Goodbye to December 2016

Goodbye to December 2016

It's the time of the month to say Goodbye to December 2016 and this month will without doubt be known for the floods early on in the month. After an exceptional nice November 2016 version, the monsoon hit in full force early in December with day long torrential rain which caused flooding all over the island. Surprisingly all electricity held on and there were not that many black outs, so no baby booms in nine months time. After a week of this torrential rains it calmed down a bit and relatively quickly the flooded roads were drained of water, just to fill up again for a day or two in mid December with another batch of strong rain hitting the island.

This has now all passed and most of the run off has disappeared and most roads have dried up again, with a few exceptions.

The Seatran car ferry had extended their service into the heart of the island along the ring road during the early December floods

The blog views and hits went through the roof, with over 90,000 page views at this very moment. Plenty of comments and questions were asked and even to this day I receive questions from people being worried about the floods.

Although it might be  slightly wet New Years Eve party tonight an a couple of light rainy days ahead of us, it's not anywhere near the situation as we experienced around the island earlier this month.

The monsoon is lowly on the way out and sunnier days are ahead of us.

It was a busy month for work for me, with a PADI IDC finishing on Phuket and another starting on Koh Phangan. Now I will be home for about three weeks in total before I hit the road again fr the first PADI IDC program in 2017, and I will be off to Phuket again. A review of my diving year 2016 has already been posted, for a link, click here.

Enjoy the New Year celebrities and see you all next year!

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 31st December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 31^st December, 2016

Today's weather;

It's cloudy and grey-ish this morning, with heavy clouds and just a tiny few blue spots in  the sky over Koh Samui and a very strong wind blowing. A little bit of rain is expected later today, but not too much. Current temp at 8am is 27C

Walking street in Fisherman's Village last night, this must have been one of the busiest events this year. It was packed with tourists and locals, strolling around and looking, shopping and eating their way through the extended walking street set up

Yesterday saw a cloudy but dry day with strong winds blowing over the island. Max temp reached 30C

The forecast is looking rather nice, at least a lot better than originally predicted. Rain is forecast for the next four days, but not a lot and this is accompanied by strong winds. Come Tuesday, the weather should improve and it might get a lot sunnier, drier and the wind has settled down. Midnight might actually be dry tonight. Enjoy the new years festivities!

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 30th December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 30^th December, 2016

Today's weather;

It's grey and cloudy this morning over Koh Samui but it's dry and it should remain dry, according to the forecast, with actually the sun possibly popping out during the afternoon. There's a very strong wind though. Current temp at 7am is 27C

One of the resident pancake or roti sellers at Big Buddha. These pancake sellers can be found all over the island and actually all over the country, catering to both locals and tourists. The pancakes are very popular with both groups. Prices should be between 30 and 40.-THB per pancake, pending on what version you order. In the less touristic areas your options will be more limited and just a few variations, if any, are available

Yesterday saw a dry and partially sunny day around Koh Samui and we also saw an increase in wind. Max temp reached 31C

The forecast keeps improving slightly, each day we get nearer to that predicted depression. It's windy all right, a fierce wind is blowing and should stay here until a couple of days after new year, but the expected amount of rain is a lot less each day. It should rain on and off over the next five days but not anywhere near the originally predicted torrential rains that were predicted just a few days ago. New Years Eve at midnight might actually be dry now although the Thai government has prohibited any fireworks out of respect for the mourning of King Bhumibol. 

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 29th December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 29^th December, 2016

Today's weather;

We have a partially clouded sky over Koh Samui this morning and according to the forecast it should stay that way, and we can expect a fairly sunny and dry today. Current temp at 7am is 27C

Chaweng lake is back to 'normal', all the floods have disappeared and the water level is back to it's usual height. There are still a few isolated spots around the island where the roads are wet, due to run off water coming down from the mountains but all in all things are back to normal. Current rain showers are easily dealt with and don't cause any problems at all at the moment

Yesterday saw some rain during the morning, around 9am but that soon stopped and we had a fairly nice day for the remainder of yesterday, with a bit of sunshine thrown in as well. Max temp reached 30C

The forecast is slightly changing for the better. The rain is still supposed to be coming down over the next couple of days, but not as hard as originally predicted, that's currently pushed back to later next week but there's still some strong wind predicted. It's well worth keeping an eye on these developments, it could go either way, ease up or get worse again but we still may see a wet New Years Eve nonetheless.

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 28th December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 28^th December, 2016

Today's weather;

It's cloudy over Koh Samui this morning but it's a hazy kind of cloudy and very likely once the sun heats up the cloud layers will mostly vaporize. A dry day should lay ahead of us, enjoy it whilst it lasts. Current temp at 7am is 28C

Fisherman's Village in Bophud is just to the left on this picture which gives a nice overview over this area and ho green Koh Samui still is once you leave the main roads

Yesterday saw a very nice and sunny morning and early afternoon but around 4pm we had a short but hard shower. Max temp reached 32C

The forecast for the next seven days is not looking that great. As of tomorrow we may have plenty of short showers coming along with a wet Friday in sight as well, when the wind is picking up and come New Years Eve it's supposed to have strong wind and quite  a bit of rain, but not as much as previously was predicted, so there is hope that it may slow down a bit. The first couple of days in the new year are supposed to be windy and accompanied by a bit of rain.

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 27th December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 27^th December, 2016

Today's weather;

We have a partially blue sky over Koh Samui this morning with a lot of small clouds in it. It's quite possible that the clouds will start to dissolve once the sun starts to heat up. It should stay dry and rather sunny today. Current temp at 6am is 26C

Picture and all rights by Stuart Reeve

Sunset yesterday over Koh Samui, specifically around our neck of the woods, the Plai Laem area. A lovely sunset and nice ending of the Christmas period

Yesterday saw a dry and fairly sunny day around Koh Samui, The morning started out cloudy but soon the sun broke the cloud cover and we had lovely blue skies until the early afternoon when a new batch of clouds moved in. It stayed dry though all day long with a max temp of 33C

The forecast hasn't changed much. Nice and partially cloudy and possibly sunny until Thursday. On Wednesday the wind slowly starts to pick up and come Friday the rain joins the equation. Friday night and over the weekend we may see storm like wind conditions with lots of rain to accompany the wind. There will be a very wet New Years Eve  brewing up, all over Southern Thailand.

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Boxing Day, Tsunami now twelve years ago

Boxing Day, Tsunami now twelve years ago

It's Boxing Day, Tsunami now twelve years ago when so many people perished after a 9.1 magnitude earthquake that set off the Indian Ocean tsunami. Centered off the west coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island, it was the world's third-largest earthquake since 1900. Approximately 230.000 have estimated to have been killed by this tsunami.

Boxing Day, Tsunami now twelve years ago for the Indian Ocean tsunami; The tsunami in full approach on the Thailand coast, twelve years ago today

The number of countries where people died in the tsunami. Indonesia suffered the most deaths (167,540), followed by Sri Lanka (35,322), India (16,269), Thailand (8,212), Somalia (289), Maldives (108), Malaysia (75), Myanmar (61) and Tanzania (13). Two each died in Bangladesh, Seychelles, South Africa and Yemen, and one died in Kenya.

A sad day to remember. RIP to all those that passed away.

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 26th December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 26^th December, 2016

Today's weather;

It's cloudy and grey this morning all over Koh Samui, in total contrast to yesterday but it's dry and might stay dry, with only a possibility of a shower during the morning. Current temp at 7am is 25C

An update; around 8.30am the cloud cover broke open and we now can enjoy a partially cloudy sky with plenty of sunshine.

Just before the Tan Rua waterfall in Maenam there are currently also minor waterfalls flowing, due the recent amounts of rain. A nice track to walk and enjoy nature, at the very end of Soi 5

Yesterday saw a lovely day all around Koh Samui with blue skies all day long and nice and warm temperatures. Max temp reached 33C

The forecast for the next seven days is not looking that great anymore, up until Thursday it's partially cloudy with an occasional shower but from the 30th onward the wind and rain is supposed to pick up with storm like conditions and non stop rain on the 31st December and 1st January. Not an ideal weather condition for a New Years Eve and at this moment I wonder how fireworks will be possible to be set off, due to the expected wet circumstances.

This weather depression is hitting pretty much all of Southern Thailand, including the Andaman Ocean side with Phuket having incredible amounts of rain predicted at midnight on New Years Eve at the moment, enough to flood all of Patong for a few hours.

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 25th December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 25^th December, 2016

Today's weather;

It's a lovely blue sky this morning all over Koh Samui and it looks like it will stay that way for the remainder of the day. Lovely and enjoyable indeed. Current temp at 9.40 am is 30C

It's good to be back home again and I started the day with a 30km run, hence the late update.

View over the ocean and Koh Phangan (which I just left yesterday morning) near the Tan Rua waterfall at the very end of Soi 5 in Maenam. Our first visit here and it was lovely, a nice platform build around a tree where you can sit and relax and enjoy a cold drink in the middle of the jungle with a nearby 300 meter long zip line

Yesterday saw a nice blue morning sky but between 12.30pm an 2pm there were a few short showers around various locations around the island, however, the day ended again on a high with more blue afternoon skies. Max temp reached 32C

The forecast is looking great for the next week. However, come Friday the wind starts to pick up and the year is about to end in a storm with heavy wind and plenty of rain and as it looks, easily carrying this weather over into the new year. It seems all of Southern Thailand will be caught in this storm spell. Enjoy the next couple of sunny days, laced with an occasional shower.

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 24th December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 24^th December, 2016

Today's weather;

It's lovely this morning with a very blue sky and just a few isolated clouds in it all around Koh Samui and a crispy morning with cool air, perfect for a very early morning run! The remainder of the day should be nice and sunny, enjoy! Current temp at 8am is 26C

At Haad Yao on Koh Phangan we also have a very nice and blue sky and that's where I just completed my early morning run. Current temp at 8am is 25C

All PADI specialty instructor training has been completed and an update will appear later in within a few hours I will be on the ferry back home to Koh Samui.

A sunnier Koh Samui is emerging again after a pretty harsh monsoon period with a few serious flooding problems earlier this month. This doesn't mean the monsoon is completely over yet, but we're heading in a much drier and sunnier direction, little by little and very slowly! This picture is from mid December, showing that we also had a few nice and sunny days during the monsoon period.

Yesterday saw a wet and rainy morning followed by a sunny and dry afternoon, for the third day in a row, Max temp reached 30C

Resting place of LST 713 of the Thai Royal Navy at Thong Sala on Koh Phangan, near the pier and harbor. The warship was given to the Thai government in 1957 by the United States Government under the Military Assistance Program. She went on to play a vital role in operations conducted by the Royal Thai Navy during the Vietnam War, particularly between the years of 1967 - 1972. She was eventually retired from active service on 5th June 2008 and eventually brought to Koh Phangan on 21st January in 2011. It is now used as housing of the the Royal Rama IX Memorial Museum

The forecast for the next seven days is looking good with plenty of partially clouded skies and thus also sunny skies ahead of us. Wednesday may see some rain but come Friday 29th December, the wind may be picking up with storm like conditions on the 30th and 31st and plenty of rain. Let's hope that this changes soon enough and the current nice weather patch continues into the new year.

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 23rd December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 23^rd December, 2016

Today's weather;

It's raining and cloudy over Koh Samui this morning and there is some rain expected today until the lat afternoon going hand in hand with a slightly stronger wind. Current temp at 7am is 26C

At Haad Yao on Koh Phangan we have cloudy skies but it's dry and at the moment it doesn't look like rain, but you never know for later during the day, maybe a short shower will pass over. Current temp at 7am is 25C

Today is the last day pf PADI Specialty Instructor training and once more we go to Sail Rock, third day in a row.

Big Buddha in-between some of the rainy days during the floods early on in December on the Koh Fan peninsula

We were most of the day at Sail Rock yesterday, diving and enjoying the massive schools of fish whilst there were rain showers going over Koh Samui and Koh Phangan during the early morning. The afternoon was sunny and bright though and it was a long time since we felt the sun heating up our skin again. Max temp reached 30C

Wat Samai Kongka on Koh Phangan just past the Koh Phangan hospital, kind of on the middle road between Thong Sala and Srithanu where there are statues depicting some scene of purgatory, a version of Buddhist hell, of which I hope to post soon a new blog

The forecast remained fairly unchanged with mostly partially cloudy skies for the next seven days but be prepared to have some rain showers here and there, but also some sunshine. The monsoon season seems to be walking on it's last legs and hopefully we will have sunny days back soon.

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 22nd December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 22^nd December, 2016

Today's weather;

It's dry and mostly cloudy over Koh Samui this morning with a few breaks in the cloud cover and I expect it to break up a bit more and it could well turn into a fairly nice and dry day with a bit of sunshine. Current temp at 7am is 26C

Picture and all rights by Joe Clasby

Water run off at the walking street bridge in Chaweng. Still plenty of run off from hills and other kinds of water that need be taken care of. Everything is back to normal though and these are the last reminders of the recent floods Koh Samui had to endure.

At Haad Yao on Koh Phangan we also have a mostly cloudy sky but it seems we have more blue spots in the sky and here we also have a nice day in the making. Current temp at 7am is 25C

The beach front of Chaloklum on Koh Phangan as seen from the dive boat upon returning from a dive trip to Sail Rock yesterday.

Yesterday saw a very wet morning with plenty of showers but during the afternoon the sun came back out of hiding again and we had a nice and lovely afternoon around Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. Max temp reached 28C

We encountered this baby whale shark at Sail Rock yesterday. It was about 2.5 meters long and seemed to enjoy the company of the divers and the boats and it stuck around for the whole dive day and a bit more, since divers who arrived there after we left also saw it

The forecast for the next seven days is looking good, a slight increase and possibly some rain tomorrow but after that partially clouded skies and no rain predicted until shortly before new year a few showers are expected. A lot can change weather wise in a positive way during this time frame, but this is looking good! Enjoy a sunny holiday season!

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 21st December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 21^st December, 2016

Today's weather;

It's grey, it's cloudy and it's wet over Koh Samui this morning with more rain predicted for the day ahead of us. Current temp at 7am is 25C

At Haad Yao on Koh Phangan it also grey and wet and since very early morning it has been raining here, with more to come. Current temp at 7am is 25C

The PADI IE (Instructor exam) for my candidates went very well yesterday and all three of them passed the exams successfully and are now brand new PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors! For the next three days I will be on the boat to Sail Rock, for PADI specialty instructor training.

Picture and all rights by Joe Clasby

A very dark sky is looming over Chaweng beach yesterday morning in front of the Centara Grand Beach Resort and sure enough there were plenty of rain showers during the day time, mostly during the morning, the afternoon saw less rain.

Yesterday saw a fair amount of rain coming down, mostly during the morning and with regular breaks. The afternoon was drier and the max temp reached 29C

The 7-11 in Haad Yao on Koh Phangan protects the entrance to the shop with sandbags, a very common sight during the rainy season, to keep the excessive water outside. The obligatory dog is enjoying it!

The forecast changed again and the nice weather predicted yesterday, has gone walkabout and has been replaced with a forecast more clouds and more rain until Friday. After Friday it should remain mostly cloudy but less rain is expected.

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 20th December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 20^th December, 2016

Today's weather;

It's cloudy over Koh Samui this morning and on and off there are rain showers and that's most likely how it will stay all day long. The rain is not too hard but steady but there seem to be breaks in the downpour. Current temp at 9am is 26C

At Haad Yao on Koh Phangan we currently have a shower pouring down but the rain seems to come and go, this is the third shower this morning, in-between dry spells. Current temp at 9am is 25C.

This morning sees a later update because I just got back from a long morning run, 21.41km in just under two hours or a 5'35 pace, which I'm very pleased with since there are a lot of hills on the route.

The PADI IDC candidates are in the middle of their last PADI IE presentation (the instructor exam), the open water dive at Haad Yao reef.

The Namuang waterfall at Baan Namuang is at it's best, this is at good as it gets if you want to see the waterfall in it's fullest glory. A very strong and steady downfall in the water basin below the fall which is filled to the rim. The water isn't exactly clean and you can't swim in the basin right now, it would be too dangerous but it's a very spectacular view!

Yesterday saw a dry day around Koh Samui under a partially cloudy sky with the sun peeking out occasionally a few times, making it a very nice day indeed with a max temp of 31C

Haad Yao beach on Koh Phangan two days ago, flat water, high tide and a partially cloudy sky and the beach almost exclusively to your own

The forecast predicts a lot nicer weather after today's rain, partially cloudy skies with possibly a fair amount of sunshine and possibly just some rain come Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, the wind should drop as well, allowing all diving and snorkeling trios to be enjoyable. Contact me if you're interest in either one of them!

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 19th December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 19th December, 2016

Today's weather;

It's mostly cloudy this morning over Koh Samui with a few isolated blue spots but it's dry and the wind seems to have dropped. It should stay dry today with some more clouds later during the day. Current temp at 7am is 25C

At Haad Yao on Koh Phangan we also have a cloudy sky with a few isolated blue spots. It's been dry all night and for today no rain is expected, although you never know this time of he year. It still is monsoon and a quick shower is always possible. Current temp at 7am is 25C

All courses have been finished yesterday, including the EFR Instructor course for December 2016 and today the PADI IE (Instructor Exam) is about to start within an hour in Chaloklom, the Northern part of Koh Phangan, for our three PADI IDC candidates.

Picture and all rights by นู๋ลัด นะคร๊า‎

Sunset yesterday on the Norther shores of Koh Samui. It was a lovely partially cloudy day with plenty of sunshine and no rain. This was near Bang Po.

Yesterday saw a nice and dry day at our North Eastern part of the island with plenty of sunshine during the morning and some more cloud formations during the afternoon. Max temp reached 31C

Haad Yao beach on Koh Phangan yesterday during the afternoon, nice and partially cloudy with plenty of sunshine during the day yesterday.

The forecast for the next seven days after tomorrow. Tomorrow there should be heavy cloud cover and plenty of rain, not hard, but steady. As of Wednesday it is looking very nice, partially cloudy skies and mostly dry days with possibly a few sunbeams. A dry Christmas seems to be in the making.

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 18th December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 18^th December, 2016

Today's weather;

It's mostly cloudy around Koh Samui this morning but against all odds there are also big blue patches in the sky and it's dry again. Plenty of rain is predicted until around noon. Just after noon time the wind is supposed to drop as well. Current temp at 7am is 27C, a massive difference to the previous few days.

On Koh Phangan we also had almost 24 hours of non stop rain, which resulted in some roads being slightly flooded. This morning is a lot nicer though and we have the sun peeking through some mall blue spots in the mostly cloudy sky. It's dry again and that is nice. Current temp at 7am is 27C

The current December PADI IDC on Koh Phangan came to an end yesterday and today we wrap up some loose ends and complete the EFR Instructor course with the PADI IE (the instructor exams) starting tomorrow.

Yesterday saw plenty of rains and floods again around Koh Samui. After all night and all day rain, many roads flooded again although by afternoon at many places the water receded, despite the non stop rain. The rain wasn't torrential but steady. Many places around the island suffered this time from power cuts and ere all day long without electricity.

Yesterday saw a flashback to the first December week, with plenty of rain, all night and all day long which resulted in floods all over the island again. It looked really bad during the morning but in the afternoon many flooded places cleared up again and some 'hot spots', like in front of Big C, the water surprisingly receded, despite the constant amount of rain coming down. Max temp reached only 26C

In my room on Koh Phangan I had to wrap a towel around my feet to get them warm!

Fisherman's boats hiding out at Thong Sala harbor on Koh Phangan, two days ago, for the predicted bad weather patch. About an hour after I took this picture, the rain started to come down.

The forecast is not looking too bad. There should be plenty of rain this morning and although it's cloudy, the sun is shining through some blue holes in the cloudy sky. Today the wind should start dropping again during the afternoon and tomorrow and especially Tuesday should see rain again. From there on it seems very likely according to the forecast that the clouds will go away and we may have sunny moments again with little to no rain on most days. At the moment, Christmas looks dry and the sun may be out.

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 17th December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 17^th December, 2016

Today's weather;

There's a lull in the constant rain we pretty much had all night long around Koh Samui and the non stop rain caused some parts of the island to flood again. It's dark and grey outside and the wind picked up and is blowing fairly hard. Today should remain mostly wet with more rain to come, not as torrential as during the recent, early December flood but still a steady rain almost all day long. Current temp at 7am is 24C

On Koh Phangan it's not looking much better, fairly strong wind in a grey sky with moments of no rain but we had almost all night long rain, with more to come today. Current temp at 7am is around 24C

Picture and all rights by สมุยโบราณ แมวทูดบ้า รถถีบ‎

After a night of nonstop rain, floods have returned and some roads are under water again, around 6am this morning. Once the rain stops, the floods should recede quickly however. This looks like the market at Chaweng, between Laem Din and the ring road

Yesterday saw rain during the morning around Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, followed by surprisingly nice afternoon with sunshine and a lovely sunset. Once it got dark tough, it didn't last long before the rain arrived and it rained almost all night long, not hard, but steady. Max temp reached 31C

Sunset on Koh Phangan yesterday afternoon, after we had a lovely and sunny afternoon. Once it turned dark, it started to rain and almost all night long we had a steady stream of rain and the wind picked up 

The forecast predicts plenty of rain today with some stronger than usual wind, for tomorrow there should be more rain during the morning but during the afternoon it should get dry again with the rest of the week partial cloud cover with possibly some sunshine thrown in at times.

The monsoon isn't over yet but slowly an end is getting in sight. At this moment Christmas may be cloudy but dry, although that can change over the course of next week, so keep an eye out on the daily updates here.

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 16th December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 16^th December, 2016

Today's weather;

Most parts of Koh Samui are dry at the moment during this early morning but our North Eastern part of the island has rain. There shouldn't be too much rain today but it should remain mostly cloudy. Current temp at 7am is 26C

On Koh Phangan we have grey clouds all over the place, from dark to light grey and it just started to rain some ten minutes ago but it also seemed to have stopped again. Current temp is 25C at 7am and we don't expect any sunshine here but hopefully we don't have all day long rain either, like yesterday.

Hin Ta and Hin Yai in Lamai yesterday, with a very dark back ground, clouds in all kind of grey to almost black shades. There's was plenty of rain around Koh Samui yesterday but not all day long. The rain wasn't hard or torrential but a nice steady downpour to a drizzle at times.

Yesterday saw a lot of rain around Koh Samui, but not all day long (in contrast to Koh Phangan where we had all day long rain), but it wasn't torrential but rather steady and sometimes just a drizzle. Max temp reached only 27C

Outside of the classroom of the current December PADI IDC on Koh Phangan at Haad Chao Phao yesterday, with the rain having a ball. All day long we had rain, not hard but almost non stop all day long, As a result we had some minor floods on some parts of the road, but because the rain wasn't hard, the floods weren't too bad. We were in the swimming pool yesterday for almost two hours as part of the PADI IDC training and it was cold!

The forecast predicts a slight increase in wind over the weekend with all day long rain, again, not torrential but steady. Come Monday it should clear up and we may see some sunshine again. The monsoon is back, but this time in a lot more reasonable way and how you can expect a monsoon to be, without the excessive and torrential rain and all it brings with it.

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 15th December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 15^th December, 2016

Today's weather;

It's cloudy but dry this morning around Koh Samui but the roads are wet due to the rain we had last night around 4am. There may be another short shower this morning but it should clear up eventually with possibly some sunshine later today. Current temp at 7am is 26C

The roads are fine, most or all floods are gone and the drainage system can handle showers like last night.

On Koh Phangan we also have cloud cover but with a few isolated blue spots. Current temp at 7am is 25C

The current PADI IDC on Koh Phangan has reached the halfway mark here and we're making good progress.

Picture and all rights by Joe Clasby

Chaweng beach yesterday. Surprisingly calm and clear water for this of the year and no undertows or rip tides which are also common during this time of the year

Yesterday saw a lovely sunny and warm day around Koh Samui with plenty of sunshine and blue skies. There was rain last night around 4am but other than that, it's unusually nice for this time of the year. Max temp reached 31C

Picture and all rights by Richard Barrow

Haad Rin beach on Koh Phangan, location of the world famous Full Moon Party or FMP. Last night it was showtime again and the island is full of revelers. Usually they stay for no more than two or three more days before they move on to other locations and the island goes relatively quiet again

The forecast is looking good, a lot better than usually can be expected this time of the year, when the monsoon should be in full swing. We had our extreme floods earlier this month, now we have extreme good weather, so enjoy! This coming weekend may see some stronger wind and rain, possibly all day long or most of the day but not as torrential like we recently had but after the weekend it might really clear up and a very sunny and warm lead up to Christmas is likely!

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 14th December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 14^th December, 2016

Today's weather;

A nice blue sky is shaping up over Koh Samui with some clouds in it. A total change of how the weather was a week ago during the recent floods. It should remain sunny to partially sunny and no rain is expected today. This is almost as unusual for a December as the recent floods were, but enjoy the good weather patch nonetheless! Current temp at 7am is 27C

On Koh Phangan we're enjoying a very similar blue sky in the making, just as on Koh Samui and we expect a nice and warm and dry day overhere. This will be good news for the Full Moon Party party revelleres tonight! Current temp at 7am is 26C

Yesterday we visited my favorite restaurant on the island, an Italian restaurant in Chaloklam by the name of 'Caffe della Mocca'.

View towards Big Buddha from the Seatran pier. The water is still very murky but the weather is looking good again! The floods have now mostly gone around the island and although there's still water coming down from the mountains, the run off is starting to slow down as well. Little by little.

Yesterday saw a nice day around Koh Samui with mostly blue skies and some small clouds in it and no rain, not a single drop. It felt good having the sun warming up your body again. Max temp reached 31C

A view from the resort where we use the pool during the current December PADI IDC on Koh Phangan. It's located on top of a hill between Haad Yao and Haad Salad and some spectacular views over the ocean. Also on Koh Phangan the floods and puddles on the roads are almost gone and the run off water from the mountans is slowing down.

The island is currently packed with people, tonight is the Full Moon Party

The forecast is looking very good. No major rain periods are predicted for the next ten days but occasionally you may expect a short shower. This is nothing unusual for this time of the year since it's the monsoon season after all. The sun should be out and about as well, so enjoy this, this is rather unusual for this time of the year, it's the monsoon season after all! Come Saturday, the wind may pick up but Sunday the wind should slow down again. 

Enjoy this mild December weather, you may even be able to enjoy the beaches around Koh Samui, just be careful and watch the red warning flags on the most popular beaches in the North (Maenam and Bophud) and East side of the island (Chawng and Lamai), if red flags are up, do stay out of the water!

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 13th December, 2016

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 13^th December, 2016

Today's weather;

It's cloudy over Koh Samui but dry and very likely it will stay dry. According to today's forecast, there's not that much chance of sunshine but it should stay dry. The floods have pretty much gone by now and the run off from the mountains is slowing down as well. Slowly but surely Koh Samui is getting back to normal and recovering well from the recent floods. Current temp at 7am is 26C

On Koh Phangan we also have a cloudy sky but it seems we have a few small blue spots here in the sky and it looks like we will stay dry as well today. Current temp at 7am is also 26C

Next to the Seatran pier in Bang Rak, loads of boats from local fisherman, ready to go out to sea and catch fish. This part of the ebach is usually very dirty and packed with all kind of debris. Over the weekend a big clean up was organized here during which Westerners and local Thais participated. Sad to see that after every clean up here, the local fisherman don't seem to care at all and in no time, it's packed with debris again, again lots of debris that orginates from the local fisherman

Yesterday saw a cloudy sky but it remained dry all day long around Koh Samui and during the afternoon the sun peeked out, raising the temperature a little bit and making you feel comfortable. Max temp reached 30C

Picture and all rights by Richard Barrow

Another picture by Thailands best known blogger, Richard Barrow, from his visit last year to Koh Phangan. This is what I see each day between where I stay and where I teach the current PADI IDC on Koh Phangan. This between Haad Yao which is on the left and Haad Chao Phao which is to the right. You can also see a bit of the road. in these hills, where I run at the moment every day around 11km. Very hard and steep hills indeed, which were part of the cancelled Full Moon Marathon due King Bhumibol's death.

The forecast for the next ten days has changed a bit again and for the better. The bad weather patch for coming weekend has disappeared, it will still be cloudy and windy but the forecasted rain is not heavy anymore but more like a series of manageable showers throughout the day.

Enjoy the mild December that's coming our way, well deserved after the recent torrential rain and floods.

Do 'like' my Koh Samui blog Facebook page and don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks! 

Camille