Surin Islands information: Weather
The monsoon play an important role in all aspects of life on the
Surin Islands. The monsoons always head in from the South West over the
Andaman Sea. So The east coast is protected from the monsoons features
powdery coral beaches, coral gardens of hard and soft corals which
slope dramatically from the surface down to approximately 30-40 meters.
Whereas the West coast is generally made up of the large boulders
dropping into the depths. The flora is very much affected by the
constant winds and have very dramatic scenery with only a few beaches
The best time to visit the Surin Islands:
January, February and March
The weather on the Surin Islands could be classified into 2 seasons consisting of hot seasons starting from mid of February - May, while
the raining season begins in mid- May and lasts until October which has a
highest level of rainfall. The yearly average rainfall is more than
3,000 milimeters and the average of related humidity is 83 percent. .
Monsoons are the major factor in the
weather conditions. When they are gone, the Surin Islands National Park is open! Even the
occasional thunderstorm presents more opportunity than harm - we just
consider it air-conditioning.
There are seasonal
variations in currents - as the prevailing winds that bring the
monsoons also bring in colder waters from the open ocean we tend to
have even clearer water. Tidal currents are strong at the narrow points
in the islands - be wary of trying to swim between the islands!
Surin Islands Information: Monsoons
The
northeast monsoon lasts from October until May and is considered to be
the high season on the Surin Islands and in Khao Lak and is generally
understood to be the best time of year for both traveling to and
enjoying the Surin Islands. This is true to a certain extent, as the
weather is consistent and predictable. The main reason it is the
popular time, though, is that it’s winter in Europe and the States
where most of our visitors come from, and people are escaping the cold.
During this time, since the wind is blowing from the
northeast, on the West Coast of Thailand, boats can reach even the most
remote of sites as strong winds don’t affect the sea until you reach
far, far offshore. And, during the months of February, March, and
April, the sea is generally flat and feels more like a lake than an
ocean or sea. This is the transition time and it gets hot - 35 is not
unheard of. The three months in the spring are hot here and the very
best time for visiting the islands.
During the northeast
monsoon, the wind can be very strong at times, 15-25 knots, so the Gulf
of Thailand experiences fairly high waves and often times boats to Koh
Samui or Koh Tao can not run due to the height of the waves. While that
rarely affects the West Coast it can cause some wind and
even waves. Most reputable operators will advise guests of the risks
(if any).
The southwest monsoon means the waves &
wind now come from the southwest and since Khao Lak and the Surin Islands
face the west, the waves are hitting the West Coast beaches directly
making the Andaman Sea feel more like an ocean rather than the glassy
lake it usually is. Rain is more common which makes the country-side
more green, tropical, and beautiful.
The Gulf, since it
is protected for the most part from westerly winds, experiences flatter
seas than Andaman Coast does during the southwest monsoon. However, it
rains there just as much as it rains on the West Coast during that
time.
The weather here is not severe. There are rarely
typhoons or hurricanes or even severe tropical storms. Besides the
constant heat here (and that’s not really a problem on the boats,
islands or coastline) Khao Lak and the Surin Islands have some of the
best and safest weather in the world.
The trick for
visiting during these times is having protection from the waves.
Unfortunately, many of the popular sites in the region do not have
protection from rough weather. Since the sea height is unpredictable
during the southwest monsoon on the Surin side, and unpredictable
during the northeast monsoon on the Gulf side, it makes it difficult to
plan trips to any areas that don’t offer proper protection from the
waves. Due to the distances
involved in making trips to Burma (a 1,000km round trip), no one
generally schedules trips to these areas during the southwest monsoon.
