Today's weather for Ko Samui, Thailand22nd Nov 2009 11:00

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Weather Overview for Ko Samui

Ko Samui is a popular holiday destination off the east coast of Thailand. At 228 square km, Ko Samui is Thailand’s third largest island and famous for its full moon parties which bring revellers together for the all night parties.

Ko Samui’s climate is similar to the rest of Thailand. It is tropical with high temperatures, high humidity and high rainfall. The year is split into a wet and a dry season. It’s not hard to escape from the humidity at one of the island’s famed beaches.

Across the year there is very little seasonal difference in temperatures with each month seeing daily highs of in the low 30’s and minimum temperatures of 23°C to 25°C. The ocean temperature stays at a bath-like 27°C for much of the year, so the only thing that really changes across the year is the rainfall - which varies quite dramatically! The wet season lasts from about May to December, with the remainder of the year being considerably drier. November is the wettest month by far, recording on average 302mm of precipitation across the month. September and October also see significant rainfall. January to April see a lot less rain. February is the driest month in the year, only recording 8mm of precipitation on average.

Fortunately, Ko Samui was unaffected by the 2004 tsunami which ravaged much of coastal Thailand.

The island is circular and only about 15km across. The centre of the island is made up of an uninhabitable mountain jungle. The various lowland areas around the mountain and on the coast are connected together by a single road that rings the entire circumference of the island.

The island is famed for its rural beach communities with chilled-out atmospheres. It is a haven for those wanting to escape fast-paced city lives. However, in recent years the increasing number of tourists has largely replaced the beach bungalow lifestyle with thick crowds and megaresorts - though you can find places on the island where this is not the case.

There are many amazing beaches on the island with Chaweng Beach covering a large portion of the island's northeast coast. Chaweng Beach is beautiful but the most crowded area on the island. In the peak tourist periods it can be hard to find a sunbathing spot and the sand is sometimes littered. Despite this, the water is still crystal clear and a very pleasant temperature; the sand is beautiful and white. Be careful when swimming as the waters are home to strong currents.

Bang Rak is another popular beach which lies just two km east of Bhophut, known locally as the Big Buddha Beach. Here you will find the 19m gold-tinted statue of Buddah overlooking the entire bay. The beach is near the airport and is also one of the calmest beaches on the island - not affected as much by the surf and tides of other parts of the island.

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