Bangkok is the usual gateway for most travellers, and you should plan on three or five days in the capital. This should allow sufficient time for seeing the major sights such as the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Arun, Wat Pho and Vimanmek Mansion. Perhaps also a trip along the Chao Phraya River or a shopping jaunt to Chatuchak Weekend Market.

You might also take an out-of-town excursion (Ayutthaya or Kanchanaburi are top choices). Check out some of the suggestions listed in the Bangkok Travel Guide.

If a beach vacation is your priority, Bangkok could be followed by a week at Phuket or Samui Island, which offer the most exotic settings. Should your time be limited, the resorts of Pattaya, Rayong, Cha-am and Hua Hin are closer to the capital.

For a different scene, northern Thailand affords plenty of scope for both cultural sightseeing and refreshing escapes into the countryside. Chiang Mai is the best base for exploring the region, offering its own sights as well as numerous hiking and trekking options, and a stay of three or four days gives a good introduction. If you have more time, overnight visits to Mae Hong Son or Chiang Rai are well worthwhile.

Travellers who already know Thailand will find the Northeast region rewarding. The most traditional part of our country, it is best toured by car or bus allow five to seven days.

Thailand further provides excellent facilities for sporting vacations – golf, scuba diving, yachting, and mountain biking. A two-week stay gives time for general sightseeing and special interest activities. Click here for more details of Activities and Adventure Travel. 

The variations for a visit to Thailand are endless, and perhaps the best advice to bear in mind when arranging your trip is to plan on coming back.

Where? and When?

No matter where in the world you are going to travel to, you need to find out the answer to these 2 questions before making the trip. Going to the right place at the right time will make your trip more worthwhile and more impressive.

Generally, the best time to visit Thailand is between November to February which is the cool season. However, because of the diversity in landscape, tradition and culture, Thailand can be visited at all time of the year if you know where to go and when is the right time for that.

Seasons

When traveling to each part of Thailand, you should also consider the season and the weather at a particular time of the year for a perfectly enjoyable trip.

The Central and the East

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Summer begins in about March or April, during which the weather is quite hot. From the end of May to October is rainy season. November to February is wintertime. Actually the weather is cold only for a few days and it may even be hot for the rest of the time. 

 The North and the Northeast

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There are 3 seasons at the same period of time as in the Central. However, winter in these 2 regions is colder than in other parts of the country. On top of the mountains, particularly, may get as cold as 0°C. Winter (November – January) is the best time to visit the North and the Northeast because it is the blooming season and the weather is most beautiful. 

The South

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Unlike other regions, there are only 2 seasons in the South—summer and rainy season. There is more rain here during rainy season than in anywhere else in the country.

In the south, the peninsula lays southwards separating the Thai Gulf in the east from the Andaman Sea in the west. The best time for the West Side (Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi) is during November to April. Apart from that is the time of monsoon season which makes it difficult and dangerous to take a boat to visit the islands. The good time for the East Side of the coast (Koh Samui, Hat Yai), on the contrary, is during May to October.
 

If you want to visit both sides of the coast—the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, we recommend making the trip during March to April.

Holidays and Long Weekends

Visiting Thailand during traditional fairs and events is an opportunity to see and learn about Thai culture and way of life. However, during important festivities with long holidays, people will flux out of Bangkok for vacations. People from other provinces who work in Bangkok also take these times to visit their families back home. Touristic places will be crowded with tourists. Hotels and resorts will be all taken. 

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Click here to check Thailand’s Public Holidays. 

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If you love calm, quiet nature, you should avoid traveling during these times or just change your peaceful schedule to see more in Bangkok instead. (There will be no traffic in Bangkok during these times for sure.)
But if you want to witness traditional festivities, you should depart prior to the holidays and make a reservation for hotels and tickets about a month ahead of time.  

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Click here to make a hotel reservation with us. You will get a great discount here. 

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Also avoid making the trip back to Bangkok on the last day of the holidays or long weekends when a huge number of people is heading back to Bangkok at the same time.