Best time to go to Thailand.

Uncomplicating the country's climate.

There are several ways to understand the climate and the best time to go to Thailand. As it is a very large country, the climate varies a lot!
There are things to see in Thailand in good weather almost all year round. But if you want to go to certain beaches, knowing the right time is ideal.
I bought my ticket on the spur of the moment and only researched it thoroughly afterwards, I wasn't planning on going to Thailand any time soon, but the promotion was unmissable, I bought it without thinking and almost got screwed!
So if you're planning to go to this wonderful country, make sure you know the best time to go to Thailand and don't count yourself lucky like I did.

Thailand has a tropical climate, hot and humid, with two distinct seasons! The dry season and the rainy season.
Ahhh so it's easy, I just need to avoid the rainy season! More or less.
As I said, the country is huge and if you want to visit more than one region, you'll need to make a jigsaw puzzle.

I'm going to explain timetable by timetable the best time to go to Thailand, whether it's month by month, periods or even regions, so you won't have any more doubts.

Monsoons

Okay, but why is understanding the best time to go to Thailand so important? Who hasn't suffered from a little rain? It's not just rain!
The dreaded monsoon is a phenomenon that brings intense rainfall to Southeast Asia.
And when I say intense, I mean really intense, like being stuck in the hotel and a river running through the street from all the rain.
But I do have some good news: as the country is very large and has two coasts, normally when one is forecasting this phenomenon the other is forecasting well.

I chose a time when there was a strong chance of monsoons exactly where I wanted to go, so I took a chance! However, as these are just predictions, I was lucky and managed to get some beautiful days, not a single day of rain ruined our plans.
The coast I wanted to visit was the west, with the Andaman Sea, where the most famous beaches are, the ones you think of when you hear about the country!

Phuket, Phi Phi, Railey, May Bay and so on, these are the crystal-clear seas with those beautiful rocks that make a whole landscape.
The forecast for the monsoon on this side is exactly from May to October, we went in June and July, we had days with plenty of sunshine and rain at night, as if they were ordinary summer days.
The eastern side is the Gulf of Thailand, where Ko Samui and Ko Tao are located. The monsoon is expected to last from August to December, but I didn't have the opportunity to visit this side.

Periods in general.

It's very difficult to talk about Thailand as a whole, the two coasts have completely different climates!
While one suffers from the monsoons, the other is wonderfully sunny, which is good because there are beaches all year round.
Okay, but tell me quickly when is the best time to go to Thailand?
Difficult, but I'd guess from November to February!
January and February are certainly the best times to visit the country, as it doesn't rain much anywhere and the temperatures are milder than March and April, when the hottest days of the year are concentrated.
However, January and February are also high season months and the beaches are very crowded.

From November to February

It's the best time to travel, with an average temperature of 20° and reasonable humidity.
They say it's the season when you can travel all over the country without the absurd heat and the dreaded monsoons.
But if you want to be sure that you won't get any rain, opt for January and February!
Eiii, wait a minute, remember that forecasting is not precision, it can rain, but usually IF IT DOES, it'll be very quick showers.

From March to May.

The temperature can reach 40º with LOTS of humidity. March and April are considered the hottest months in Thailand.
Seriously, they are VERY hot, it's no joke, so go with a bottle of water under your arm and cool clothes.
May is a more uncertain month as, in addition to the dry weather, there may also be a lot of rain.

From June to October

It's the wettest season of the year and the climate is highly influenced by the dreaded monsoons, especially in the south of the country! Humidity can be around 80º
Temperatures range from 25º to 34º, with much higher temperatures.
We went at this time of year and the heat is really high, but we were lucky and hardly saw any rain.

Best time to go to Thailand by region

The country is gigantic and is subdivided into three climates, with very specific temperatures and humidity.

Bangkok to the North (Ching Mai, Chiang Rai and Sukhothai)

January to February → This is considered the best time to travel to the country, as no rain is expected.

March and April → These are considered the hottest months in Thailand, with thermometers close to 40º.

May → It's considered a wildcard month, as it can rain a lot or be drier.

June to August → Avoid the monsoon season! Lots of rain that can last for hours or days, putting an end to many of the tours.

September and October →The rains are starting to stop and it's slowly becoming a good time to visit the region.

Noctober and december → Temperatures have cooled down and it's considered "winter", but you won't feel cold in this hot country, where temperatures can exceed 30º even in winter.

West Coast and Andaman Sea beaches (Phi, Phuket and Krabi)

January to February → This is considered the best time to go to Thailand on this side of the country, as no rain is expected.

March and April → These are considered the hottest months in all of Thailand, with thermometers close to 40º, but if you're looking for a nice swim, the heat won't change much.

May → It's considered a wildcard month, as it can rain a lot or be drier.

June and July→ Avoid it, seriously this side suffers a lot more from the monsoon period! Lots of rain that can last for hours or days, and you don't want to be stuck in your room with a wonderful beach in front of you, do you?
Well, we didn't believe the forecasts and went anyway, lol luckily we had wonderful days, which doesn't mean it will happen to you too.

Don't forget to book your hotel in Thailand here!

August to October →It's the rainiest months on this side, so run for the hills! Go to the other coast and cross this option off your itinerary! It usually rains for days and days and it's very difficult to get this forecast wrong.
You might even be able to catch a window of sunshine between the storms, but that's just a lot of luck.

November and December → The monsoons are gone and the temperatures have calmed down! It's considered "winter", but cold is what you won't feel in this hot country, where temperatures can exceed 30º in Bangkok

Remember that the West Coast suffers much more from the monsoon phenomenon, so if you take a chance, you could be locked in your hotel room and miss the whole trip! This forecast is usually right.
As I said, we went in June/July and had sunny days, but we spoke to many tourists who told us that they had had more than four days of direct rain and were unable to do a single tour, so we were lucky.

We really took a chance, but I really wanted to see this side of the country! Even though I knew it wasn't the best time to go to Thailand, I took advantage of an offer I couldn't refuse.
It was R$700.00 round trip!!!
I filled my chest with hope and went! I was lucky, but that's VERY rare.

Gulf of Thailand (Ko Samui, Ko Tao)

January to February → Without a doubt, this is the best time to go to Thailand in any region! It rains very little throughout the country.

March to May → It's still a good choice for beaches, lots of heat and beautiful water!

June to August → Oops! While the monsoons are raging on the West Coast, here the sun is shining and you don't run the risk of being stranded.

September and October→ The rains are starting, better run to the other side, where they're leaving. Or do as I did, go with the other side as a card up your sleeve! Anything else, just get on a plane and enjoy.

October, November and December → The peak of the monsoon on this side is from October to November! Try to avoid coming here as much as possible, in December they start to go away.
If you can, play around Phi Phi and be happy.

If on one side it rains a lot because of the monsoons, on the other it's sunny! Did you choose a bad time to travel to the country and want a beach? You've been to Maya Bay or Phi Phi and it's raining? Come here, things are better! When I made my schedule for June and July, I knew there was a good chance of rain there, so I left the Gulf as a card up my sleeve.
I was lucky to get some beautiful days, even with the monsoon forecast, but I knew that if anything happened, I just had to change the side of the beaches.

Best time to go to Thailand from month to month

Each month has its own particularity and a special place to visit, so don't let predictions put a damper on your fun, but don't forget to take them into account either.

January

Good to visit → Bangkok, northern Thailand and Krabi (Phuket, Phi Phi and Ko Lanta Islands)

I don't recommend it → The Gulf of Thailand (Ko Samui, Ko Phangan and Ko Tao) January is considered high season, with good weather in much of the country! However, I traveled in low season and found the beaches very crowded, so if you have the choice, avoid high season, lol.
New Year's is also very crowded.

February

Good to visit → Everything!

I don't recommend it → Nothing

If you want to choose a perfect month, choose February! Without a doubt, this is the best time to go to Thailand, with no rain forecast anywhere in the country.
But it's like I said, high season requires caution with the crowds, Thailand has become very popular in recent years and there are some VERY crowded beaches!
If you still want to go during this period, opt for private tours and arrange a time to get to the beaches before the common tours.

March

Good to visit → The rain hasn't arrived yet, but the heat is strong, so opt for the beaches.

I don't recommend it → Bangkok, the heat is strong and the temples where you walk a lot and are almost uncovered make you want to throw yourself into the first river you see.

It's the beginning of the hot season in the country, believe me, it's VERY HOT there! We went in June and got so hot that we almost didn't get to see the temples, but if the beach is your thing, enjoy every dip in the crystal-clear waters and indulge yourself

April

Good to visit → Everything, the rain is still far away, but the heat is rising considerably, it's the hottest month of the year.

I don't recommend it → Nothing

It's the hottest month in the country, so if you like a good sauna, go for it! Open-air sauna, the best time to go to Thailand for those who like to feel the hard heat!
If March is already unbearable, April is even worse, and the only thing that softens this delicious climate is Songkran.
Songkran is the Thai New Year, people have water wars in the streets and it's a party!
A very beautiful cultural manifestation that you can easily find in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

May

Good to visit → Gulf of Thailand.

I don't recommend it → It's still hot in Bangkok, raining in northern Thailand and Krabi (Phuket, Phi Phi and Ko Lanta Islands)

It's the unknown month, sometimes it's the same as the previous month with hot, dry weather, while at other times it starts to rain well, but the Gulf side continues to have drier weather.

June

Good to visit → Gulf of Thailand.

I don't recommend it → Monsoons begin throughout the country, but with greater force in Bangkok, northern Thailand and Krabi (Phuket, Phi Phi and Ko Lanta islands).

The monsoon season is starting, so it's really not the best time to go to Thailand. We went at this time and had a lot of luck! The sun was strong, the heat was intense and the rains were concentrated in the late afternoon and evening. In the mornings there was wonderful sunshine, but that's not often the case.
We arrived at places where people said we were really lucky because it had rained for several days before we set foot there.

July

Good to visit → Gulf of Thailand.

I don't recommend it → Strong monsoons throughout the country, but most strongly in Bangkok, northern Thailand and Krabi (Phuket, Phi Phi and Ko Lanta islands).

Many say it's not the best time to go to Thailand, others say it's the worst month to go! Unless you want to visit the Gulf of Thailand, then it's the best time.
But the strong monsoons have left cities like Bangkok and the West Coast flooded and stormy for days on end.
But it was on the first of July that we had the sunniest day in the country, lol As I said, these are forecasts and really getting the weather right is an art we haven't mastered yet.

August

Good to visit → Gulf of Thailand.

I don't recommend it → It's still raining a lot all over the country, but more heavily in Bangkok, northern Thailand and Krabi (Phuket, Phi Phi and Ko Lanta islands).

June, July and August are the three months that mark the worst time to visit the country in terms of rain!
Krabi has absurd storms and Bangkok is like a river, Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai and Sukhothai are all mud!
However, there may still be a lull and good sunshine in the Gulf of Thailand.

September

Good to visit → NOTHING!

I don't recommend it → Everything, but the best chance in northern Thailand

It rains all over the country, but much less than in August!

October

Good to visit → NOTHING!

I don't recommend it → Everything, but the best chance in northern Thailand

It's usually a rainy month all over the country, so it's hard to say where there will be good weather.
It's still not the best time to go to Thailand.
But it's not like the dreaded monsoons, it rains in quick bursts like summer rain!
If you have to visit the country at this time of year, I'd risk drier places like the north of the country.
But if you still want to risk the beaches, head for the Krabi region.

November

Good to visit → The best time to go to Bangkok, northern Thailand and Krabi (Phuket, Phi Phi and Ko Lanta Islands) begins

I don't recommend it→ Gulf Islands, Gulf Islands of Thailand such as Ko Samui, Ko Phangan and Ko Tao

It's the month of the famous Yipeng Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai! The beautiful lantern festival.
It's usually the end of the rainy season in most parts of the country, but there can still be rain in Bangkok, Ayutthaya and the Gulf, even where there is a higher incidence.

December

Good to visit→  Bangkok, Northern Thailand and Krabi (Phuket, Phi Phi and Ko Lanta Islands)

I don't recommend it → Gulf of Thailand islands such as Ko Samui, Ko Phangan and Ko Tao

December is a good month to visit Thailand, especially if you don't want the absurd heat of April!
It's even possible to enjoy the chilly nights in the north.

I've said a lot, but I hope you've understood a bit more about Thailand's regions and climates.
The country is magnificent, I loved the trip and being able to have so many different experiences with my little one!
Yes, it's a country to travel to with children and make the most of it.
Don't forget to enjoy a bit of our adventure in other texts.

Accommodation with children in Bangkok

Accommodation with children in Krabi

Want to know my survival kit for long flights with children? SEE HERE

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