While we loved the hustle and bustle of Bangkok, I won’t deny that it was a pleasure to escape the city life for a week and chill out on some beautiful Thai islands. However, we were wary of visiting the islands during the rainy season (roughly June to October). But despite some drizzles and storms, we had a lovely and relaxing week.

Here are some of our tips on how to make the most out of a visit to the Thai islands during the low season:

1. Weather isn’t necessarily that bad all the time— it’s just unpredictable. Of our six full days on the islands (Phuket, Ko Phi Phi, and Ko Lanta), we had one day with no rain, one day with tons of rain, and then otherwise the rain was a bit off and on. We still made it to the beach every day and enjoyed a ton of sun, and when the rain came (usually in the mid-afternoon) we took that as inside rest time. And the rain doesn’t last too long—usually no more than an hour at a time, unless there’s a really big storm coming through. The one annoying part of the unpredictable weather was trying to schedule snorkeling day trips. At some point, you just have to book it and hope that the weather will be good!

2. There is reduced accessibility to some of the smaller islands. Ferry service among the many islands is very limited during the low season, and access to some of the smaller islands is terminated entirely. Therefore, flexibility in which islands you want to visit will go a long way. We went to Ko Phi Phi and Ko Lanta because they were easy to get to (several ferries a day) and had a great time on both islands.

3. Many establishments may be closed. Because of fewer tourists and less demand, many businesses just shut down during the low season. While Ko Phi Phi seemed to be running everything as usual (likely because it’s a top tourist destination all year), we encountered tons of closed tour companies, hotels, and restaurants on Ko Lanta. On the plus side, the places that do stay open through low season usually reduce their prices.

4. Enjoy the solitude! Ko Phi Phi was more crowded than Ko Lanta, but the beaches were still pleasant and we had no trouble finding a peaceful spot to relax. And in Ko Lanta, we stayed in the popular Long Beach area but basically had areas of the beach to ourselves.