Ko Tao weather in May

In May, Ko Tao sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 28°C, with 150 mm of rain across 22.3 wet days and about 12.5 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in May, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 24 min at the start of May to 12 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Ko Tao's 7th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ko Tao's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
1st warmest
Overnight low
28°
11th coldest
Rainfall
150 mm
22.3 wet days
Daylight
12 h 30 min
6:03 AM – 6:31 PM
Cloud cover
77%
7th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.73 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.7
out of 10

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month.

A typical May day in Ko Tao reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 28°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

25°28°30°33°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12928
22928
32928
42928
52928
62928
72928
82928
92928
102928
112928
122928
132928
142928
152928
162928
172928
182928
192927
202927
212927
222927
232927
242927
252927
262927
272927
282927
292927
302927
312927

How May really feels in Ko Tao

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 31 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
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Ko Tao weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 1st-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 26°728.211.56.9
Feb28° / 27°304.411.77.4
Mar28° / 27°878.411.96.3
Apr29° / 28°9712.712.25.1
May29° / 28°15022.312.53.7
Jun29° / 27°12720.412.63.8
Jul29° / 27°11520.112.54.0
Aug29° / 27°12119.612.34.2
Sep28° / 27°1682312.13.8
Oct28° / 26°29025.211.84.0
Nov28° / 26°25619.111.54.8
Dec27° / 26°1221111.46.2

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 77%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14060
23862
33763
43565
53367
63268
73169
82971
92872
102773
112575
122575
132377
142377
152278
162278
172080
181981
191882
201981
211981
221981
231882
241882
251882
261783
271684
281585
291585
301486
311486

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Ko Tao gets around 150 mm of rain over 22.3 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 72% and peaks near 76% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
162
264
365
466
567
668
769
870
971
1072
1172
1273
1373
1474
1574
1674
1774
1874
1974
2074
2174
2274
2374
2474
2574
2674
2775
2875
2975
3076
3176

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the miserable band about 95% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1694
2694
3694
4595
5595
6595
7595
8595
9595
10595
11595
12595
13595
14595
15595
16595
17595
18595
19595
20496
21496
22496
23496
24496
25496
26496
27496
28496
29496
30496
31496

Wind in May

Winds average 16 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1016light breeze
1116light breeze
1216light breeze
1316light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1917light breeze
2017light breeze
2117light breeze
2217light breeze
2317light breeze
2417light breeze
2518light breeze
2618light breeze
2718light breeze
2818light breeze
2918light breeze
3018light breeze
3118light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 24 min at the start of May to 12 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:07 AM to 6:02 AM, and sunset from 6:28 PM to 6:34 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.46:076:28
212.46:076:29
312.46:076:29
412.46:066:29
512.46:066:29
612.46:066:29
712.46:056:29
812.46:056:29
912.46:056:29
1012.46:046:30
1112.46:046:30
1212.46:046:30
1312.46:046:30
1412.46:036:30
1512.56:036:31
1612.56:036:31
1712.56:036:31
1812.56:036:31
1912.56:036:31
2012.56:026:32
2112.56:026:32
2212.56:026:32
2312.56:026:32
2412.56:026:33
2512.56:026:33
2612.56:026:33
2712.56:026:33
2812.56:026:34
2912.56:026:34
3012.56:026:34
3112.56:026:34

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.73 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.51 kWh/m² to a high of 6.4 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 5.73 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.1Intense
26.1Intense
36.0Intense
46.0Intense
56.0Bright
66.0Bright
75.9Bright
85.9Bright
95.8Bright
105.8Bright
115.8Bright
125.8Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.7Bright
185.6Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.5Bright
275.5Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
315.5Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Ko Tao

In seasonPeak

In May, Ko Tao sits inside its cyclone and rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Ko Tao sits in the North Indian Ocean cyclone zone; the season peaks May and October–November.

Ko Tao's rainy season runs September–November, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is May a good time to visit Ko Tao?

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

3.7
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
4.9
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Ko Tao.

What to pack for Ko Tao in May

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

In May, Ko Tao sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 28°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 22 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Ko Tao in May

The nearest coast averages about 30°C in May — 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 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
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec28Warm

UV index in Ko Tao in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks 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 Tao peaks around August 20 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 9 (very high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highAug 20UV 14Dec 20UV 9
UV index (midday)Level
Jan10Very high
Feb12Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May12Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug14Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct11Extreme
Nov10Extreme
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Ko Tao in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Ko Tao 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 Tao?

Ko Tao sits at 10.1°N, 99.8°E, 0 m above sea level, in Thailand. The nearest listed city is Ko Pha-ngan, 43 km away.

Surat ThaniTha KhamBang SaphanRanong

Topography around Ko Tao

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Ko Tao has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 368 m around an average of 60 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 368 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 621 m.

The land around Ko Tao is covered by water (49%) and trees (47%) within 3 km, water (98%) within 16 km, and water (95%) within 80 km.

3 km
368 m
16 km
368 m
80 km
621 m
treesartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Ko Pha-ngan 43 km · Ko Samui 63 km · Lang Suan 85 km · Chumphon 85 km · Surat Thani 119 km · Tha Kham 128 km · Bang Saphan 130 km · Ranong 132 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 Tao (10.0917°, 99.8377°, 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).