Are you planning a vacation in Thailand and looking for info on when to go? This article is for you!
The beautiful Southeast Asian country, famous throughout the world for its relaxing, fascinating landscapes and delicious spicy food despite having some climatic variations, according to the area and to the seasons, can be easily visited almost all year round.
When is the best time to go to Thailand?
The Asian country from November to March has a dry climate and relatively cooler temperatures than the rest of the year, with beautiful clear skies. Being the best time for a trip to Thailand these months are considered high season, so accommodation prices go up and the tourist areas are crowded, especially Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Koh Samui and many other islands of the south coast.
By “cooler” I mean still quite high temperatures, Thailand is still in a tropical country! But the presence of a lower humidity will allow you to breathe more easily during these months than others that are more sultry. During the night in the mountainous areas of the north of the country it may however be necessary to wear a jacket.
From December to March you can experience sudden rains but they usually don’t last too long.
So when you have to think about the best time to go to Thailand during your holidays the Christmas season can be a perfect pick, keeping in mind though that it’s high season.
Best time to go to Thailand: month by month.
January: is one of the best time to go to Thailand, from north to south, usually doesn’t rain much and the air is cooler. The two coasts and relative islands, to the east and to the west, have good and similar climatic conditions even if it can rain in some parts of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. It’s high season!
February: Another optimal month to go here! In the North it’s always cool and it doesn’t rain much. The South with its beautiful islands is still in good weather and climatic conditions. The high season continues.
March: Temperatures start to increase but the period is still good to visit the whole country, both the coasts of the south and its islands and the rest of central and northern Thailand are perfect destinations for your holiday.
April: It’s really hot in the country! Especially in Bangkok and in the center-north part of the country. In the South the climate is better, especially on the East coast and its islands.
During the month of April they celebrate the Songkran, one of the most famous festival of Thailand , then book in advance your accommodations that may be full during these days.
May: The rainy season in Thailand starts and the monsoon cool down a little and for a while the air here in Thailand, but the humidity increases. Rain does not last long. If you head south, the beaches on the East coast and islands are preferable as they are less rainy than those of the West. A good month as it is no longer high season and the weather is still good.
June: The monsoons that arrived last month are still tolerable with some rains that shouldn’t last long. Still preferable to go to the South-East coasts rather than the wettest ones in the west.
July: In the North it starts to rain a little more and the treks become challenging. The level of rainfall in the rest of the country is still acceptable. Avoid the West coast and its islands and go instead to those of the Gulf of Thailand to the east.
August: It is not a good month to travel around here. The skies are often covered and it rains almost every day. The East coast and the surrounding islands still have nice sunny days.
September: It is the wettest month of the year and is certainly not the best if you have to choose when to go to Thailand. It is low season and the prices are discounted, there isn’t the immense crowd of tourists that usually come here during the other months in the most famous spots: still positive aspects even in this month!
October: The monsoons are moving away and the rainy season in Thailand is about to end. But it continues to rain for a few hours all over the country.
November: The rains go away and the dry season begins. The air is cooler and the skies clear, the high season begins! The north of the country has beautiful days with cool nights and if you are heading south it is preferable to go towards the West coast.
December: One of the best time to go to Thailand, among the best months if you’re thinking about when to travel here. There is little rain and the temperatures are some of the best of the year, with a relatively lower humidity rate. Still preferable the West coast if you head south, book ahead as it is Christmas and the whole world is here!
Best time to go to Thailand: the 3 geographical areas.
North and Center:
Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaia, Khon Kaen, Sukhotai, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son, Nan, Nong Khai …
From about the end of January the temperatures start to rise, remaining good until the end of March. The peak of hot and muggy climate in Thailand is reached during the months of April and May, where can reach over 35°. So in cities like Bangkok or Ayutthaya these months are stifling and it becomes quite heavy to hang around all day for sightseeing, remember to stay well hydrated!
In the following months of June and July the monsoons arrive but the mercury column continues to point the upper zone of the thermometer. The skies cloud over and the rains occasionally allow you to breathe a little but the humidity increase.
Usually at the beginning of the rainy season the downpours last a few hours, the rain intensify during the months of August and September. Not the best time for trekking in the North.
From October the temperatures begin to fall again reaching the dry season (when it does not rain …) which goes from about November to April and this is the best time to go to Thailand. The skies are clear and it is a good time for trekking in the areas of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, even if in the evening it is a bit cool.
East Coast – Gulf of Thailand:
Koh Samui, Koh Phan Ngan, Koh Tao, Hua Hin, Chumphon, Surat Thani …
These are areas that are usually less prone to rain during the year than in the rest of the country.
If you are thinking of the best time to go to Thailand, especially here in the south-east, from February to October the weather is optimal, with some sudden rain. But also in the other months of the year you won’t find particular climatic obstacles that will allow you to visit and enjoy the East coast.
West Coast – Andaman Sea:
Phang Nga, Krabi, Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Ranong, Satun, Trang, Khao Lak, Koh Lanta, Koh Lipe, Koh Tarutao, Koh Kood, Koh Chang …
From November to April you will find the best climate to visit this area of Thailand, the high season focuses mainly on Phuket and surrounding areas such as Krabi and Koh Phi Phi, literally taken assault by tourists from everywhere. Beautiful clear skies, little rain and warm but not suffocating temperatures.
From May to October it rains much more, so these are the least recommended months for tanning at the beach, but it’s good if you visit the Khao Sok National Park.
High season for tourism in Thailand:
The high season goes from November to April .
This is the best time to go to Thailand, a destination for tourists from all over the world attracted by the beautiful weather and the ideal climate to visit it and during these months the most famous areas become super populated. But this does not mean that everywhere in Thailand is full of people walking around taking pictures and selfies, there are always some less explored areas that can give you pleasant surprises and not attacked by the mass tourism that is constantly concentrated in the same usual places: Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phi Phi, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and the southern islands.
Prices go up, in the most touristic areas even 50% and the best accommodations become more difficult to book. It is a bit more challenging to negotiate prices with retailers.
Food and public transports costs have no increases, but if you have to buy a train ticket, do it a few days in advance to guarantee your place in the class you want.
Best time to go to Thailand: Dry season in Thailand.
The dry season in Thailand goes from November to March / April . The skies are calm, the temperatures and the climate are optimal and you can breath more easily thanks to the lower rate of humidity in the air compared to the other more sultry months, this is the best time to go to Thailand.
Good time for outdoor activities like trekking and great for going to the beach destinations. Obviously there are many more tourists traveling around Thailand than other months of the year, so the famous places are crowded and need to be booked in advance.
Best time to go to Thailand: rainy season.
The monsoon season goes from May to October about.
Hot and muggy months, but don’t be scared by the way this time of year is called, rainy season doesn’t mean water 24 hours a day every day! Usually, especially at the beginning and end of the season, it only rains for a few hours during the day and thanks to the high temperature of these months everything dries quickly. August and September are the wettest, sometimes floods can occur.
Certainly if you are considering a trek or a tan on the beach it is not the ideal time to think about when to go to Thailand.
The best time to go to Thailand: conclusions.
As you can see all year round Thailand can be visited. Even during the less pleasant periods in terms of temperature or atmospheric conditions you can find something positive!
Important !!! In recent years the weather and climatic conditions changed a little, so it becomes difficult to accurately predict what you will find, take what’s written in this article as a general indication!
