The overall best time to visit Thailand is between November and early April when the weather is just about perfect. Although Thailand has several different regions, it’s best to avoid the months from May to October. The rainy season is technically from July to October, but monsoons and storms can pop up and delay or even ruin your trip as early as May.
Note that temperatures in Thailand reach their peak between April and May, sometimes exceeding 40C (104F), so if you’re not a fan of the heat, be sure to avoid those months.
Central & Eastern Thailand
These regions have extreme summer temperatures, typically in the mid-’90s during the hottest months of February through April. In the winter months, the temperatures are still relatively warm, settling around the high 70s to the mid-’80s. The rainy season begins around May in this region and goes through October. The rain is frequent but only in short bursts where the humidity relieves itself for an hour.
Northern Thailand
Both the North and Northeast regions have relatively similar seasons. The winters here are significantly cooler due to the higher elevations. Temperatures in winter may even get down to freezing levels on occasion. Spring is a great time to visit these areas, as flowers are in bloom and the weather is dry and cool.
Boats on a Phuket beachBoats on a Phuket beach[/caption]
Southern Thailand
The seasons in the south are less distinct than in other parts of the country. Two seasons exist, summer and rainy season. The south is divided into two distinct coastal areas: one lying to the East, which includes the Gulf of Thailand, and the other lying to the West of the Thai peninsula, including the Andaman Sea. Visiting the western areas of Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi is usually best from mid-November through April. This allows travelers to avoid the monsoons that occur during other months. Monsoons tend to make visiting islands by boat dangerous and susceptible to last-minute cancellations by operators.
Visiting the Gulf of Thailand regions of Koh Samui and Hat Yai is best done from December to June. However, this region can also visit during the rest of the year so long as short afternoon showers are a welcome occurrence. The monsoons in this region are not as severe or likely to cancel the day's activities in the Andaman Sea region.
Songkran Festival
Songkran is the celebration of the New Year according to the Thai calendar. It officially starts on April 13 and lasts for three days. Leading up to the holiday, it becomes quite common to splash people with water and toss a colored powder on them. Local monks and family members are honored, and huge water fights break out in the streets. Travelers should carry a cell phone and other cameras in watertight baggies to ensure nothing gets wet. Please keep in mind that even as a tourist, it is pretty inevitable that you will get wet during Songkran!
Aerial view of the city of Bangkok
Bangkok Weather: Average Temperature and Rainfall
Month
Bangkok (central) avg temp ℉ (℃)
Bangkok avg rainfall in (mm)
January
80.6 (27)
0.4 (10)
February
82.4 (28)
0.8 (20)
March
84.2 (29)
1.4 (35)
April
86 (30)
3 (75)
May
85.1 (29.5)
8.7 (220)
June
84.2 (29)
5.9 (150)
July
83.3 (28.5)
6.1 (155)
August
82.4 (28)
8.5 (215)
September
80.6 (27)
13.6 (345)
October
80.6 (27)
10.4 (265)
November
78.8 (26)
2 (50)
December
77.9 (25.5)
0.3 (8)
Chiang Mai royal pavilion and garden
Chiang Mai Weather: Average Temperature and Rainfall
Month
Chiang Mai (northern) avg temp ℉ (℃)
Chiang Mai avg rainfall in (mm)
January
69.8 (21)
0.4 (10)
February
73.4 (23)
0.6 (15)
March
78.8 (26)
0.8 (20)
April
84.2 (29)
2.2 (55)
May
82.4 (28)
6.1 (155)
June
80.6 (27)
4.7 (120)
July
80.6 (27)
6.1 (155)
August
80.6 (27)
8.9 (225)
September
80.6 (27)
8.1 (205)
October
78.8 (26)
4.7 (120)
November
73.4 (23)
2 (50)
December
69.8 (21)
.8 (20)
Boats on a Phuket beachBoats on a Phuket beach[/caption]
Phuket Weather: Average Temperature and Rainfall
Month
Phuket (South-west) avg temp ℉ (℃)
Phuket avg rainfall in (mm)
January
78.8 (26)
1.4 (35)
February
80.6 (27)
1.6 (40)
March
81.5 (27.5)
3 (75)
April
82.4 (28)
6.3 (160)
May
81.5 (27.5)
11.4 (290)
June
81.5 (27.5)
10.2 (260)
July
81.5 (26.5)
11 (280)
August
81.5 (26.5)
12.2 (310)
September
78.8 (26)
6.1 (410)
October
77.9 (25.5)
13.6 (345)
November
77.9 (25.5)
8.5 (215)
December
77 (25)
2.8 (70)
Best Time to Travel to Thailand for Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
Scuba divers and snorkelers should visit Thailand's southernmost coast between November and February when there is less rainfall. With calmer waters and fewer guests, you'll have more time to enjoy the ocean.
When is the best time to visit Thailand for the best weather
Visit Thailand between November through March or even into April or May, when the country is at its driest, to enjoy the best weather. However, a notable exception is the Lower Gulf, which experiences its wettest months from October through December and is home to the idyllic islands of Ko Samui, Ko Phangan, and Ko Tao.
When is the best time to visit Thailand's beaches?
Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, the Similan Islands, and Krabi are best visited between November and March. To visit Koh Samui, Thailand's east coast, from January to March and July to September, is best.
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
3 days ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
3 days ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
1 week ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
1 week ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.