A reader of the site contacted me a few days ago to ask for my views on visiting Thailand during the rainy season in September. He raised some good questions which may help some people who are wondering whether it is a good idea to visit Thailand during the rainy season and whether any particular locations are better than others during September or October.
John and his girlfriend are from Canada and are planning a two-week trip in Thailand to take place mid-September. Specifically, they are looking to spend maybe 3 days in Bangkok, a similar time in Chiang Mai and then want to hit a beach or island in the south of Thailand. I’ll take each of the questions John asked and answer them individually.
It is almost inevitable that you will encounter heavy rain at some stage during your trip. Tropical downpours are common in most parts of Thailand in mid-September. The rain may last for an hour or so or it could drag on a bit longer. I took the pictures below when I was in Bangkok in mid-September 2006.
The photo on the left shows beautiful clear blue skies over the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo. The photo on the right was taken a few days after at Wat Pho and shows dark clouds brewing before a thunder storm. I remember that the torrential downpour that afternoon was actually quite welcome and lowered the high humidity of the previous days. When the rain comes down it can be torrential, but equally the temperature remains warm and you are likely to see plenty of sunshine and blue skies in between the showers. Naturally, there are no guarantees when it comes to the weather and it is possible that you could experience two consecutive days of rain, but over the course of a 2-week stay the bad weather is likely be balanced out by plenty of sunshine and blue skies with the rain tending to fall in sharp bursts in the afternoon or evening.
Yes, most definitely. There are distinct advantages to visiting Thailand during the rainy season. The fact that it is low season means that popular tourist attractions are less crowded and some hotels and guest-houses offer discounted rates during the low season. Personally, I like the freshness in the air that follows a tropical downpour in Thailand. As you will be visiting Chiang Mai, the waterfalls are more impressive during the rainy season and the surrounding countryside is particularly green and pleasant. Even if you do have prolonged periods of rain, there is still plenty to see and do in Bangkok and Chiang Mai to keep you occupied.
It is wise to take extra precautions against mosquitoes during the wet season in Thailand. During this time of year there is statistically more risk of diseases such as dengue fever or Japanese B encephalitis. In the rainy season, municipal authorities and hotels take steps to fumigate certain areas. Whilst there is no need to worry unduly, it is sensible to take extra steps against being bitten by mosquitoes. Use repellents (available locally) and try not to wear perfume or after-shave. Wearing light-coloured clothing is thought to be a good idea and in the evening wear long sleeves and long trousers. Pay particular attention to spraying mosquito repellent on your feet if you are wearing open shoes or sandals.
At your accommodation check that windows and doors are closed. Open the air-conditioning when you sleep because the cooler temperatures deter the mosquitoes. If you are staying in a budget guest-house by the beach with no air-con, make sure the mosquito screens on the windows are closed. Check for mosquitoes in your room before you go to sleep and keep a spray in the room just in case. Inform reception if mosquitoes are a problem in your room. You can also buy sprays and deterrents from local stores such as 7-Eleven.
John had said in his email that he figured it would probably be more relaxing to stay in just one place rather than jump from beach to beach or island to island. With a relatively short stay of 5 days I totally agree with this, especially during the rainy season when boat crossings can sometimes be rough or uncomfortable.
A few years ago, I spent time travelling around the Andaman Coast of Thailand during September and October. Statistically speaking, this coast sees more rainfall compared to the Gulf of Thailand during September-October. I certainly saw plenty of rain on that trip, but it didn’t lessen my enjoyment in anyway. There were fewer tourists around compared to the high season and there were times in Ko Lanta when I had the beach virtually to myself. Further south in Trang, I did experience a couple of days of heavy rain due to a weather system sitting over the area. That was pot luck and generally speaking the rain was restricted to the afternoon or early evening downpours and I still experienced plenty of time with blue skies above.
I wouldn’t rule out any particular beach or island, but taking general weather patterns into consideration in Thailand during September, there is statistically less rainfall on the Eastern seaboard or Gulf of Thailand compared to the Andaman Coast. For John and his girlfriend, I would consider Ko Samui. If they are travelling from Chiang Mai there are direct flights to Samui (Bangkok Airways) or they can fly via Bangkok (with Thai Airways). This would also mean they are not reliant on any potentially rough sea crossings to outlying islands. I personally really like Bophut Beach and as John is looking for a quiet beach rather than ‘party-central’ then this may fit his criteria. The beach itself is average by high Thai standards, but it makes a good base with a number of very good restaurants and quiet bars in the Fisherman’s Village. This is a great place to spend a few hours if the rains do come down. It’s also easy to catch local transport out to other popular beaches such as Chaweng and Lamai.
One thing I would recommend during a rainy season beach vacation in Thailand is to spend a bit of extra money to ensure you have a good standard hotel. During the high season when you are spending most of your time on the beach this might not be an issue, but in the rainy season you might welcome a few extra dollars/pounds/euros/baht spent on a nice hotel room with a balcony and a few more modern conveniences. If a downpour keeps you off the beach, you can always spend a few hours sitting on your balcony or in the comfort of your room with a good book or a cold drink. By the same token, even the smallest resort areas will have local restaurants and coffee shops that can provide respite should the weather turn bad.
Boutique hotels on Ko Samui »
Photos © Thaizer
