Best Time to Visit Thailand: Pick Your Coast, Then Your Month

Pick the coast first. For Phuket and Krabi go from January to March; August to October is the wettest stretch there. For Koh Samui, October to December is the wettest. Similan and Surin close from 16 May to 14 October.

Pick your coast first and the month follows. For Phuket and Krabi, go from January to March and avoid August to October, the wettest stretch there; for Koh Samui and the Gulf, October to December is the wet part. For rain totals month by month, see Thailand weather by month and region.

Best month by goal

Andaman or Gulf

The southwest monsoon covers Thailand from mid-May to mid-October and brings heavy rain along the coasts. In the south the rain carries on until December, and the east side gets more of it than the west. That is why the Gulf is at its wettest in November.

October is wet on both coasts. If your dates are fixed there, choose the coast with the better odds for that month. Phuket sits on the west coast and Koh Samui on the east; see the Phuket and Koh Samui guides.

Island closures

A good rain month can still be a closed month for the island you want. The main ones, in calendar order:

• 16 May to 14 October: Similan and Surin Islands.
• 1 June to 30 September: Koh Rok, plus Tarutao’s listed islands.
• 1 August to 30 September: Maya Bay, and parts of Phang Nga Bay.
• 1 November to 15 December: sites in Mu Ko Ang Thong national park.

Some sites open or close with the weather, so check the park notice for your sailing date. The Phi Phi park stays open during the Maya Bay closure, and Phi Phi is best from November to April. See Best Thai Islands by Month, national park fees and the Maya Bay guide.

Bangkok

December is Bangkok’s driest month, so it is the pick for a temple-heavy trip. April is the hottest month, so start early or book shaded stops. The Bangkok guide and Bangkok in 3 days have entry prices and hours.

The north and the haze

Chiang Mai has its worst haze from January to April, and March is the peak. November is the better month for the north, with far fewer haze days. The Chiang Mai guide and the Pai guide cover the north in detail.

Festivals and alcohol-ban days

• Songkran is a 3-day public holiday from 13 to 15 April, which falls on Tuesday to Thursday in 2027. The Songkran dates and rules page covers water-gun and alcohol rules.
• Chiang Mai’s Loy Krathong lantern release is banned in the air-navigation safety zone around the airport. See Loy Krathong and Yi Peng.
• The Full Moon Party runs at Haad Rin on the night of every full moon; see the Full Moon Party guide.

Nobody may sell alcohol on Makha Bucha, Visakha Bucha, Asarnha Bucha and the first and last days of Buddhist Lent. The full calendar is on Thailand public holidays and alcohol ban days.

Before you book

Around Christmas and New Year you should book your room in advance, while low season brings discounted room rates. Strong riptides have caused drownings, especially in monsoon season; read jellyfish and rip currents at Thai beaches before a wet-month beach trip. The monsoon dates can shift from year to year, so leave slack at both ends of your window.

For a first trip, start with the first-time in Thailand checklist and the Thailand islands guide.

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Not confirmed: The Loy Krathong and Yi Peng dates for next year are not notified yet; check the Chiang Mai lantern notice before you book.

Prices, timetables and opening hours change; check with the operator before you travel. See how guides are checked.

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