When is the best time for diving on Koh Tao?

Roughly March to September, when seas are calm and visibility at its best. Diving runs year-round, but October to December brings wind, rain and reduced visibility.

When is the rainy season on Koh Tao?

October to December, peaking in November. Like the rest of the Gulf, Koh Tao stays largely dry through the European summer months.

Can ferries to Koh Tao be cancelled?

Yes — in the November–December monsoon, rough seas occasionally halt crossings from Chumphon and Surat Thani for a day or two. Build slack into travel plans in those months.

When can you see whale sharks at Koh Tao?

Sightings happen year-round and are never guaranteed. Many divers report clusters of sightings in the settled months around March–May and again around September–October.

Eastern Gulf · Seasons & weather

Best time to visit Koh Kood

November to April, when everything is open and the water is at its clearest. Outside that, this quiet island gets very quiet indeed.

The eastern Gulf, not the Samui calendar

Koh Kood is in the Gulf of Thailand near the Cambodian border, but its weather follows the south-west monsoon, not Koh Samui's pattern. Dry season runs from November to April; the rains come from May to October, heaviest from July to September.

So it shares a calendar with Phuket and Koh Chang rather than with the Samui archipelago. If you are choosing between the two Gulf regions for a trip in October or November, that difference is the whole decision.

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In short

Koh Kood seasons

November–April: dry season, calm clear sea, everything open
May–October: rains, many resorts closed, fewer boats
Best value: November and late April
Busiest and dearest: Christmas to mid-January
Same calendar as Phuket and Koh Chang, not Koh Samui

What the dry season gives you

From November to April the sea is calm and unusually clear for the Gulf, which is why snorkelling trips out to Koh Rang and the smaller islands are worth doing. The boat crossing from the mainland is comfortable, every resort is open, and the island is warm and dry without being oppressive.

December to February is the peak, with the most reliable weather and the highest prices; Christmas and New Year book out well ahead. March and April are hot and still dry, with April the hottest month of the year and Songkran, the national water festival, in the middle of it.

Good to know

Planning around the weather

In low season, confirm the hotel, its restaurant and the boat before booking flights.
Snorkelling trips to Koh Rang are best from December to March.
The waterfalls are fullest at the end of the rains, from October to December.
Songkran in mid-April is a country-wide water fight; expect to get soaked.

Low season on a small-supply island

Koh Kood has few resorts to begin with, so when a large share of them close from May to October, the effect is bigger than on a busier island. Boat schedules are cut back, some crossings are cancelled in rough weather, and the restaurants that do stay open are fewer still.

It is not impossible — the rain comes in bursts, the island turns green, the waterfalls are full and the prices halve. But this is one of the islands where booking in low season without confirming that your hotel, its kitchen and a boat are all running is a real risk.

Month by month

January	Dry, calm and clear — peak season
February	Hot and reliable, the best water clarity
March	Hot and dry, quieter than the peak
April	Hottest month, Songkran mid-month, season ending
May	Rains begin, resorts start closing, prices fall
June	Wet and green, few visitors
July	Heavy rain, boat crossings less reliable
August	One of the wettest months, most of the island shut
September	Wettest and emptiest month of the year
October	Rain easing, the island starts reopening
November	Everything open, green and calm — best value
December	Dry and clear, prices climb towards Christmas

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to visit Koh Kood?

November to April. November and late April give the same calm, clear sea as the peak without the Christmas prices.

Does Koh Kood close in low season?

A large share of it does, from about May to October. Because the island has few resorts to begin with, that closure is felt more than on a busier island.

Does Koh Kood have the same season as Koh Samui?

No. Koh Kood is dry from November to April, the same as Phuket. Koh Samui runs on a different calendar and is at its wettest around November.

Is the water clear on Koh Kood?

Unusually so for the Gulf, especially from December to March. That is why the snorkelling trips out to Koh Rang are worth the morning.

Travel guides

More Koh Kood and eastern Gulf guides, plus the rest of Thailand's islands.

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Koh Kood

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