27th November 2019
Understanding the climate of the place you are traveling to, whether for vacation, work, or residency purposes, is fundamental. In the case of leisure travel, it is even more relevant because if the trip is longer, there will be time to “acclimatize,” pun intended.
If you are traveling to Koh Tao to learn how to dive or enjoy its beaches, it is preferable to do so when the weather on Koh Tao is more benign. Generally, the weather on Koh Tao is one of the great attractions of this territory, as well as of all the islands in the Gulf of Thailand, with warm temperatures that are not suffocating.
There is a cooler and rainier time of year, the monsoon season, between October and December, but we will discuss that in more detail below.
In Koh Tao, and practically throughout Thailand, three major temporal periods are distinguished throughout the year: the dry season, the hot season, and the monsoon season. In reality, as is the case with tropical climates around the world and in all areas near the equator, the seasons blur, going from four seasons – spring, summer, autumn, and winter – to just two: dry season and rainy season.
The dry season extends from December to February. During this time of year, temperatures are very pleasant, and the weather is very benign, but this does not mean we won’t encounter any storms.
Following the dry season is the hot season, which is also part of the dry season and is so named because it does not concentrate large periods of rain. In the hot season, which occurs from March to September, temperatures can reach very high levels, with an average exceeding 35 degrees Celsius for maximum temperatures.
From October until the end of the year is the rainy season. The weather on Koh Tao can vary each day, and we cannot predict what the weather will be like tomorrow, from rain and wind to sunny days. But as we said, this is tropical weather, so bring your raincoat and embark on the adventure!
With this climatological behavior, the best time of year to visit Koh Tao is between the months of January and September if you want to find little rain and lots of sun. This is the high tourist season, so if you want more tranquility and fewer people, you should come between September and December. Many travelers prefer to wait a few months and take their trip a little later in the year, from February to May, when it is still the dry season, but maximum temperatures are not as high, and the overall average is between 25 and 27 degrees.
Throughout the year, Koh Tao averages over 300 sunny days per year.
The weather in Koh Tao is, as we are seeing, quite pleasant for much of the year. It is important, in any case, to differentiate between climatology and meteorology. Climatology studies the behavior of atmospheric phenomena over time, while meteorology, the weather, determines the state of the atmosphere at a specific place and time.
In general, the weather in Koh Tao is quite pleasant. Mild and high temperatures, high humidity percentage, and a fairly defined rainy season. But this does not prevent rain from surprising us on some days during the dry season, which is sometimes even appreciated.
Something similar happens during the rainy season. It is usual for it to rain frequently for a while, but it is not always raining, so it is recommended to always have a raincoat on hand.
Summer in Thailand, which has a tropical climate, does not behave the same way as summer in the temperate climates so common in Europe. Thailand is in the Northern Hemisphere, so summer is the season that extends from June to September.
However, being so close to the equator, the concept of seasons in temperate climates is not so clear-cut.
As we said before, rainfall is concentrated in what is known as the rainy season. This occurs between the months of October and December. The Gulf of Thailand islands have high rainfall, with over 1,500 liters per square meter per year, but practically half of this rainfall occurs between October and December.
In general terms, this is the usual climatic behavior in this area of the Gulf of Thailand. However, it does not occur every year equally, so we cannot promise sunshine every day or rain in certain months. So you’ll have to come and see for yourself
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