Koh Lanta · Month comparison
May vs March
March ranks #1 overall vs May at #8. Still excellent — dry season holds, crowds ease, prices begin to soften.
May
#8 of 12 months
Worth considering
Monsoon arrives — 185mm, rough seas, and half the island begins to shut down.
- ↑Prices drop dramatically as tourism collapses — some of the best-value accommodation in Thailand
- ↑The few open guesthouses are nearly empty — rare genuine solitude for those determined enough
March
#1 of 12 months
Best match
Still excellent — dry season holds, crowds ease, prices begin to soften.
- ↑45mm rainfall remains very dry — weather still overwhelmingly reliable and sunny
- ↑High season crowds thinning as European winter holidays end, making beaches more enjoyable
| Factor | May | March |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 3 | 9 |
| Value score | 8 | 5 |
| Crowd score | 8 | 5 |
| Events score | 4 | 5 |
| Atmosphere | 5 | 8 |
| Avg high temp | 32°C | 33°C |
| Monthly rain | 185mm | 45mm |
| Daily sunshine | 6hrs | 9hrs |
May trade-offs
- ↓185mm exceeds the 150mm hard threshold — beach days are reliably disrupted by heavy rain
- ↓Longtail boats to outlying islands largely suspended due to rough Andaman Sea conditions
- ↓Significant number of restaurants, resorts and dive operations now closed until November
March trade-offs
- ↓Temperatures hitting 33°C by midday — less comfortable for active days than Feb
- ↓Some early monsoon showers possible in the last week as the Andaman begins to stir
- ↓Sea still calm but visibility at diving sites marginally less crystal than February
Scores compare months within Koh Lanta. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →