Practical
Best Time to Visit Bangkok
Bangkok is hot every month of the year. The real choice is between dry and busy, scorching, or wet and cheaper. Here's how each month actually feels.
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Bangkok is hot all year. Daytime temperatures in the low-to-mid 30s °C are normal in every month, and the humidity rarely lets up. What changes through the year is rain, the intensity of the heat and the number of visitors. Choosing when to go is mostly about which of those trade-offs suits you.
The three seasons
| Season | Months | What it's like |
|---|---|---|
| Cool season | November–February | Dry and sunny, slightly less humid, with warm rather than hot evenings. Peak tourist season. |
| Hot season | March–May | The hottest time of year. April is usually the peak, often with temperatures in the high 30s °C. |
| Rainy season | June–October | Heavy showers, usually in short bursts in the afternoon or evening. September is often the wettest month. |
Month by month
| Month | Weather | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| January | Dry, with milder nights | Peak season; Chinese New Year falls in January or February |
| February | Dry, warming up | Chinese New Year celebrations in Chinatown are huge when they fall in February |
| March | Hot, mostly dry | Fewer crowds than winter; mango season starts |
| April | Hottest month | Songkran (Thai New Year), 13–15 April: citywide water fights |
| May | Very hot, first rains | Mango sticky rice at its best; lower prices |
| June | Rainy season begins | Quieter, greener, good hotel deals |
| July | Rainy | Buddhist Lent begins; some religious holidays restrict alcohol sales |
| August | Rainy | Rain usually comes in bursts; plenty of dry hours |
| September | Often the wettest month | Best hotel prices; plan indoor afternoons |
| October | Rains easing towards the end | The Vegetarian Festival in Chinatown usually falls in late September or October |
| November | Cooling, drying | Loy Krathong (usually November): floating offerings on rivers and canals |
| December | Dry and pleasant | Peak season; New Year's Eve fireworks along the river |
Festival dates for Chinese New Year, the Vegetarian Festival and Loy Krathong follow the lunar calendar and change every year. Check the Tourism Authority of Thailand for this year's dates. We cover the two biggest in detail: Songkran in Bangkok and Loy Krathong in Bangkok.
Which season is right for you?
- First visit, and comfort matters most: December to February. Book hotels early.
- Lower prices and fewer crowds: June to September. Plan indoor activities for the afternoons. See Bangkok in the rainy season.
- You love festivals: mid-April for Songkran, or November for Loy Krathong — but know that Songkran means you will get soaked, everywhere, for days.
- Food lovers: April and May for mangoes; any month for everything else.
Dealing with the heat in any month
- Do outdoor sightseeing in the morning and after 4pm.
- Spend the early afternoon somewhere air-conditioned — a museum, a mall, your hotel pool.
- Drink more water than you think you need, and use sunscreen.
- Wear loose, light clothing that still covers shoulders and knees for temples.
For everything else you need to know before you go, see the Bangkok travel guide. For what to do once you're there, start with things to do in Bangkok.
Questions people ask
What is the best month to visit Bangkok?
December and January are the most comfortable: dry, slightly less humid and with cooler evenings. They are also the busiest and most expensive months.
What is the hottest month in Bangkok?
April is usually the hottest month, with March and May close behind.
where to next?
- Bangkok in the Rainy SeasonThe rainy season sounds worse than it is. Most days have long dry spells, prices drop and the city is greener. It just needs a different rhythm.
- Bangkok Travel GuideThe practical layer under every Bangkok trip: how to arrive, how to move, how to pay and how not to get caught out. Entry rules link to official sources, because they change.
- Best Things to Do in BangkokThirty-plus experiences, grouped the way you will actually plan them: by what they are and where they are. Each one says who it suits, how long it takes and what to pair it with.