Thailand
Thailand offers a kaleidoscope of intriguing images. It is a land of striking natural beauty, renowned hospitality, robust cuisine and outstanding ruins of ancient kingdoms. Bangkok serves as the first introduction to the country for many visitors. A stark contrast to the more traditional cities that await, Bangkok is a modernizing city filled with glitzy skyscrapers, international nightclubs, and hip restaurants (and don’t worry, no matter what hour you leave the nightclub, some of the best street food in the world awaits right outside).
This is everything you need to know to have an amazing Thailand Vacation
After Bangkok, many continue their journey either up north, or down south. With an endless array of activities and attractions on offer, many travelers feel the need to make more than one visit to this fascinating country.
Northern Thailand
For those heading up, Chiang Mai, the former capital city Sukhothani, Chaing Rai, and the Golden Triangle await. With the trekking possabilities, peaceful Lanna culture, and the colourful hill tribes, while this region isn’t necessarily off the beaten path, it retains its character more than enough to deliver an immersive experience.
Chiang Mai in particular has become the place to visit to learn about Thai culture with many classes available on Thai massage, Thai cooking, meditation and yoga, and even fruit carving.
Southern Thailand
With some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, especially in Krabi, Koh Samui, and Phuket, destinations in Southern Thailand has no shortage of luxury resorts, lively entertainment, and international restaurants.
If you had to pick just one, Krabi is by far our favorite. With a little less backpacker traffic than Phuket and more luxury resorts, you have the ability to enjoy some relaxing peace and quiet if you’d like. Still, plenty of activity and nightlife is never more than a quick drive into town away.
About Thailand
Landscape
Thailand isn’t much larger than France, but still manages to offer everything from tall mountains in the north to tropical islands in the south. The country is divided into four main geographic regions: a central fertile area fed by the Chao Phraya River; a plateau to the North-East; the mountains and fertile valleys of the north; and the stunning beaches and lush rainforests of the southern peninsula. The Gulf of Thailand borders on the East of the peninsula and the Andaman Sea on the West, and both have hundreds of islands just off shore waiting to be explored.
Climate
If we had to use one word to describe the climate in Thailand it would be… hot. And if we had two? Hot and humid. The majority of the country is tropical for most of the year, although in some areas of the North there are three distinct seasons. In general, the best time to visit Thailand is from November to February when the northeast monsoon is bringing in dry cool air. During this cool season, the temperatures range from 64-90ºF (18-32ºC) in Bangkok, while in northern and northeast Thailand, temperatures can get quite cool with morning temperatures as low as 46-54ºF (8-12ºC). At higher altitudes the nights can be particularly chilly and the temperatures can and do drop below freezing.
NORTHERN THAILAND (CHIANG MAI, SUKHOTHAI AND CHIANG RAI)
Northern Thailand enjoys clearly defined seasons. From November through May the weather is mostly dry, however, this is broken up into periods, with November to February being cooler than March to May. From May to November, the North is dominated by southwest monsoons and rain is heavy and frequent. The average high temperature in Northern Thailand is 90ºF (32ºC) and the average low is 70ºF (21ºC), although it can drop down to as low as 46ºF (8ºC) in the winter.
NOTE: It can sometimes be smoky during February and March when the locals burn the rice fields and forests to prepare for their annual crops. This may affect visibility and some people may experience minor respiratory irritation.
CENTRAL THAILAND (BANGKOK AND AYUTTHAYA)
The central region of Thailand is hot. With a tropical climate and daytime temperature reaching the mid 90sºF (32ºC) throughout the year, be prepared to sweat. November to February is the driest time of year and the most popular time for most tourists to visit. The hottest months are from March to May, followed by the rainy season which runs from May through October. During the wet season, expect short showers almost everyday in the afternoon (though some days it will rain all day).
SOUTHERN THAILAND (KRABI, KOH SAMUI, AND PHUKET)
There are really only two seasons in the southern region of Thailand: wet and dry (which happen at different times on the east and west sides of the peninsula). On the West Coast, the monsoons brings rain from May through to October, while on the East the most rain falls between September and December. The average high temperature is 91ºF (33ºC) and average low is 77ºF (25ºC).
