Southern Thailand weather calendar
There
are two seasons
in southern Thailand's weather: hot and dry or hot and wet. The
'hot and dry' months are known as the high season, the other month are
called the low season. There are benefits to coming during the low
season.
| January |
 This
is a peak "high season" month. This means
that the hotels, vendors, street merchants and everyone else are
asking their highest prices. Negotiating is difficult. If you
don’t like crowds, this might not be the best time to come
to Phuket. However, since we get away from the crowds, this is
still a great time to go paddling.The weather is perfect. The average temperature during this period is approximately 75ºF to 89ºF (24ºC to 32ºC.) That’s why it’s so appealing tourists. Most countries are experiencing cold weather this month. There is very little chance of rain, though it can happen during El Nino years. Even then, it won’t amount to much. The prevailing wind is from the Northeast. The other side of the Malay peninsula is experiencing their rainy season. |
| February |
|
This month is the same as January as far as weather and crowds go. The average temperature during this period is approximately 75ºF to 89ºF (24ºC to 32ºC.) |
| March |
 High
season is tapering off this month. There seems to be
less people and negotiating on prices is possible, especially
with street vendors and small shops.The average temperature during this period is still approximately 75ºF to 89ºF (24ºC to 32ºC.) It gets a little hotter at the end of the month sometimes. There are occasional brief showers some years. This is a great time for paddling. The showers merely give you a little break from the sun. Some of the migratory birds start departing for colder climates near the end of the month. Many species of orchids are in bloom in both saltwater and freshwater areas. |
| April |
| Mid-April
through October is known as the "low season".
The seasons are the opposite on the east coast (the Gulf of Siam
side.) Ko Samui for example, has its high season during Phuket’s
low season. Many species of orchids are in bloom in both saltwater and freshwater areas. Birds, especially Pittas, are a lot easier to see than in many other months. |
| May |
| This
is a fairly wet month. This is a fairly nice time to paddle. It’s a bit hot, but there aren’t many tourists around. One of the truly nice things about paddling during the rainy season is the visibility. When it stops raining, the visibility can be absolutely outstanding! Since there are so many groups of islands in the areas where we do our trips, this becomes a very rewarding part of your trip. It makes you take a deep breath and say "ahhhhh"! Prices come down on almost everything. Many species of orchids are in bloom in both saltwater and freshwater areas. Pittas and other tropical birds are very active in May. |
| June |
| The
same as May except the waves on the west coast of Phuket
are bigger.
The temperatures range between 70ºF and 90ºF (20ºC to 33ºC.) Many species of orchids are in bloom in both saltwater and freshwater areas. |
| July |
| The
same as June, but the waves can be a little bit bigger
depending on the storm activities out to sea. The temperatures range between 70ºF and 90ºF (20ºC to 33ºC.) |
| August |
| This
is a month that can have nice weather. The wind is still
from the Southwest, but the rain is a bit less than the previous
months and a lot less than the next two months. This can be a dangerous time to go swimming. The rips get pretty bad and the waves can be big. Having said that, waves aren’t dependable in Southern Thailand. It all depends on the storm activities out to sea. Even during stormy years, the waves aren’t happening every day. The temperatures range between 70ºF and 90ºF (20ºC to 33ºC.) |
| September |
This
is the wettest month of the year by far. There are
frequent storms. However, there are still plenty of clear days.
The rains are often heavy with very strong winds at the start
of the front. Line squalls occur during this period. The rains
aren’t necessarily all day long. Many days have brief showers
or no rain at all. Since we prefer bungalows and small hotels to camping, the comfort quotient of our trips is still high. This is the lowest time of the year for tourism. We are always busy however. I don't know exactly what we're doing right! |
| October |
The is usually the second wettest month of the year. Storms are less frequent and less intense than those in September. Some of the migratory birds start arriving in October. |
| November |
| November
through mid-April is known as "high season"
in Phuket and along the west coast. November is a transitional month.
The rains gradually taper off throughout the month. The most popular time to visit Phuket is during the cooler northeast monsoon season. From November through March, it’s not as humid and a comfortable breeze is common. The average temperature during this period is approximately 75ºF to 89ºF (24ºC to 32ºC.) Migratory bird species have arrived. The prices of everything start to go up. However, many merchants are still willing to "deal" a little bit. |
| December |
| This
is high season. The closer to Christmas, the more people
arrive. Negotiating prices becomes increasingly difficult. All of the migratory birds that visit Thailand are here by December. |
April
and May are the hottest months of the year. The temperatures
range from 80ºF to 95ºF (27ºC to 36ºC.)All in all, there’s no bad time to visit southern Thailand. The southwest monsoon season isn't as bad as you might think. The skies are often clear and the seas moderate. There's really no reason why the southwest monsoon should interfere with a good paddling vacation. In sum, if you like cheaper prices and potentially wilder weather, come in the low season. If you like clear weather and predictable conditions, come on over in the high season.
