Ko Pha-ngan weather in December

In December, Ko Pha-ngan sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 133 mm of rain across 12.1 wet days and about 11.4 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 30 min at the start of December to 11 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Ko Pha-ngan's 5th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ko Pha-ngan's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
11th warmest
Overnight low
26°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
133 mm
12.1 wet days
Daylight
11 h 24 min
6:33 AM – 5:59 PM
Cloud cover
63%
5th clearest
Wind
19 km/h
3rd windiest
Solar energy
4.72 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.0
out of 10

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 27°C through the month.

A typical December day in Ko Pha-ngan reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 28°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

24°26°28°30°32°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12826
22826
32826
42826
52826
62826
72826
82826
92826
102826
112726
122726
132726
142726
152726
162726
172726
182726
192726
202726
212726
222726
232726
242726
252726
262726
272726
282726
292726
302726
312726

How December really feels in Ko Pha-ngan

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Ko Pha-ngan weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 26°768.511.56.8
Feb27° / 26°33511.77.3
Mar28° / 27°908.911.96.4
Apr29° / 28°10112.912.25.1
May29° / 27°14822.712.43.7
Jun29° / 27°12420.612.63.8
Jul29° / 27°11420.612.54.0
Aug29° / 27°12419.712.34.1
Sep28° / 27°17923.512.13.8
Oct28° / 26°30425.911.83.9
Nov28° / 26°28220.711.64.6
Dec27° / 26°13312.111.46.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 55%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13961
23961
34060
44060
54060
64159
74060
84159
94159
104258
114258
124258
134357
144357
154456
164456
174456
184555
194753
204753
214852
224852
234951
244951
255050
265149
275149
285149
295248
305248
315248

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Ko Pha-ngan gets around 133 mm of rain over 12.1 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 40% and peaks near 56% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
156
255
353
452
551
649
748
847
946
1045
1144
1243
1342
1441
1540
1639
1738
1837
1936
2035
2134
2233
2332
2431
2531
2630
2730
2829
2929
3029
3129

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the oppressive band about 73% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 99% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1166924
2167023
3177022
4177121
5187120
6087319
7097318
8097417
90107416
100107515
110117514
120127513
130137512
140147511
151157311
161157410
17116749
18117739
19118729
20218728
21219718
22219727
23219727
24220717
25320716
26320716
27320716
28320725
29320725
30319735
31318745

Wind in December

Winds average 19 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 18 km/h on the calmest days to 20 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light breeze
319light breeze
419light breeze
519light breeze
619light breeze
719light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1319light breeze
1419light breeze
1519light breeze
1620light breeze
1720light breeze
1820light breeze
1920light breeze
2020light breeze
2120light breeze
2220light breeze
2319light breeze
2419light breeze
2519light breeze
2619light breeze
2719light breeze
2819light breeze
2919light breeze
3019light breeze
3118light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min at the start of December to 11 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:26 AM to 6:40 AM, and sunset from 5:54 PM to 6:06 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:265:54
211.56:265:54
311.56:275:54
411.56:275:55
511.56:285:55
611.56:285:55
711.56:295:56
811.46:295:56
911.46:305:56
1011.46:305:57
1111.46:315:57
1211.46:315:57
1311.46:325:58
1411.46:325:58
1511.46:335:59
1611.46:335:59
1711.46:345:59
1811.46:346:00
1911.46:356:00
2011.46:356:01
2111.46:356:01
2211.46:366:02
2311.46:366:02
2411.46:376:03
2511.46:376:03
2611.46:386:04
2711.46:386:04
2811.46:396:05
2911.46:396:05
3011.46:406:06
3111.46:406:06

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.72 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.55 kWh/m² to a high of 6.44 kWh/m² in April across the year — December's 4.72 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.5Bright
24.5Bright
34.5Bright
44.5Bright
54.5Bright
64.5Bright
74.6Bright
84.6Bright
94.6Bright
104.6Bright
114.6Bright
124.7Bright
134.7Bright
144.7Bright
154.7Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.8Bright
194.8Bright
204.8Bright
214.8Bright
224.9Bright
234.9Bright
244.9Bright
254.9Bright
264.9Bright
274.9Bright
284.9Bright
294.9Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Ko Pha-ngan

In seasonPeak

In December, Ko Pha-ngan sits inside its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Ko Pha-ngan sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Ko Pha-ngan's rainy season runs May–May, when most of the year's rain falls.

Pacific typhoon
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Ko Pha-ngan?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.0
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
6.3
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Ko Pha-ngan for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Ko Pha-ngan in December

From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In December, Ko Pha-ngan sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Ko Pha-ngan in December

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 17 km away) is warmest in May at about 30°C and coldest in January near 28°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb28Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr30Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Ko Pha-ngan in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 10 (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 Pha-ngan peaks around August 22 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 10 (very high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highAug 22UV 14Dec 18UV 10
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug14Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Extreme
Dec10Very high

Air quality in Ko Pha-ngan in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Ko Pha-ngan is worst in January — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodJan 2016 µg/m³Nov 1110 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan16Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug12Good
Sep12Good
Oct11Good
Nov10Good
Dec12Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Ko Pha-ngan?

Ko Pha-ngan sits at 9.8°N, 100.0°E, 0 m above sea level, in Thailand. The nearest listed city is Ko Samui, 27 km away.

Surat ThaniLang SuanTha KhamChumphonBan Na SanNakhon Si Thammarat

Topography around Ko Pha-ngan

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Ko Pha-ngan.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Ko Pha-ngan has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 613 m around an average of 257 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 618 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 805 m.

The land around Ko Pha-ngan is covered by trees (99%) within 3 km, water (85%) within 16 km, and water (92%) within 80 km.

3 km
613 m
16 km
618 m
80 km
805 m
treeswater
December weather nearby: Ko Samui 27 km · Ko Tao 43 km · Surat Thani 103 km · Lang Suan 106 km · Tha Kham 113 km · Chumphon 124 km · Ban Na San 129 km · Nakhon Si Thammarat 147 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
Buddhist 93%Muslim 5%Christian 1%other 1%

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 Pha-ngan (9.7578°, 100.0291°, 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).