In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Bangkok has three seasons: the cool, dry season (November to February), the hot season (March to May) and the wet season (June to October). December and January are the most comfortable months for temples and outdoor sights, with average highs of 32°C to 33°C, lows near 23°C and the lowest humidity of the year. April is the hottest month, with an average high of 35.7°C, and brings the Songkran water festival (13 to 15 April 2027). September and October are the wettest, at 336 mm and 289 mm of rain on average. Loy Krathong falls on the full moon, 24 November 2026. Or book a tour: an evening Chao Phraya dinner cruisead (from ฿850, 4.2 stars from 882 reviews) puts you on the river after the day’s heat.
Bangkok’s three seasons
Bangkok has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen Aw), 14 degrees north of the equator. The average daily high stays between 32.3°C and 35.7°C in every month.
1. The cool and dry season: November to February
- Averages: highs 32.3°C to 33.7°C; lows 23.2°C to 24.8°C.
- Rainfall: 11.6 mm to 44.6 mm a month, on one to four days.
- What it is like: the driest and least humid stretch of the year. Outdoor sights such as the Grand Palace and Ayutthaya are at their most manageable.
- Crowds: these are the busiest months, so go to the big temples at opening time to beat the ticket queues.
2. The hot season: March to May
- Averages: highs 34.7°C to 35.7°C; lows 26.4°C to 27.2°C. The record highs are 40.1°C in March, 40.0°C in April and 41.0°C in May.
- Rainfall: 51.0 mm in March, 93.3 mm in April and 216.8 mm in May, which brings the first regular thunderstorms.
- What it is like: concrete pavements and temple courtyards hold the heat. Do the outdoor sights before 11:00 and spend the middle of the day in an air-conditioned mall or a museum such as Museum Siam.
- Key event: Songkran in Bangkok 2027 runs from 13 to 15 April 2027, with water fights in the streets.
3. The wet season: June to October
- Averages: highs 33.2°C to 34.1°C; lows 25.2°C to 26.4°C.
- Rainfall: 189.7 mm to 335.9 mm a month, on 13 to 18 days with at least 1 mm of rain.
- What it is like: hot and humid, with heavy downpours that usually pass within hours. Put temples and outdoor sights in the morning.
- Flooding: low-lying sois (side streets) off Sukhumvit and parts of Chinatown can flood to ankle depth in heavy storms (nam thuam khang), which jams the roads. Take the BTS Skytrain or the MRT instead of a taxi when the rain starts.
Month by month weather in Bangkok
Figures are the 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Bangkok Metropolis station of the Thai Meteorological Department, as tabulated on Wikipedia. Rain days are days with at least 1 mm.
| Month | High / low (°C) | Rainfall (mm / days) | Relative humidity | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32.7 / 23.4 | 23.6 mm / 2 days | 68% | Dry, with the clearest skies of the year; Chinese New Year celebrations in Chinatown in some years |
| February | 33.7 / 24.8 | 21.4 mm / 2 days | 71% | Temperatures start rising; Makha Bucha Buddhist holiday; a good month for day trips |
| March | 34.7 / 26.4 | 51.0 mm / 3 days | 73% | The heat arrives; do outdoor sightseeing before 11:00 |
| April | 35.7 / 27.2 | 93.3 mm / 5 days | 72% | Hottest month; Songkran water festival on 13 to 15 April |
| May | 35.1 / 26.9 | 216.8 mm / 12 days | 74% | Rain becomes regular; Royal Ploughing Ceremony |
| June | 34.1 / 26.4 | 198.5 mm / 13 days | 75% | Showers common in the afternoon; Bangkok Pride |
| July | 33.5 / 26.1 | 189.7 mm / 14 days | 76% | Asahna Bucha and the start of Buddhist Lent; a good month for indoor museums |
| August | 33.3 / 25.9 | 227.1 mm / 16 days | 76% | Humid with regular afternoon rain; Mother’s Day public holiday on 12 August |
| September | 33.2 / 25.4 | 335.9 mm / 18 days | 79% | Wettest month; canal and street flooding in places |
| October | 33.3 / 25.2 | 288.7 mm / 14 days | 78% | Rain tapers off late in the month; Chao Phraya river runs high; Vegetarian Festival in Chinatown |
| November | 33.1 / 24.7 | 44.6 mm / 4 days | 69% | Cool, dry weather begins; Loy Krathong festival on 24 November 2026 |
| December | 32.3 / 23.2 | 11.6 mm / 1 day | 66% | Coolest and driest month; holiday light displays along Ratchaprasong |
Major annual festivals and holidays
- Chinese New Year (January or February): Centred along Yaowarat Road in Chinatown. Dragon parades, lion dances, red lantern displays, and street food stalls. Yaowarat Road is closed to vehicle traffic for the celebration.
- Makha Bucha (February full moon): Sacred Buddhist holiday commemorating the spontaneous gathering of 1,250 enlightened monks before the Buddha. Candle-lit circumambulation (wian thian) ceremonies occur at dusk at Wat Pho, Wat Saket (Golden Mount), and Wat Benchamabophit.
- Songkran (13 to 15 April): The Thai New Year. Bangkok turns into a three-day citywide water festival with music stages, foam parties, and friendly water fights. Banks, government offices, and many small family shops close for the holiday, though major shopping malls and public transport operate normally.
- Vegetarian Festival / Tesagan Gin Je (October): Centred in Chinatown. Yellow flags signal restaurants and street carts serving 100% plant-based Thai-Chinese dishes. Opera performances and merit-making rituals take place at local Chinese shrines.
- Loy Krathong (November full moon): Thousands gather along the Chao Phraya river, canals, and park lakes on 24 November 2026 to release illuminated floating baskets made of banana leaves and flowers.
- New Year’s Eve (31 December): Major fireworks displays light up the Chao Phraya river curve between Iconsiam and Asiatique, alongside outdoor countdown concerts at CentralWorld.
Air quality considerations
Between late December and early March, Bangkok occasionally experiences elevated PM2.5 particulate air pollution during periods of atmospheric inversion and agricultural crop burning across rural central Thailand.
- Checking readings: Use the AirVisual or Air4Thai app to monitor the daily Air Quality Index (AQI).
- Practical precautions: On days with AQI readings above 100 to 150, wear a fitted N95 mask for extended walking outdoors, or plan visits to indoor sights such as Jim Thompson House, Museum Siam, and the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC).
For seasonal day trip ideas to nearby provinces during cooler months, read our full guide to Day trips from Bangkok.
For the flooding, air quality and rainy-season advice from the UK Foreign Office, see is Bangkok safe.
Common questions
What is the best month to visit Bangkok?
December and January. The average high is 32.3°C in December and 32.7°C in January, nights fall to 23°C, humidity is at its yearly low and December has about 12 mm of rain across one day.
When is the rainy season in Bangkok?
June to October, though May is already wet at 217 mm. Rainfall peaks in September (336 mm over 18 days with at least 1 mm) and October (289 mm over 14 days).
How hot does Bangkok get in April?
April's average high is 35.7°C and the highest temperature recorded at the Bangkok Metropolis station is 40.0°C. The Thai New Year water festival, Songkran, runs from 13 to 15 April.
Is Bangkok worth visiting during the wet season?
Yes, with an umbrella. The average high stays at 33°C to 34°C and rain falls on 13 to 18 days a month, so plan temples and outdoor sights for the morning and keep the afternoon for malls and museums.
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