Haven't been to Phuket but it is probably not a great time of year to visit. have a look here
This was done as atrip planner so I just put in two dates - you can do this with the actual dates. There is quite a high possibility of rain as you can see.

I gather the sea gets quite rough at this time of year and the sand gets kicked up so making the sea cloudy and not so good for snorkelling. You might want to add Kata to your list of beaches, quieter than the other two but still plenty of restaurants and bars

Thank You very much! thats helped a lot

Well I would agree with other posters about the weather.It may not be the best time of year to go.i was there 3 years ago and Karon has a nice beach with a variety of bars and restaurants nearby.Patong is very lively and I would probably not want to stay there.Having said that it has some very interesting nightlife.
If you decide to stay in Karon you can get a tuk tuk to Patong for about 200 bht each way.This is extortionate but the tuk tuk mafia set the price and will not negotiate.

Do a google search for Fab and fuky guide to Phuket.Great info and a really nice guy.Met him when we were there.

Good luck

Sorry,

should have read Fab and funky guide to phuket

Have just come back from Karon and unless you enjoy bars full of bar girls, being hassled in the street everytime that you walk past a tailors, shops full of tourist tat and fat rude swedish tourists I wouldn't bother.

Patong was badly damaged in the Tsunami and has been rebuilt with some quality bars and restaurants and is much more sophisticated.

We drove all around Phuket and it is very disappointing nowhere near the paradise that it is portrayed to be. Since the Tsunami all the prices have gone up and you get the feeling that everybody wants your money but doesn't want to give you anything in return. It was a great relief to be back on the mainland where everybody just wants you to be happy.

i have stayed in kata, karon and patong. not impressed by any means as the last person mentioned, though if you want to pay good money then head to the north of phuket or the south east and look at the 4-5* hotels. if snorkelling is your thing then just make sure you have lots of day trips out of there. i would actually recommend krabi instead, so many places to snorkel and dive as trip from there, nicer beaches and also not so tacky, i didn;t see one go-go bar there, it all depends on what your wanting.

Have to say Krabi is somewhere I would like to try out. You can do both Phuket and Krabi. Has anyone done this?

You can Fiona...in the old days before Krabi had its own airport, I combined Krabi with Phuket staying at the Krabi Meritime which is actually in Krabi town (not on the beach) and the Kata Beach Resort. Its about an an hour and a half land transfer from Phuket airport to Krabi. It also possible to do sea transfer form Krabi to Phuket, or even better stop off at Phi-Phi island and split the journey.

I'm sure I'll get there sometime! I do fancy trying both if we have time. Thanks Sunbear.

i got the boat from phuket to krabi beach(aonang) which took about 2 hours, you get to see some great little islands along the way, but not able to stop off as a huge ferry. you then get transported onto a fishing boat to your beach resort, so many in the krabi province..well worth the journey