Best Time to Visit Thailand : Travel Tip
Thailand has a tropical climate, which means it is mostly hot and humid year round. The temps range from about 75’F (22’C) to 100’F (40’C), but mostly stay in the high 80s (low 30’Cs). Thailand generally has two seasons: wet and dry. So if at all possible, the best time to visit Thailand is during the dry season of November to April.
Here’s a little bit more detail about each season:
The Dry Season
- generally between November to April
- Has mostly clear, sunny days
- From November to January, temperatures are milder than the rest of the year ranging from about 75’F (22’C) to about 88’F (31’C).
- February to April are the hottest months of the year with April being the hottest. Temperatures range from 88’F to 100’F (about 31’C to 40’C).
The Wet Season
- heavily influenced by the monsoon winds
- typically between June to September
- Be prepared for cloudy days and scattered thunderstorms
- At least the rain brings milder temperatures ranging from 80’F to 95’F (about 26’C to 35’C).
- During the wet season, there will be moments of heavy rainfall.
- It might rain cats and dogs for 30 minutes, and then be clear for the next 6 hours.
- Or it could rain heavily for 3 hours straight.
- But in our experience of living here for the past 16+ years, the heavy rain usually passes within an hour.
*Do note that May and October are shoulder months. The days could be either dry or wet. It just depends if the monsoon season comes early that year or late.
So the very best time to visit Thailand with kids is between December to February.
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Travel Tip #2 : Best Places to Go in Thailand
Thailand is one of the best places in the world to travel with kids. I’ve already visited 26 countries, and yet Thailand is still in my Top 3 of the best destinations in the world to travel with family!
But as a local who has been living here for the past 15+ years, the most important Thailand travel tip I can share with you is what are those must-see places in Thailand that won’t be like anywhere else in the world?
The 4 Must Visit Places in Thailand:
- Railay Beach in Krabi is number one on my list of must visit places in Thailand. Railay Beach is completely inaccessible by cars and has the most stunning limestone cliffs jutting out of the emerald green sea. Whether you have a 7 day Thailand itinerary or a 3 week Thailand itinerary, Krabi is a must visit place in Thailand on your Thailand travel itinerary!
- Koh Lipe Island dubbed ‘the Maldives of Thailand’ because of its pristine white sand beaches and crystal clear waters. Another walkable island making it one of Thailand’s best hopping spots.
- Bangkok offers a glimpse into the rich, cultural heritage of the Thais as well as being a foodie haven. Bangkok has 9 must-visit family attractions in Thailand that you don’t want to miss!
- Chiang Mai is a quintessential Thai village nestled up in the mountains with vibrant markets and ancient temple ruins. Take the sleeper train for the best way to go to Chiang Mai from Bangkok
These cities are the best of the best places in Thailand to visit that will truly give you a unique experience that we’ve never seen anywhere else in the world.
Tip #3 : Best Airlines for Families
My first international trip to Thailand was back in 2004! *Mama bear is 40 if you’re wondering 😉
So over the past 20 years, we’ve taken more than 200+ international flights on both budget-friendly airlines for families, and we’ve also had some high-end family airline experiences. So here’s our humble opinions on the best and worst airlines for families:
Our Top Choices for the Best Airlines for Families are Qatar Airlines and Japan Airlines (usually in partnership with American Airlines).
FLIGHT TIP: We’ve personally had the best experience flying to Thailand with our family on Qatar Airlines and also Japan Airlines. Both were child-friendly airline options.
- Families with small children could board early
- Automatically got bulk-head seating when we traveled with an infant
- Could pre-select kid-friendly meals
- They have great entertainment options for the littles
- They had ‘grab-n-go’ snacks available throughout the whole flight
- The best part : more legroom than the other international flights for families that we’ve taken
Hey there, we're Brittany and Witt!
Tip #4 : Know Thailand's Visa Requirements
Nowadays, there are two pre-requisites to traveling anywhere around the world: a passport and a visa. So before you buy those plane tickets, it’s essential that you are up-to-date on all Thailand Visa Requirements.
Thankfully for most of you reading this, you get an automatic 60 day tourist visa (aka Visa Exemption) when you arrive at the airport! Yayyyy!
That means no extra paperwork or planning before you arrive in Thailand. But be sure to check the pic below for which nationals are entitled to the Thailand visa exemption.
*EXTRA TIP: If you’re planning to stay in Thailand longer than 60 days or if you plan on hopping around SouthEast Asia, you would want to apply for a different kind of visa. You can click the pic below to read more about most Thailand Visa Requirements.
Thailand Travel Tip #5 : What to Pack?
Even if you aren’t able to come when it’s the best time to visit Thailand, that’s okay. Our family lives here year-round, and we love it! We even enjoy visiting the kid-friendly beaches in Thailand during rainy season because it’s way cheaper and fewer crowds! Win Win!
Knowing what to pack for both kids and adults on a family vacation to Thailand is an essential travel tip:
What to pack for a trip to Thailand?
1. Very comfortable shoes
- You will do LOTS of walking
- Don’t bring brand new shoes on your family vacation to Thailand
- Break your shoes in by wearing them out-n-about at least 5-10 times
- Getting blisters would be horrible!
- If coming during rainy season, bring shoes that can get wet (no cloth or suede shoes) and that dry quickly
- Ecco Brand is my personal favorite for women’s comfortable shoes
2. Loose-fitting clothes that dry quickly
- Thailand is hot and humid year-round. You’re probably going to break a sweat!
- Examples: active wear, sports clothes, 100% cotton, linen, or polyester clothing
3. If you come during rainy season, bring a poncho, light rain jacket or small travel umbrella
4. A small day bag
This is my personal favorite sling bag for travel that I’ve taken to at least 9 countries already! I love that I can wear it on my front — to protect against pick-pocketing.
This is another vegan leather crossbody sling bag that I would probably get if I ever bought a 2nd one 🙂
In my small day bag, I keep my:
- Thai baht (cash is king in Thailand)
- copies of all our passports (leave the originals in the hotel safe)
- sunglasses (UV protection since we are so close to the equator!)
- hand sanitizer (most bathrooms here don’t have soap)
- chapstick (my lips get so dry!)
- my external battery charger so I can use google maps anywhere I go and my kids can watch Youtube Kids if we need some peace and quiet
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Check out this Bangkok Hotel Guide with the best kid-friendly places to stay for your upcoming family vacation to Thailand!
Travel Tip #6: How long to stay in Thailand?
Obviously, how many days you should stay in Thailand is totally up to how flexible your work schedule is and also your budget.
But if you’re traveling all the way over here for an epic family vacation in Thailand, then I’d recommend a minimum of 10 days in country, but 16 days would be ideal!
An awesome 10 day Thailand travel itinerary :
Day 1-2 : Explore Bangkok
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- The must-visit tourist attractions and family-friendly temples are mostly in Bangkok
- Also visit at least one vibrant night market and do a sunset river dinner cruise
- Here’s 10 of the best family hotels in Bangkok
Day 3-6 : Fly to Krabi and stay on Railay Beach
- Take a private long-tail boat tour to Koh Phi Phi Islands
- Kayak to Tonsai Bay
- Hike up to Phranang Beach Cave
- Here’s a 3 week Thailand Itinerary sharing in detail about Krabi and Railay Beach
Day 6-9: Fly up to Chiang Mai
- Help feed and give elephants a mud bath at the The Elephant Jungle Sanctuary (They really do take care of these majestic animals like they are family. You visiting helps them survive another day!)
- Buy local, handmade souvenirs at the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
- Explore Old City in a tuk tuk
- Hike to the sticky waterfalls
Day 9-10 : Do the Hop-on Hop-off Bangkok river taxi for an epic 1 day itinerary to end your stay
DISCOUNT TIP: Klook is a trusted site that I use often in my travels around SouthEast Asia, and they usually have discounted prices for the most popular attractions.
Use this special 10% coupon code ‘APP10TW’ if it’s your first time to use the Klook mobile app.
Tip #7: How much to budget for a family trip to Thailand?
How much to budget for a family trip to Thailand is obviously going to be different for each family. However, I can give some general guidelines here:
How much to budget for a great family resort in Thailand?
If you can choose to not stay in the main tourist areas, you could easily budget about $95-$120 USD (about 3,000-4,500 THB) per night for a great family-friendly hotel in Thailand.
How much to budget for food each day in Thailand?
If you’re okay to eat at the local mom-n-pop restaurants, the famous street food vendors, or in the vibrant night markets, you can easily eat for just 50-60 baht (about $2 USD) per meal.
If you want to eat at nice family restaurants in the malls or at kid-friendly cafes, then you would need to budget about 200-300 THB (~$6-$12 USD) per person.
How much to budget for transportation costs in Thailand?
For transportation, I would highly recommend staying at a kid-friendly hotel in Bangkok that’s near a BTS Sky train and getting the BTS Sky Train Pre-filled Card to get the most cost efficient way to travel in Bangkok.
If you are a family of 4, then taking a taxi is actually a very cost-effective way to get around Bangkok or most of the kid-friendly beaches in Thailand also.
I would believe you could easily budget about $10 USD per person per day for transportation costs in Thailand with a family of 4.
In general, I would budget about $200 per day for a family of 4 to stay in Thailand.
This is what we personally budget for a modest family vacation in Thailand for our family of 5. This means we usually look for a hotel around the $100/night that includes breakfast. We make sure we keep our transportation costs under $40 per day overall (travel days might be more but beach days are less). We budget about $3-$6 per person for lunch and dinner. That $200 budget for family travel to Thailand still leaves us with some wiggle room for entrance fees to. themust visit tourist attractions in Thailand, the amazing local coffee and 7-11 snacks for the girls.
BEST FAMILY HOTEL IN BANGKOK:
JASMINE GRAND RESIDENCE
With 1, 2, and 3 bedroom suites that have a living room, dining area, kitchenette, washing machine, etc. for only about $55-$110 USD!
The delicious buffet breakfast, the friendly reception who are ready to help you 24 hours a day in a foreign country, and the epic swimming pool with a slide, fountains, and kiddie area make this a great choice!
MOST LUXURIOUS FAMILY HOTEL:
SIAM KEMPINSKI HOTEL BANGKOK
If you're looking for a kid-friendly 5 star accommodation right in the heart of Bangkok, then Siam Kempinski is our top choice!
Between the massive swimming pool, the fun Kids Club room, the cute child-size robes and slippers, and the exquisite breakfast buffet, you will be met with luxury at every turn.
#8 of Tips for visiting Thailand with Kids: Internet is a Must!
It’s a no-brainer that you’ll need to stay connected while traveling in Thailand — whether it’s for using GPS, researching the best island hopping tour packages, or letting the kids have some downtime a little Bluey on YouTube.
Don’t do the T-Mobile or AT&T International Roaming plans for about $10 a day — it’s a total rip off!
You can get the same exact service for much cheaper and just as easy with our tips below:
E-SIM: I highly recommend getting an eSIM from Airalo to have great internet service all over Thailand. They are actually using the same local providers that AT&T, T-mobile and Verizon will use.
I have personally used Airalo many times traveling to multiple countries all over the world, and it works great and is SUPER easy to install.
To use your Airalo eSIM, you simply buy a package then scan the QR code they send in an email to install and activate the eSIM.
The packages run from only $9.90 for 50 GB of data to $19.95 USD for Unlimited Data in Thailand.
TIPS FOR TRAVELING AROUND THAILAND WITH KIDS: If you let your kids watch YouTube, Netflix, etc, then I recommend getting the Unlimited Data. But if you’re not video streaming, then 50 GB of data is enough to browse the internet, use Google Maps, and stay in touch with friends back home.
PHYSICAL SIM CARD: You could also pick up a physical SIM card at the airport upon arrival or at any mall, which would have a TRUE shop, DTAC shop, and/or AIS shop. You would need your passport on hand. The physical SIM + a prepaid service card would cost about 350 baht (~$10 USD), but it usually only comes with 5GB of Data. So Airalo is a much better deal.
TIP: If you plan to use a physical SIM card, then be sure to contact your local phone provider (such as AT&T or Verizon) before traveling overseas to check that your phone is already unlocked. They can usually do this for you over the phone.
Best Island Hopping Tour
Thailand Family Travel Tip #9: Use these Apps
Our family lives in Thailand, and we use these apps at least once per week if not daily:
GRAB App
- like Uber in the states, you can book taxis
- also like Instacart because you can order groceries with a delivery fee of less than $1 USD
- You can also get dinner like Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, or Pad Thai sent straight to your hotel in less than 15 minutes
Google Maps
- We use this daily to help us navigate around the city — whatever city we are in
- It’s also a great way to see what are the best tourist attractions or great family hotels in the area
Agoda
- to book the best hotel rates in SouthEast Asia with great prices on family resorts in Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, etc
- You can also get the best prices on domestic flights to go to Chiang Mai from Bangkok or fly from Bangkok to Phuket for as low as 600 THB (~$18 USD)
12Go
- The best place to see the Thailand train schedule
- This is the only website I know of that you can pre-book the sleeper train to Chiang Mai from Bangkok (trust me you want to pre-book the sleeper train in advance because it sells out quickly!)
- This is also where you can check the Thailand overnight bus schedule or pre-book the ferry from Krabi to Koh Lipe if you’re doing my recommended 3 week Thailand itinerary
Klook
- Similar to Get Your Guide or Viator but for Asia
- This is the best place to get discounts on those must visit attractions in Thailand like Ancient City that offers a 50% discount if you pre-book on Klook
- They also have great tours, which I highly recommend booking tours in Thailand in advance for two reasons: 1) to get a guaranteed price that you are happy with 2) to see the reviews from other customers to know it will be a great experience for your family
- These are our favorite tours in Bangkok:
Line App
- This is similar to WhatsApp or iMessage
- Most Thais, including businesses and tour operators, will communicate via this app
- Most restaurants, shops, etc will give discounts or incentives to be their friend in Line
- If you’re staying in Thailand for more than a week, I think it’s worth getting this app
Other Transportation Apps worth getting:
- MuvMi App for tuk tuk rides (seriously, this will help you avoid getting scammed!)
- BOLT app — similar to Uber with transportation options
- LineMan App — similar to the Grab App with food and transportation options
*PLEASE NOTE : the price ranges are up-to-date as of the date of publishing this post. They may vary from season to season.
