quote:
Originally posted by Venomguy
Kited there in Dec/Jan,
and do not recomend the place, Dec is still tail end of the wet season and rains can carry over into Jan. Winds were light 11 to 10 Knots and not consistent that time of year
There are far better places to kite in Dec,
Hua Hin works in Thailand that time of year or
head East from Oz not west
Drew
Your sort of correct and sorta wrong Drew ... you arrived just when the wind backed-off this year ... right about Xmas week and then into early/mid Jan the wind was lite (great partying though!)... however, before that we had some really good days actually - when it blows decent (20kts +), Samui is as good as anywhere and relatively uncrowded ... perfect tropical set-up down in front of Samui Orchid Resort - nice safe, clean beach - aqua blue water (unlike Mui Ne) ... a few coral reefs out the back with the odd wave or two - decent cheap thai food from the restaurant right on the beach - massage for $5/hr right on the beach ... well equipped kite-shop right there ... friendly locals

... but, yes, gotta admit it is fickle ... seemed to blow best early morning as well, when most are just getting over the nite before ! Mid Nov to mid/late Dec was pretty good this year ... might be different next year though ... who knows, the island seems to generate it's own weather ...
Rain is not really an issue ... you can be unlucky and get a few days here and there, but mostly fine by Dec (yes, some years rain season does run late into Dec, but not very often) and usually some wind around before or after any light rain...
If you want serious wind though in Nov~Feb/Mar Mui Ne is the place, but the water ain't that nice... make sure you take a 9 !
Hua Hin does NOT work Dec/Jan ... it comes on Mar~Apr (sometimes into May) - thermal winds, so windguru/windfinder don't show it ...
"head east from Oz not west" - sorry, i don't get that one ? Fiji in nov/dec/jan ? i don't think so...
PS: we do get wind here also June/July/Aug but it's squally stuff before and after a downpour - can get pretty strong though ... last year was ****house, the year before was ok - Phuket was ok though last year in August ...