Krabi's best stretch by a wide margin: dry, sunny days, lower humidity, and the calmest seas of the year for boat trips out to Phi Phi and Railay. It's also the busiest and priciest time, book Ao Nang and Railay well ahead if visiting between December and February. Rain is rare, though December can occasionally bring a short, intense shower.

This tier spans quite different halves of the year. March and April are still hot and mostly dry, but pre-monsoon showers become more frequent as the season turns, especially by April. May, June, and July sit within the early monsoon, rain is a regular presence and the sea can turn rough, though it hasn't reached its wettest point yet. November, right after the monsoon retreats, can still bring heavy rain in its first half before conditions dry out toward December.

The wettest stretch of the year, when the southwest monsoon is at its strongest and rain falls on the majority of days, October especially. Seas along this Andaman-facing coast turn rough with dangerous currents, and boat trips to the islands are more likely to be delayed or cancelled. Hotel prices drop to their lowest of the year to match.