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When and Where to go, and What to do in Thailand
Thailand has an incredible variety of experiences to offer the visitor. From driving along the Rhododendron lined mountain road to the country's highest point at Doi Inthanon, to looking at coral from a yellow submarine in the depths of the ocean around Phuket to pottering around the stone remnants of ancient empires at Phanom Rung. For those who like to laze their holiday away reading a book surrounded by spectacular scenery and warm weather you can take your pick from the quiet white sand beaches of Koh Samet to the spectacular limestone outcrops of Phang Nga to the lush mountain valleys of Pai and Mae Hong Song. If it is energy and nightlife you want you never need leave the turbo charged atmosphere of Bangkok itself; that is unless you choose to dance into the small hours in Pattaya or Phuket, or go nuts to the tunes of acid house at a full moon party in Koh Phangan.
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Most of Thailand is best visited between November and March. It gets hazy and hot towards April and May and after that is rainy season when it can be overcast. Having said that it's actually enjoyable year round as long as you are prepared. In the south temperatures are more even so if you are roasting in Bangkok then Phuket or Samui are cooler options. Off season has its advantages as well. There are fewer crowds, cheaper prices and a different experience. April is the hottest month and October is the wettest, so be prepared to be cooked or drenched if you are in Thailand during those months.
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November in the North of Thailand is stunning. The rains have finished but the forests and paddy fields are still lush and incredibly green. The temperature is cool, verging on cold at night. The air is clear and the skies are generally a wonderful deep blue. Chiang Mai is a good starting point. You can enjoy the laid back atmosphere of the old city itself before you head into the countryside. Mae Hong Song and Tak province are wild, mountainous and breathtakingly beautiful. High forest covered mountains give way to lush valleys where villagers harvest the rice in the misty light. It is home to various ethnic groups. Around Pai, Mae Hon Song, Mae Sariang or Chiang Dao there are great, small, cheap friendly guest houses, resorts and hotels where days can be whiled away in the peace of the hills. Some people, not surprisingly, choose never to leave.
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Heading East to Chiang Rai and the Laos border are more stunning mountainous areas. Every where you go there are guest houses and resorts, restaurants and pubs. The roads are excellent and travelling is easy.
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Very few tourists visit the rural north east. Loei is a province worth visiting all year round. It is on a plateau so actually gets very cold in winter. The climate is dry and it feels a little Mediterranean. It is no surprise that it is a wine growing area. You can stay at resorts near the vineyards and enjoy the local produce. It is a popular area with Thais but has yet to be discovered by foreigners. Most of Isaan is flat and agricultural. The people are very friendly. The whole area is dotted with ruins from the height of the Angkorian Empire. If history is your passion then it is worth adding on a visit to Phanom Rung and Phimai in addition to the usual stops at Ayutthaya and Sukhothai.
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The beaches and resorts of southern Thailand are best between November and March, but are perfectly alright in April, May and June when the rest of the country is roasting. The weather is more even all year round in the south so the heat is actually perfectly bearable on Phuket and Samui whilst Bangkok is a furnace. In August there will be as many visitors to the islands as in January since it is the holiday period worldwide.
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If you have limited time around Bangkok then a beach visit to Koh Samet followed by a tour of the ruined city of Ayutthaya topped of with a trip to Kanchanaburi and the mountains and waterfalls near the Burma border would give you an excellent taste of what Thailand has to offer without too much travelling.
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Where ever you go in Thailand there will be somewhere else you didn't and somewhere else you wished you had. Many people who visit Thailand once will come back again. It is not hard to see why. It has an incredible amount to offer and you can take it at your own pace.
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About The Author
Alex Smith maintains and manages the Cheap Thailand Travel website at http://www.cheapthaitravel.com - All of the materials on this site are the sole property and responsibility of Cheapthaitravel.com. This material may not be reproduced in any form without express written permission.
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