5-Pillar Equalizer Comparison · December Edition

Koh Samui vs Phuket in December

Benchmarked strictly across TripTiming's 5 empirical pillars: Crowds, Weather, Vibes, Prices, and Safety.

Koh Samui

Thailand · December Evaluation
68
TripTiming Index
5-PILLAR EQUALIZER 0 – 100 SCORE
61
Crowds 30%
88
Weather 30%
46
Vibes 15%
56
Prices 15%
78
Safety 10%
Crowd Status Moderate Footfall (61)
Weather Comfort 32°C · 38% Rain Risk
Avg. Lodging Rates ~$144 / night
Recommended Week Sep 24 – 30 (73/100)
Inspect Koh Samui 365 Radar ↗

Phuket

Thailand · December Winner
69
TripTiming Index
5-PILLAR EQUALIZER 0 – 100 SCORE
54
Crowds 30%
99
Weather 30%
52
Vibes 15%
54
Prices 15%
71
Safety 10%
Crowd Status Heavy Visitor Congestion (54)
Weather Comfort 33°C · 23% Rain Risk
Avg. Lodging Rates ~$173 / night
Recommended Week Mar 24 – 30 (69/100)
Inspect Phuket 365 Radar ↗
✓ Mathematical Winner: Phuket (69 vs 68)
Composite Weights: 30% Crowds · 30% Weather · 15% Vibes · 15% Prices · 10% Safety

The Trade-Off Analysis

Phuket emerges as the optimal December destination with an overall TripTiming Index of 69/100 vs 68/100 for Koh Samui (+1 point advantage). Phuket captures optimal environmental comfort with 33°C daytime feels-like temperatures and 23% rain probability, compared to 32°C in Koh Samui. Visitors also enjoy vibrant neighborhood street life. While Koh Samui retains an edge in Space & Crowds (61/100 vs 54/100), Phuket's commanding performance in Weather Comfort secures the overall December recommendation.