Mention the words 'rainy season’ or 'monsoon season’ to most people and they picture great sheets of water endlessly pouring from the sky for days on end. It is a big misconception when it comes to Thailand's wet season. Though most travelers do not count the rainy season as a good time to travel to Thailand, you can still have an amazing time by visiting great places and picking exciting experiences that can't be ruined by the rain.
The Best Time to Visit Thailand & Rainy Season
In general, the best time to visit Thailand is between November and March. This is when most of the country experiences the dry and cooler season. The temperature ranges from 23 to 33°C (73 to 91°F) on average. It is the busiest tourist time in Thailand.
Thailand's climate is influenced by two monsoons (the southwest and northeast monsoon). In most of Thailand, the rainy season takes place from May to October, with September and October experiencing the highest rainfall.
The south’s east coast (including Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, and Koh Samui) is different! It experiences heavy rainfall from October to December. See the best time to visit Koh Samui.

It’s true that downpours are common during the rainy season. However, in most places, it rarely rains all day.
The days are warm and sunny most of the time, then when it does rain it is in short and sharp storms. Rains usually last around one or two hours at a predictable time (usually in the afternoon or evening).
If you don’t mind braving the rain in the low season, you can benefit from great value offers and quieter attractions.
Must read: How to Plan Your First Trip to Thailand — 7 Easy Steps.




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May 2023
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Coco Yang worked tirelessly to…
From the moment I landed in Bangkok, Ms Noi Ying was there to welcome me and get me settled into my hotel. We enjoyed several days together touring Bangkok and Kanchanaburi. In Chiang Mai, Mr Ekachai took my son snd I on an amazing trip to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and to visit a community Lanna home, gardens and a hands-on cooking class preparing an authentic Thai meal. Lisa arranged a last-minute speedboat tour of 5 breathtaking islands in Phuket. From start to finish, the guides exceeded my expectations!! Thank you, Asia Highlight!! Debbie Woods More
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May 2023
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Sharon from Asia highlights has been…
Sharon from Asia highlights has been amazing. She offered her amazing ideas to other tours I wanted. We have planned the perfect 9 day itinerary to Thailand. She worked in my budget and was very flexible when I had to change my flights. Thank you sharon. Can’t wait for the trip. More
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Apr 2023
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Ms. Ning first review 4-2023
Ms. Albee Ning has been doing a great job accommodating my requests and itinerary changes. Remember the first itinerary is a rough draft and you may modify it to suit your tastes. Remember you can not do it all and see everything in 3 weeks. If the flight wasn't so long I would visit Southeast Asia more often. I will update my review in a few months. We don't leave for 9 more months. Asia Highlights is working well for me so far! More
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Apr 2023
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Perfect Trip To Thailand…
We had so much fun in Bangkok with Tanni and Tom as they kept laughing at all of our silly jokes. Paul, our guide and Chiang Mai was really thoughtful, fun and full of great information about the temples and sights. Thanks so much! Brian and Michelle More
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Mar 2023
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I highly recommend Asia Highlights
I highly recommend Asia Highlights. I worked with Alisa and she is fantastic! I was planning my honeymoon trip, and I changed the destination multiple times. Each time, Alisa provided me an updated itinerary with activities that matched my interests. Whether I had a small change to an activity, a question about one of the arrangements, or a change or destination, Alisa was helpful, thoughtful, and knowledgeable, providing me with updated options in an extremely timely manner. In the end, despite the fact that I changed my mind on location multiple times, I ended up booking a 17 day trip to Thailand for this upcoming November. I am extremely excited to experience everything that Alisa planned for us. I recommend Asia Highlights to everyone and look forward to using them again on any other trips to Asia in the future. Thank you Alisa and Asia Highlights! More
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Mar 2023
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Three weeks encompassing Vietnam
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Feb 2023
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Feb 2023
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Family Trip to Thailand
Our trip to Thailand comprised three generations of the family , ten people and an age range of 4 to 70 so a potentially difficult brief.Our itinerary over two weeks involved four locations, and a number of different trips and tours.From out arrival at an extremely busy Bangkok airport Asia Highlights were terrific.In each location we were met by a smiling , knowledgeable and professional guide who simply made everything easy and stress free for everyone.Our transportation was clean and comfortable . Transport was always ready for us at the agreed time and the drivers were excellent.There were so many highlights enjoyed by all the age groups. The floating houses , railway market and elephant sanctuary were particular favourites.We had one minor glitch with the accommodation in Phuket which was immediately dealt with by Tip. I think we would have struggled to resolve the problem by ourselves. So, thank you Asia Highlights , Cathy, Tip and tour guides Tanny, Sam and Lisa. It was a memorable holiday and we will be back. More
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Feb 2023
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Trip of a lifetime from Asia Highlights!
I recommend highly Asia Highlights as a travel company. Our travel consultant Albee took the time to connect with us during the planning process to make sure we were comfortable with our itinerary. When we arrived, we were met by our guide and all the details were attended to. They picked great hotels and tours. I often describe our trip as the trip of a lifetime! Would definitely use them again when we come back to Asia More
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Feb 2023
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Asia Highlights and Albee - highly recommended
Asia Highlights is very reliable agency and Albee is an amazing representative of the company. From the moment when we contacted her until our departure, the whole support we received was 6* level. She prepared our trip offer within few hours and afterwards she was extremely flexible to adjust as per our needs. In the period between the offer and the trip, Albee was always available for all our questions and supported us on the best possible way. During the trip she was again flexible to add new activities/transfers and this went on the smoothest possible way. Thank you, Albee and Asia Highlights. Definitely we will approach you again for our next Asian trip More
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Feb 2023
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Jan 2023
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We had an awesome experience with Asia Highlights
We started our trip in Bangkok, where Mr. Prassert our tour guide, met us. He was on time and the van was clean and well-maintained. Mr. Prassert was our guide for the 4 days we spent in Bangkok. He was helpful, kind, and willing to accommodate our pee and coffee breaks. The driver was safe and punctual. Next, we went to Chiang Mai.Gemma exceeded every expectation we had for our tour of Chiang Mai! She had a great attitude that made exploring the city fun and exciting, as well as an abundance of knowledge and experience. She was always spot on with figuring out logistics and coming up with unique ideas that suited our interests and schedules. Gemma was incredibly generous with her time and even walked us to security at the airport to make sure we could carry all of our luggage. That’s just one example of how far out of her way she went to make our trip easier and more enjoyable. Gemma was sincerely interested in making every minute of our trip count. We’re very grateful to have met her and feel like we have found a friend in Gemma! Our driver in Chiang Mai was also great and very accommodating to our changes in schedules. More
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Dec 2022
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Thailand & Cambodia 2022
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Dec 2022
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Dec 2022
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2023 Chiang Mai CAD Yipeng Festival
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Dec 2022
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Bella has been an outstanding customer service rep
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Nov 2022
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Nov 2022
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Memorable Experience!!!
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Nov 2022
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Nov 2022
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The Best Places to Visit in Thailand during the Rainy Season
Below is our list of spectacular monsoon destinations in Thailand. These are the places where you can enjoy vacations for relaxing, sightseeing, and adventure accompanied by some raindrops.
1. Bangkok

In Bangkok, it will rain almost every day during the rainy season, but it rarely rains all day. This means that many activities can be planned around the weather. Rain or shine, the famous attractions such as the Grand Palace and Wat Arun can be visited. Besides, you can get a spa treatment, get lost in a museum such as the National Museum, go shopping, and take a cooking class.
2. Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is one of the best destinations to visit during the rainy season. Due to its high latitude, it is cooler and drier than Bangkok. You will experience the downpours, but they usually occur for only a few hours in the late afternoon and early evening.
The rains bring the region’s natural vegetation to full-blown bud and bloom. You can revel in the vibrant landscapes of the rice fields and the lush greenery of the mountains. It is also great to pay a visit to the Elephant Sanctuary.
3. Pai

About four hours north of Chiang Mai, Pai is a quiet peaceful village in between the valleys of the mountainous region. Its beautiful location, laid-back vibe, and organic cafés are what draw tourists from around the world to this quiet place.
You can find a nice café to enjoy a secluded nap during an afternoon downpour. You can go on jungle treks, swim in Pam Bok waterfall (and enjoy it in full flow), or swim in the Sai Ngam hot springs.
4. Koh Samui

Koh Samui's climate is different from Phuket and other western parts of Thailand's peninsula. It is one of the driest destinations among all the tourist areas during the west coast rainy season (May–October), making it a good beach alternative.
Koh Samui’s rainy season is usually from October through December, which is very wet, and generally not a great time to go.
The nearby islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Tao are also great places to go during the May–October period. Koh Phangan is famous for being the home of the hedonistic Full Moon Party. Koh Tao is best known for its diving and snorkeling sites.
5. Phuket
It should be noted that Phuket's rainy season is much wetter than for destinations further north in Thailand, though it covers the same months.
While the majority of Phuket tourism is centered around beach-going and outdoor activities in pleasant weather, the rainy season does not curtail this entirely, with often half of each day when this fun can still go on. Phuket may still be good value if half price in the wet season, though you would need a longer time there to enjoy the same amount of sun.
The nightlife, massages, cafés, bars, and most shopping, being indoors, can still go on, though, of course, there is less of an atmosphere in the low season. See The 8 Best Day Trips from Phuket.
If your holiday falls during Thailand's rainy season and you don't want the rain to spoil your holiday, you can consider other island destinations, such as Bali.
Travel Tips for the Rainy Seasons in Thailand
Here are a few additional tips that will help you navigate Thailand's rainy seasons more comfortably.
1. Stay Flexible
Keep your itinerary flexible during the rainy season. Something like a sudden thunderstorm might make your plans go awry. Flights can be delayed or ferries might be out of service due to heavy storms. Leaving one or two flexible days per week can make your trip go at a leisurely adaptable pace.
2. Plan Ahead
Our team are experts at dealing with situations such as cancellations and sudden changes and can be on-hand to reorganize trips and shuffle things around. Planning ahead means we have the flexibility to adapt to any emergency or slight inconvenience accordingly. Contact us and start to plan your unique tour now.
3. Check the Weather Reports and News
Make sure you do this, especially if you are visiting a hilly region or island. Hilly regions tend to have mudslides or landslides during heavy rainfall while low-lying areas tend to flood up. In bad weather, avoid island hopping. So, it is best to check the news to avoid anything hampering your venture.
4. Avoid Booking Hotels Affected by the Weather
Avoid booking hotels on outlying islands where you must travel by boat, as ferries between islands may be canceled due to bad weather.
5. Pack Waterproof and Quick-Drying Items
Pack items that can help to keep your belongings, and person, dry under the rain. Waterproof bags, for travel and daily activities, will help to keep your belongings and clothes dry from place to place. A reliable travel umbrella is a must. Opt for a water-resistant watch or cellphone case.
Lots of lightweight clothing and quick-drying fabrics are needed in case you do get caught in the rain, as well as non-slip shoes.
6. Buy the Right Insurance
Before you travel, verify that your comprehensive travel insurance plan has the coverage you may need for possible delays and interruptions. If you are mentally prepared and covered by insurance, you'll experience less stress on your trip even while traveling in rainy weather.
Monthly Weather and Travel Information for Thailand
Learn about the weather in Thailand for 12 months and find out the best places to visit each month.
Visit Thailand with Asia Highlights
Interpreting how Thailand's rainy season will impact your travels can be difficult and time-consuming. Our experts can help by tailor-making your trip to be amazing even with a little rain.
At Asia Highlights we have lots of experience planning trips in Thailand during both, the high and the low seasons, and we know all the tips and tricks to make your journey unforgettable.
To get started, send us an email!
Why Travel with Asia Highlights (98.8% positive customer reviews among 10,000+)
- Unique experiences tailored to your interests: Enjoy a premium trip that goes beyond the typical tourist attractions.
- Hassle-free travel and peace of mind: Every aspect of your trip will be carefully planned and organized by your 1:1 travel consultant.
- Experienced and knowledgeable guides: Your guides will be local and love to work for travelers' smiles.
Get Inspired with Our Sample Itineraries
At Asia Highlights, we create your kind of journey — your dates, your destinations, at your pace. You can have any trip tailor made for your travel.