Any month is the perfect month to travel to Bangkok.
At least in my opinion because most of the time you will be in an air-conditioned place.
Hahaha. I am kidding.
Bangkok has many interesting places to visit, especially in the old town or the riverside of Chaophraya which mostly is outdoor and you need to be a bit adventurous.
This means if you want to do such activities, not every month is a perfect time to go there.
Before we go into the conclusion, let’s try to understand the weather in Thailand first.
Understanding seasons in Thailand
Thailand has 3 seasons in a year. Hot, hotter and hottest season.
This is always a joke of the locals which might reflect some truth behind.
There are 3 seasons in a year which are summer, monsoon and winter.
Summer usually starts from February to May.
Monsoon or rainy season usually starts from June to September.
While winter starts from October to January.
Each season is perfect for traveling to a certain area of Thailand.
But for Bangkok, here is my recommendation as a local who was born and lived here for over 30 years.
Summer in Bangkok
This is the “hottest” season of the year.
The hottest months of the year are usually April and May.
However, it is a good period to visit Bangkok in my opinion.
Why?
Because the sky is clear. Everywhere is shiny and bright which is perfect for taking pictures.
The weather is hot and you can sweat all the time, but with the high humidity you will not feel itchy skin and sun burn feeling like the summer in Europe.
Moreover, there is a world’s festival “Songkran” in mid April which cools down the crowd from the hot temperature.
Journeybliss Tips: I recommend buying sunscreen at any pharmacy here due to higher SPF compared to the sunscreen in the cold country.
Always apply sunscreen before leaving the hotel and drink lots of water during the day to prevent heat stroke and dehydration.
It is highly recommended to shower twice a day, one before you go out and one after you come back.
After 17:00~18:00, the weather gets cooler and the temperature is ok to walk around or explore the night markets.
There can be rain during summer time. But it only happens after 3-5 high temperature days.
You can prepare an umbrella, with the UV protection feature to protect yourself against the sun in public, but not for the rain.
Trust me, it is very common and smart to use an umbrella to protect the sun.
Definitely no need to prepare for the raincoat.
Monsoon in Bangkok
This is the “hotter” season of the year.
For me, I hate the monsoon season, especially in Bangkok.
This period of time, there will be rain EVERYDAY.
No matter where you go, you will definitely face rain.
It is not an annoying little drop of rain where you can just wear a raincoat and walk around, but it rains hard for 30 minutes to 1 hour per session.
You may encounter multiple sessions per day.
From my observation, every time the rain comes, everything will stop in Bangkok.
Traffic will get jammed. The BTS skytrain will arrive late. The MRT subway is overcrowded.
Every restaurant and coffee shop will be full.
If you do not find your spot before it rains, you will get stuck.
There can be flooding in some areas as well if the rain lasts longer, which makes the situation even worse.
Journeybliss Tips: If you are planning to visit Bangkok during the monsoon season, I highly recommend not planning too many adventurous activities like walking around the cities, exploring the very local communities or even walking around the old town.
In case you really really want to do those exploration. I recommend doing it only in the morning or no later than 15:00.
This is also based on my observation in the past several years. The rain usually comes every afternoon around 16:00-19:00.
This is a bit strange, but true for the past several years.
When I was young the monsoon season was not like this. It rained for the whole day, 1-3 days in a row.
I am not sure if this is because of global warming or what, but it is just likely to happen in that way for the past several years.
My recommended plan is to include more activities in the commercial areas of Bangkok such as shopping malls or museums where you can access directly from BTS skytrain station or the MRT subway for the whole day.
No restriction even if the weather is not in your favour.
A night market mostly is still arranged during this season, but the shop might not be as full as in summer or winter.
Night activities, rooftop dining can be a good option during this season due to the weather in the evening being much better compared to the summer.
One good thing about this season is that the hotel is very cheap.
Winter in Bangkok
This is the “hot” season of the year by the definition of the local.
Yes, I really cannot move on from this joke.
I would describe winter in Bangkok as a summer in Europe.
Nice and clear sky, sunshine the whole day, cool winds blowing from time to time and no rain.
Perfect time for visiting ancient cities like Ayutthaya or Sukhothai, outdoor cultural sites or any outdoor activities.
The temperature is the best in the evening.
Many evening outdoor activities during this period of time.
Night markets will be more crowded.
Many places host a “beer garden” where you can enjoy live music and drink beer with your friend outdoors.
The rooftop bars and restaurants are highly recommended this season.
This period of time is also filled with many festivals such as Loy Kratong, a floating lantern festival at the riverside or a lake.
Christmas is the best time to shop and shop and shop.
New Year where you can enjoy magnificent fireworks in many areas of Bangkok.
Journeybliss Tips: Winter in Bangkok sometimes can feel like summer. I still recommend wearing sunscreen before going out.
Taking a shower twice a day is still recommended, even when the temperature is low to show respect to other people around.
One downside is every winter nowadays facing the rising amount of the small particle dust around Thailand, including Bangkok.
These particles come from the burning of crops in the rural area of Thailand as well as in neighboring countries after the harvesting season.
Some sensitive people can feel sore or itchy in the throat or even have an allergic reaction.
Better to prepare some anti-histamine pills or consider wearing a face mask when you are in public.
The other downside when traveling in this season is the price of the hotel and flights can be super peak.
It is recommended to book a bit early in advance.
Bottom line
Back to our main question: which month is the perfect month to travel to Bangkok.
I would suggest the perfect months are from January until May which are summer months and another period October to December which are winter months.
These are the best months to visit Bangkok as there are many festivals in this period as well as all the activities are available to engage with free of worries.
It is also the best time to get nice photos for your Instagram as well.
Be prepared to stay hydrated and constantly apply sunscreen, even in the winter season.
The months of June until September are monsoon season.
For me it can be a great month if you prefer indoor activities such as shopping, wellness or spend most of the time in the hotel to relax.
Prices of hotels and flights are usually the lowest during monsoon season.
But if you are looking for adventurous activities and exploring around the city, I would suggest avoiding these months.
Feel free to share and comment if you experienced something different from this guide.
Have a blissful journey in Bangkok!
