When is the best time to visit Thailand?
You have the dates in your diary and one question: will the sky be blue? For most trips, the best time to visit Thailand is November to February.
These are the cool, dry months in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and on the Andaman coast around Phuket and Krabi. The air is softer, the sea is calm and the evenings are long.
The Gulf islands follow a different clock. Koh Samui is at its best from February to August, driest from February to April, and wettest from October to December.
So good weather waits somewhere in Thailand in almost every month. Match the coast to the month, and you can have sun on almost any date.
Example plan. Ten days in January, as an outline. Three nights on the river in Bangkok, three in Chiang Mai, then four in a Phuket pool villa. A crewed boat takes you to Phang Nga Bay on the calmest day.
For routes by length, see our Thailand itinerary. For one city or island, go straight to the best time to visit Phuket or the best time to visit Bangkok.
What are Thailand's three seasons?
Thailand has three seasons: cool, hot and rainy. The Thai government's guide to the seasons of Thailand (checked November 2026) gives the dates below.
In the cool season, mornings in the northern hills are cool enough for a jacket.
In the hot season, sightsee early and late, and spend the middle of the day by a pool.
In the rainy season, the main sights are quieter.
The south does not follow the calendar exactly. The same guide notes that heavy rain continues in the south until December, and the Gulf side stays wet longest.
Insider tip: the season names hide the real choice. In Thailand you do not pick a month, you pick a coast for your month.
The two coasts: the Andaman or the Gulf?
The Andaman coast is best from November to April, and the Gulf coast from February to August. The two coasts face different monsoons, so their wet months do not match.
The Andaman coast: Phuket, Krabi and Khao Lak. The sea is calm and clear from November to April, and calmest from December to March. February is the driest month in Phuket, with about 24 mm of rain. September is the wettest, with about 350 mm.
From May to October, waves build on the west-facing beaches and red flags often close them to swimming. See Phuket and Krabi for the best bays in each season.
The Gulf coast: Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. Samui is the summer island. It gets about 117 mm of rain in July, against about 240 mm in Phuket. February to April is its driest stretch.
The Gulf has its own rains from October to December. November is the wettest month on Samui, with about 445 mm, and January is still fairly showery.
Our call: Phuket or Krabi from December to March, and Koh Samui from February to August. Our guide to the best beaches in Thailand picks the beach for each month.
For Samui month by month, see our guide to the best time to visit Koh Samui.
Which months suit Bangkok and Chiang Mai best?
Bangkok and Chiang Mai are both best from November to February. In the north, November to January is the clearest window of the year.
Bangkok. The cool months are the most comfortable for temples, rooftops and river evenings. December is the driest month. September is the wettest, with rain on about 21 days, mostly in short afternoon storms.
Bangkok works in every season, because the best of it is indoors at the hottest hour: spas, long lunches and the city's tasting menus. Our best time to visit Bangkok guide goes month by month.
Chiang Mai and the north. December and January are the driest months, with about 11 mm of rain each. Nights are cool, the sky is clear and the hills are still green from the rains.
Our best time to visit Chiang Mai guide goes month by month for the north.
The smoke season. From February to April, smoke from forest fires and crop burning brings haze to the north. It usually peaks in March and early April, and the first rains clear it.
The haze varies from year to year. Before you fly, check the Pollution Control Department's Air4Thai readings for Chiang Mai, and we adjust the plan if the air is poor.
If your dates fall in the smoke season, put the beach first and the north later in the year. Read our Chiang Mai guide for the best weeks.
Thailand weather by month: the 12-month table
Thailand weather by month changes more by coast than by month. The table reads: month, Bangkok, Andaman (Phuket), Gulf (Samui), North (Chiang Mai) and what is on.
Rainfall is the average for the month, from the Thai Meteorological Department's climate normals for 1991 to 2020 (checked November 2026). Tap a month for its full guide.
Month | Bangkok | Andaman (Phuket) | Gulf (Samui) | North (Chiang Mai) | What is on
January | Bangkok dry, 3 rain days | Phuket 50 mm, calm | Samui 127 mm, showery | North 11 mm, cool | Full Moon Party 22 January 2027
February | Bangkok dry, 3 rain days | Phuket 24 mm, calmest | Samui 64 mm, dry | North dry, haze starts | Chinese New Year 6 February 2027
March | Bangkok hot, 4 rain days | Phuket 81 mm, calm | Samui 116 mm, dry | North hazy | MotoGP at Buriram, 5 to 7 March 2027
April | Bangkok hottest, 7 rain days | Phuket 135 mm, storms | Samui 83 mm, dry | North 54 mm, hazy | Songkran 13 to 15 April 2027
May | Bangkok wet, 15 rain days | Phuket 237 mm, waves | Samui 132 mm, fair | North 173 mm, green | Similan Islands close 15 May 2027
June | Bangkok wet, 16 rain days | Phuket 249 mm, rough | Samui 134 mm, fair | North 153 mm, green | Quiet resorts, green season
July | Bangkok wet, 17 rain days | Phuket 240 mm, rough | Samui 117 mm, good | North wet, green | Gulf islands at their best
August | Bangkok wet, 19 rain days | Phuket 309 mm, rough | Samui 102 mm, good | North wet, green | Mother's Day 12 August; Maya Bay closed
September | Bangkok wettest, 21 rain days | Phuket 350 mm, roughest | Samui 118 mm, fair | North 222 mm, wettest | The quietest month
October | Bangkok wet, 17 rain days | Phuket 336 mm, rough | Samui 295 mm, wet | North 117 mm, drying | Similan Islands open 15 October
November | Bangkok dry, 5 rain days | Phuket 178 mm, calming | Samui 445 mm, wettest | North 27 mm, cool | Loy Krathong 24 November 2026
December | Bangkok driest, 2 rain days | Phuket 82 mm, calm | Samui 263 mm, wet | North 11 mm, cool | Countdown Full Moon Party 31 December
Two patterns stand out. December to March suits almost everywhere except Samui early on. June to August belongs to the Gulf islands.
For rain days, heat and storm rules by region, see Thailand weather by month.
What is the hottest month to go to Thailand?
April is the hottest month in most of Thailand, with the hottest weather usually in mid-April. In Bangkok, April has the highest average maximum of the year, about 36°C.
Heat shapes the day. Visit the temples at opening, rest at midday and go out again at sunset. A private car with cold water and a driver who waits makes a temple morning far easier.
April is also Songkran, the Thai New Year, from 13 to 15 April 2027. If you love the sun and want the festival, April is our pick. If you dislike heat, travel from November to January.
The best time to visit Thailand by trip type
The best month depends on the trip. Here is our call for the six trips we plan most.
Beach. December to March on the Andaman coast; February to August on Koh Samui. Read our best beaches in Thailand guide for the bay to book.
Culture and cities. November to February, when Bangkok and Chiang Mai are cool enough to walk. Sukhothai and Ayutthaya are best in the same months.
Festivals. November for Loy Krathong and the lanterns, February for Chinese New Year, April for Songkran. Dates are in the next section.
Value. May, June and September. The best villas are easier to book, and Koh Samui stays fairly dry from June to August.
Diving. The Similan Islands open from 15 October 2026 to 15 May 2027, and the Andaman water is clearest from December to April. Koh Tao suits the summer months. See diving in Thailand and the Similan Islands.
Families. Late November to early December, before peak prices, or the Gulf in July and August. On the Andaman side, choose family resorts in Phuket from December to April.
Thailand festivals 2026–27: dates to plan around
November to April is Thailand's main festival season. These are the dates we plan around for 2026 and 2027.
Loy Krathong, 24 November 2026. On the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, you float a small candle-lit raft on the river. See our Loy Krathong guide for Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Sukhothai.
Yi Peng, 23 to 25 November 2026. Chiang Mai's lantern festival allows sky lanterns only on 24 and 25 November, with a permit. Our Yi Peng guide explains the rules.
Chinese New Year, 6 February 2027. Bangkok's Chinatown, Yaowarat, fills with lanterns and lion dances. Read our Chinese New Year guide.
Songkran, 13 to 15 April 2027. The Thai New Year water festival, and three national public holidays. Our Songkran guide picks the best places to celebrate.
The Full Moon Party. Haad Rin beach on Koh Phangan holds one every month. The next are 24 November and 24 December 2026, then a countdown party on 31 December. See the Full Moon Party dates.
Buddhist holy days. Makha Bucha falls on 21 February 2027 and Visakha Bucha on 20 May 2027. Alcohol sales stop on these days, and a Full Moon Party moves to the next night.
Festival weeks fill hotels fast. Tell us the festival first, and we build the trip around it.
When is the best value time to visit Thailand, and which months to avoid?
The best value months are May, June and September, the green season. Peak rates run from mid-December to early January, and again around Chinese New Year.
In the green season, rain usually passes in an hour, the landscape is at its greenest and the best villas have open dates. Our luxury travel cost guide shows how the season changes the price.
No month is wrong for the whole country, but some are wrong for one place. Avoid the Andaman coast for sea days in September and October. Avoid Samui in November, and the north in March.
School holidays in the Gulf, Asia, the UK and Australia stack up in late December. Book villas, yachts and suites for those weeks three to six months ahead. Our villa rental team holds options while you decide.
Insider tips only a Thailand planner knows
Small choices make the biggest difference to a Thailand trip.
Choose the hotel by the season. From December to March, book Amanpuri or Trisara in Phuket, or Rayavadee in Krabi. From February to August, book Four Seasons Koh Samui or Six Senses Samui.
In the north, book 137 Pillars House or Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai from November to January, when the air is clear.
Never plan a boat day on your last full day. Keep a spare day after any sea trip, in case the wind keeps boats in port.
The Ang Thong archipelago off Samui closes each year in the north-east monsoon; in 2026 the closure runs from 1 November to 15 December. Maya Bay closes from 1 August to 30 September. Plan the island days around them.
Early November and March often give you peak-season weather with more space. They are our favourite weeks to book.
Plan it with Tanner
VIP Luxury Services has planned Thailand trips since 2008. One planner handles your whole trip, for any group size: hotels, flights, boats, cars and tables, each in its best month.
We have a Thai team in every main town, and we tell you honestly what is not worth it. If a month is wrong for the place you have in mind, we say so and suggest the right one.
Tell Tanner your dates and who is coming. We get back to you right away.
