Moon and Tides

Of course, Phuket is not famous for the Full Moon Party - to find this you need to head to Koh Pha Ngan and join the drunken ravers on the beach. I have never been and never will, not my cup of tea at all. You can find some great photos here:

• Koh Pha Ngan Full Moon Party Photos

The next party is... tonight! See more info here: Full Moon Party

BUT, we of course have exactly the same moon right here in Phuket, so tonight is the night of the full moon. On a clear night I love to see the moon rising over the hills behind our house. Today we have clear blue skies once more.

• Moon Rise, Moon Set and Moon Phases in Phuket

The moon is the main factor governing tides. Hey, we all know that, we learned about tides at school, right? Around Phuket the tides are not large, maybe 3 meters, peaking a day or two after full moon. Around the half moon, tides can be less than half a meter. The tides affect the beaches - some beaches are very shallow so if you have a very low low tide, it might be a hike to the sea, or the low tide may expose rocks, making swimming difficult. This is not a problem on the main west coast tourist beaches (Patong, Karon, Kata) but is noticeable at some smaller beaches.

Tides also cause local currents due to the incoming and outgoing tides. When you have greater tidal movement, currents are stronger. As a dive instructor I am very aware of currents! A dive at the King Cruiser Wreck (between Phuket and Phi Phi) is very different when diving with slack water compared to diving between high and low tide just after a full moon! A set of tide tables is essential for any boat cruising these waters.

• Phuket Tide Tables

By the way, did I mention it's another B.E.A. UTIFUL day here in Phuket. I'm just too darn busy to go around taking photos today. Hope to visit the Phuket Food Festival tomorrow which is taking place at Sapan Hin (Phuket Town).