Thailand is a long country, with mountains in the north and beautiful beaches in the south. It's almost uniformly hot, but some times of year are much hotter (and wetter) than others. Thailand is busiest (unsurprisingly) when the weather is at its best, from November to March. During low season, you should expect heavy rain, but that doesn't mean you can't have a good time—you just need to know where to go. Here are some tips to know about the best time of year to visit Thailand.
November marks the end of the rain, once again entering the high tourist season in Thailand. The beaches along the southern peninsula remain wet and rainy, but the rest of the country sees dramatic drops in precipitation (and temperature), especially toward the middle and end of the month. It's a great time to visit just about anywhere in the country—the weather is rapidly improving, and most tourists haven't yet arrived.
July can be a good time to visit Thailand, but you'll need to be prepared for rain. It's the middle of the wet season and most of the country experiences significant showers and thunderstorms from the southwest monsoons. The plus side is that the crowds are negligible and the prices are reduced. As a bonus, the rain makes the countryside lushly picturesque, and also creates perfect conditions for harvesting durian fruit.
Twelve to 13 days is a great length for a Thailand trip, with stops in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Khao Sok National Park, and Phuket. Travelers with less time can hit the route's highlights in eight to 11 days, which makes for a fast-paced journey. Travelers with more time can enjoy extra sights and activities at each stop or explore more of the country—our favorite itinerary extension is Kanchanaburi. Keep reading for more inspiring itineraries.
The scenery is beautiful in Thailand during September, however, the weather is wet. In fact, it ties with October for the wettest month of the year in almost every major tourist region including Bangkok, as well as both coasts. The monsoons affect virtually every part of the country, bringing rain through the north and central mainlands, as well as the southern peninsula. The upside to the rain is that the crowds are minimal and most hotels offer significant discounts on lodging—it will be cheaper to stay and you won't encounter big lines or crowds at the tourist attractions.
Nine to 12 days is the most popular trip length for Thailand travelers interested in visiting both Bangkok and Phuket, especially when also including Chiang Mai. If you're not interested in Chiang Mai, seven to eight days is enough for your Bangkok and Phuket trip. With less time, it's still possible to see the highlights in as few as five or six days. For the best itineraries, including Bangkok and Phuket, keep reading below.
February is one of the best times to visit Thailand. In addition to all-but-guaranteed spectacular weather, it's the month of the famous Chiang Mai Flower Festival, a vibrant three-day celebration full of parades and dancing. The weather is dry and not as unbearably hot as it is during other times of the year. The only drawback is that the crowds are considerably thicker and lodging tends to be more expensive.
May is the beginning of the rainy season in Thailand and, in most parts of the country, it rains at least half the month. In Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and the western Andaman coast, downpours are often heavy—though they usually only occur in the afternoons or early evenings). Mornings, in fact, are often dry and can surprisingly be a great time for sight-seeing or other tourist activities. What's more, the hotels are extremely cheap this time of year so if you don't mind a little rain, it can actually be a good month to visit.
June is a wet month in Thailand. The rainy season arrives in full force and most of the country becomes affected by the monsoons, particularly along the Andaman coast. That said, the rain doesn't necessarily make it a bad month to visit. Rain showers, though fierce and heavy, don't usually last long this time of year—instead, they come in short bursts in the afternoons. Plus, the hotels are cheaper and the tourist attractions are much less crowded.
For most travelers, 12 to 14 days is the perfect amount of time for a Thailand trip, with stops in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Kanchanaburi. It's also possible to hit the highlights in seven to 11 days if you don't mind a fast-paced journey. With more time, you can enjoy extra activities at each stop or a few days in another region, like Khao Sok National Park or Chiang Rai. Keep reading for more inspiring Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Kanchanaburi itineraries.