Best time to visit Pattaya: weather, seasons and festivals

Pattaya sits on the eastern shore of the upper Gulf of Thailand, 13 degrees north of the equator, in one of the driest corners of the Thai coast. It is warm all year: the average daily high never drops below 30°C. What changes from month to month is the rain, the humidity, the state of the sea and the number of other people on the beach. The city receives about 1,100 mm of rain a year, well under half of what falls on the Andaman coast or on Koh Chang, so even the wet months have long dry spells.

What are the seasons in Pattaya?

The Thai Meteorological Department divides the year into three seasons, and Pattaya follows the pattern closely.

• Cool and dry season, mid-October to mid-February. The north-east monsoon brings drier air from the continent. Rain stops almost completely from December, skies are blue, and evenings are comfortable at 23 to 24°C. This is high season.
• Hot season, mid-February to mid-May. Temperatures climb to their peak in April, with highs of 33°C that feel hotter in the humidity, and the first thunderstorms arrive in late April and May.
• Rainy season, mid-May to mid-October. The south-west monsoon brings cloud and showers, usually an hour or two in the late afternoon or at night rather than all-day rain. There is a relative lull in July and August before the true peak in September and October.

What is the weather like in Pattaya month by month?

Three things stand out. The temperature range across the year is under 3°C, so there is no cold month. December to February together receive less than 50 mm of rain. September and October account for 40 per cent of the annual total, with rain on about every second day, and are the months when streets in low-lying parts of the city flood for an hour or two after a downpour. Humidity averages 70 to 78 per cent for most of the year and passes 80 per cent in those two months.

The sun is fierce in every season: the UV index reaches extreme levels from February to October. Use high-factor sunscreen, a hat and shade between 11:00 and 15:00, and drink water steadily.

When is the sea calm enough for swimming and island trips?

From November to April the bay is at its calmest and clearest, and the 45-minute ferry crossing to Koh Larn is smooth. The sea is warm enough to swim all year, between 27°C in January and 30°C from April to June.

During the south-west monsoon, from May to October, the wind blows onshore. Most days are still fine for swimming, but squalls raise a short, steep chop, the water turns cloudy after heavy rain, and speedboat rides become bumpy. Ferries to Koh Larn keep running through the season and are suspended only during storm warnings, which happens on a few days a year, mostly in September and October. Parasailing, jet skis and snorkelling trips are the first activities to be cancelled.

• Swim only inside the roped swimming zones and never where a red flag flies.
• Wear the life jacket on every boat, in every season.
• In the wet months, plan island days for the morning: storms build in the afternoon.

Beach by beach detail is in the guides to Pattaya Beach and Koh Larn.

When is Pattaya most crowded and most expensive?

High season runs from November to February and follows the northern winter. Hotel rates are at their highest from about 20 December to 5 January, when many properties add compulsory gala dinners and minimum stays. Chinese New Year, in late January or February, brings a second peak, and European and Russian winter visitors keep occupancy high until early March. Book rooms and airport transfers well ahead for these weeks.

March to May is a shoulder period broken by Songkran week, when the city fills completely for a few days. From May to October hotels cut their rates noticeably, upgrades are easy to come by and attractions are quiet on weekdays. The exception all year round is the weekend: Pattaya is Bangkok's nearest beach, so Friday and Saturday nights and Thai long weekends are busy and dearer whatever the season.

What a day costs in each season is broken down in Pattaya prices and budget.

Which festivals are worth planning a trip around?

Songkran in Pattaya lasts longer than anywhere else in Thailand. The national holiday is 13 to 15 April, but the Chonburi coast keeps its own tradition of Wan Lai, the "flowing day", so water play continues for a week and ends on 19 April. If you are in town that week you will get soaked every time you step outside: protect phones in waterproof pouches, do not ride a motorbike, and keep small children away from Beach Road on the 19th. If that does not appeal, avoid 12 to 20 April altogether.

For the fireworks weekend, Beach Road closes to vehicles and the sand fills well before dark. Rooms with a bay view sell out weeks ahead. The displays are free to watch from anywhere along the beach.

Do public holidays affect a trip to Pattaya?

Thai public holidays matter in two ways. Long weekends bring heavy traffic on Motorway 7 and full hotels: the main ones are New Year (31 December and 1 January), Chakri Day (6 April), Songkran, Labour Day (1 May), Coronation Day (4 May), the Queen's birthday (3 June), the King's birthday (28 July), Mother's Day (12 August), 13 and 23 October, and 5 and 10 December. When a holiday falls at a weekend, the following Monday is given instead.

On the Buddhist holy days of Makha Bucha (February or March), Visakha Bucha (May or June), Asahna Bucha and the start of Buddhist Lent (July), and the end of Lent (October), many bars and entertainment venues close for the day and shops do not sell alcohol. Temples hold candle-lit processions in the evening that visitors are welcome to watch in respectful dress. Banks and government offices close on all public holidays; malls, attractions and restaurants stay open.

Which months suit which kind of traveller?

• Beach holidays and first visits: December to February, for dry days and a calm sea. Book early and expect peak prices.
• Families with school-age children: the Christmas holidays for the weather, or July and August, when rates are lower, showers are short and the water parks are quiet.
• Golfers: November to February for firm fairways and cool mornings. In the wet months courses cut their green fees and morning rounds usually finish before the rain.
• Budget travellers and long stays: May, June and September, when monthly condo rents and hotel rates are at their lowest.
• Festival lovers: mid-April for Songkran and Wan Lai, late November for Loy Krathong and the fireworks.
• Travellers who dislike heat and crowds: late November and early December, or late February, between the peaks.

For rainy-day and hot-day plans, see Pattaya with kids and the round-up of water parks and theme parks; course-by-course advice is in golf around Pattaya.