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Plan the timing

When to Visit Thailand

Thailand has three broad seasons and two coasts with opposite weather, so the best time depends as much on where you are headed as on the calendar.

The twin royal pagodas atop Doi Inthanon at sunset in the cool season
The twin royal pagodas atop Doi Inthanon at sunset in the cool season Doi Inthanon (Unsplash)
Belle
Thai American who travels to Thailand every other year
The calendar

Thailand’s Three Seasons

Nov – Feb

Cool & dry (peak)

The most comfortable weather: warm days, lower humidity, and little rain across most of the country. Best for Bangkok, the north, and both coasts. Expect higher prices and busy sights, so book ahead.

Mar – May

Hot season

Very hot, often climbing past the mid-30s Celsius, the mid-90s Fahrenheit, with April the peak. Great for beaches and diving, harder for long days of city sightseeing. Songkran, the Thai New Year water festival, falls in mid-April.

Jun – Oct

Green & rainy

The monsoon brings short, heavy downpours, lush scenery, thinner crowds, and the best prices. Rain rarely ruins a whole day. The Andaman coast is wetter, while the Gulf stays comparatively dry.

Where you’re headed

By Region, in Short

Central

Bangkok & around

Good year-round, most pleasant from November to February. Summer is hot and humid; the rainy season is fine with an umbrella.

North

Chiang Mai & the hills

Lovely and cool November to February. Avoid March and April, when crop-burning haze can settle over the region.

West coast

Andaman (Phuket, Krabi, Phi Phi)

Best November to April for calm, clear seas. May to October is wetter with rougher water.

East coast

Gulf (Samui, Phangan, Tao)

Best February to September. Its wettest months are October to December, the opposite of the Andaman side.

Month by month

Pick Your Month

Tap a month for the honest version: what the weather does, how busy it gets, where to point yourself, and what is on.

July

Green & rainy

Afternoon downpours, bright mornings, and the lowest prices of the year. A good month if you can plan around the rain and want the Gulf islands to yourself.

Weather
Hot, humid
Rain
Daily, short bursts
Crowds
Quiet
Prices
Low season
Where to point yourself

Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao sit in their better half of the year. Bangkok is fine with an umbrella and a loose plan.

What is on

Asalha Puja and the start of Buddhist Lent, with candle processions in Ubon Ratchathani. Alcohol sales pause on the holy days.

Mark your calendar

Festivals Worth Planning Around

Songkran (mid-April)
Thai New Year, celebrated nationwide with joyful, city-wide water fights.
Loy Krathong & Yi Peng (Nov)
Floating lights on the water and Chiang Mai’s famous sky lanterns.
Chinese New Year (Jan/Feb)
Lion dances and street food, biggest in Bangkok’s Chinatown (Yaowarat).
Vegetarian Festival (Sep/Oct)
Nine days of meat-free food and ritual, most intense in Phuket.
Keep reading

More First-Timer Guides

Before You Fly

Visas & Entry

The TDAC card, visa-free rules, and what to have ready at immigration.

Sort your entry →
Out of Town

Bangkok Day Trips

Nine easy escapes, from Ayutthaya’s ruins to floating markets.

Plan a day trip →
The Coasts

Islands & Beaches

Two coasts, opposite seasons: how to choose between Andaman and Gulf.

Find your island →
About this guide

Written by Belle, a Thai American who travels to Thailand every other year and has family in Bangkok. Everything here comes from my own visits unless the text says otherwise. Prices and journey times are typical cases rather than quotes, so recheck anything time-sensitive before you pay. Brand mentions are never paid placements, and the guide is reader-supported: some links may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

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