What to do on rainy days in Phuket?

A problem you will encounter when living on a tropical island is the limited options as far as entertainment. I have always complained about the lack of cultural events on Phuket. Indeed, very few art exhibitions, plays or concerts come along our little corner of paradise.

Phuket’s climate goes as follow: dry season, monsoon, dry season, monsoon. During rainy season, there are days when you are more than happy indulging in cocooning at home, snacking on local treats and enjoying the breeze coming through the windows. You may even want to wear those jeans moulding in your closet, or a nice cozy scarf around your neck! Such a novelty! If you are anxious to get out of the house, however, here are your options.

A storm is on its way! Run for cover!

Bars

One way to drown your sorrows while the rain is pouring down: drinking! Phuket is known for its nightlife and there are plenty of bars for all wallets and styles! Go-go bars and ladyboy cabarets are quite a sight in Patong’s Bangla Road. Funky jazz bars and small themed drinking holes are found all around Phuket Town. Expat-filled pubs in Chalong can make you feel at home. Posh beach clubs are scattered around Surin Beach – make sure to dress up! After being greeted by the famous Thai  ‘’Hello welcome!’’, you can choose from oversized buckets, cold local beers or sweet cocktails and forget about monsoon until you stumble back out on the street with a cheap poncho or an umbrella if you’re lucky! Now good luck with negotiating a taxi back home!

The classic outfit of any person in Phuket when it rains: 7 Eleven poncho!

Patong's Bangla Road - anything goes!

Fill a bucket with alcohol... why not?!

Cinema

Phuket has two major cinemas which are very comfortable and affordable (on average 180 baht per ticket). SF Cinema City is located in Patong while SFX Coliseum Cinema is on the edge of Kathu and Phuket Town. About 3 or 4 western films are shown at the time and change every week, although major blockbusters stay on for a while. You can choose from normal seats to double lazy boy sofas. One thing which doesn’t change is the King Royal Anthem sang at the start of every movie. Everyone is expected to stand and pay respect. It is a very unique experience.

Shopping Malls

There are two big malls where you can show till you drop, drink your Starbucks coffee and forget you’re on an island. Jung Ceylon in Patong has it all: restaurants, food court, massage parlours and extra cold aircon, the ladder being quite inconvenient when you are wet from the monsoon! Central Shopping Mall has all the bells and whistles, as well as an upscale supermarket and delicious bakery. Both malls only open at 11am and have large underground parking space.

Massage

Another nice treat on a rainy day is to get a Thai massage or other spa beauty treatment. They are so shockingly cheap in Phuket that it is barely a luxury anymore. I haven’t found that price is relative to good service as far as massages go. You can have an amazing experience in a small, basic massage parlour on a back street, or a terrible one at a fantastic upscale spa. Trial and error is all I can suggest, and when you found that one excellent spot, ask for your masseurs’ name, memorize it, and go back again and again!

Getting a pedicure, one of the many luxuries I have succumbed to in Thailand. 150 baht! So cheap!

To sum it up, apart from drinking and spending money, there isn’t a whole lot to do when it rains in Phuket! So grab a book, wear your warm clothes and enjoy!