The travel offer was so cheap - and now you know why: You've been sitting in your bungalow in Thailand for three days because it's pouring rain and it just won't stop raining. The rainy season can really ruin your vacation. That's why the question arises: When is the best time to travel to Thailand? When is it nice in which region? Answering the questions really satisfactorily is not easy. In my experience report I would still like to give you an idea of ​​when and where you can best go on holiday in Thailand.

When I landed in Phuket on December 03rd, the driver on the way to my hotel reported: “It rains all day every day. It's been raining every day for months." And it actually rained cats and dogs that day too. And the day after that. And one more day. It was hot and the humidity was 100 percent - you could practically cut the air, it was so humid and hot. Would I have wanted to spend my entire vacation in Thailand like this? Definitely not. You have to be with yours travel planning always consider the best time to travel to the place you are visiting.

Is this exactly how some travelers spend their trip to Thailand? Unfortunately, yes, because they book their vacation at the wrong time of year. I've often had friends proudly tell me that they booked a vacation to Phuket in August. Without knowing that the month has an average of 23 rainy days. You have the best travel time for Phuket not considered.

Weather in Thailand is often a matter of luck

If you book your vacation at the beginning or end of the best travel time, you could either be particularly lucky or unlucky. So it happened to me on one of my last trips to Thailand that on December 06th, three days after I arrived and the constant rain, the rain stopped and the sun came out. The clouds cleared away, the humidity and humidity decreased noticeably and from one day to the next it was beautiful summer weather.

In the following four weeks I didn't get a single drop of rain anywhere in the southwest of Thailand. The rainy season was over. That was great luck. It could have continued to rain for another three weeks.

Video – When to travel to Thailand?

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The dry season in Thailand is simply more fun

I want to say several things at once. On the one hand, Thailand is much more fun in the dry season than in the rainy season. Secondly, the weather in the region is extremely difficult to predict. It's very difficult to plan what the weather will be like, at least in the transition period between the dry season and the rainy season.

Thirdly, I recommend that you don't listen to the people who keep saying that the rainy season isn't that bad and that it only rains for a few hours a day and then the sun comes out again. That could be the case, yes. But if you're unlucky, you'll have continuous rain for days in October and November.

I experienced the rainy season in Thailand

I've experienced firsthand what it's like to drive around in constant rain with a rain cape like a watered-down poodle. That's not so pleasant in the long run - especially if you've spent a lot of money on your trip to paradise. Who has the well-deserved Vacation already want it? That's why before I go on vacation, I take a long look at the climate tables for my travel destination and calculate how much rain I'm willing to endure during my vacation.

The best time to travel to Thailand is very subjective

When is the best time to travel? Destination is strongly dependent on subjective perception. While I would say that a shower during the day is okay, my wife considers it bad weather if even a cloud passes by the sun. Perception can be so different.

That's why I would the I best time for Thailand define as follows: predominantly sunny, pleasantly warm with daytime temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius and a moderate humidity of a maximum of 70 percent. I think we can agree on that.

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Best travel time for Thailand – when to vacation in which region?

Below I have put together some climate tables for four regions in Thailand - these include the Chiang Mai region in the north, the area around Bangkok in central Thailand, the southwest with Phuket and the southeast with Koh Samui. There can be very big regional differences: there are only a few hundred kilometers between Phuket in the Andaman Sea and Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand - but the climatic conditions are completely different.

A Thailand expert explained to me that different regions have distinct microclimates. This can vary significantly from region to region. This is also clear from the climate tables below. That's why there is no one best time to travel to Thailand, but rather different recommendations depending on the region and travel destination.

The climate in Thailand is tropical and is influenced by two monsoon winds: the northeast monsoon and the southwest monsoon. The northeast monsoon brings dry and cool air from China from December to April, while the southwest monsoon from May up to October moist and warm air from the Indian Ocean.

The rainy season in Thailand coincides with the southwest monsoon, although the rainfall can vary in intensity and duration depending on the region. The hottest season in Thailand is from March to May, where temperatures can reach up to 40 degrees Celsius. I would definitely avoid this time. It is extremely humid and hot.

1. Best time to travel to Northern Thailand

The best time to travel to northern Thailand is from November to February, when the climate is pleasantly mild and dry. Northern Thailand includes popular destinations such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan and Phrae. The temperatures during this time are between 14 and 33 degrees Celsius, although it can get quite cool at night.

From March to May, northern Thailand is very hot and dry, which can be uncomfortable for many travelers. The rainy season in northern Thailand is from June to October, but usually only brings short showers in the afternoon.

Chiang Mai climate table

Month	high	Rainydays	Hours of sunshine
January	32,7	1	9
February	34,1	1	10
March	36,0	2	9
April	36,7	6	8
May	34,4	16	6
June	33,1	18	5
July	32,6	19	5
August	32,2	21	4
September	31,9	23	4
October	31,6	15	5
November	30,1	5	8
December	29,5	2	9

2. Best time to visit Central Thailand

The best time to visit central Thailand is from December to March when the climate is dry and warm. Central Thailand includes the capital Bangkok as well as popular destinations such as Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, Kanchanaburi and Hua Hin. The temperatures during this time are between 20 and 35 degrees Celsius, although it can often be humid in Bangkok.

From March to May, central Thailand is very hot and dry, which can be unbearable for many travelers. The rainy season in central Thailand is from June to October, but it usually only brings short showers in the afternoon. However, the humidity is then very high and flooding can occur.

Climate table Bangkok

Month	high	Rainydays	Hours of sunshine
January	32	2	9
February	33	2	10
March	34	3	9
April	35	6	8
May	34	16	6
June	33	17	5
July	33	18	5
August	33	19	5
September	32	21	5
October	32	23	6
November	32	15	8
December	31	6	8

3. Best time to visit Southwest Thailand

The best time to visit southwest Thailand is from December to the end of March, when the climate is dry and sunny. Southwest Thailand includes popular travel destinations such as Phuket, Krabi, Khao Lak and Koh Phi Phi. The temperatures during this time are between 24 and 34 degrees Celsius, with the sea being pleasantly warm.

The rainy season in southwest Thailand is from May to November, but usually only brings short showers in the afternoon. However, the humidity is then very high and storms can occur.

Climate table Phuket (Southwest Thailand)

Month	high	Rainydays	Hours of sunshine
January	32,7	6	9
February	33,6	3	9
March	33,9	7	9
April	33,8	12	8
May	32,9	19	6
June	32,4	20	5
July	32,1	20	6
August	32	20	5
September	31,7	22	5
October	31,4	25	6
November	31,7	18	7
December	31,9	11	8

4. Best time to travel to Southeast Thailand

The best time to visit Southeast Thailand is from January to March, when the weather is mostly dry and sunny. Especially in February you have very few rainy days. Southeast Thailand includes popular travel destinations such as Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao and Koh Chang. You can spend a truly paradisiacal beach holiday in the Gulf of Thailand. The temperatures during this time are between 25 and 35 degrees Celsius, with the sea being pleasantly warm at around 27 degrees Celsius.

April to June or October to December is the rainy season in southeast Thailand. With a bit of luck you'll only have short showers in the afternoon. However, the humidity is then very high and storms can occur.

Climate table Koh Phangan (Gulf of Thailand)

Month	high (in degrees Celsius)	Rainydays	Hours of sunshine	water temperature
January	32	6	8	27
February	32	3	9	27
March	33	7	9	28
April	34	8	8	29
May	34	18	5	29
June	33	17	6	29
July	32	19	6	28
August	32	18	6	28
September	32	21	5	28
October	31	23	5	28
November	31	22	6	28
December	31	14	7	27

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Best time to travel to Thailand – a lucky coincidence

My conclusion

When I want to fly to Thailand, I now pay very close attention to the best time to travel. In the past I have often found that you simply don't have as much fun in the rainy season. If you're unlucky, you can expect days of continuous rain or intense showers mixed with sun and clouds. Especially if you plan your tours in Thailand with a motor scooter, you simply can't plan well or you end up getting extremely wet on the way.

This cannot happen to you during the best time to travel to Thailand. For example, if you visit southern Thailand between January and March, it will usually be nice and warm and sunny. Of course there can be a shower. But it is rather the exception. And that makes the vacation much more pleasant.

When planning your trip, do you pay attention to the best time to travel to Thailand or does it not matter to you? What experiences have you had in the dry season or rainy season? Share your experiences in the comments.