The Koh Lanta low season happens between May and October each year, due to the monsoon winds changing direction. Koh Lanta is much quieter, but many resorts and shops stay open, so if you want to escape the crowds, enjoy cheap hotel prices, and don’t mind the chance of rain, it’s ideal
Koh Lanta’s low season is also often called the Green Season. This is because after a sprinkle of rain all the plants get rejuvenated and start to look lush again. You may think that the green season has torrential rain every day, but this is actually not true: while there are tropical downpours every so often, there is also a lot of sunshine too. Even in August you may enjoy a wonderful week of sunny weather. In recent years, Koh Lanta becomes very busy during August due to many visitors arriving thanks to the long summer holidays in Europe.
Koh Lanta In Low Season: All You Need To Know
- Koh Lanta Weather in the Low Season
- Koh Lanta Hotels in the Low Season
- Koh Lanta Villa in the Low Season
- Koh Lanta Transfers in the Low Season
- Koh Lanta Restaurants in the Low Season
- Things to do on Koh Lanta in the Low Season
As you can see from the photos above and below, the weather during September can be fantastic one day and then stormy the next – so provided you come prepared for both eventualities, then you will have a great time.
Getting To Koh Lanta In Low Season
Because of the big waves, many ferry companies stop operating services to Koh Lanta from May to October or they offer a limited service from Phuket, Koh Phi Phi and Krabi. The Express Transfer speedboat also stops operating. However, getting to Koh Lanta is still easy as you can get a Private Minivan Transfer and be driven onto the island via two car ferries. There’s also a public minivan available too. These operate every day of the year.
Debris On The Beaches
Besides large waves other affects the winds create which affect Koh Lanta is it suffers a lot of debris washed upon the beaches especially after a storm it is quite shocking how much plastic, lighters, flip flops, wood and polystyrene gets washed up. Thankfully some hotels do try to keep their beaches clean and also some of the divers organise regular beach clean ups. Around June many resorts also place sheeting along the beach areas this is to protect the plants from the winds.
One thing that never changes is the spectacular Koh Lanta sunsets, and while the beaches can be wild and windy the sunsets are not to be missed.
Why Come to Koh Lanta in the Low Season?
- Less tourists
- Cheaper hotels
- Great value villas
- Deserted beaches all to yourselves
- Only a few people on the dive sites
- Still good weather and cooler
- Feels like Thailand with many locals
What’s The Downside Of Coming to Koh Lanta in Low Season
- It might rain
- After a storm a lot of rubbish is washed upon the beaches
- Around June plastic sheeting gets put up at the beach resorts to protect the resort’s plants from wind
- Beach bars and restaurants close down from May until October due to the wind direction
Doesn’t Everything Close Down On Koh Lanta During Low Season?
Only a few years ago when the low season came, nearly all of Koh Lanta came to a standstill, with shops, resorts, dive shops and restaurants all closing up and many of the Lanta locals either returning home elsewhere in Thailand or working in local industries like rubber plantations, fishing and construction.
However, over the last five years more and more Koh Lanta resorts have stayed open all year round. Several Koh Lanta villas are available to hire at bargain rates during low season too. As such, many restaurants, dive schools, spa shops and cooking schools remain open during low season, although some of the smaller hotels still close.
