Asia’s top tropical island usually plays host to global travelers during high season from November to April. High season is the ideal time for sitting on a beach all day, when merely 12% cloud cover makes for an ultra hot sun and the ocean is flat. Phuket surf season is a somewhat different experience.
For a more adventurous experience, the following six months in Phuket consists of a “surf” season. This half of the year is also known to be “green” season for its vigorous plant growth resulting from periodic rains and heavy sun. From April to November, southwestern breezes make for an average of 25% cloud cover. The ocean is alive with glossy waves perfect for surfriders, as the island wakes-up to an invigorating transformation of nature’s elements.
Regardless of wetness during green season, Phuket really does experience an “Endless Summer” all year long. Every day brings enough blazing sun overhead for at least a morning or afternoon spent lounging on the sand. Best of all, in green season you may well be the only soul enjoying a particular section of the coastline. Therefore, green season is perfect for the utterly romantic, star gazers, and the adventurous surf tourists. They can be seen filling up every type of hotel for their surf safari high times. You will even see one or two with a huge longboard bolted to a special rack on their motorcycle, as they speed across the island to catch the next swell. A number of professional, sponsored surfers live in Kata year round.
Thanks to the influence of a southwestern air current, Kata Beach and Kata Noi (on the extreme southwest corner of the Malay-Peninsula) boast the best surfing in all of seafront Indochina which includes Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, & Malaysia. For six months, you will find ideal conditions with swells of up to two and three meters. The water is warm and the sands soft, rocks are NOT to be found in the water! With such fantastic conditions, surfers from all across Asia and the world bring their long and short boards. Boogie boards, and boards of all varieties can be found for rent here as well, including the increasingly popular “SUP” Stand Up Paddle boards. SUP boarding is perhaps the most enjoyable way to tone every little muscle in your body’s core. Lessons are available for any of these activities; moreover adrenaline junkies can find their parasailing and kite boarding adventures. Sponsored by Billabong and Quicksilver, Kata beach has been host to international surfing competitions and championships for over ten years, usually around May and September.
Phuket surf season welcomes a surprising array of unexpected, fun attractions. Follow this blog for a series of expert concierge articles about activities to enjoy in Phuket year-round. This incredible island manages to offer all the modern conveniences of a European metropolis, yet in the heart of exotic and tropical Asia. A paradise with everything from leading schools and academies, to world class medical facilities, shopping, sports facilities and gastronomy.