Season and Weather in Southern Thailand

The southern region of Thailand really only has two seasons -- the wet and the dry. These seasons occur at different times on the east and west sides of the peninsula. On the west coast (Phuket, Khao Lak) the southwest monsoon brings rain and often heavy storms from April through to October, whilst on the east coast (Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao) most rain falls between September and December.

Overall, the southern parts of Thailand get the most rain by far, with around 2400 millimetres every year, compared with the central and northern regions of Thailand, both of which get around 1400 millimetres.

Main Season
The dry high season for Khao Lak visitors is from November to April. It's mostly sunny during that time and if it does rain, then only briefly in the evening hours. Ideal weather conditions for snorklers, divers and beach lovers alike, as the average temperature is rarely more than 30 degrees Celsius. The calm Andaman Ocean provides picturesque turquoise waters along the beaches, even the tropical rain forest is without rain most of the weeks.

Off Season
The rainy low season is from the end of April until the end of October. During that time it might rain for a couple of days with some heavy winds. But wind is good for a weather change and there is the usual sunny break as well. If it's sunny it's hot and humid, if it's rainy the temperature drops to a mere 20 to 25 degrees. It's not possible to dive everyday, but some dive centers provide a weekly dive- live aboard excursion to the Similan Islands, presupposed that the weather is safe to ride out. This is actually a good time to visit Khao Lak if you are coming here not only for diving, as it is even quieter and you might have a 30 km stretch of beach all for yourself.