Ko Lanta in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Ko Lanta sees average daytime highs around 28°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 176 mm of rain over about 23 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 28°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is Ko Lanta's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. Ko Lanta has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Ko Lanta's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 28°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 26°C
- Rainfall
- 176 mm
- 23 wet days
- Avg wind
- 18 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.0
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Ko Lanta in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 28°C.
A typical winter day in Ko Lanta reaches about 28°C and drops to 26°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
How winter really feels in Ko Lanta
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 15 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Ko Lanta weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28° / 26° | 46 | 6.3 | 11.6 | 6.2 |
| Feb | 29° / 26° | 25 | 4 | 11.8 | 6.3 |
| Mar | 29° / 27° | 83 | 10.9 | 11.9 | 5.4 |
| Apr | 29° / 27° | 148 | 19.9 | 12.2 | 4.1 |
| May | 29° / 27° | 258 | 25.2 | 12.3 | 3.5 |
| Jun | 29° / 27° | 229 | 21.9 | 12.4 | 3.8 |
| Jul | 29° / 27° | 227 | 22.1 | 12.4 | 3.9 |
| Aug | 28° / 27° | 270 | 22.6 | 12.2 | 4.0 |
| Sep | 28° / 26° | 302 | 24.4 | 12 | 3.8 |
| Oct | 28° / 26° | 327 | 28.3 | 11.8 | 3.6 |
| Nov | 28° / 26° | 223 | 23 | 11.7 | 4.2 |
| Dec | 28° / 26° | 105 | 12.3 | 11.6 | 5.4 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Ko Lanta gets around 176 mm of rain over 23 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 18 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min in early December to 11 h 48 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 5.6 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Ko Lanta
In winter, Ko Lanta overlaps its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Ko Lanta sits in the North Indian Ocean cyclone zone; the season peaks May and October–November.
Ko Lanta's rainy season runs April–November, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Ko Lanta?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a reasonable time to visit Ko Lanta for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Ko Lanta in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Ko Lanta sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 23 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Ko Lanta in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 29°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea offshore is warmest in May at about 30°C and coldest in January near 29°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| Comfort | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29 | Tropical |
| Feb | 29 | Tropical |
| Mar | 30 | Tropical |
| Apr | 30 | Tropical |
| May | 30 | Tropical |
| Jun | 30 | Tropical |
| Jul | 30 | Tropical |
| Aug | 30 | Tropical |
| Sep | 29 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 29 | Tropical |
UV index in Ko Lanta in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Ko Lanta peaks around February 22 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near November 22 at about 10 (extreme).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 10 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 10 | Extreme |
| Dec | 10 | Extreme |
Air quality in Ko Lanta in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Ko Lanta is worst in April — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Moderate | Good | Good | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Moderate |
| Feb | 14 | Moderate |
| Mar | 15 | Moderate |
| Apr | 16 | Moderate |
| May | 13 | Moderate |
| Jun | 13 | Moderate |
| Jul | 13 | Moderate |
| Aug | 11 | Good |
| Sep | 12 | Moderate |
| Oct | 12 | Good |
| Nov | 12 | Good |
| Dec | 13 | Moderate |
Where is Ko Lanta?
Ko Lanta sits at 7.5°N, 99.1°E, 0 m above sea level, in Thailand. The nearest listed city is Ko Phi Phi, 42 km away.
Topography around Ko Lanta
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Ko Lanta.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Ko Lanta has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 481 m around an average of 77 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 487 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,003 m.
The land around Ko Lanta is covered by trees (53%) and water (41%) within 3 km, water (82%) within 16 km, and water (59%) and trees (36%) within 80 km.
Thailand travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type A / B / C
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 31% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $8,057
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.3 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Homicide rate
- 4.8
- per 100k, 2011
- Road deaths
- 32.2
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Very low
- EF EPI 402
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Ko Lanta (7.5336°, 99.0865°, elevation 0 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.