When is the best time to visit Thailand?

By, Admin_awt

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The best time to visit Thailand is during the months of November to February, when most of the country is in its cooler season. If you are planning on visiting the east side of the peninsula, also known as the Gulf of Thailand, the best time to visit is from April to September.

Because Thailand is entirely within the tropics, the weather doesn’t vary like in regions with four seasons. Instead, two tropical weather patterns bring in monsoons that cause a wet season and a cooler dry season. Unless you’re in the northern mountains, where temperatures can be mild during the winter, Thailand will be warm all year long, sitting between 25-29ºC.

When are the wet and rainy seasons?

Thailand is known to have about three seasons, the wet season from May to October, a cool winter season from November to February and a hot season that occurs from March to May. This hot season can make temperatures somewhat uncomfortably, especially in the northern regions with highs nearing 40ºC.

Although it may sound odd, the best time to visit Thailand is during the so-called ‘winter’ time. Thailand is a tropical country all year round, so most travellers prefer to go when the temperatures are more manageable and the humidity has eased off. The west coast will also have calmer seas in these months, perfect weather to get out the snorkels and flippers.

When are the monsoons?

The wet season is caused by the southwest monsoon that occurs from May to October. The monsoon will bring heavy rain and high humidity to most of the country, including the northern region and the west coast. The heaviest rains start around September; however, there may only be short bursts of rain in the early months. So, if you don’t mind dodging some lighter showers, May to August is a quieter time to see the country. Consistent onshore winds make these months good for surfing too.

Soon after the southwest monsoon eases off in October, the northeast monsoon rolls in and lasts until January. This monsoon mostly affects the east coast, with the heaviest downpours falling around November.

When is the best time to visit Phuket?

Phuket sits on the west coast of the Thai Peninsula. The best time to visit Phuket is between December to March, when there is the lowest rainfall, days are the longest, and temperatures typically sit around 28ºC. This is also the best time to sail from Phuket to destinations like the Phi Phi Islands.

Being the tropics, Phuket will typically sit between 24ºC to 33ºC for most of the year and generally be quite cloudy outside the December to March. The highest months of rainfall are September/October, with an average monthly rainfall of 315mm.