Things to Do in Koh Tao in January

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Stay in Koh Tao in January

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January is when Koh Tao finally dries out: November typically brings 336mm (13.2 in) of rain, but by New Year that has usually cleared, and on Open-Meteo's five-year average January is the driest month of the year. Daytime highs sit around 26.6°C (80°F) and nights barely drop to 25.2°C (77°F), so the air on Sairee Beach feels soft and salty, not scorching. The catch is wind. The northeast monsoon still blows through the first half of January, and on those days the catamaran crossing from Chumphon or Koh Samui can turn into a rough 2 hours.

The first week of January is one of the busiest stretches of Koh Tao's year: crowds from the New Year's Eve countdown on Sairee Beach usually linger until around 5 January, and the dive schools in Sairee and Mae Haad stay booked well into February. After about 10 January the beach bars get noticeably quieter, and you can usually find a sunlounger at Freedom Beach by mid-morning.

The wind decides which side of the island you'll enjoy. Sairee, Mae Haad and Chalok Baan Kao sit on the sheltered west and south coasts and tend to stay calm, while on the east coast Tanote Bay and Hin Wong can take a real pounding from the swell for 3 or 4 days at a stretch.

Why visit in January

On Open-Meteo's five-year record, January draws the least rain of all 12 months on Koh Tao, well below December's 135mm (5.3 in).
The sea holds near 27°C (81°F), so a 3 mm shorty or a rash guard is all you need for 4 dives a day around Koh Nang Yuan.
From mid-January, the skies over the Gulf of Thailand are usually clear, and the west-facing sunsets at Sairee Beach become far more dependable than anything you'd see from October through December.
In high season, Open Water courses in Mae Haad and Sairee run almost daily, meaning divers rarely wait more than 1 or 2 days for a class.

Worth knowing

Northeast monsoon swell can shut down snorkelling at Tanote Bay and Hin Wong for several days in early January.
January's dry spell draws day-trip speedboats from Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, and by late morning the viewpoint path on Koh Nang Yuan already has a queue.
When the swell picks up, dive boats often cancel the run to Sail Rock, a 90-minute ride toward Koh Phangan, so build 2 or 3 spare days into your schedule if it's on your list.
In the first week of January, beachfront rooms on Sairee are hard to come by unless you've booked weeks in advance.

Best for

Think twice if

Weather measured 27° / 25°C 20mm rain · 5 rainy days · 76% humidity rains perceptibly ~0.3h/day · 93% of mornings dry

Crowds high

Pack Light cotton or linen for 80°F days, 1 long-sleeve layer for windy boat decks at 7am, reef-safe sunscreen, and a packable rain shell for the occasional 20-minute shower.

January usually brings sunny mornings, a steady northeast breeze, and brief showers on about 5 days of the month. The gap between day and night temperatures is only about 1.4°C (2.5°F), so evenings on Sairee Beach stay warm enough for a T-shirt. Humidity sits around 76%, which feels sticky at midday in Mae Haad but pleasant once the sea breeze picks up.

Seasonal caution

The northeast monsoon often lingers into the first half of January, raising swell across the Gulf of Thailand, and high-speed catamarans between Koh Tao, Chumphon and Koh Samui are sometimes delayed or cancelled for a day or more.

Year-round climate

Averages from the last 5 years.

Monthly climate averages for Koh Tao
Month	Avg high (°C)	Avg low (°C)	Rainfall (mm)
Jan	27	25	20
Feb	27	25	76
Mar	28	26	33
Apr	29	27	80
May	29	27	189
Jun	29	27	120
Jul	29	26	172
Aug	28	26	145
Sep	28	26	192
Oct	28	25	275
Nov	28	25	336
Dec	27	25	135

Holidays and festivals in January

Public holidays

New Year's Day(วันขึ้นปีใหม่)1 January 2027

Best things to do in January

Fun dives at Chumphon Pinnacle

diving

Chumphon Pinnacle is a granite seamount about 11 km (7 miles) northwest of Sairee, its walls thick with anemones and the top circled by large schools of barracuda and trevally.

By January the plankton from the monsoon has usually settled, and visibility runs to 10-20 m (33-66 ft), improving as the month goes on.

Booking tipOver 1-7 January, book 3 or 4 days ahead: the morning boats fill with course students.

Open Water certification in Sairee or Mae Haad

diving

The PADI or SSI Open Water course takes 3.5 days, starting with pool or shallow-bay sessions and finishing with 4 open-water dives around Koh Nang Yuan.

January's dry weather means far fewer storm cancellations than a November course, making it more likely you'll finish on schedule.

Booking tipBook before you land if you start between 1 and 7 January, and pick a 4-day window with one spare day.

Freediving course in Chalok Baan Kao

diving

The freediving schools cluster around Chalok Baan Kao bay, where Level 1 courses cover breath-hold and line diving to about 10-20 m (33-66 ft).

Chalok faces south, so the water stays glassy while the January northeasterly churns the east coast.

Booking tipClasses run small, often 4 students, so email a week ahead in January.

Sunrise hike to John-Suwan Viewpoint

hiking

A 15-minute scramble from the south end of Chalok Baan Kao brings you to granite boulders above Shark Bay and Chalok bay.

The trail is dry in January, unlike the red clay mud of November and December, and the northeast wind keeps the 6:30am air cool.

Booking tipThe trailhead collects a small landowner fee, so carry small Thai baht notes.

Snorkel and climb at Koh Nang Yuan

snorkelling

Koh Nang Yuan is 3 small islands joined by a white sandbar, with Japanese Gardens off the east side and a staircase leading to the island's viewpoint.

On January's windy days, Koh Nang Yuan stays reachable from Sairee on a sheltered 10-minute taxi-boat ride, while trips to the east coast get cancelled.

Booking tipThe island charges a landing fee and bans single-use plastic bottles, so bring a refillable one.

Sail Rock dive day

diving

Sail Rock is a lone pinnacle between Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, best known for a vertical chimney you can swim through, from about 18 m (59 ft) up to 6 m (20 ft).

In the second half of January the wind usually drops for days at a time, and that is when shops add Sail Rock trips to the schedule.

Booking tipGet your name on the list early and keep your dates flexible, because departures depend on the sea state.

What to eat in January

In season: fruit

Sweet tamarind (makham waan)
The Phetchabun harvest runs from December to February, and January's crop reaches the fruit stalls near Mae Haad Pier in brown, crackly pods that taste like dates.
Thai strawberries
Strawberries from the northern hills around Chiang Mai are in season from December to February, and in January the smoothie shacks along Sairee Beach blend them into shakes.
Som khiao wan (green tangerine)
Thailand's cool season is peak time for these tangerines: the skins stay green and the flesh comes sharp and juicy, so they make a good snack for the boat deck.

Street food peaks

Pla muek yang (grilled squid)
On calm January nights, squid boats light up the Gulf with green lamps, and the catch often ends up at the evening grills near Mae Haad Pier, brushed with a chilli and lime sauce.

Regular events in January

New Year's Day (Wan Khuen Pi Mai)Free

A national public holiday. On Koh Tao, the countdown fire shows on Sairee Beach run past 3am, and the next day moves slowly.

1 January

National Children's Day (Wan Dek)Free

Schools and temples in Mae Haad and Chalok Baan Kao set up games, snacks, and small stages for local children.

Second Saturday of January

Teachers' Day (Wan Khru)Free

Students at Koh Tao's schools bring flowers for their teachers and hold short ceremonies, and government schools close for the day.

16 January

Full Moon Party at Haad Rin, Koh Phangan

Koh Phangan's monthly beach party. In January, extra evening boats leave Mae Haad Pier to carry partygoers the 1 hour or so across the Gulf.

Night of the January full moon

Chinese New YearFree

Thai-Chinese families in Mae Haad lay out red offerings and light firecrackers, and some shops shut for 1 or 2 days.

Late January or February, following the lunar calendar

Best places this January

Sairee Beach
beach
The island's longest beach, about 1.7 km (1 mile) of west-facing sand. It is the best sunset spot in January, and the bars at the northern end put on fire shows after dark.
Sairee
Koh Nang Yuan
island
The sandbar and viewpoint offshore from Sairee's north tip, reachable on all but the roughest January days.
Sairee
John-Suwan Viewpoint
viewpoint
A granite lookout on the headland between Chalok bay and Shark Bay, where the views come sharpest after a dry January night.
Chalok Baan Kao
Freedom Beach
beach
A small cove at the southwest tip of the island where the water holds calm in the northeast wind and the reef begins in waist-deep water.
Chalok Baan Kao
Shark Bay (Ao Thian Og)
snorkelling
Blacktip reef sharks patrol the shallows here early in the morning, so check the swell before you go, because the bay faces southeast.
Chalok Baan Kao
Mae Haad Pier
market
The arrival point for every catamaran, with evening food stalls along the pier road serving som tam and grilled seafood.
Mae Haad
Love Koh Tao Viewpoint
viewpoint
A hilltop above Mae Haad that looks over the whole west coast, reached by a steep 30-minute walk best done before 9am.
Mae Haad
Tanote Bay
beach
A boulder-framed bay on the east coast with a popular jumping rock. Wait until the January wind has eased for 2 or more days before going.
Tanote

Your packing checklist

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Reef-safe sunscreenThe UV index on Koh Tao regularly reaches 10 or higher in January, and dive shops around Koh Nang Yuan will ask for reef-safe formulas. Shop
Seasickness tabletsPick them up in Bangkok or Chumphon before the crossing, because the early-January swell turns stomachs on the catamaran's open deck. Shop
Light windbreakerThe 7am dive boats to Chumphon Pinnacle can feel cold on northeast wind days, especially once you are wet. Shop
Rash guard or 3 mm shorty wetsuitThe sea sits at around 27°C (81°F), so a full 5 mm suit is more than you need, but a thin layer keeps the cold from building on your third dive. Shop
Dry bag, 10-20 litresTaxi boats from Sairee to Koh Nang Yuan throw spray on windy January mornings, enough to soak a phone. Shop
Reef shoesSea urchins sit in the shallows at Freedom Beach and along the rocks at Tanote Bay. Shop
Head torchParts of the road between Chalok Baan Kao and Mae Haad have no lighting, and in January the sun goes down around 6:15pm. Shop
Dive certification card and logbookShops in Sairee and Mae Haad will check them before booking deeper sites like Sail Rock or Chumphon Pinnacle. Shop

Insider tips

When the northeasterly cancels Chumphon Pinnacle, ask your dive shop about White Rock and Twins, both of which sit off Sairee and usually keep running.
The first taxi boats from the north end of Sairee reach Koh Nang Yuan before 9am, a good 2 hours before the Koh Samui speedboat crowds arrive.
If you're coming from Bangkok, fly into Chumphon rather than Koh Samui: in high season the Samui route typically costs several times more, and the boat transfer from Chumphon is similar in length.
The evening grills near Mae Haad Pier charge far less than the beachfront restaurants on Sairee, and the squid is often from that morning's catch.

Avoid these mistakes

Booking the last catamaran off the island on the same day as an international flight from Bangkok is a real risk: one swell cancellation in January can wreck that plan, so leave a spare night in Chumphon or Bangkok.
First-time riders rent scooters to reach Tanote Bay or Aow Leuk, but those roads are steep concrete with loose sand after a shower, and island clinics treat scooter injuries almost daily in high season.
Some visitors arrive on 30 or 31 December without a room booked and end up paying the top rate for whatever is left in Mae Haad.

Practical tips for January

Book rooms and dive courses at least 3 weeks ahead if you're arriving between late December and 7 January, and keep 1 buffer day at the end of the trip because Gulf crossings to Chumphon and Koh Samui can be cancelled in the northeast wind. Temples in Mae Haad and Chalok Baan Kao expect covered shoulders and knees, and walking through Mae Haad in swimwear gets disapproving looks. Tipping at dive shops is usually 5-10% of the course price, split among the boat crew. Some ATMs in Sairee run out of cash over the New Year week, so withdraw in Chumphon or Koh Samui before you cross. Government offices and some local shops close for New Year's Day and on Teachers' Day, but dive shops and restaurants stay open. For ferry schedules and transfer options, see https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Koh_Tao#Get_in, and for safety notes see https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Koh_Tao#Stay_safe.

FAQ

Is January a good time to visit Koh Tao?

Yes, for most travelers. It is the driest month in Open-Meteo's record, the water is warm, and dive schools run daily. The downsides are northeast wind in the first half of the month, which roughens the east coast and the ferry crossing, and high-season room rates.

What is the weather like in Koh Tao in January?

Warm and mostly dry, with a steady northeast breeze and only a few short showers across the month. The weather section above has the exact highs, lows and rainfall. Sairee and Chalok Baan Kao tend to feel calmer than the east coast.

Is Koh Tao crowded in January?

New Year week is packed, especially along Sairee Beach, and after about 10 January it gets quieter on land, though dive boats and Koh Nang Yuan stay busy because day-trippers from Koh Samui arrive by late morning.

Is diving good in Koh Tao in January?

Yes. The dry weather lets courses finish on schedule, and sheltered sites like White Rock and Twins run on most days, though Chumphon Pinnacle and Sail Rock depend on the swell, so plan for flexible dates.

Do ferries to Koh Tao get cancelled in January?

Sometimes. The northeast monsoon can hold catamarans at Chumphon and Koh Samui for a day in early January, so check the forecast 48 hours before you travel and avoid planning a same-day connection to a flight home.