierce the little cloudiness and create a picturesque landscape.

Phuket in August is not only beaches and cultural destinations, as on the island you will also find entertainment venues such as the Upside Down House, which will surprise you with its ingenious and fun architectural concept. Take shelter from the sun and the seasonal rains and discover the inner world of a home that escapes the conventional.

This upside-down house of 13 meters high is located about 15 minutes drive from the center of Phuket. Upon arrival, 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 that you are walking on the roof towards the second and second 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, appliances and more. Undoubtedly, in any corner of this house you can take amazing pictures, where nothing is what it seems.

Then, you can walk through the garden area where there is a maze of 1000 square meters, designed by the British Adrian Fisher. And, to end the adventure, you will have the opportunity to participate 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 hours.

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, crowded daily by locals and tourists who, like you, are in search of new aromas and flavors.

You can visit the market on your own or through a guided tour of Phuket. In any case, you will find inside the building dozens of stalls with fruits, seafood, vegetables, spices, traditional foods ready to taste, 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. In addition, you will get some preserves prepared with 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 paradisiacal beaches. During this month you can take a stroll along Panwa Beach, since it is protected from the winds and, therefore, the waves are very gentle and safe.

Once on this beach, you can walk along its long white sandy shore and dive into its 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 snorkeling 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 inconveniences.

Temperatures in August in Phuket usually record an average high of 32°C and an average low of 25°C, 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 milliliters. The seawater temperature averages 29°C and the predicted UV index is 12, and you need to stay protected to avoid heat stroke.

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

However, these weather conditions are favorable, since you will not have problems to buy tickets to shows or attractions on the island. You will also be able to visit temples, beaches, markets, among other tourist destinations, without the annoying crowds of people that are common in the dry season, that is, from the beginning of November in Phuket until the first days of May.