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Hey island crew,
Happy New Year 2026 🎉🌴
The fireworks have fizzled, the glitter’s still hiding in your flip-flops, and now we’re in the good part — where midnight promises meet real life. More sunrise beach walks. Fewer “just one more” street snacks. Maybe even a few Thai words beyond sa-wat-dee-krap.
This weekend is a fresh page, Phuket-style. Sun up, sea warm, excuses low. Let’s play it well.
WEATHER IN PHUKET
Mostly sunny days, warm tropical nights 🌤️
30–32°C through the week, with a cheeky thunderstorm popping in now and then. 🌴⚡
- Weather: Classic high-season sunshine around 30-32°C. Sunscreen isn’t optional today.
- Roads: Patong and Kata are busy as New Year visitors stretch their stays.
- Season: Peak high season mode. Book ahead or be flexible.
- Heads up: Many government offices remain closed until Monday for the extended New Year holiday.
SPONSORED BY SKOOT
Scootering in Phuket should feel freeing, not mildly stressful. That’s where Skoot comes in. It’s Thailand’s only scooter rental marketplace, built to fix the stuff everyone quietly worries about: sketchy deposits, unclear damage claims, and passport drama.
With Skoot, you book through the app, choose from thousands of vetted local scooters, and ride under standardised rental terms. Deposits are held safely by Skoot (not random shops), insurance is included, and passport holds are optional. Prices stay fair, delivery is available, and if anything gets weird, Skoot steps in. Calm restored.
How it works: download the app, create an account, book a scooter, verify your ID, show your QR code, and go. That’s it. No awkward negotiations. No island roulette.
If scooters are part of your Phuket life, this is the grown-up way to do it.
🛵 Phuket Scootering Tips (so you don’t get humbled)
Scooters are the island’s unofficial public transport. They’re also the island’s most common “how did that happen?” story. Here’s the practical stuff that keeps your weekend fun, not expensive.
- Helmet = non-negotiable. Wear it every ride, even for “two minutes to 7-Eleven”.
- Do a 60-second check: brakes, lights, horn, tires, mirrors. If something feels off, swap bikes.
- Photo everything: take quick pics of existing scratches before you leave. Your future self will thank you.
- Assume nobody sees you. Especially at junctions and when cars turn left across your lane.
- Rain = ice mode. Painted lines, puddles, and metal covers get slippery fast. Slow down early, brake gently.
- Night rides: keep extra distance. Some roads are dark, and surprise potholes love the spotlight.
- Carry your licence/ID. If you’re visiting, bring what you normally use plus a photo backup on your phone.
- Insurance matters. Ask what’s included and what isn’t. “Covered” and “actually covered” can be different things.
- Park smart: follow signs, avoid blocking driveways, and if a place looks like “no scooter zone”… it probably is.
Golden rule: ride like you’re protecting your holiday, your bones, and your future beach days. Because you are.
TOP STORIES FROM THE ISLAND & KINGDOM
Phuket officials have trialled a boat taxi route connecting Phuket International Airport to Patong Beach, aiming to dodge road congestion and cut travel time to around 40 minutes. The test focused on safety, capacity, and whether sea routes could become a real alternative during peak traffic. If it works, more coastal stops could follow.
Read the full story →Gold prices bounced back after a brief sell-off, putting the metal on track for its best yearly performance since 1979. Ongoing geopolitical tension and economic uncertainty are keeping investors cautious and gold firmly in favour as 2025 wraps up.
Read the full story →Firefighters responded early Tuesday morning after a blaze broke out at the well-known Moulin Rouge club on Bangla Road. The fire was brought under control, with authorities investigating the cause. No serious injuries were reported.
More details →Phuket City Municipality has rolled out free open-top electric bus tours, offering locals and visitors a relaxed new way to explore Phuket Town. The eco-friendly buses begin operating this week, adding a fresh, zero-emissions option to the city’s transport mix.
Full report →Thailand’s tourism sector shrank in 2025 for the first time since the pandemic, as safety concerns, global uncertainty, and shifting travel patterns continued to weigh on visitor confidence. Industry leaders warn that a full rebound may take longer than expected.
What’s changing →FUN FACT
Sabai Sabai: The Art of Not Hurrying
If you’ve ever wondered why things here move at their own gentle pace, meet the unspoken national philosophy: sabai sabai. There’s no real Thai phrase for a “tight schedule,” because urgency just… isn’t the point. Life flows softer here. Time bends. Everyone collectively agrees that rushing rarely improves the outcome.
Sabai sabai doesn’t mean lazy. It means balanced. It’s choosing calm over chaos, patience over pressure, and trusting that most things will happen when they’re meant to. Lunch runs long. Meetings start when everyone arrives. Traffic is accepted, not fought.
Once you lean into it, something clicks. Your shoulders drop. Your breath slows. Suddenly, Phuket feels less like a place you’re navigating and more like one you’re living in.
Sabai sabai isn’t about doing less — it’s about doing life better. 🌺
Sabai Sabai Tips — The Art of Not Hurrying 🌿
Want to enjoy Thailand more (and stress less)? Sabai sabai is a vibe, but it’s also a skill. Here’s how to live it in real life:
- Pad your plans: If something “starts at 10,” quietly assume 10:15–10:30 and bring patience instead of panic.
- Ask once, then relax: Calm follow-ups beat urgent chasing. Gentle wins here.
- Flow with traffic: Leave early, expect delays, and treat the road like weather — not a personal insult.
- Match the room’s energy: If everyone’s moving slowly, slow down too. Sabai sabai is a shared rhythm.
- Smile first, solve second: A relaxed smile opens more doors than a tight deadline ever will.
- Plan less, notice more: Some of Phuket’s best moments happen when nothing is scheduled. Let them.
Phuket bonus: When you stop trying to “win” the day, you start actually enjoying it. That’s sabai sabai.
LIVING IN PHUKET
How to Make Change Stick This Year
New year, new intentions… same old problem? If your resolutions usually evaporate by February, here’s a gentler, smarter way forward — and it fits island life perfectly.
Behavioral scientist Dr. Katy Milkman says willpower isn’t the issue. Motivation is. The trick is something she calls temptation bundling: pairing something you should do with something you love.
Only listen to your favourite podcast while walking the beach.
Only watch that guilty-pleasure series while stretching or cleaning.
Only enjoy your best playlist when you’re at the gym.
Suddenly, the habit stops feeling like a chore and starts feeling like a treat. You’re not forcing change — you’re inviting it in.
In Phuket, where life already moves softer, this works beautifully. Less pressure. More pleasure. And habits that actually last past January.
Trying harder rarely works.
Making it enjoyable almost always does. 🌺
Let’s be real: island life doesn’t automatically equal healthy. Humidity softens your discipline, pad thai lurks on every corner, and “just one more beer” becomes a lifestyle. January, though, is reset season. Here’s how to build habits that actually work on Phuket time.
| ✅ Do: Lock in morning workouts (6–8am) before the heat takes over. Muay Thai in Rawai or the 7am yoga crew at Nai Harn are solid bets. |
| ❌ Avoid: Gyms without proper aircon. One session in, motivation out. Also skip the “miracle detox” pitches. Eat vegetables, drink water, keep your baht. |
| 💡 Local Hack: Fresh markets like Banzaan open around 6am with excellent produce. Shop early, cook at home, and watch your monthly spend shrink. |
| 🏥 Clinics to know: Bangkok Hospital Phuket for serious issues, Phuket International Hospital for expat-friendly care, and local clinics (Dibuk, etc.) for everyday needs at a fraction of the cost. |
ASTROLOGY
🌟 The Road Ahead: Astrology for All Signs in 2026
If 2025 felt like floating, drifting, or quietly recalibrating… 2026 is the year the universe hands you the steering wheel and says: your turn.
With Saturn stepping into bold Aries and Pluto settling into future-focused Aquarius, the message is clear across all zodiac signs: less waiting, more choosing.
OUT & ABOUT
Press pause at Paradox Spa, Karon 🌿
If your body’s still carrying December, this is your sign. The spa at Paradox Phuket is a proper exhale moment. Think private salas tucked into tropical gardens, expert hands, and treatments that actually do the work. Thai massage, aroma, deep tissue, coconut scrubs, after-sun recovery. No rush, no noise, just calm done right. Couples packages are especially good if you want to disappear together for a few hours.
Before: Start slow with a beach walk along Karon Beach or a late breakfast nearby. Salt air first, always.
After: Drift into sunset drinks or an easy dinner in Karon. You’ll be loose, glowing, and pleasantly useless.
Open daily, last treatment at 6pm. More info here.
Quick fact check for your 2026 morning-hero era: Promthep Cape is real, wildly loved, and mostly famous for sunset. That part is not up for debate. (See the classic overview on Tourism Thailand.)
Sunrise, though? It’s not the island’s most “official” Promthep move (guides don’t hype it the way they do sunset), but it’s a totally legit play if you want soft morning light and fewer humans doing tripod ballet. Think: calm, breezy, quietly dramatic.
- Sunrise time: Early January in Phuket is typically around 6:28–6:40am. You can check the exact daily times here: Promthep sunrise/sunset table.
- Parking: There’s a public car park at the viewpoint. Generally free, and mornings are usually kinder than sunset hour.
- Reality check: “Best sunrise spot” isn’t a widely documented Promthep thing. This is more of a locals-and-early-risers vibe than a guidebook headline.
Phuket verdict: if you want a New Year reset that feels like a brain reboot, try it once. Pack coffee, bring a friend who also made questionable alarm-clock decisions, and let the sky do its slow colour-change magic.
WHAT’S HAPPENING - UPCOMING EVENTS
If your calendar’s feeling empty, we’ve got you. These are the island’s standout events this week, spanning nightlife, food, culture, and everything in between.
Got a beach party, workshop, open mic, or community jam?
Tell us about it and we might feature it → Submit here
COMMUNITY CORNER
What’s your biggest island resolution for 2026? Learning Thai? Actually using your gym membership? Finally doing that Phi Phi day trip? Hit reply and tell us. We’ll round up the best answers in next week’s edition.
Got an event, opening, or story tip? Tag @phuketcommunity_com or submit here → Google forms. We feature the best submissions every edition.
Know someone planning their Phuket weekend? Drop this into your Facebook feed and be the helpful one.
Got value from this? Forward it to someone who needs their island intel. They can subscribe at phuketcommunity.beehiiv.com/subscribe.
That’s it for this week. January is about building a life in Phuket that actually feels good — moving your body, eating well, resting properly, and understanding the practical realities of staying longer. Enjoy the weekend, take care of yourself, and we’ll see you next week.
— The Phuket Community Team 🌴
