Again and again we get questions about the weather on Koh Phangan. It is always assumed that the weather in Thailand is the same everywhere. Here are some tips for the best travel time for Thailand.

The climate and the best travel time for Thailand

Thailand is exposed to a special climate that can be very different in different parts of the country. Generally, the weather is dominated by the monsoon.

Generally prevails tropical climate in Thailand, however, they strongly differentiate the weather conditions in north-south and central Thailand. This means that Thailand can be visited as a holiday destination almost all year round, but you have to know when das Wetter wo is best.

Northern Thailand is surrounded by the states Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, without access to the sea. As a stark contrast, the southern part of the country under the influence of two seas: the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.

At a glance: Best travel time for Thailand by region

  • The best time to go to Northern Thailand is November through February. 
  • The best time to travel to southern Thailand is from mid-December to mid-March.

But it is not that simple, Climatologists divide the country into more different zones. Read on to find out when to spend your holidays in which part of Thailand!

Best time to go to Northern Thailand

The most popular tourist destinations in Northern Thailand are Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, Nan and Phrae.

Northern Thailand climate table

  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep October Nov Dec
Max. Temperature in ° C 31 32 35 35 35 34 32 32 32 32 31 30
Min. Temperature in ° C 14 15 18 22 22 23 24 24 23 22 20 19
Sunshine hours a day 9 9 10 9 8 6 5 5 5 7 8 9
Rainy days per month 1 1 3 6 11 15 19 20 15 7 3 1

Best time to go to Northern Thailand: November - February

The weather in Northern Thailand is divided into three seasons: the cool and the hot season, as well as the rainy season.

The cool season is between November and February. Here, temperatures drop to as much as 14 degrees at night. The maximum temperature in this season is about 33 degrees. In addition, the least rain is expected in these months.

The hot season starts in March and lasts until May. It can be during this time extremely hot become. For us Europeans, this climate is often uncomfortable, which is why it is advised against a holiday during this period.

The rainy season starts in June and lasts until about October. The temperatures here are in a pleasant range, but as the name suggests, is expected to very high rainfall 😉 

With luck, only a few rain showers, but it can also rain for several days. On the other hand, prices are lowest in Chiang Mai and the rest of the North.

The best travel time for Central Thailand

The most popular holiday destinations in Central Thailand are Bangkok, Koh Chang, River Kwai and Khao Yai.

Central Thailand climate table

  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep October Nov Dec
Max. Temperature in ° C 32 33 34 36 34 33 31 31 30 30 30 29
Min. Temperature in ° C 21 23 24 26 25 25 25 25 25 24 23 20
Sunshine hours a day 9 9 9 9 8 6 5 5 6 6 8 8
Water temperature in ° C 24 26 26 27 27 27 27 27 27 26 26 24
Rainy days per month 2 1 2 3 12 13 13 14 17 15 5 1

The best time to travel to central Thailand: November to March

Central Thailand  is counted as part of the southern Thailand climate zone. Central Thailand includes, for example, Bangkok, Pattaya or Koh Mak. The rainy season falls here from May to October. The average temperature at this time is around 28 degrees. It is drier, if only slightly warmer, in the months of January to March, which is generally advertised as the best time to travel to central Thailand.

From November to December you can also spend a good time in the Cities of Bangkok and Pattaya.

Southwest Thailand: Best time to visit the southwest part of Thailand

The most popular tourist destinations in southwest Thailand are Phuket, Krabi and Ao Nang, Koh Lanta, Khaolak and Koh Phi Phi.

Climate table for southwest Thailand

  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep October Nov Dec
Max. Temperature in ° C 32 33 33 33 32 31 31 31 31 31 32 32
Min. Temperature in ° C 22 23 24 24 25 25 24 24 24 24 24 23
Sunshine hours a day 9 9 9 8 6 5 6 5 5 6 7 8
Water temperature in ° C 28 28 28 29 29 28 27 27 28 28 27 27
Rainy days per month 6 5 6 12 21 21 20 20 22 22 16 9

Best travel time for Southwest Thailand: December to April

The temperatures in Southwest Thailand are roughly the same all year round, so there are no “real” seasons defined. An average of 25 to 33 degrees Celsius awaits you all year round.

However, based on the rainy days, no correct information can be given about the rainy season in this region. According to the statistics, it rains the most here from May to October. However, these are usually only short rain showers, because of which you do not need to postpone your vacation. Still, December to April is usually considered best travel time for Phuket and Khao Lak, etc. stated.

The best travel time for Southwest Thailand at a glance:

  • December: 31 ° C, 8h sun, 27 ° C water temp, 9 rainy days, 79% humidity
  • January: 32 ° C, 9h sun, 28 ° C water temp, 6 rainy days, 77% humidity
  • February: 33 ° C, 9h sun, 28 ° C water temp, 5 rainy days, 76% humidity
  • March: 33 ° C, 9h sun, 28 ° C water temp, 6 rainy days, 76% humidity
  • April: 33 ° C, 8h sun, 29 ° C water temp, 12 rainy days, 77% humidity
 

Best time to go to Southeast Thailand

The most popular travel destinations in Southeast Thailand are Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, and Surat Thani

Climate table for Southeast Thailand

  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep October Nov Dec
Max. Temperature in ° C 32 32 33 34 33 32 32 31 31 31 30 30
Min. Temperature in ° C 22 23 24 25 25 24 24 24 24 24 23 23
Sunshine hours a day 9 10 10 10 9 8 7 6 6 7 8 8
Water temperature in ° C 26 26 26 27 28 28 28 28 28 27 27 27
Rainy days per month 8 4 5 8 14 15 15 15 16 18 18 14

Best travel time for Southeast Thailand: January to April & mid-July to early September

In the Gulf of Thailand you will find next to Koh Phangan, among other things, the neighboring islands Koh Samui and Koh Tao. 

The travel agency will always recommend January to March as the best time to travel. But the weather on the Gulf Islands is also very good from March to September. In fact, storms are more likely to occur even in January. It is also relatively cool at this time - which admittedly tourists from Europe usually find it more pleasant.

What we mean by that: Even if January - March may be more interesting for a Thailand vacation because you want to escape the cold in Europe, it is by no means the case that the weather is bad in the other months. This only applies to October to December, when a lot of rain is to be expected. 

The best travel time for Southeast Thailand at a glance:

  • January: 32 ° C, 9h sun, 26 ° C water temp, 8 rainy days, 76% humidity
  • February: 32 ° C, 10h sun, 26 ° C water temp, 4 rainy days, 77% humidity
  • March: 33 ° C, 10h sun, 26 ° C water temp, 5 rainy days, 76% humidity
  • April: 34 ° C, 10h sun, 27 ° C water temp, 8 rainy days, 76% humidity
  • July: 32 ° C, 7h sun, 28 ° C water temp, 15 rainy days, 74% humidity
  • August: 31 ° C, 6h sun, 28 ° C water temp, 15 rainy days, 74% humidity
  • September: 31 ° C, 6h sun, 28 ° C water temp, 16 rainy days, 75% humidity

You can find more information about the weather on Koh Phangan here, In addition, we have on this page the current Weather forecast for Koh Phangan to you.

Our conclusion for the best travel time for Thailand

As you know, the best travel time for Thailand cannot be given generally for the entire country.

Therefore, the weather is divided into several climatic zones, which are more different than in other countries: North, South, Central, Southeast, and Southwest Thailand.

Note in the above information that this also always corresponds to the main season and thus the prices are highest at this time. Also the Rainy season has a special flair and is worth a visit. And as already mentioned, on the Gulf Islands, the weather is suitable for a holiday almost all year round. 🙂