[Thailand, Bangkok] When is the best season to travel? About the characteristics of the seasons

What is the rainy season like in Thailand? Can you still go sightseeing? Should you prepare anything? Based on my six years of living there, I’d like to share some insights about the seasons in Thailand.

⚫︎ Seasons in Thailand
Thailand has three main seasons: hot season, rainy season, and cool season.

Hot season = March to May
Rainy season = June to October
Cool season = November to February

If you’re coming for sightseeing,
the best season is often said to be the cool season from November to February.

The hot season corresponds to spring break and Golden Week in Japan. April, when the Songkran water festival is held, is the hottest month, with temperatures sometimes rising close to 40°C.

It’s extremely hot, so please be careful of heatstroke. During this time, sightseeing outdoors at places like ruins and temples without shade can be somewhat tough.

⚫︎ Can you swim in pools in December and January during the cool season?

Since many people travel around the New Year,
a common question is whether you can swim in pools.

The answer is yes.

But honestly, it depends on the weather. Some days you might get in but feel cold and get out quickly. As mentioned earlier, temperatures don’t rise that much, but if the pool is warm and sunny during the day, it should be fine.

⚫︎ Be careful of air pollution during the cool season!

Unfortunately, even in the best season, the cool season, there is a problem: no rain means worse air pollution, especially around January to March.

However, for travelers staying just a few days, it probably won’t have a major impact. But if you have asthma, are sensitive, or have respiratory issues, wearing a mask or reconsidering your travel dates might be a good idea.

⚫︎ Can you still sightsee during the rainy season?

Of course, you can!

Even in the rainy season, unlike Japan, it rarely rains continuously all day in Thailand.

Usually, there’s a short downpour in the late afternoon lasting from 30 minutes to at most 2 hours.

When it rains, the sky turns gray, sometimes there’s thunder, and it becomes obviously cloudy, so you’ll know it’s coming. When that happens, it’s best not to push yourself—go into a mall or café and wait it out.

The advantage of the rainy season is that hotel prices drop, making it the most cost-effective time to travel all year!

⚫︎ After the rainy season downpours…

Before and after heavy downpours, traffic jams occur. It’s a good idea to stay inside your hotel or eat at restaurants accessible by train. Food in Thailand is generally delicious everywhere, and there isn’t a huge difference in taste, so you don’t need to force yourself to travel far.

⚫︎ Caution! What to do if flooding occurs.

Heavy downpours can cause flooding in some areas, turning roads into rivers.

The floodwater is basically dirty water. Since the water isn’t clean, avoid walking through it. If you have cuts on your feet, you could get infections like tetanus.

⚫︎ Bangkok’s severe traffic jams and rainy season tips

Bangkok is notorious for heavy traffic, especially during morning and evening rush hours, Friday nights, and after payday. Areas like Sukhumvit can come to a complete standstill.

Because of this, I personally recommend that visitors during the rainy season stay at hotels near stations or even directly connected to stations. Trains are reliable and you can plan your time better.

⚫︎ Summary

My personal recommendation is December and January. Around the New Year, you can forget you’re in hot and humid Thailand and enjoy days as comfortable as being in Hawaii. It’s the best season, and although hotel prices are higher, the weather is nice and not too hot, so I highly recommend it.