Christmas in Phuket: Eve Dinners, Church Services, Prices and What Stays Open

Is Christmas a holiday in Phuket?

No. Phuket 101 notes that 24 and 25 December are normal days for shops, banks, markets and transport in Thailand, so everything runs as usual. What changes is the hotel and restaurant calendar, the crowds and the prices. The week between Christmas and New Year is described as the busiest of the year, with the highest room rates.

Peak prices start around 20 December and continue until after New Year, according to a Thai holiday guide. For the next big night, see the New Year's Eve guide.

Christmas Eve dinners

Most hotels hold their big Christmas night on 24 December, usually as a buffet or a set dinner by the pool or on the beach, often with live music, according to Phuket 101. Examples listed for 2026 include a Christmas Eve dinner at the Hyatt Regency Phuket from 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm, a gala dinner at Courtyard by Marriott Phuket Town from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm, and an international buffet with a seafood barbecue at Paradox Phuket.

Prices vary widely. A Thai holiday guide listed one beach-resort Christmas Eve dinner at about US$87 for one adult, and a hotel guide says some ultra-luxury resorts build a compulsory gala supplement of roughly US$150 to 400 per person into December room rates. A ++ after a price means service charge and tax are added. Always check whether the dinner is compulsory for in-house guests, and read the booking terms guide before you compare rates.

Christmas Day

Phuket 101 describes Christmas Day as more relaxed than the Eve, with hotels serving long family brunches and lunches, which makes it the easier day to go with children. One Phuket villa magazine lists an Italian Christmas brunch at a Laguna resort and festive menus at beachfront restaurants on Bang Tao Beach. Book ahead, because the best tables go early.

Church services

Phuket 101 lists three Catholic churches that hold Christmas Eve and Christmas Day masses: St Joseph's Church in Cherng Talay, Assumption Church in Phuket Town and Sacred Heart Church in Patong. For English-language services outside the Catholic churches, it names Phuket International Church in Chalong and All Nations Church in Phuket Town, which hold Sunday services in English. Special Christmas times are usually published in December, so check with each church. See the religion guide for communities and services.

Decorations, shopping and nights out

• Phuket Town dresses up for the season, and Old Town is popular for photos, according to Phuket 101.
• Central Festival Phuket and Jungceylon in Patong put up large decorations and seasonal markets, according to a Phuket travel site. These are more shopping and photo opportunities than traditional markets, see the shopping malls guide.
• Patong's beach road hotels hold Christmas Eve dinners, and the crowd then moves on to Bangla Road, which runs as late as on any other night, so it suits a party more than a quiet family meal.
• Weather is dry and sunny on the Andaman coast, which is why Phuket is a popular warm-weather Christmas choice.

Booking tips

• Book the room first, because Christmas and New Year fill the best hotels weeks ahead. See the hotel prices guide for how rates move.
• Ask what the rate includes: compulsory dinner, minimum stay, children's pricing.
• Programmes are usually announced two to three months ahead, so offers for 2026 are still appearing.
• Allow extra time for airport transfers and road traffic around 24 to 26 December, and see the check-in guide for early arrivals.