Is Sept./Oct. a good time to visit Thailand?

July 22, 2005 5:11 AM

My wife and I are planning a vacation from mid-Sept. to mid-Oct. Is this a bad time to visit Thailand?

We've heard that September/October is the rainy season in Thailand, and also that Malaria carrying mosquitoes could be a problem.

Will we be able to lounge on a sunny beach during this month?

As it is low season (for tourism), and possibily quite wet, will there still be plenty for us to do?

posted by stungeye to travel & transportation (7 comments total)

I lived in Thailand in September-October and can't remember it being overly rainy. Mind you, I lived in Chiang Mai (and don't like beach-lounging, anyways) so I may just not have noticed.

As for malaria, the endemic regions are in the north and west. The central/Bangkok and southern regions are basically malaria-free. I travelled extensively in malarial areas and did not take any of the usual chemoprophylactics -- nasty side effects, wot -- and was fine.

Plenty to do? Good God, man, this is Thailand -- yes, there will be plenty to do. What do you want to do?
posted by docgonzo at 7:20 AM on July 22, 2005

You should really ask my good friends, Liz and Walter, at Without Reservations. They are traveling around the world right now, and they just left Thailand. They did a ton of research on every country they are visiting before they left. If anyone knows, they will. Just ask them in their comments section, and they will respond. They are good about finding net access.
posted by abbyladybug at 8:11 AM on July 22, 2005

I went there last year at that time, and aside from the WICKED thundershowers and rain that occured about once every two-three nights, it was sunny and hot enough for the beach at Koh Samed during the day.

If you're inclined to enjoy a good thunderstorm, as I am, it's quite amazing.
posted by sleslie at 8:52 AM on July 22, 2005

I'm thinking of going sometime between april-june. What is it like then ?
posted by exois at 5:21 PM on July 22, 2005

Exois: Thailand Weather
posted by stungeye at 8:13 AM on July 23, 2005

Exois, April is around the beginning of the hot(ter) season. Songkran, the lunar new year is celebrated in mid-April. The idea behind Songkran is a couple of days of light water splashing but it has turned into a week-long orgy of people lining the roads splashing the bejesus out of each other. If you want to avoid that, (it can get old after the first couple of days) you'll want to fly in after Songkran ends. Still, it's gonna be hot so you might want to spend your time down south at the beaches.
posted by blueberry at 6:24 AM on July 24, 2005

great, thanks
posted by exois at 4:51 PM on July 30, 2005