🌧️ How Locals Survive Rainy Season in Phuket - #38 | June 5, 2025

Hey Phuket People,

Ready for your weekly scoop of sunshine, stories, and island finds? 🌺
We’re bringing you the best of Phuket — from cosy corners and cool events to local legends and little surprises you won’t find on Google Maps.

Think of us as your laid-back guide to life on the island — every Thursday, no stress, all vibes.

This week’s highlights:

• ☔ FEATURE READ: Millie Johnson’s hilarious, heartfelt take on surviving her first Phuket rainy season. Floods, mould, toddler chaos — and a few genius hacks.

• 🍰 RAINY DAY GEM: MONDO Espresso & Tea Bar, Old Town — moody, minimal, and made for misty mornings. Don’t skip the banana cake.

• 🏗️ SPOTTED: HOMA’s building big in Chalong. New co-living space = café crowd incoming. (Is Soi Ta-iad next?)

• 🌧️ ISLAND TIP: Why umbrellas don’t work here (spoiler: wind). Get the poncho. Trust us.

• 💬 YOUR SAY: Where’s your go-to rainy day escape? Vote in our Instagram poll or reply to be featured next week!

Let’s dive in 👇

✍️ FEATURE ARTICLE OF THE WEEK

How I Survived My First Phuket Rainy Season

by Millie Johnson

When we moved to Phuket, I had zero clue what “wet season” actually meant.
Spoiler: it’s not cute drizzle. It’s thunder that shakes your teeth and laundry that never dries.

But here’s what happened next — the mess, the mould, and the unexpected magic.

In this one:

• Flooded flip-flops & scooter fails (plus what actually works)

• How rainy season tested my patience... and my parenting

• Real-life hacks: poncho picks, towel piles, mould prevention

• Where we found calm when everything felt soggy

I wrote it like I’d tell a friend over a coffee — just with a damp toddler on my hip.

☔ Read the full survival story here →
How I Survived My First Phuket Rainy Season

Bring a towel. And maybe a backup poncho.

🥢 HIDDEN GEM OF THE WEEK

MONDO Espresso & Tea Bar – Phuket Old Town

📍 Google Maps | Instagram

There’s nothing like good coffee on a rainy day.
And MONDO hits different when it’s drizzling outside.

This minimalist café in a vintage Sino-Portuguese building is your go-to rainy season refuge — especially the third-floor balcony, where you can sip something warm (or iced!) while watching the mist roll through Old Town’s colorful streets.

☕ Thai specialty beans, creamy lattes, rich Basque cheesecake — it’s a vibe.

📸 Big plus: the view’s great, the light’s soft, and the whole place is photo-worthy.
Whether you're journaling, catching up with a friend, or just escaping the downpour, MONDO is a calm little pocket of joy.

🕒 Open daily, 8:30am–9:00pm
🐌 Best enjoyed: early mornings or lazy afternoons

🍰 Rainy day order: Iced Americano + Banana Cake + third-floor seat = bliss.

💬 SPOTTED IN THE COMMUNITY

🏗️ New HOMA Rising in Chalong

Construction is underway for a new HOMA co-living complex just off the cut-through road behind Villa Market Chalong. With hundreds of new rooms incoming, the quiet little soi is about to get a whole lot busier — especially for nearby cafés like Island and Cozy Corner by Poached.

Rumour has it another HOMA might be landing in Soi Ta-iad, too… 👀

HOMA blends modern living with a community-first mindset — and they’re making moves across Phuket.

👉 Learn more about HOMA

📍 ISLAND LIFE TIP

Rainy Season Essentials: What Every Expat Learns Too Late 🌧️

Why a rain poncho > umbrella — and yes, we’re serious.

Ever tried crossing Dibuk Road in a monsoon with an umbrella?
You end up half-wet, half-angry, and the wind just flips your brolly inside out like a sad flower.

We’ve all been there. Here’s the truth no one tells you when you move here:

☔ Umbrellas don’t cut it in Phuket.

Not when it rains sideways.
Not when you're on a scooter.
Not when you’re juggling a 7-Eleven bag, helmet, iced latte, and your dignity.

Here's what you need instead:

• A decent poncho — not the plastic clingfilm ones. Get one with sleeves. Bonus points if it covers your bag.

• Keep it in your bike seat or tote bag at all times. Rain comes outta nowhere here.

• You look less ridiculous than you think. In fact, if you’re not wearing a poncho during a downpour, that’s when you look like the newbie.

I once saw a guy trying to ride a motorbike with one hand on the throttle, one hand holding an umbrella.
Not even a big umbrella.
Just one of those mini foldables.
He nearly took flight. Pretty dangerous I say.

Meanwhile, locals?
Dry. Calm. Poncho game strong.

So yeah. Poncho > umbrella.
Every time.

📍 YOUR SAY

🌧️ Your Say: Rainy Day Escapes in Phuket?

Rain season is here — and we want to know:
Where’s your go-to rainy day spot on the island?
A cosy café? A spa? Muay Thai gym? Or just Netflix and noodles?

💬 Tap to vote in our Instagram Poll
📩 Or reply to this email — we’ll share your picks in next week’s edition!

🌿 WHAT’S ON IN PHUKET

Phuket 100K Ultra Marathon 2025 — 3rd Edition

Do the Impossible... Again

📅 Saturday, 7 June 2025
🕒 3:00 AM – 9:00 PM
📍 Splash Beach Resort, Mai Khao, Phuket
🏁 Race Categories: 100KM | 60KM
🎉 Spectators welcome

Start & Finish: Beachfront, Splash Resort Hotel

International Phuket Rugby 11s

🏉 June 6–8, 2025
🕗 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Daily
📍 Alan Cooke Ground (ACG), Thalang, Phuket
🎟 Free Entry

Divisions:

• Men’s Open

• Women’s Open

• Men’s O35 “Coffin Dodgers”

• Men’s O45 “One Foot in the Grave”

Sea Turtle Release 2025 @ Laguna Phuket

🐢 Saturday, 7 June | 7:00–10:00 AM
📍 Laguna Phuket, Cherngtalay
🎟 Free Entry

Join us for a heartwarming morning as we release young sea turtles back into the ocean — a cherished local tradition supporting marine conservation since 1994.

Make a difference. Be part of the journey.

Phuket Eco Market 

🗓 Sunday, 8 June | 2:30–6:30 PM
📍 Junkyard Theatre, Bypass Rd, Phuket
🎟 Free Entry

Phuket’s only eco market!
Enjoy stalls, music, workshops & kids’ fun — all in support of The Litter Club's clean-up mission.

♻️ No single-use plastics — bring your own bag & bottle!

💻 NEW BLOG

New Blog Drop: “Best Cafés in Phuket for Remote Work”
The Wi-Fi’s real. The vibes are better. We’ve mapped the top laptop-friendly spots island-wide — with plugs, playlists, and perfect iced lattes.

👉 Find your new workspace

🎬 ENTERTAINMENT

🎬 Mad Unicorn Goes Viral on Netflix

Thailand’s startup scene gets the drama treatment in Mad Unicorn — the new Thai series topping Netflix charts. Packed with ambition, chaos, and tech-world satire, it’s striking a chord with viewers and stirring up major buzz online.

Think Thai Succession meets startup meltdown.

👉 Read more about the hype

📬 BEFORE YOU GO

Next week we’re revealing our favorite “Summer Camp in Phuket” — even during monsoon season. You’ll want to bookmark these.
🖼️ Want your story, photo, or favorite spot featured? Hit reply or tag us @phuketcommunity_com

That’s it for now — we’ll see you next week with more island gems, updates, and inspiration from Phuket. Until then, stay dry and stay curious!