If you are thinking of visiting Phuket Thailand for a bit of diving or a bit of snorkeling in Phuket then you need to know when is the best time to come. Yes all over the internet there are ways to see when the rains come and when the monsoon season is. But even this changes from year to year.
However with a bit of planning you can get an awesome holiday in the middle of the high season when there are a lot less people. These weeks normally follow a busy time. So for example from mid December through Christmas and New Year places like Phuket are very busy. But then if you wait till mid January then normally the third week and forth week in Jan are a lot quieter. Many of the liveaboards to the similan islands are half empty. There will not be spaces on all trips but you tend to find that if you are slightly flexible then a 3-4 night trip to the similans is normally possible at very short notice. Then if you are not yet certified then there is space to do the PADI open water course Similans on a liveabaord too. Something which is much harder on a full boat. How do you like you holiday?? Thailand Divers much prefers the the nice empty beaches away from the masses.
Then again if you are looking to discover scuba diving phuket for the first time then you will have a far better experience if the boats are not crammed and the group sizes are much smaller. This way you will get far better instruction and " instructor time" as they will be not dealing with larger numbers. When learning to dive phuket then its far better to be able to relax on the sun deck between dives and drop into a calm blue ocean on a reef with more fish than divers. You have space to explore and above all enjoy the trips. The same can be said for the open water course phuket. The key is in deciding on which phuket dive center to choose. There are many phuket dive shops but always find one that does that little bit more as that just shows they are there to take care of all customers throughout their holiday and not just for diving. A good dive shop phuket is there for everyone.
Next we have Chinese New year again a week or ten days when the boats are full each day. Then after this comes a good month where there is amazing diving after the crowds have gone. February is an perfect time to visit. The snorkeling in phuket comes in to its own. Flat seas, fewer people and so much to see. The Phuket islands and surrounding area including the similan and surin islands are by far the best islands in Thailand. If you look up similan Thailand you will see that they are rated in the top ten dive destinations on the planet. Plus tours to places like James Bond island too. Just avoid the peak weeks and then you can have a an almost private trip if you are careful of the dates.
The same goes for the phuket hotel and phuket guest house selections too. There can be many a bargain at this time of year. The really popular places like patong beach have many large hotel groups here but if want a great deal then look for a patong beach hotel thats owned privately and if possible had a new owner in the last year. This way you normally get great service, new rooms and still at lower prices. The same goes for the guest house phuket market. If you look down a few side streets you can normally find a great little oasis, a real gem hidden from sight to most passers by. Also look at websites like Thailand Divers who offer more than just diving phuket. They will have a few good places that few other know about and at great prices too. Places that they use for their diving customers. People who go scuba diving Thailand like a great place to rest and relax in the evening after a full day on the ocean. Good food, plenty of comfort and above all a good price as they are really there to spend their money on the scuba diving Phuket has on offer.
So dont just worry about the ow season there is no reason you can not get a great bargain right in the middle of high season too. All you need to do is know who to ask. There is no need to pay top prices to get your own bit of Paradise in the best times of year too.