Excited for December on Koh Samui? Ready to eat? And eat and eat? Here’s exactly what to expect on Koh Samui this December, plus what to pack at this time of year, weather details, things to do and more. Enjoy!

Don’t Miss: The Koh Samui Guide – 8th Edition Reveal

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Koh Samui in December

Is December a good time to visit Koh Samui?

Of course! Flights to Koh Samui in December typically fill up towards Christmas and New Year. This suggests a very merry month on the island; the holiday period is usually peak season. December is by no means the hottest point of the year, nor the sunniest, but the tropics have a fairly liberal rain policy year-round. With the right preparation, outlined below, you can have the trip of a lifetime in any weather.

Where to stay in December

My pick: Kimpton Kitalay Samui

Celebrate Kimpton Kitalay’s very first Christmas and New Year. (It won’t be a hardship). A superb spot on Choeng Mon Beach for both couples and families; there are a few two-bedroom pool villas for groups of four. An ideal spot if you like low-key fun, beautiful design and superb food. (Its beachfront restaurant, FishHouse, is excellent – more so when celebrating).

See Rates + Details

More hotel ideas

Mid-range: OZO Chaweng Samui
Couples: Centara Reserve Samui
Families: Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort

Compelling reasons to be decisive

For a quick-start on finding somewhere to stay last-minute, see my recommendations for where to stay on Koh Samui. The December holiday period is peak-peak-peak season on Koh Samui. Villas tend to book out months in advance, and some resorts require a seven-night minimum stay. As such, if you’re booking last minute and find availability somewhere you think looks nice – book it. It won’t be there when you return after “thinking about it”. Towards Christmas, many resorts only have availability in their most expensive room categories. But a 628 m²/6700ft² private pool villa doesn’t sound like the worst news, right?

Views vs beachfront accommodation

Prioritise good views over beach access. December is the tail-end of Koh Samui’s rainy season and perfect blue-sky weather isn’t guaranteed. The ocean can be rough and, on many beaches, the tide comes up quite high at this time of year. As such, you might favour properties with ocean views (or private pools) over beachfront accommodation. This way you get to enjoy the island in any weather, without paying premium prices for a beach you might not be able to use every day.

What to pack for December

1. Mosquito repellent

If you’re going to forget anything in your pre-departure frenzy, let it be a small blonde child named Kevin and not your mosquito repellent. Given Koh Samui’s high humidity in December (as rainy season wanes) – mosquitoes get very greedy for their Christmas dinner. The repellent above is top amongst my tried-and-tested favourites for completely avoiding mosquito bites in Thailand. It’s DEET-free and totally natural. For more mozzie-avoidance tips – here’s everything I know.

2. The Koh Samui Guide

If you’re lucky, your long list of things to do this month (between Christmas shopping, sending cards, dressing your dog in reindeer antlers…) will include packing for Koh Samui. From celebratory meals to afternoon adventures and fantastic shopping, The Koh Samui Guide will help you to plan your entire trip.

3. Dual-Voltage Travel Steamer

Excited to take part in some Christmas dinners, New Years parties and other events? Whether or not you choose to wear head-to-toe linen like me, this is the travel steamer I swear by. We’ve been in a committed relationship for over five years: it works in both the U.S. and Canada and Thailand – no adapter needed, it’s dual-voltage magic. Pull crumpled clothes out of your suitcase and steam them back to life in minutes.

4. Rainy day party pack

Pack a rainy day contingency plan. Given the likelihood of seeing some rain in December, I really recommend bringing some fun stuff to bust out on rainy days. Especially if you’re coming with kids (or men-children). Whether games, books – even colouring books – it’s great to bring back-up for anyone in your group who gets bored easily. And then whinges about it. More games for them = more uninterrupted cocktail time for you.

Packing lists and dress code advice

It’s a hectic time of year, but packing is the final step before nothing but gluttony and lazy days. For a massive head-start, see:

December events calendar

Koh Samui Christmas

Christmas on Koh Samui

If you’re coming to Koh Samui for Christmas, rest assured: just about every restaurant on the island will have a Christmas dinner of some description (at every price point). If you have your heart set on a table with a particular view, do book as early as possible. While Christmas is very much an adopted holiday in Thailand, the decorations are nothing short of delightful.

New Year’s Eve

Plan to celebrate New Year on Koh Samui? Expect to repeat much the same as above (an enjoyable process), hopefully with yet more champagne and a lot of fireworks.

Weather in December

December averages

Temperature: 26.5°C / 80°F
Sunshine (hours/day): 7
Rainy days: 9 days (150mm / 6 inches)
Sea temperature: 27°C / 81°F

The good news: Rainy season (should be) over! In late December we officially say goodbye to Koh Samui’s rainy season and celebrate the re-opening of Angthong Marine Park (typically December 23rd).

Does it rain on Koh Samui in December?

Yes. But I’ll sugar-coat it. You’re far likelier to see heavy, consistent rain in early December than towards the Christmas/New Year period. In fact, the chance of rain in a day falls by half from Dec 1 to Dec 31.

Tip: Should you spot rain on the forecast, don’t worry. Thailand has fantastic rainstorms; enjoy them best with a good book or a family travel game (and a Singha or coconut shake sourced nearby).

Your questions

We will be in Koh Samui from December 20th. Experience has shown that it will rain a lot?

What if you were so relaxed and well fed you didn’t care? You can’t go wrong with a spa day on Samui, nor a lazy day on an outdoor sofa with great coffee and a new book. I assure you there’s tons to do in any weather. For really helpful detail, please see The Koh Samui Guide. It has an entire chapter full of rainy day activities (also useful when you’re trying to hide from the sun).

Hey! We’re in Koh Samui at the moment what are some good activity ideas? Thankkk you

On Koh Samui, I like a mixture of about 20% scheduled activities to 80% “let’s see what happens today”. If it involves something alcoholic happening in a coconut, so much the better. As for things to do in December, can I interest you in some lazy days? In no particular order, my favourite things to do include:

eat and drink a lot
laze around
read all the books I wanted to read all year
spa days and massages
try out new cafes and coffee shops
board games and jigsaws (with an ocean view)

Activities to book now

If you’ve already read The Koh Samui Guide and have some particular activities on your must-do list: book them now. Spas, restaurants and popular classes book out through the Christmas/New Year period. There’s no First World Problem like calling for a massage and being told: “you can come in three days’ time”.

Worth a read

DK Witness has just published two updated editions of its Top 10 books for Bangkok and Phuket. (Released Nov 15 in the UK and January 2023 in the U.S./Canada).