October is the last month of the rainy season in Ko Chang, a tropical beach destination just off the coast of mainland Thailand. Rainfall at this time of year is relatively low, especially when compared with the previous four months, and it is delightfully warm. The island is starting to see an influx of tourists due to increasingly favourable warm weather.
Temperatures may reach an average high of 30°C during the day, while at night the mercury dips to around 22°C on average. Both those temperatures can be considered to be about the annual average. The overall average temperature on the island in October is 26°Che same temperature is recorded in February, August and September as well. The sea temperature, too, ranges around the annual average and is now at 29°C, which is higher than the air temperature! After the rainy, and sometimes even stormy, weather of the past several months, the sea begins to calm down again and soon it will be ideal for scuba diving and snorkelling once again.
On average, each October day has 6 hours of sunshine. This happens to be the lowest number of daily sunshine hours of any month, but there's still plenty of sunshine to enjoy. By November, however, the first month of the dry season, that number will have increased to 8 again.
At the start of October, there is still some significant rainfall, although it is not as heavy as compared to the months of August and September. The total amount of rainfall around this time is roughly 296mm. Toward the end of October, the weather improves greatly, although there may still be strong winds at night and early in the morning. The chance that you will get wet during any given day drops significantly in the course of the month, from 62% to 43%. Thunderstorms are the most likely type of rainfall to be experienced, happening on 50% of the 12 days with rainfall this month. Moderate rain and light rain are common as well, respectively occurring on 30% and 15% of those days.
For restful nights during your October holiday, stay at the Chang Buri Resort and Spa. This excellent hotel features a private beach, a pool bar, a hotel bar, a private pool, a spa and Wi-Fi, among a host of other amenities. Enjoy Thai and international cuisine at the resort's Hillside Coffee Shop & Sala Thai restaurant.
The highly-rated Parama Ko Chang is an ideal place to use as a base for exploring this charming tropical island. It's a well-equipped hotel, featuring everything from a full-service spa and a fitness centre to an outdoor swimming pool, a sauna and even a small private island.
With such a name, the Spa Ko Chang Resort can only offer the very best of services and treatments. This health-focused resort offers accommodation in well-equipped rooms, but its main features are the numerous spa therapies, yoga classes, detox courses and fun activities. If you want to really unwind and recharge your batteries, this is the place to do so.
Located just south of the backpacker hub that is Lonely Beach, Bailan Beach is much quieter and more peaceful than its rowdy neighbour. This is the perfect example of a low-key tropical beach, featuring soft sand, blue and 29°C-warm water, and a delightful lack of tourists. The area is being developed, though for now, it remains one of the most "local" beaches on the island's west coast. It's a friendly beach with a limited selection of cheap eateries and affordable accommodationhere is only one large hotel (so far), the Mercure Hideaway.
A superb place to both stay at and go for a bite to eat in the Bailan Beach area is Happy Turtle. Its bustling restaurant serves a wonderful combination of authentic Thai food and European classics. There is a separate bar where guests can nurse great cocktails, enjoy a bowl of ice cream and have a good cup of coffee. A pool table, cooking school and upstairs relaxation area offer some additional entertainment.
The restaurant at Bailan Beach Resort is another suggested place to go for breakfast, lunch or dinner in this area. Located literally steps from the beach, it has a menu that features international and Thai dishes, from American-style breakfasts to Thai lunches and French-style steaks. Additionally, there's also a large selection of coffees and teas, fruit juices and sodas, and international and Thai beers.
At White Sand Beach, you can sample some delicious Indian food at Taste of India. This popular restaurant prepares its food with the freshest possible ingredients; the service is impeccable.
One of Thailand's most popular tourist activities, besides sunbathing and snorkelling, is going for an elephant trek. In Ko Chang, you can do this at any one of the four elephant camps on the island, including Klong Plu Ban Elephant Camp or the Ban Chang Thai Elephant Camp, for a truly magical and memorable experience. These camps offer guests the chance to ride and even bathe with an elephant.
October is the last month of the wet season, a month that, with its 296mm of precipitation, is already much drier than the previous months. Consider taking advantage of this improving weather and the lack of tourists to do some fun activities. Zip 'N Zorb Adventure Park is a suggested place to spend an afternoon. This fun park is where you can take part in fun things such as forest archery, zip lining and water zorbing. An on-site beer garden is a wonderful spot to kick back after your adventures.
