Seasons Guide for Koh Samui Visit

 

You can't always expect fun in the sun in Koh Samui

As in visiting any tourist destination, a trip to Koh Samui, one of the leading travel destinations in Thailand, will have to take into account the local climate and when is the best time for a visit. Samui weather is generally hot and humid throughout the year. The more dramatic change comes during the monsoon season, which affects not only Thailand but also its Southeast Asian neighbours, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

There are two systems, which prevail during the times of the monsoon. These are the northwest and the southeast monsoon systems. During the southeast monsoon, which occurs from October to December, tropical storms can be expected across Indonesia and the Philippines, weather systems that eventually veer towards Malaysia and Thailand, including Koh Samui.  The island isn’t affected by the northwest monsoon that much which sweeps in from India from June to early August. The Thai mainland serves as a buffer zone for Koh Samui for any weather disturbance during this monsoon season.

Typhoon season

Nonetheless, heavy showers lasting for some 30 minutes can be expected during this season, particularly in the early afternoon up to early evening. More worrisome are the powerful effects of the southeast monsoon, which can bring in strong typhoons with high winds and heavy rainfall lasting sometimes up to a week. Several storms can be expected to develop and pass the island during this season. But in-between these typhoons, spells of the warm, sunny weather can also be experienced.

At this time of the year, most service-oriented tourist facilities like the ShaSa Resort at Koh Samui’s southern point are prepared for any contingency that the inclement weather may bring. The prolonged torrential rains can cause flooding from waters flowing from Koh Samui’s central, mountainous area. This can result in some inconvenience for visitors staying in the coastal towns, like Chaweng, which is one of the tourist centres of Koh Samui.

Some remedies installed

Besides flooding, the tourist hubs in the island, including those at Bophut, Lamai, Maenam, and Cheong Mon, may also be affected by road closures and power outages. Thankfully, many of the better-prepared tourist and travel facilities in the island have already secured emergency power sources to somehow ease the situation in case a strong typhoon hits the island. The drainage system of Koh Samui has also been vastly improved so that whatever flooding occurs subsides reasonably quicker than before. 

Koh Samui Weather In July

Come to Koh Samui and you'll surely have fun in the sun (photo courtesy of  www.shasahotels.com)

People hate having their vacations ruined by torrential rainfall and snow. Fortunately, the Koh Samui weather is affected by two seasons only, which doesn’t include snow, so vacationers will only have to worry about the rain.

Lots of folks from all over the planet like to plan their vacations during the month of July for whatever reasons they may have. However, this is essentially the worse time of year to plan a holiday to Thailand and mainly because it’s expected to rain hard in certain areas, including  Samui.

However, while it does rain during this month in Thailand’s second largest island, it only typically rains for a short period during the afternoon. Moreover, it lasts for a short duration of time, which may range somewhere in between five to thirty minutes. Both locals and tourists alike actually enjoy the little rain shower that takes place in the afternoon since it helps cool everything down, as well as give a wonderful “glistening look” to all the plants and structures it touches.

The average Koh Samui weather in July is pretty good, with temperatures measuring approximately 29 degrees Celsius; the lowest it reaches is around 23 degrees Celsius, making it an excellent place to visit during this particular time of the year.

Moving forward, there are plenty of things to do when visiting this islet in July – plenty of foreigners choose to have their weddings hosted on this romantic island during this month. While planning a wedding during a time of year when it’s expected to rain sounds a bit unreasonable, local tradition says otherwise – rain that touches the bride and groom is actually a good thing, since it’s believed to purify their bodies and souls, thereby allowing them to start anew in holy matrimony.

Other activities to do during the afternoon rain shower include having a meal or a few Thai beers at the beach. Most resorts have rain screens to keep their guests dry, thereby allowing them to enjoy hearty meals and alcoholic beverages while enjoying the ocean view.

For those who’d like to stay indoors during the rainy Samui weather, there is a wide range of spas to head on over to. Many accommodations offer such facilities within their compounds. Samui is considered as one of the best spa destinations in all of Asia, so indulging in this activity while the rain pours (again, doesn’t last too long) is always an option!

Best Time Of The Year To Visit Koh Samui

Make sure to go to Koh Samui while the weather is nice so that you can go snorkelling! (Photo courtesy agoda.com)

A huge reason why people plan trips from halfway across the world to this island is for its idyllic climate, which can be enjoyed throughout most of the year. In addition to the white sand beaches and crystal-clear ocean, the warm sun, cool breezes of wind from the sea, and moderately humid atmosphere makes the tropical getaway spot even better.

While the Koh Samui weather is unquestionably ideal for all foreigners, there are times during certain months wherein the climate can turn a bit ugly, since the sublime temperature conditions and all-around humidity are affected by the Northwest Monsoon and Southeast Monsoon systems.

The NW monsoon shifts towards the island all the way from India during June, July, and the first week or so of August. However, Koh Samui isn’t severely affected by this system, mainly because the Thai mainland shields the islet against most of the rain showers and strong winds.

From June to August, heavy showers usually take place between the afternoon and late evening, but typically doesn’t last any longer than thirty minutes, meaning it isn’t something that a tourist should really worry about.

On the other hand, the SE monsoon sweeps in from the Philippines and Indonesia during the months of October, November and December – the problem here is there isn’t anything that stands in the way to absorb most of the heavy rain showers and strong gusts of wind.

With that being said, the beautiful Koh Samui weather can quickly take a turn for the worse sometime in between October during this time, tropical storms are expected to bombard the island. Torrential rains and high winds can carry on non-stop for a week, which could easily ruin anyone’s vacation.

However, it’s important for the readers of this article to know that the climate doesn’t constantly remain that way throughout the entire duration of the month. It should be known that in between the powerful rain and relentless winds are dry, sunny days.

Nevertheless, if a storm does continue to pour hard, risks of flash floods hitting the coastal towns is a definitely a possibility. These floods can also cause power outages, which can last several days and beyond.

To avoid having a holiday ruined by bad Koh Samui weather, common-sense will tell any vacationist that planning a vacation during the times of year wherein it’s expected NOT to rain would be a wise course of action. With that said, the months which receive the driest and highest temperatures include February, March, April and May.

The problem is these months are considered the high season, so families that thinking about going to Samui should book a hotel at one of the top hotels like the ShaSa resort in advance.

Bangkok vs. Samui Weather

The Koh Samui weather looks great from here (Photo Courtesy of www.shasahotels.com)

Koh Samui may be an island in Thailand, but that doesn’t mean the island has a similar weather with, say, Bangkok. Samui weather is different as the island sits on the Gulf Coast toward the east; hence, Koh Samui experiences the effects of the northeast monsoon.

Bangkok, on the other hand, has a hot and perpetually sunny weather. The city’s regular year round temperatures is around 30°C. If you have an aversion to heat, avoid setting foot in Bangkok from March until July, this is when the city is at its hottest and driest, an event that coincides with its busiest time since this is when most travellers decide to go to the city. This dry period also raises the humidity levels in Bangkok. If you’re in the city during April and May, expect to also feel stickier due to the humidity.

Samui weather is at its warmest from March to September. While it doesn’t get stifling hot, the sun comes out a lot during these months, raising temperatures to as much as 40°C. This event occurs particularly from March to May. Rain also becomes a rare occurrence in these three months. In June to September, Koh Samui gets the occasional rainfall but nothing intense and prolonged.

The rainy season in Bangkok begins in June and ends in October. The rainfall pattern is unpredictable; rain showers can either last for a few minutes or an entire day. Afternoon showers and thunderstorms are also common occurrences. If you have to be in Bangkok during its rainy season, make sure you pack a good amount of rain gear with you.

In Koh Samui, the rainy season takes place from October to December. Samui weather begins to clear up at around late December, when the sun begins to make its appearance. Note that the waters surrounding Koh Samui can get very rough during these three months. If you have a thing for water sports and want to give the Koh Samui waters a try, avoid scheduling your trip to the island during the wet season.

The best time to go to Bangkok is between November and January, when the city is at its coolest. For Koh Samui, it’s best to make a trip from January to February. At this time, Samui weather is neither too hot nor cold, making it the perfect weather to tour around the famed island 

Koh Samui Weather: When is the best time of the year to go?

People like to joke that there are 3 seasons in Koh Samui, hot, very hot, and very very very hot (photo courtesy of Kohsamui.thailandtravelo.com)

Koh Samui is an island located off the east coast of Kra Isthmus in Thailand. Being Thailand’s third largest island, it is a palm tree-lined haven with white sand beaches, bright blue waters, and bright sunshine. This island, being a beautiful place where one can soak up the sun and enjoy the warm Samui weather, attracts many tourists year after year.

Having a typical tropical climate, Samui weather is generally warm and sunny. The usual temperature varies from 25 to 34 degrees Celsius.  Samui shares the same kind of weather like its surrounding areas in Asia. It has one dry season----a period where Samui weather is ideal to visit the beaches and do all kinds of water activities like surfing and swimming. To offset the very high humidity, there is the so-called rainy season. During this time, light to heavy rains can be observed. Most of the time however, these precipitations are only brief, and the tourists can enjoy the sun again after a few hours.

The best period to visit is from December to June. These are the months when the Koh Samui weather  is perfect. Tourists flock the island around this time of the year and take the time off to see this hidden haven in Thailand. This is a blissful place with impressive luxurious resorts such as the ShaSa hotel, where one can enjoy the beauty of islands in comfort. Samui is also the place to sample the most authentic local delicacies. There are a variety of delicious foods here to try.

If you came here for the beaches, you won’t be disappointed. This island will delight you with the purity of its waters and rich natural wonders that you kind find here. It is known that many people go here to fish, as most of the best catches are in this island. If you are not that fond of the beach however, you can still find plenty of excuses to visit Samui. There’s a butterfly farm, a crocodile farm, interesting rock formations, monkey shows and a snake farm in Samui. Life in the island is simple and it’s a place where time moves slowly, allowing one to relax.

The rainy season in the island is from the end of September to November. If you like to make the most of your stay, then just be wary of this period. Generally though, Samui weather won't affect your visit that much.