Ko Lanta (Koh Lanta) weather in December

December in Ko Lanta: sweltering, rainy, with clean air — fine if you can take 36°C afternoons.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Ko Lanta🇹🇭 Thailand · Andaman Coast · Island80
  1. 87Jan
  2. 92Feb
  3. 89Mar
  4. 79Apr
  5. 64May
  6. 72Jun
  7. 70Jul
  8. 68Aug
  9. 60Sep
  10. 56Oct
  11. 58Nov
  12. 80Dec

#4 of 12 months in Ko Lanta · #458 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 80/100 (tier A)

Days
31°C
Nights
24°C
Wet days
14
Sun
9 h
Humidity
81%
Daylight
12 h
Ko Lanta, Thailand
Photo: Humphrey Muleba · Pexels

Traveller notes on Ko Lanta in December

Notes from nearby Krabi (63 km away)

Ko Lanta doesn't have its own notes for December yet — these are about Krabi, close enough to share the season.

December opens the high season rather than sitting in the middle of it, and regulars describe a month that improves as it runs. Early on there are showers, sometimes rain most afternoons and heavy with it, though the mornings are usually fine; by late December and into January there is very little rain if any. They also make the case that a short downpour here is welcome because it takes the heat out of the day. Our row is the average of those two halves: 140mm across 14.9 days under 31.5C that reads as 36C at 85 percent humidity. Crowds run the other way - this is peak season and it is busy. The record: 23.4C nights, 9 hours of sun, a 29.2C sea and AQI 38.
TheMonthImprovesAsItGoes · December · 1 month ago · about Krabi · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Ko Lanta

Ko Lanta's forum confirms August is genuinely rainy season on the Andaman coast, with rough, stormy seas as much a factor as the rain itself - but experiences vary widely. One regular visitor who'd been six times including in low season said they'd only hit real rain once; another described a typical day as sunny with a quick thunderstorm rolling through in the afternoon or evening rather than a washout. Many smaller resorts close for the season from June through early November, though the mainland ferry keeps running year-round regardless.
AndamanCoastRegular · August · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Forum posters consistently name January and February as by far the driest, most reliable months on Koh Lanta, with several repeat visitors saying they've barely seen rain across multiple separate January/February trips - one describing a full three weeks without a drop. One visitor specifically reported a February day at 32C with not a cloud in the sky. Posters do note this isn't an absolute guarantee: some travelers have hit a rainy, overcast stretch that dampened snorkeling plans even within this generally dry window, but the clear consensus is that February sits at the reliable peak of the island's dry season.
Tripadvisor community · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Add your own note from Ko Lanta's card on the map.

Ko Lanta climate normals — December

Daytime high31°C / 88°F🔥 sweltering
Nighttime low24°C / 75°F
Feels like (high)36°C / 97°F
Sea temperature29°C / 84°F♨️ bath-warm
Rainfall128 mm / 5 in🌧 rainy
Rainy days14 days
Humidity81%💦 very humid
Dew point24°C / 74°F
Sunshine9 h/day
Daylight11.7 h
Wind14 km/h / 9 mph
Air quality (US AQI)36🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Ko Lanta in December

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

Peak crowdsHigh season, Christmas and New Year peak, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Ko Lanta's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Fair weatherKo Lanta's weather peaks January–March, best around February.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Ko Lanta in December

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Season

    High season

    1 Nov – 30 Apr · usuallyDry seasonCrowded

    Flat water on the west-coast beaches, both ferries running to Krabi and Phi Phi, and every bungalow open. The long beaches still absorb the crowd better than most of the Andaman.

  • Nature

    Hin Daeng and Hin Muang season

    1 Nov – 30 Apr · usuallyDive season

    The deep pinnacles two hours south are the reason people come here to dive, and the boats only run in the settled months. Manta and whale shark sightings cluster at the end of it.

  • Holiday

    Christmas and New Year peak

    18 Dec – 5 JanChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook early

    The dearest fortnight on the island; the beachfront places are booked from the summer before and the ferries run full. Source ↗

What's on around the world in December →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Ko Lanta — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Ko Lanta?

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Ko Lanta in December — FAQ

Is December a good time to visit Ko Lanta?
December in Ko Lanta: sweltering, rainy, with clean air — fine if you can take 36°C afternoons. It ranks #4 of 12 months for Ko Lanta on SeasonMap's comfort score (80/100).
What is the weather like in Ko Lanta in December?
In December, Ko Lanta averages a daily high of 31.1°C and a low of 23.8°C, with about 128.2 mm of rain over roughly 13.8 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Ko Lanta in December?
Ko Lanta has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 36 in December.

Within 300 km: Khao Sok's Morning mist on Cheow Lan around 1 Nov – 15 Feb, and Ko Phi Phi's Dry season, flat Andaman around 1 Nov – 20 Apr.