Ko Tarutao, Lanta Etc In August?

[nesvibe]

Hi everyone

I'm kinda worried about my trip to south of thailand in august. The further i read travel guides, the more i get worried about how the weather will be like.

Do you know anything about the monsoon, and how it effects the boats that take you from the mainland to the islands? Is Ko tarutao's marine park closed during that period? I don't really mind staying on land, but i really wished to visit all those fab islands!!

what do you think??

Merci beaucoup!!!

[English Noodles]

The best time for island hopping around Tarutao Park is from mid - October to the end of August. September to mid - October is the west monsoon season and there are a few days that boats cannot leave from the islands or mainland due to stormy conditions. The boats used nowadays are much bigger and more powerful than boats of just a few years ago and they can travel in rougher seas than the smaller versions used up until last year. Accommodation is always available on the smaller island of Lipe but the Park offices at Tarutao and Adang islands are closed to visitors from May to November. Remember that when you are on an island if the waves are big on one side you can always go to the opposite side of the island to swim in calm seas. The same goes for diving and canoeing. If you are a wind surfer or sailor and your looking for wind, then stay to the west of the islands during the months of June to December and to the east side from the months of January to May for the best winds.

Temperature wise:

January to May are the hottest months. Daytime temperature of 30 - 38C in the shade and 25 - 30C at night.

June to September is much milder with temperatures in the daytime of 28 - 35C and night time temperatures from 22 - 25C.

October to December are the coolest months with daytime temperatures from 25 to 30C and night time temperatures from 20 - 25C.

Cheers Noodles.

Edited March 20, 2006 by English Noodles

[h5n1]

ko lanta is a bust - backpacker hel_l. i befriended a guy who runs a minibus service and bought land there. we shared a laugh as the beaches below the north are clearly sub-par by thai standards. he was clueless why all the bp's were coming - but it made him rich so mai-pei-rai eh? very scammy also - typical ko pangh gangh sort of scene. show you photos of new 'b150' bungalow, when you arrive they are dire b300 bunglalow and heres a rub - not only will they not put you back on th eroad - but the mafias in the ban-moo all stick together and no one will ride you north!!!

if you do go and this does happen, just stand in the road when you see a truck, jump in back and when you hit town flip em a b50. its a really crappy place and the thais have ruined the reef by all sorts of illegal fishing methods.

the smaller islands should be nicer but you are very locked in there. why dont you try perentians in malaysia?

[English Noodles]

ko lanta is a bust - backpacker hel_l. i befriended a guy who runs a minibus service and bought land there. we shared a laugh as the beaches below the north are clearly sub-par by thai standards. he was clueless why all the bp's were coming - but it made him rich so mai-pei-rai eh? very scammy also - typical ko pangh gangh sort of scene. show you photos of new 'b150' bungalow, when you arrive they are dire b300 bunglalow and heres a rub - not only will they not put you back on th eroad - but the mafias in the ban-moo all stick together and no one will ride you north!!!

if you do go and this does happen, just stand in the road when you see a truck, jump in back and when you hit town flip em a b50. its a really crappy place and the thais have ruined the reef by all sorts of illegal fishing methods.

the smaller islands should be nicer but you are very locked in there. why dont you try perentians in malaysia?

I have been to Lanta before and found no such trouble, People were very nice, accomodation was good etc, Never encountered any mafia types.

Tarutao national park is amazing, you will not find better in Thailand.

Noodles.

[LaoPo]

ko lanta is a bust - backpacker hel_l. i befriended a guy who runs a minibus service and bought land there. we shared a laugh as the beaches below the north are clearly sub-par by thai standards. he was clueless why all the bp's were coming - but it made him rich so mai-pei-rai eh? very scammy also - typical ko pangh gangh sort of scene. show you photos of new 'b150' bungalow, when you arrive they are dire b300 bunglalow and heres a rub - not only will they not put you back on th eroad - but the mafias in the ban-moo all stick together and no one will ride you north!!!

if you do go and this does happen, just stand in the road when you see a truck, jump in back and when you hit town flip em a b50. its a really crappy place and the thais have ruined the reef by all sorts of illegal fishing methods.

the smaller islands should be nicer but you are very locked in there. why dont you try perentians in malaysia?

I have been to Lanta before and found no such trouble, People were very nice, accomodation was good etc, Never encountered any mafia types.

Tarutao national park is amazing, you will not find better in Thailand.

Noodles.

I 'Googled' Tarutao.......guess what I found? (a.o.)

http://www.tarutao.com/

Premature.....WHAT???

LaoPo

[hellohello]

Typically August is Low season- but last year it was warm&beautiful and the rains came in Christmastime- go figure?

Link for longatil boats trips in Lanta/Trang. Good luck.

here

[seonai]

English Noodles - so you can guarantee only 6 weeks of monsoon then?????? Woooooo! I can book my hols now to Tarutao! And the thing about being on the east or west of the island??????

Well the island i live on, not that far, has massive mangrove forests on the west so there won't be any surfing there. East - no big waves. Monsoons - totally unpredictable. IMPOSSIBLE to say now when they will come.... random months of rain. Right now is the dryest, hottest season of the year, we have alternated between days of monsoon rain and hurricane level winds to days of extreme calm and heat that is unbearable.

OP - the weather is not as predictable in thailand a it used to be