Rainy season in the Koh Chang Islands runs from late May to the end of October. That does not mean, however , that the islands are lashed by torrential downpours all day and all night, with life at a standstill.
It can be very pleasant, with the sun shining as normal, rain storms overnight and everybody going about their business as normal.
For sure, there will be bad days and weeks, when it clouds over and the grey blanket never seems to lift. Then, the rain rolls in off the sea and down from the mountains, but it is never cold. Some kind of typhoon in the distant South China Seas is usually blamed, by the way.
Visitors to the islands are, of course, much reduced. They knowingly or in some cases perhaps unknowingly, throw themselves into this unpredictable rainy season weather, with an undinting holiday spirit. There’s the added reward of slashed room prices too, as compensation for the odd bad days.
The sea does have a different feel, white-cappy and turbulent at the best of times. This means beach life can seem a bit more Atlantic than Gulf Of Thailand, but it still beats sitting in an office or being at school.
The inter-island transport out of Koh Chang stays in harbour. The dive boats do go out most days and the snorkelers might see the odd fish.
Contrary to popular myth, Koh Mak and Koh Kood are not cut off for months on end, with speedboats and express boats from the mainland still operating. That said, they do have an air of low season about them, more so than Koh Chang. You will find some resorts shut up for the rainy season.
The Waterfalls during the Rainy Season
The perks of coming this time of the year are the waterfalls, which are, as you would expect, in full and resplendent flow and well worth paying a visit.
On Koh Chang, the main falls are at Klong Plu on the west side but there are several others in Klong Son, Kai Bae Beach and down on the east coast at Dan Mai, Than Mayom and Salak Phet.
Koh Kood, should you decide to head that way, can also boast three of its own, including Huang Nam Keaw, recently made accessible with a fine new track.
The other main draw of the Islands during the rainy season is its wonderful colour. The jungle and interior, the mountains, even besides the roads, have a deep, natural green quality. It’s a unique lushness of this part of the world at this time of year, one you will not experience elsewhere.
As the sages like to put it, ‘you can hear it grow, you can, you can hear it grow’ and many of the businesses have noticed it too, renaming the rainy season to the more positive sounding green season. It may be marketing and a little Canute-like, but you can’t doubt its veracity.
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