Phuket High Season Prices for Flights Hotels and Patong Nightlife
I intended to be at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 8:00, and I was only one minute late. My Vietjet Airways flight to Phuket was scheduled for 10:25. Domestic flights can be delayed, but check-in was quick. I like flying with Vietjet Airways because it departs from Suvarnabhumi Airport.
The airport was extremely busy. The lively queues, gates and restaurants made it clear that the beginning of the high season had arrived. At 8:00 in the morning, KFC was open, but I wanted coffee. “Cappuccino?” I asked. Only black coffee was available.
Last time, the flight cost 1,600 Thai baht. This time, I booked it for 2,600 Thai baht. The price mattered less than the atmosphere because my previous trip was during the rainy low season. Rain had stopped us from enjoying the beach and boat trips, so I hoped the October weather would be better. The weather outside Phuket Airport looked perfect, although the terminal itself was freezing. “Let’s go to Phuket.”
Arriving in Phuket and Getting to Patong
At the airport, the posted transport prices were 100 Thai baht to Phuket Town, 180 Thai baht to Patong, 200 Thai baht to Kata and 200 Thai baht to Karon. My advice is to go outside, where there are lots of offers. The Smart Bus was already there, with more buses waiting outside.
The weather was completely different from my last visit. Instead of a depressing rainy day, Phuket was hot and bright. I took transportation toward Patong, where the bus stop was close to my hotel and Jungceylon. The location put me right in the middle of the action.
Sleep With Me Patong Hotel Price and Room
The hotel was Sleep With Me, and my room was in building A, room 312. It was ready early. The room was small, cozy and clean, with a balcony, a bed, a little kitchenette, a coffee machine, a refrigerator and two complimentary bottles of water. The bed was not soft, but it was comfortable enough. Most beds in Thailand are a little hard.
The bathroom was very clean, and the balcony had chairs and a view over the busy area. The hotel is basic rather than luxurious, but I like it because the location is excellent. There was also a rooftop pool with views toward Bangla Road and Amata Patong. You need a key card to move between the floors, and the room included three days of free internet.
I booked Sleep With Me Patong for 1,000 Thai baht. Because the weather was hot and sunny, I also needed a hat and sunglasses. For an affordable hotel in the middle of Patong, the combination of price and location worked well for this trip.
Patong Beach Vibes at the Start of High Season
I ate at PS Hotel Restaurant, one of my favorite restaurants in the area. The food was good and the prices were affordable. After the meal, I walked toward Patong Beach, which is one of the best things to do after eating.
The difference from the rainy low season was obvious. The beach chairs and umbrellas were back, the bars and pubs were becoming active, and the sand was no longer empty. At the beginning of the high season, the good times had started and the beach atmosphere felt lively again.
Patong is one of the busiest places in Phuket for people who enjoy hustle, bustle and nightlife. It is not the only option, though. Surin, Kata Beach and Kamala offer different atmospheres, and Phuket has much more to offer beyond Patong.
Jungceylon Shopping and Bangla Road at Night
In Jungceylon, I found swimming suits priced at 299 and 399 Thai baht, along with polo shirts and discounts of 50 to 70 percent. One item marked at 1,200 Thai baht with a 60 percent sale worked out at almost 400 Thai baht. If you cannot find what you want in Jungceylon, Robinson also has promotions nearby.
I eventually bought a colorful item for 650 Thai baht. It had good quality and the original price was 2,500 Thai baht. There were also 50 percent promotions, with Halloween at the end of the month. Shopping in Patong is not the best in Phuket, but the discounts made this visit more enjoyable than my last one.
By 9:30, it was time to check the night atmosphere. Bangla Road was busy even though it was still early, and the pubs and bars were almost full. The bars, drinks and parties may look familiar, but the atmosphere changes with the season. Compared with the empty rainy-season visit, Patong was clearly busier, brighter and ready for high season.
Phuket Airport Security and Carry-On Weight
After four busy days in Phuket, I returned to Phuket Airport for a domestic flight to Bangkok. My flight was scheduled for 1:35 p.m., and the airport was already busy with high-season travellers.
When a carry-on bag is heavy, removing the laptop before the bag is weighed can reduce its weight. I took my laptop and cameras out before passing through security, then packed everything again afterwards.
Phuket High Season Crowds and Weather
Phuket was extremely crowded at the beginning of the high season. The crowds were not limited to Patong, Walking Street, or Patong Beach. Central Phuket was also busy.
The weather was excellent and the atmosphere was lively. Anyone visiting during this period should expect more tourists in the main beach, shopping, and nightlife areas, which may not suit travellers who prefer quiet places.
Affordable Domestic Flights to Bangkok
Domestic flights were still affordable even as the high season began. My flight from Phuket to Bangkok cost only 2,600 Thai Baht.
The flight was delayed by around 35 minutes. After arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport, I also noticed that the air conditioning inside the terminal felt extremely cold.
Suvarnabhumi Airport High Season Arrivals
The domestic flight area at Suvarnabhumi Airport was busy, and the international arrivals area also had large crowds. The airport activity matched what I had seen in Phuket.
At the time of the trip, Thailand was only at the beginning of the high season. The airports, tourist areas, and shopping centres were already becoming more active ahead of November, December, and January.
Seacon Square on the MRT Yellow Line
After leaving the airport, I used public transport and took the MRT Yellow Line as dark clouds and thunder suggested that Bangkok was not yet ready to leave the rainy season behind.
Seacon Square is beside Suan Luang Rama IX Station and has direct access from the station. It is outside the most famous tourist areas, but it is a large and useful shopping centre that many visitors overlook.
