Best time to go to Bangkok

A trip to Bangkok is always a good idea, but knowing the best time to go will make your trip much easier. I'll tell you the best time to travel.

Andressa García

Andressa García

10 min read

Best time to go to Bangkok

Benjakiti Park |©punyawee twentytwo

If you already have an idea of an itinerary for your trip to Bangkok, but your main concern is choosing the best time of year for the weather, you will find it very useful to read all the information I have for you on this subject. Thailand is a tropical country, so most of the time the weather is humid, and that makes it a bit difficult to choose the best time to travel.

But in general, no matter what season you go, you will always find good things to see and do in Bangkok. That's why I tell you about which is the coolest season, or which is the cheapest season, so you can plan your visit based on the weather condition or even your budget in Bangkok.

1. When is the best time to visit Bangkok?

people in the market|©Dirk Fischer
people in the market|©Dirk Fischer

To begin with, you should know that the weather in the city varies according to the time of the year, because although it is a tropical city, it is possible to find high temperatures and frequent rainfall throughout the year. Despite this, the weather will hardly ever be an impediment to enjoying your visit, let alone signing up for one of the best tours of Bangkok.

As the Thai capital is located in the central part of the country, it is a major tourist destination, so the best time to visit is definitely between November and February, which is also known as the cold season. The truth is that this is when temperatures are at their most pleasant and you'll find the busiest tourism in the capital.

November to February is the high season in Bangkok, so tourism is usually at its peak and hotel prices are higher compared to the rest of the year. However, it is the best time to visit the city due to the pleasant weather conditions.

On the other hand, in the months of July to October, rainfall becomes more common, but hotel prices are cheaper. So to give a general answer, the best time to visit Bangkok definitely depends on whether you are willing to stand in long queues and meet many other tourists or not.

Book a guided tour of Bangkok

2. Visiting Bangkok in winter

Bangkok by day|©Leo Koolhoven
Bangkok by day|©Leo Koolhoven

Without a doubt, if you want to have a visit with good temperatures in the city, visiting Bangkok in winter can be considered a very good option. Winter in Bangkok occurs between December and March, when temperatures drop a little. However, as it is a tropical country, you won't feel cold when you are in the city for the winter. In fact, unlike other cities in the world, the winter season is considered the peak season thanks to the favourable weather conditions.

During this time, you will be able to enjoy the city with much more pleasant temperatures and less rainfall compared to other periods of the year. In fact, thanks to the favourable weather conditions, the winter period is the best time to sign up for one of the best tuk tuk tours in Bangkok. Of course, to visit the city during this season, you should keep in mind that hotel prices may go up due to the high demand of tourists.

If you go towards the beginning of November, you are likely to encounter some rainfall, bearing in mind that between July and October is the rainy season in Bangkok. In fact, during this period, it is common to see three to four showers per day. In addition, the average temperature is slightly below 30°C throughout the winter.

Book a gastronomic tuk tuk tour in Bangkok

3. Visiting Bangkok in summer

View over MBK Center|©Willem Jan Beving
View over MBK Center|©Willem Jan Beving

Visiting Bangkok in summer will be a really interesting experience for you, but before you travel you will probably want to know a few things to keep in mind. Mainly you should bear in mind that the weather during the summer season in Bangkok, and in Thailand in general, is hot and humid and temperatures can exceed 30ºC, so you will need to wear very light clothing.

You should also take into consideration that this is a season of frequent rainfall. In fact, July and August are the months with the highest daily rainfall in Bangkok. If you want to know which are the months when temperatures are highest, you should know that they are usually between the months of March, April, May and June, with average maximum temperatures around 40°C.

Thanks to all these characteristics, you should know that if you visit Bangkok during the summer, it is important that you always have an umbrella with you and that you always keep your body hydrated. By the way, if you visit Thailand's capital in summer, I recommend you sign up for one of the best Bangkok cruises to take advantage of the coolness of the sailing.

Book a Bangkok dinner cruise

4. Visit Bangkok in spring

Khlong Rop Krung with reflections and trees in Bangkok|©Uwe Schwarzbach
Khlong Rop Krung with reflections and trees in Bangkok|©Uwe Schwarzbach

Thailand is a tropical country, so the spring season in Bangkok is not very distinct as there is only one very hot, one very cool and one very wet season, however, the months of March to May are considered spring. But in general, if you travel to Thailand, and to Bangkok specifically, during the spring season, you should wear more shirts than usual because you will sweat a lot, thanks to its hot and humid climate at the same time.

During spring in Bangkok, the amount of clouds increases rapidly and the percentage of time when the sky is cloudy or mostly cloudy increases significantly, so if you travel during this season, it will be a bit more difficult to see the sun, despite the warmth you will feel for most of the trip.

If you want an even clearer description of what the days are like during spring, you should know that the clearest day is 1 March, when the skies are much clearer or partly cloudy almost half the time. Conversely, you should know that May 30th is almost always the cloudiest day of the year, and is the day when there is a high probability of cloudy or mostly cloudy skies.

In general, and taking into account the weather, during the month of March temperatures may exceed 30ºC. In April, which is also part of the spring season, the average temperature is usually above 31ºC. During the month of May, which is also considered part of the spring season, temperatures can drop a little to around 31°C.

Buy tickets for the sightseeing boat

5. Visiting Bangkok in autumn

Bangkok Traffic|©Alisdare Hickson
Bangkok Traffic|©Alisdare Hickson

Autumn in Bangkok coincides with the cool, dry season and precedes the winter season, falling between September and November. During this time, temperatures are slightly cooler and the weather becomes increasingly pleasant for outdoor activities. As the season progresses, the temperature drops a little more

One of the biggest advantages of travelling to Bangkok during the autumn season is the weather and the ambient temperature, because although you may find the weather a little more humid than other months, travelling during this season, which is classified as low season, means enjoying the cooler temperatures and fewer people and crowds on the streets of Bangkok.

Visiting the city during this season is an excellent opportunity to visit temples such as Chiang Mai and the beaches of the Thai islands. You can also take part in a yoga retreat on the banks of the Kok River in northern Thailand, if you stay in Bangkok for 3 days or more.

Also, the weather is great during the autumn season, allowing you to tour Bangkok's floating markets to go shopping for local ingredients or even take the opportunity to learn the art of Thai cooking if you sign up for one of the best Thai cooking classes.

Book a cooking class in Bangkok

6. Best time to visit Bangkok if you want to go with children

Siam Park City|©TAVEPONG PRATOOMWONG
Siam Park City|©TAVEPONG PRATOOMWONG

As one of the most important things to consider when travelling to Bangkok is the weather conditions, you should also consider this if you are travelling to Bangkok with children.

You are probably worried about your children getting wet in the rain or sweltering in the heat. To avoid these weather extremes, the best time to visit the city is definitely during the cooler and drier months from November to March. During this season you can enjoy your holiday with the kids without worrying about the weather conditions.

Also, from November to March, which are the driest and coolest months of the year, not only is the weather much more pleasant for children, but it is also a time when you can find different attractions for them. Travelling during these months allows you to enjoy outdoor activities without having to deal with the sweltering heat and humidity.

And if you're looking for festivities that you can share with the kids, you also have the option of going to see and enjoy the Loy Krathong Festival of Lights, which is really exciting for children. However, if your trip is already planned during the rainy season, which runs from May to October, I recommend you avoid outdoor activities, and look for other options to entertain yourself and the children.

7. Best time to visit Bangkok if you want to see it in a less crowded environment

Building in Bangkok|©Alain Poder
Building in Bangkok|©Alain Poder

The best time to visit Bangkok if you want to avoid the crowds is during the low season, which generally runs from May to October. During this period, there are fewer tourists in the city, so you will be able to enjoy the attractions and activities without having to deal with the large crowds or waiting in long queues before entering each attraction.

However, it's not all rosy, because the downside of the low season, which is when you will find fewer tourists in Bangkok, is that you will also encounter very humid and sweltering weather due to the rainy season. Another advantage that you will definitely want to keep in mind is that during the low season, not only will you find fewer tourists in the city, but you will also find much lower prices for accommodation and tours.

Although this is an advantage, you should still make reservations before your trip, so that when you arrive in the city, you won 't have to wait in long queues to get into each of the attractions.

8. Best time to visit Bangkok if you want to save money

Park in Bangkok|©Wady
Park in Bangkok|©Wady

In general, Bangkok is a city that always has a lot to offer and is also quite cheap to visit, but if you are looking to save even more money, I recommend you to visit this place at certain specific times. In fact, the best time to visit the city and save a bit of money is during the low season, which is between May and October.

What you will get during these months is lower prices for hotels and tourist attractions in general, thanks to the absence of tourists in the city. The downside of going during these months is that, as I explained previously, you'll encounter rain and precipitation throughout your trip.

But it is definitely worth it to endure the weather during your tour of Bangkok in the low season, because you will be able to buy many things at lower prices, you will be able to pay for the tours you want to do at a lower price and above all, you will have the opportunity to find reservations in hotels and restaurants for much lower prices than during the high season.

9. Best time to visit Bangkok if you want to save time

Bangkok, Lumpini Park|©Laura King
Bangkok, Lumpini Park|©Laura King

The low season is also a good time to visit Bangkok if you want to save time and avoid the crowds. To achieve this goal, the ideal time to visit the city is from June to October, which is the low season in Bangkok, when there are fewer people and prices are much lower.

This is in terms of crowds, but certainly if you are looking to go to Bangkok and save time, the best advice you can get is to make all your online bookings well in advance and prepare your trip for the high season, which is between November and February.

The reason why you would save time when visiting Bangkok if you do it this way is that you would have the opportunity to visit each of the interesting sights without worrying about the weather, and without having to miss any stops due to the weather. In addition, you would have all your reservations made, so you wouldn't have to wait anywhere or stand in long queues to get into each of the places on your itinerary.

Also to save time, I recommend making an itinerary according to your specific interests, but including places that are relatively close in distance to each other. And finally, another way to save time on your tour of Bangkok is to sign up for guided tours that take you to visit multiple sites.

Year-round weather conditions in Bangkok

Park Bangkok Thailand|©Wady
Park Bangkok Thailand|©Wady
  • Winter
  • December - March
  • Climate: Temperate and dry
  • Maximum 32ºC
  • Minimum 23ºC
  • Spring
  • March - May
  • Climate: Hot and humid
  • Highest 34ºC
  • Low 26ºC
  • Summer
  • June - August
  • Climate: Hot and very humid
  • Maximum 33ºC
  • Low 26ºC
  • Autumn
  • September - November
  • Climate: Temperate
  • Maximum 32ºC
  • Minimum 23ºC