Best time to visit Thailand

Visit Thailand in February

February is one of the best months to visit Thailand. The weather conditions are dry in western coast of Thailand, as well as in the central region are dry, with slightly warmer temperatures during the day and cooler evenings. The underwater visibility is crystal clear and waters of the Andaman sea are perfect for diving and snorkelling. In February, the average temperatures may hover around 25°C to 32°C. There might be short bursts of rain on islands on the coasts of the Gulf of Thailand (Koh Chang and Koh Tao). However, that should not stop you from planning a visit and exploring these charming islands.

February Events and Festivals in Thailand

• Chinese New Year: As per Lunar Calendar, the Chinese New Year is also celebrated in the month of February by the large Chinese community settled in Thailand as well as Thai people. It is a time of joy, euphoria and celebration amongst Chinese people in Thailand and the best place to witness Chinese New Year is in Bangkok’s Chinatown or Yarowat Road.
• Chiang Mai Flower Festival: Held during the first weekend of February, Chiang Mai flower festival is a three-day celebration of freshly bloomed damask roses, orchids and a plethora of other flowers. In this festival, you can watch a parade take place where beautifully decorated floats are presented and with performances done by school students, drummers and people dressed in traditional Thai costumes.
• Burapa Bike Week: Burapa Bike Week is a multi-day motorcycle rally that takes place annually in Pattaya, Thailand. Motorcycle enthusiasts from all over the world come to Pattaya to participate in this event. The key highlights of the events include official opening of the event, grand finale and open air concerts performed by Thai and international artists. Plus, there is always good music and food around.

Visit Thailand in March

The mercury level starts to rise up during the month of March when the maximum temperatures start touching 33°C. March is a perfect time to go and spend time on the sun-kissed shores of Phuket and Krabi. The underwater currents offer spectacular visibility for snorkelling and diving. You may even spot aquatic creatures like manta rays and whale sharks. The east coast islands like Koh Samui and Koh Phangan are slightly cooler in temperature.

March Events and Festivals in Thailand

• Makha Bucha Day: Makha Bucha or Magha Puja is an important Buddhist festival of Thailand and is observed on a full moon day in the third month of the Lunar Calendar. It is a public holiday in Thailand, during which Thai people visit temples to perform Wian Tian or the candle lighting ceremony. This holiday is a time of spiritual reflections and community services for practising Budhhists in Thailand.
• Pattaya Music Festival (Sound on Sand): This is a spectacular music festival in Pattaya that takes place in March, on the popular sports and Pattaya beaches such as Jometein. Here music enthusiasts gather together to enjoy performances from various local and international artists playing genres like R&B, hiphop, jazz and reggaeton.

Visit Thailand in April

April is the best time to visit Thailand, if you want to experience Sogkran, the Thai New Year.
The weather in Thailand during the month of April is hot and humid with maximum temperature during the day hovering between 33°C to 35°C. So, instead of sightseeing for the day, plan it in the evening. While there might be slight rainy days in Phuket or Krabi, the east coast enjoys pleasant weather and ideal dive conditions with decent underwater visibility. April in Thailand is bustling with tourists who flocked from all over the world to celebrate Songkran or Water Festival in Thailand.

April Events and Festivals in Thailand

• Songkran Thai New Year Water Festival: The Thai New Year or Songkran takes place from 13th to 15th April, and is a national holiday. It is one of the most popular festivals in Thailand, celebrated by both Thais and tourists. This festival includes splashing or spraying water on people symbolic of washing away their sins and bad luck. The streets of Thailand are filled with people spraying water with water guns, dancing and celebrating with each other.
• S2O Songkran Music Festival: Visit Thailand in April to attend the annual S2O Songkran Music festival (dates can vary). This music festival is a euphoric celebration of the Thai New Year with local and internationally renowned DJs spinning the records. Groove to your favourite EDM beats as the water guns from the main stage drenches you throughout. The festival takes place in Bangkok from where you can go on an expedition exploring markets, temples and food tours.
• Wan Lai Festival: If you travel to Pattaya in mid-April, witness the Wan Lai Festival which takes place around Songkran. During this festival, people build “Chedi Sai” or Sand Pagodas and adorn it with flowers, candles and flags. This festival ushers a sense of community amongst Thai people. During this festival, you will see families come together and create a sand pagoda, play traditional games and offer respect to elders.

Visit Thailand in May

In May, the temperature drops in the evening to make the surroundings pleasant. However, the days are warmer as the mercury swings between 33°C to 34°C. Few places might experience some sporadic rainfall. The humidity also rises, so make sure to stay well-hydrated all the time. May marks the beginning of the shoulder season in Thailand, so make sure to get discounts on flights and hotel bookings.

May Festivals and Events in Thailand

• Royal Ploughing Ceremony (Farmer’s Day): Farmer’s day or Royal Ploughing Ceremony is celebrated to mark the beginning of rice growing season in Thailand. At present, this ceremony has a slightly different turn. The rituals involve prophesying the harvest season by drawing the length of a cloth and predicting the rain. Traditionally, this ceremony was held at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha to seek blessings for the harvest season.
• Visakha Bucha Day: Visakha Bucha Day or Budhha Purnima falls in the sixth month of the lunar calendar and typically takes place in May. It is the most important Buddhist festival in Thailand and a part of a merit-making holiday for Thai people. During this festival, many families visit Buddhist temples in the morning to pray and pay their respect and evening people join a procession. The temples are adorned beautifully and are excellent sites to visit.
• Rocket Festival: Also known as the Boon Bang, the Rocket festival takes place in the second week of May. It is a merit-making ceremony amongst Thai people. It involves shooting colourful bamboo rockets up in the sky to please the rain gods for a good monsoon season which will nurture the crops. The final day of the festival includes vibrant performances, processions and more fireworks.

Visit Thailand in June

There is a fair chance of rain through the regions of Thailand in June. Maximum temperature ranges between 29°C to 33°C, while the lower temperatures hover between 25°C to 23°C. The rain often pours in short outbursts with periods of pleasant weather throughout the day. Be sure to check the weather updates before planning a trek in northern regions (Chiang Mai and Chaing Rai) to avoid downpour. The northern region receives about 10 -12 days of rain in June. The west coast regions of Phuket, Krabi and Similian receive rainfall, therefore avoid the beaches. The east coast beaches of Koh Samui, Khanom and Koh Pha Ngan are slightly dry and ideal to spend your vacation.

June Festivals and Events in Thailand

• Phi Ta Khon (Ghost Festival): The dates of Phi Ta Khon, or the Ghost festival, typically fall in the month of March to July. During this three-day Buddhist festival, people take part in a procession and perform wearing large, colourful and eccentric masks made of rice husk or coconut leaves and costumes with large wooden belts, representing ghosts and spirits. The festival takes place in the Dan Sai region of northern Thailand and is celebrated to seek protection against evil spirits and honour the departed ones.

Visit Thailand in July

Thailand receives significant rainfall in July, especially during the end of the month with average temperature ranging between 28°C to 29°C. The west coast beaches of Phuket, Krabi, Racha, etc. receive heavy downpour halting all water sports and beach activities. The eastern coast is still sunny with Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan receiving the maximum number of tourists. The underwater currents in Koh Tao are clear and suitable for a snorkelling or diving session.

July Festivals and Events in Thailand

• Candle Festival: Ubon Ratchathani, located in the Northeast part of Thailand, is known for its exquisite Candle Festival that takes place in the third or fourth week of July. It takes place alongside Asanha Puja (Buddha’s first sermon) and Wan Kao Pansa. This two day festival is celebrated by donating candles, food and clothes to monks in various Buddhist temples. You can witness a vibrant parade of giant floats carved out of candles, representing the poignant incident from Hindu and Buddhist literature.
• Thailand Coffee Fest: For coffee lovers visiting Thailand in July, head to the biggest coffee festival in Southeast Asia. The Thailand Coffee Fest is held at IMPACT Exhibition Center Hall in Bangkok to promote sustainability within the Thai coffee industry. There are different exhibitions, seminars and workshops held to create awareness around coffee production, and kiosks selling sustainable coffee products and souvenirs which you can buy and find a community of coffee enthusiasts.

Visit Thailand in August

August is the peak month of the rainy season in Thailand with a drop in temperature but with an increase in humidity levels. The average temperature ranges from 26°C to 30°C with most watersports and beach activities halted due to heavy downpour. The Northern receives the heaviest showers and the entire western coast is the wettest during this month. If you must travel to Thailand during August, head to Hua Hin and Koh Phangan which is slightly drier or might receive occasional sporadic showers before the northeast monsoon hits its shores in September.

August Festivals and Events in Thailand

• Mother’s Day – Mother’s Day in Thailand is celebrated to honour the queen mother, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on her birthday which falls on August 12. This day is a public holiday and is recognised as Mother’s Day. This is a public holiday in Thailand where Thai people visit temples, throw parties, and make donations to the monks. Mother’s Day is also celebrated with parades, performances and food stalls.
• Por Tor (Hungry Ghost Festival), Phuket – Por Tor or the Hungry Ghost Festival marks the celebration to honour the dead, it is celebrated in the southern part of Thailand like Phuket amongst the Thai and Chinese community to commemorate the dead by merit-making. Usually, the festival lasts for a month. Food and drinks are offered in the shrines of Phuket to honour the departed ones.

Visit Thailand in September

September is the wettest month of the year, with incessant rainfall taking place in almost every part of Thailand. The average temperature fluctuates between 25°C to 26°C with rough sea conditions on the beaches of Phuket, Phi Phi, Krabi, the Similian islands etc. The eastern coast islands, such as Koh Phangan and Koh Samui also experience heavy rainfall. Due to low tourist footfall, September is a good time to visit Thailand to score massive discounts on resorts and luxury hotels.

September Festivals and Events in Thailand

No major events or festivals take place in Thailand during the month of September.

Visit Thailand in October

October marks the tail-end of the monsoon season in Thailand. As the month progresses, the rainfall gradually recedes with declining humidity levels, and the average temperature ranges from 24°C to 28°C. Phuket, Krabi and other western coast islands experience drier and sunny days during the end of the month. So, if you are planning to visit Thailand in October, plan your holidays during the last week of the month.

October Festivals and Events in Thailand

• Phuket Vegetarian Festival: Celebrated amongst the Chinese community, the Vegetarian Festival, which is a Taoist festival, is celebrated in Phuket with great enthusiasm. It is a nine-day festival requiring devotees to steer away from consuming meat, alcohol, smoke, onion and garlic. It is believed that abstinence from meat consumption and other vices will bring peace, good luck and health to the devotees.
• Lai Ruea Fai Festival: The month of October is the Awk Phansa which is the Buddhist Rains Retreat period. In Buddhist belief, this period honours the Buddha’s return to earth from heaven and is celebrated through various local festivals throughout Thailand—Lai Ruea Fai being one of them. In the Nakhon Phanom region, the tradition of floating bamboo boats on the waters of the Mekong River is celebrated by the locals. But today, the boats are huge in size and are illuminated with candles and adorned flowers. It is done to honour the Buddha, the Naga and the water spirits.

Thailand in November

November is the beginning of tourist season in Thailand with sun shining on the west coast beaches of Phuket, Krabi, Racha and Khao Lak. The average temperature in Thailand ranges between 23ºC to 29ºC. It is the perfect time to explore the northern provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao and to go trekking. The morning and evening in the northern regions become colder, therefore carry appropriate outfits. You can easily go sightseeing in the central Thailand region. Avoid visiting Koh Phangan and Koh Samui as the rainy season still continues in the Gulf of Thailand. I

November Festivals & Events in Thailand

• Loy Krathong Festival: Known as the festival of lights, Loy Krathong is celebrated across Thailand in the twelfth month of the Lunar calendar. The dates of this festival aren’t fixed and vary from year to year, but the festival falls in the month of November. The word ‘loy’ means float and ‘Krathong’ signifies a religious offering. Hence, devotees offer floating candles or vessels as religious offerings to float on water bodies across Thailand to honour the Budhha and the gods. Thai people pray that their Krathong will carry away their bad luck, negativity and misfortunes from their lives.
• Yi Peng Festival: Yi Peng or the Lantern festival is one of the most beautiful festivals in Thailand. Thousands of people celebrate the end of monsoon season in Chiang Mai province by releasing paper lanterns Khom loy. The full-moon light filled with floating paper lanterns is a breathtaking sight to behold and must be captured in a camera roll. In fact, Yi Peng festival and Loy Krathog are celebrated simultaneously by devotees, signifying letting go of misfortunes and negativity from one’s self.
• Lopburi Monkey Festival: On the last Sunday of November, Lopburi Monkey Festival or the Monkey Buffet festival is a way to honour lord Hanuman, and to express gratitude and appreciation towards monkeys. The festival presents a lavish treat of vibrant fruits like pineapple, watermelon, durians, bananas and all the available seasonal fruits. There are food stalls for visitors as well where they can relish Thai delicacies. People also enjoy the opening ceremony at Sam Yot temple, dance and musical performances.
• WATERZONIC Festival: Waterzonic is an electrifying music festival held in Bangkok every November to welcome the coming year. As the name suggests, this event drenches attendees with water cannons, and offers thrilling water slides and foam parties. It brings the best of EDM music and a water party for adults looking to spend a musical extravaganza. This festival features massive stages and renowned DJs like Dimitri Vegas, Afrojack and many others.

Visit Thailand in December

December is the peak tourist time to visit Thailand. The weather is pleasant with low humidity levels with the only exceptions being Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, which experience 12 to 13 days of rain. The capital city Bangkok has excellent weather and so do the islands (Phuket Khao Lak and Krabi) on the west coast. December receives a heavy footfall of tourists as Thailand prepares for Christmas parties and New Year’s Eve celebration. If you are planning a December holiday in Thailand, make sure to visit in the early part of the month to avoid exorbitant accommodation costs.

December Festivals & Events in Thailand

• King Bhumibol Birthday Commemoration Day: December 5th marks the birthday of King Bhumibol the Great, titled Rama IX, and is celebrated as Father’s Day or National day. It is celebrated by paying respect to the Thai monarch with events and fireworks. On this day, Thailand there are restrictions placed on loud music at parties and alcohol sales.
• Wonderfruit Art and Music Festival: Wonderfruit is an annual festival which takes place in Chon Buri province, on the outskirts of Pattaya in December. This festival hosts a wide array of activities including musical acts, art and architectural exhibitions, workshops, wellness activities and feasts. This festival is attended by young crowds as well as families with kids. In fact, children below the age of 12 can get a free entry as long as they are accompanied by an adult.