Should I Visit Krabi in the Low Season? YES!

Here is why you should visit Krabi in the low season between May and October each year: Fewer People! Better Deals! Beautiful Weather!

Most people come to Thailand during the high-season which starts in early November and goes through April. The reason people come to sunny, hot, tropical Thailand during this time is because for the most part, their home country is cold, snowing, and intolerable! Europeans, Canadians, Americans, Aussies, and people from all over the Middle East and Asia visit warm sunny Thailand during these months.

Thailand welcomes tens of millions of tourists each year with many of them visiting mainland Krabi, Ko Phi Phi Islands, Railay Beach, Ao Nang, and Ko Lanta Islands during high and low seasons. Note – some people call the low season – RAINY SEASON. It’s just not true! September and October – yes, rain like crazy. May through August – not that much! Come and enjoy!

What Is Krabi Like During the Low Season?

Delightful. In one word, just delightful. The number of vans on the road driving like complete idiots is manageable and hardly even noticeable! We drive through Krabi Town daily to drop our kids off at school and usually in the off season like now – September – we may not see ANY tourists except those sitting in the Pak Up Hostel lobby eating their morning breakfast buffet!

There are very few tourists riding motorbikes (scooters) on the roads during this time, so there are fewer accidents and fewer near accidents. The level of traffic is probably 25%-33% of what it is during high season. Seriously, it’s THAT NICE.

What Is the Best Time During Off Season to Come to Krabi?

May through October are fantastic months to arrive in Krabi and take advantage of beautiful weather and very few tourists around. One thing people don’t think much about is the clouds start in May. By June there are lots of clouds in the sky taking the edge off the harsh sunshine we get here – nearly at the equator.

The afternoons are often much cooler because of cloud cover and it makes your vacation so much more enjoyable than during March and April when temperatures are extreme and clouds are rarely found.

What Are the Best Attractions to See in the Low Season?

Railay Beach West during Krabi low season can be just like this! Whole sections of beach to yourself!

The best attractions to go see during the low season include:

• Ko Phi Phi Islands! These world famous islands are not as filled with longtail and speedboats during the low season and you’ll love the place a LOT MORE. Come during June, July, and August for the best experience. Yes, it’s raining some, but we have far more sunny days than rainy days.
• Railay Beaches (East and West), Tonsai Beach – Some real bargains can be found on rooms on Railay during this time – our friend regularly gets 1,000-2,000 off his room rate when he comes during September each year!
• Dragon’s Crest Trail – Only 50 people or so per day hike this trail during low season. That’s compared with over 200 per day during high season!
• Tiger Temple! Usually there are a few hundred people per day here in high season and only 150 per day during low season. It’s a great time to climb the 1,256 steps to the top of the mountain and see the mind-blowing view of limestone karst mountainst and even the ocean with Ko Phi Phi and other islands.

When Does the Heavy Rain Start in Krabi Each Year?

During July to December we can have some days in a row where it rains. It’s much more common for 2-4 days of rainy weather to occur during September and October than any other months. However, even in November and December it could be raining quite a bit!

If you really want to avoid the rain, the best months are December through April. Unfortunately, this is high season! March and April are scorching hot too and humidity is maxed out!

What is Krabi Like During the High Season?

Railay Beach crowd during high season in Krabi from November to April can be too much. Behind us was another couple of hundred people.

Thailand has been enjoying really good numbers of visitors to the country and to Krabi since COVID peaked and is now sort of an afterthought.

Krabi Town and Ao Nang during high season when tourism is at its high point – is quite full of people. If you don’t like crowds, you’re not going to enjoy Krabi in High Season. It’s like this every year. It is pretty full from November through April every year. If you want to come during the best time of the year, come during June to October. If you cannot stand rain, come during June to August when the rain isn’t so bad and the skies are full of clouds to moderate the sun hitting directly on you.

Other Good Reasons to Visit Krabi in Low Season?

• Because traffic is so much lower, it’s safer to rent a scooter and ride around yourself instead of paying for taxis and Grab and Bolt rides everywhere. The only time the roads get bad is during rush hour morning and late afternoon.
• Scooter rental prices drop about 20% in off season
• Almost everyone is more willing to negotiate fees, rates, rooms, food, etc. Give it a try!
• Restaurant food comes faster! No long waits like when 30 people just came before you and will get their meal before you get yours.
• Not only is Krabi virtually empty, but the other places close by like Trang, Satun (Ko Lipe), and Ko Samui are at very low tourist levels as well!

Krabi Weather – more info >