When to go to Thailand
Thailand is not one season. The Andaman (Phuket, Krabi, Khao Lak, Phi Phi) is the winter sea. The Gulf (Samui, Phangan, Tao) is the summer sea. They overlap in winter. They do not overlap in autumn.
AndamanNovember to April
GulfJanuary to September
NorthCooler November to February
Bangkok is hot most of the year and wettest in September and October. You still go. You walk in the morning and sit in air-con at 14:00.
Chiang Mai has a cool season (November to February), a hot season (March to May, smoke risk), and a rainy season that is still usable.
Songkran in mid-April is a water festival, not a sightseeing week in the Old City. Book it on purpose or avoid the Old City lanes that week.
Coast calendar
| Coast | Easier months | Harder months | Airports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andaman (Phuket, Krabi, Lanta, Lipe, Khao Lak, Similan) | November to April | May to October (Similan park shut 16 May to 14 Oct) | HKT, KBV, Hat Yai for Lipe |
| Lower Gulf (Samui, Phangan, Tao) | January to September | October to December | USM plus ferries |
| Eastern Gulf (Chang, Kood) and Hua Hin | November to February for Trat; Hua Hin usable most months | May to October rain; October is Hua Hin's wet month | TDX or Bangkok road; Hua Hin by train |
| Bangkok and the central plains | November to February for heat | September to October rain | BKK, DMK |
| North (Chiang Mai corridor) | November to February | March haze, then rain | CNX |
Common questions
- Is there a single best month?
- December to February if you want both Bangkok and the Andaman. July if you want Samui and can take Bangkok heat.
- Can you visit Phuket in August?
- You can. Some days are beautiful. Boat days cancel. Prefer Samui in that month unless a resort is the whole point.