Best Travel Time & Monsoon

Thailand's climate is determined by the monsoon. There are three seasons — but the periods shift depending on the region:

The Three Seasons

• Cool Dry Season (November – February): The best travel time. Temperatures around 25–32 °C, little rain, low humidity. December/January can cool down to 10–15 °C at night in Northern Thailand — pack a jacket!
• Hot Dry Season (March – May): Scorching heat up to 40 °C, especially in April. Songkran (Thai New Year, April 13–15) with water fights across the country is the highlight of this period.
• Rainy Season (June – October): Daily showers, mostly in the afternoon for 1–2 hours. Sunshine in between. Fewer tourists, cheaper prices. Flooding possible, especially September/October.

Regional Differences

Region	Best Time	Rainy Season	Special Feature
Bangkok	Nov – Feb	Jun – Oct	April unbearably hot (38–40 °C)
Northern Thailand	Nov – Feb	Jun – Oct	Smoke season Mar/Apr due to slash-and-burn
Gulf (Koh Samui)	Feb – Sep	Oct – Dec	Different monsoon cycle than mainland!
Andaman (Phuket, Krabi)	Nov – Apr	May – Oct	Some islands closed May–Oct
Central Thailand	Nov – Feb	Jun – Oct	Flooding possible Sep/Oct
Isan	Nov – Feb	May – Oct	Extremely hot in summer

Climate Chart: Bangkok

Month	Air °C	Rainy Days	Sun Hours	Rating
January	26–32	1	9	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
February	27–33	1	9	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
March	28–34	2	9	⭐⭐⭐⭐
April	29–36	4	8	⭐⭐⭐
May	28–34	13	7	⭐⭐
June	28–33	14	6	⭐⭐
July	28–33	15	5	⭐⭐
August	27–33	16	5	⭐⭐
September	27–32	18	5	⭐
October	27–32	16	6	⭐⭐
November	26–32	5	8	⭐⭐⭐⭐
December	25–31	1	9	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐