Head to head

Ibiza or Koh Samui?

Ibiza, clearly — 78 vs 57 across the year.

There's no month where Koh Samui overtakes Ibiza — Ibiza leads 11 of 12 months and takes it 78 to 57 on the Atlas Ranger Score. Ibiza peaks in June (88); Koh Samui's strongest stretch (February, 73) still trails. Choose Koh Samui for what it is, not when.

Month by month

When to go

Pick a month. The line shows each place's score across the year; the figures below are that month's averages.

Ibiza Koh Samui

In October, Ibiza is the better bet — 90 vs 45.

Score

High / low

24° / 19°

31° / 24°

Rain

43 mm

295 mm

Sunshine

9.6 h

8.9 h

Ibiza: Season winds down — last warm beach days

Koh Samui: Wet season starts — rainfall more than doubles, beach days unreliable

At a glance

Side by side

Ibiza Koh Samui

Timing & weather

Year-round score78/10057/100

Best monthJune (88)February (73)

Months it leadsJan and Mar–DecNone

Cheapest monthsJan–Mar and Nov–DecOct–Nov

Driest monthJune (8mm)February (64mm)

Wettest monthSeptember (74mm)November (445mm)

Hottest monthJuly (31°C)May (33°C)

Best for

BeachesBoth are beach destinations — compare the months above for when each is warmest and driestEvenEven

Off-peak monthsKoh Samui has more shoulder and low-season months (9 vs 7), when rates and crowds ease—Stronger

Practical

Main airportIbiza Airport (IBZ)Samui International Airport (USM)

CurrencyEUR (Euro)THB (Thai Baht)

LanguageSpanish (Castilian) + Catalan/IbicencoThai

Time zoneCET (UTC+1) / CEST (UTC+2)ICT (UTC+7)

ClimateHot-summer Mediterranean (Köppen Csa)Tropical monsoon (Köppen Am)

VisaSchengen — 90 days for EU/UK/US/Canada/Australia and most other nationalities60-day visa exemption for most Western nationalities (extended Jul 2024)

SafetyLow risk — standard precautions late at nightLow risk — standard tropical precautions, scooter accidents are the main injury source

Named storms nearby nowNASA EONET, checked hourly. Not a forecast.None tracked within 1,000kmNone tracked within 1,000km

Your trip

Which should you pick?

PickIbiza

Pick Ibiza if you want beaches, plus city life and food — it leads in Jan and Mar–Dec and peaks in June (88).

Ibiza full guide

PickKoh Samui

Pick Koh Samui if you want beaches, plus easy family travel — its strongest stretch is around February (73).

Koh Samui full guide

Plan your trip

Hotels, flights and more

Switch between the two. Hotel prices are for a week in each destination's best month.

Book Ibiza

$$$ · Walkability + cultural balance

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Questions

Good to know

Is Ibiza or Koh Samui better to visit?

Ibiza is the clearer pick — 78 vs 57 on the Atlas Ranger Score, our 0–100 measure of weather, crowds, value, and timing across the year. It leads most of the year, though the month-by-month chart still shows the other's stronger windows.

Which has better weather, Ibiza or Koh Samui?

Ibiza averages a higher weather score (76 vs 53). Weather is the biggest input to the score, but both have strong months and weak months; the month-by-month chart shows exactly when.

When is it cheapest to visit Ibiza or Koh Samui?

Ibiza is cheapest in Jan–Mar and Nov–Dec; Koh Samui is cheapest in Oct–Nov. Those are the low and shoulder months, when hotel rates and crowds ease — usually because the weather is less reliable, so check the month-by-month scores above before you book.

Can I visit both Ibiza and Koh Samui in one trip?

Often yes — many travellers pair them. The smart move is to time each leg to its own best months. Check each destination's full guide (linked below) for the month-by-month detail, then sequence your trip so each stop lands in its strong window.