Mention the words 'rainy season' or 'monsoon season' to most people and they picture great sheets of water endlessly pouring from the sky for days on end. It is a big misconception when it comes to Thailand's wet season. Though most travelers do not count the rainy season as a good time to travel to Thailand, you can still have an amazing time by visiting great places and picking exciting experiences that can't be ruined by the rain.
The Best Time to Visit Thailand & Rainy Season
In general, the best time to visit Thailand is between November and March. This is when most of the country experiences the dry and cooler season. The temperature ranges from 23 to 33°C (73 to 91°F) on average. It is the busiest tourist time in Thailand.
Thailand's climate is influenced by two monsoons (the southwest and northeast monsoon). In most of Thailand, the rainy season takes place from May to October, with September and October experiencing the highest rainfall.
The south's east coast (including Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, and Koh Samui) is different! It experiences heavy rainfall from October to December. See the best time to visit Koh Samui.
It's true that downpours are common during the rainy season. However, in most places, it rarely rains all day.
The days are warm and sunny most of the time, then when it does rain it is in short and sharp storms. Rains usually last around one or two hours at a predictable time (usually in the afternoon or evening).
If you don't mind braving the rain in the low season, you can benefit from great value offers and quieter attractions.
Must read: How to Plan Your First Trip to Thailand — 7 Easy Steps.
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Alisa was a great listener to all the things we wanted to incorporate into our trip. We discussed everything throughly, and when I had questions, she had answers the next day. I really appreciate her responsiveness and detail with me. I feel like we are in the best hands with Alisa and Asia Highlights. , Mar 2024 | Very great experience our driver D was…
Very great experience our driver D was never late and always had waters and a cold towel for us and our tour guide Som was very informative and had amazing English I recommend them both highly for anyone else traveling Rylan Coache, Feb 2024 | Excellent guide in Siem Reap
Our recent time spent in Siem Reap was made even more memorable by our expert guide, Som Piseth. Som was knowledgeable, attentive, flexible and super helpful - we learnt so much about Siem Reap and Cambodia in our 3 days with him. His English was excellent and his knowledge of, and pride in, his country was outstanding. We would highly recommend Som for anyone wanting an excellent guide in Siem Reap! Sharon Townshend, Feb 2024 | Asia Highlights trip to Thailand
Our first tour guide in Bangkok, Marie, was great to tour around with. She was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. Our next stop in Chang Mai we were greeted by our new tour guide, Rafael. He too was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. He made it feel as if we were traveling around with a long time friend. Every time we arrived at a new destination, we were greeted at the airport by someone with a sign with our name making our travels easy. I would definitely recommend Asia Highlights to anyone looking for a well planned trip of a lifetime! Tricia, Feb 2024 | Amazing Thailand experience
The tour guides were all knowledgeable and accommodating, especially Mayuree in Bangkok- absolutely wonderful. We felt taken care of and every step of the way was catered to our needs. Ashley White, Feb 2024 | Private tour perfect for our times
Asia highlights organized a private tour with our requests. Everything was perfect ?? the driver Tom and the guide Ying were always on time with a smile in their face. Always willing to help and make our trip perfect.Bangkok is a very hot city so we minimized the time outside. The driver always had cold towels for us in the van and cold beverages. Virginia, Feb 2024 | Thailand
We loved Chiang Mai and Susie did a great job showing us several temples, taking many pictures of us with the elephants at the sanctuary (a definite highlight of the entire trip!), and making sure we were well fed, which became a running joke between us.We had a very relaxing few days in phu*ket enjoying the beautiful beaches. Kai was great, answering all of our questions and giving us a nice tour of the old town. The all-day speedboat tour of the Phi Phi islands started off a little shaky as the sea was quite rough so if you’re at all uncomfortable bouncing around in a speedboat, you might want to skip that tour. Things did calm down as the day went on and some of the areas they took us to for swimming, snorkeling, etc were really beautiful. A couple of the islands were too crowded with people. Andrea Roberts, Feb 2024 | What a Wonderful Trip
What a Wonderful Trip! We booked with Sharon and our trip was great - guides were waiting for us at each stop, and they were all very nice and helpful. I cannot stress how amazing the guides were - they made the trip. Rachel, Feb 2024 | Ask for Victor!
If you are traveling to Bangkhok you need to request Victor. He made our trip amazing! My family completed bucket list items with his guidance. He knew exactly how to get us places, kept us on time, made us feel safe, educated us on history, spoke excellent English and was genuinely a nice man! Everyone we encountered was awesome- but Victor is the reason for my 5 star review! Sandy, Jan 2024 | Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a…
Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a wonderful trip to Thailand. We had a great time. The tour guides were wonderful as were the hotels you booked for us. We will definitely contact you to plan our next trip Carol Yeung, Jan 2024 | Ying was the best
Ying was the best. She was really knowledgeable and kind. Thank you Ying for wonderful experience in Thailand! Sylvester Yeung, Jan 2024 | Very well organized
Very well organized. Our tour guide, Ying, was amazing! She had full knowledge of every location we visited and made sure our itinerary was fulfilled as expected. She was extremely helpful for our airport experiences, and made sure we arrived at an appropriate time. David M. Kang, Jan 2024 | Family trip to Thailand
We were lucky to be greeted by Marie and her driver.In Marie, we have made a friend for life. She is incredibly smart and knowledgeable about her home country. From the vast number of temples to safely traversing Chinatown.She helped give us tips on our free days, locate left behind lost clothing and arrange for pickup. She even helped check us in for our flight to Chiang Mai.She prepared us ahead of time for every event we had scheduled and bonded with our kids, 3x 13 year olds. Justin Levenbrook, Jan 2024 | Thailand with and amazing tour guide Ying
I highly recommend Ying as a tour guide in Thailand. Her expertise in Thai culture, combined with her passion for food and genuine love for her country, made the tour an exceptional experience. If you're looking for a guide who will not only show you the sights but also immerse you in the local culture and help you discover delicious Thai cuisine, Ying is the perfect choice. Diana Irizarry, Jan 2024 | Asia Highlights Thailand trip
Asia Highlights provided us with a great travel trip. They made it very easy to navigate through Thailand with everything going very smoothly. From the easy transportation to the great day itinerary everything was awesome. Will definitely look to use this agency again in the future. Taylor Jones, Jan 2024 | Perfect 2 WK Thailand Trip for a Solo Female Traveler
Bank was our guide in Bangkok and he showed us around the city with ease and we were able to see and try things I never would have planned on my own. After Bangkok, our small group flew to Chiang Mai for Yi Peng lantern festival and that was a breathtaking experience that I will never forget! Pop was our guide in this city and she was knowledgeable, kind and caring which made our experience even more memorable. Tia, Dec 2023 | We recently have just returned from Thailand
We recently have just returned one from a 5 week trip to Thailand through Asia Highlights. We had a wonderful time and Asia Highlights went beyond our expectations. They truly tried their best to make sure everything went smoothly and we were taken care of! Everyone was amazing and we would definitely use them in the future!! Many thanks to everyone that helped to make this an incredible once in a lifetime experience!! Karen Rocque, Dec 2023 | Indochina Experience
On our 5th day of our trip with Asiahighlights. We felt well taken care of before and it hasn’t changed since we started from Bangkok to Hanoi (guide Kim was verrry knowledgeable!) to Halong Bay (spectacular scenery) to Hoi An (guide Nhieu Tran, giving great local (shopping) tips and insights). Stefan Eisenhut, Dec 2023 |
The Best Places to Visit in Thailand during the Rainy Season
Below is our list of spectacular monsoon destinations in Thailand. These are the places where you can enjoy vacations for relaxing, sightseeing, and adventure accompanied by some raindrops.
1. Bangkok
In Bangkok, it will rain almost every day during the rainy season, but it rarely rains all day. This means that many activities can be planned around the weather. Rain or shine, the famous attractions such as the Grand Palace and Wat Arun can be visited. Besides, you can get a spa treatment, get lost in a museum such as the National Museum, go shopping, and take a cooking class.
Suggested reading:Best 3 Thailand Itineraries for 12 Days
2. Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is one of the best destinations to visit during the rainy season. Due to its high latitude, it is cooler and drier than Bangkok. You will experience the downpours, but they usually occur for only a few hours in the late afternoon and early evening.
The rains bring the region's natural vegetation to full-blown bud and bloom. You can revel in the vibrant landscapes of the rice fields and the lush greenery of the mountains. It is also great to pay a visit to the Elephant Sanctuary.
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3. Pai
About four hours north of Chiang Mai, Pai is a quiet peaceful village in between the valleys of the mountainous region. Its beautiful location, laid-back vibe, and organic cafés are what draw tourists from around the world to this quiet place.
You can find a nice café to enjoy a secluded nap during an afternoon downpour. You can go on jungle treks, swim in Pam Bok waterfall (and enjoy it in full flow), or swim in the Sai Ngam hot springs.
4. Koh Samui
Koh Samui's climate is different from phu*ket and other western parts of Thailand's peninsula. It is one of the driest destinations among all the tourist areas during the west coast rainy season (May–October), making it a good beach alternative.
Koh Samui's rainy season is usually from October through December, which is very wet, and generally not a great time to go.
The nearby islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Tao are also great places to go during the May–October period. Koh Phangan is famous for being the home of the hedonistic Full Moon Party. Koh Tao is best known for its diving and snorkeling sites.
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5. phu*ket
It should be noted that phu*ket's rainy season is much wetter than for destinations further north in Thailand, though it covers the same months.
While the majority of phu*ket tourism is centered around beach-going and outdoor activities in pleasant weather, the rainy season does not curtail this entirely, with often half of each day when this fun can still go on. phu*ket may still be good value if half price in the wet season, though you would need a longer time there to enjoy the same amount of sun.
The nightlife, massages, cafés, bars, and most shopping, being indoors, can still go on, though, of course, there is less of an atmosphere in the low season. See The 8 Best Day Trips from phu*ket.
If your holiday falls during Thailand's rainy season and you don't want the rain to spoil your holiday, you can consider other island destinations, such as Bali.
13-Day Private Singapore and Bali Journey of Discovery
Travel Tips for the Rainy Seasons in Thailand
Here are a few additional tips that will help you navigate Thailand's rainy seasons more comfortably.
1. Stay Flexible
Keep your itinerary flexible during the rainy season. Something like a sudden thunderstorm might make your plans go awry. Flights can be delayed or ferries might be out of service due to heavy storms. Leaving one or two flexible days per week can make your trip go at a leisurely adaptable pace.
2. Plan Ahead
Our team are experts at dealing with situations such as cancellations and sudden changes and can be on-hand to reorganize trips and shuffle things around. Planning ahead means we have the flexibility to adapt to any emergency or slight inconvenience accordingly. Contact us and start to plan your unique tour now.
14-Day Classic Vietnam and Thailand Tour Specially Designed for the First Asia Trip for 2 Weeks
3. Check the Weather Reports and News
Make sure you do this, especially if you are visiting a hilly region or island. Hilly regions tend to have mudslides or landslides during heavy rainfall while low-lying areas tend to flood up. In bad weather, avoid island hopping. So, it is best to check the news to avoid anything hampering your venture.
4. Avoid Booking Hotels Affected by the Weather
Avoid booking hotels on outlying islands where you must travel by boat, as ferries between islands may be canceled due to bad weather.
5. Pack Waterproof and Quick-Drying Items
Pack items that can help to keep your belongings, and person, dry under the rain. Waterproof bags, for travel and daily activities, will help to keep your belongings and clothes dry from place to place. A reliable travel umbrella is a must. Opt for a water-resistant watch or cellphone case.
Lots of lightweight clothing and quick-drying fabrics are needed in case you do get caught in the rain, as well as non-slip shoes.
6. Buy the Right Insurance
Before you travel, verify that your comprehensive travel insurance plan has the coverage you may need for possible delays and interruptions. If you are mentally prepared and covered by insurance, you'll experience less stress on your trip even while traveling in rainy weather.
Monthly Weather and Travel Information for Thailand
Learn about the weather in Thailand for 12 months and find out the best places to visit each month.
| Thailand in January | Thailand in February | Thailand in March |
| Thailand in April | Thailand in May | Thailand in June |
| Thailand in July | Thailand in August | Thailand in September |
| Thailand in October | Thailand in November | Thailand in December |
Visit Thailand with Asia Highlights
Interpreting how Thailand's rainy season will impact your travels can be difficult and time-consuming. Our experts can help by tailor-making your trip to be amazing even with a little rain.
At Asia Highlights we have lots of experience planning trips in Thailand during both, the high and the low seasons, and we know all the tips and tricks to make your journey unforgettable.
To get started, send us an email!
