Phi Phi Weather
What You Need to Know
Looking to find out the weather in Phi Phi island? Of course, you want to know what the weather be like in Koh Phi Phi don at certain times of the year and when is the best time to visit Phi Phi?Before visiting any destination, especially for a vacation, let alone a tropical paradise where you want to experience being sun-kissed, knowing the weather there and the current forecast you’ll have once you get there can be a deal-breaker.
This knowledge has never been more critical when visiting Thailand’s ‘The Beach’ – Koh Phi Phi. Let’s learn more about their weather to help you plan your next stay-cation in this majestic relaxation go-to.
27°CAll About Phi Phi Weather
Climate
Koh Phi Phi is an archipelago located in the Andaman Sea and belongs to the Krabi province, a tropical and hot-all-year-round place. Made up of the main islands, namely Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh, this archipelago also has smaller islands like Ko Mai Phai (also known as Bamboo Island), Bida Nok, and Bida Nai.
These are coral islands where scuba diving is a favourite activity for tourists. In December 2004, these islands were hit hard by a tsunami but had slowly recovered with infrastructures rebuilt in the following years.
Its rainy season happens from May to October, brought by the southwest monsoon, and its dry season from December to March. In April, before the monsoon hits, there’s a slight increase in rain showers.
There’s still abundant amounts of rainfall in November, especially during the first parts–either for delays in the monsoon’s retreat or due to a tropical cyclone. But there can also be some downpours happening in the dry season, especially during December, when one among them can occasionally become particularly intense.
Phi Phi Island’s Hot Season
From April to May are some of the hottest months in Koh Phi Phi, with the hot temperate ranging from 27ºC up to 36ºC. But frequent short showers also offer a cooling drizzle and welcome relief towards the island’s humidity. During the Songkran or the Thai New Year that happens in April, almost everyone sprinkles or takes part in this festive tradition of throwing cool water on each other.
During the usual fine weathers of June and August, many Thais come to Koh Phi Phi Island. Although there are brief but heavy showers, expect plenty of sunshine between these downpours. Additionally, everything is less expensive during this time of year. Temperatures during daytime range from 20ºC to 33ºC, so enjoy the island’s many beaches in a much more comfortable way.
Phi Phi Island’s Wet Season
Frequent heavy downpours are expected in Phi Phi from September to early October. You’ll stumble upon beaches, outdoor restaurants and streets that are relatively empty during this time. Nevertheless, this situation shouldn’t hinder your visit during Phi Phi Island’s wet season. Enjoy still some long intervals of sunshine between these heavy downpours. There are also a lot of low season activities to choose from, both in water and inland, still letting you enjoy Phi Phi.
Other Factors
Temperatures
Expect high temperatures throughout the year, with average highs never dropping below 30°C (86 °F). Although, from December to March, the island’s humidity becomes slightly lower. Night temperatures rarely become below 20°C (68 °F), but such instances may sometimes happen between December and March. Before the arrival of the monsoon between February and April, there was a slight temperature increase.
So, March and April, along with the first monsoon month of May, are typically the year’s hottest months, with high temperate quite often reaching up to 35/36 °C (95/97 °F).
Precipitation
On average, approximately 2,400 millimetres (or 94.5 inches) of rain befalls the island of Koh Phi Phi each year. Because of the south-western winds affecting the island directly and on the Andaman Sea coast, expect more abundant rain during the southwest monsoon period than on the Gulf of Siam, Thailand’s other peninsular coast.
In addition, there are two peaks in Koh Phi Phi’s rainy season– the first part happens in May, and the last happens during September and October. However, recent years have also showcased torrential rains occurring in July and August.
Sunshine
Being a tropical location by nature, Phi Phi Island has a fair amount of sunshine. It is good during the driest periods of late December to March. Meanwhile, although the sun is not missing during the rainy season, it takes turns and alternates with cloudiness–a factor that sometimes gives significant rise to rain showers.
Tropical Cyclones
Like the rest of Thailand, the Phi Phi islands may sometimes get affected by tropical cyclones. The Andaman Sea area is relatively protected due to cyclones potentially forming nearby. But then, these tropical cyclones will head towards the Bay of Bengal, happening sometime between April and December.
In addition, there’ll be two peaks at the start and end of the period, that is, in April-June and October-December. Meanwhile, typhoons can start arriving from the east, but they generally begin passing more to the north, coming from the South China Sea to mainland Thailand. Although, from time to time, cyclones can also move latitudes, which has occurred in the last few recent decades, from mid-October to about the 20th of December.
The Sea
The sea is warm convenient enough to swim all year round on the Phi Phi islands. We should also note that the sea can become rough during the summer due to the monsoon, producing some dangerous currents. Always be mindful of these precautions.
Best Time to Visit
Koh Phi Phi’s weather extensively plays a significant role in providing you with that memorable holiday you’ve always wanted to have in southern Thailand. This majestic island lies about 40 km from Phuket and has a comparable climate, averaging from temperatures around 24°C to 32°C all year-round.
With everything said about Koh Phi Phi’s weather, the million-dollar question remains: “When is the best time to visit?” Well, the best time to go to this tropical paradise and enjoy its beaches, after all, information considered, is during the dry season between late December and March. As said earlier, there may still be some intense showers during December and early January, while during February to March, it can be considerably hot.
So, the best recommended time in visiting Phi Phi would be from November to March, when humidity is at its lowest and temperatures are averaging around 28°C, giving cool breezes that keep things comfortable.
This weather in Phi Phi Island becomes slightly less agreeable during September and October when the monsoon brings heavy rains inside thick clouds. However, it’s still possible to have some fun and enjoyable beach activities between these downpours.
Final Thoughts on Phi Phi Weather
Although quite comprehensive, expect weather changes quite different from today. Always be on the lookout for weather forecasts and updates, especially when you’re about to plan your next visit to the majestic island of Koh Phi Phi. Plan so you can have the time of your life once you visit Thailand’s most famous beach destination spot.
