🔄 Updated 20 Jun 2026
Short answer: The best window for most of Thailand is November to February — cool, dry and comfortable for both cities and beaches, but it is high season with crowds and higher prices. March to May is very hot, while June to October is the rainy season (showers come in bursts, not all-day rain) with lower prices and fewer people.
Month-by-month weather (overview)
| Month | Weather | Crowds | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan–Feb | Cool, dry, comfortable | High | Best window — book ahead |
| Mar–May | Very hot | Medium | Songkran mid-April, nationwide |
| Jun–Aug | Showers in bursts, lush green | Low | Cheaper; good for the Gulf coast |
| Sep–Oct | Wettest | Lowest | Many deals, but some islands get rough seas |
| Nov–Dec | Cool, high season begins | Rising | Loy Krathong around Nov |
Gulf vs Andaman — different rainy timing
A detail many miss: Thailand’s two coasts do not get rain at the same time. The Andaman side (Phuket, Krabi, Phi Phi) is wettest around May to October, while the Gulf side (Samui, Phangan, Tao) gets its heaviest rain late in the year, around October to December. So if one coast is in its rainy season, the other may have better weather.
Songkran: fun but books out
Mid-April is Songkran, the nationwide water-fight new year. It is great fun, but accommodation and transport book out fast and prices rise — if you come then, book well ahead.