Bangkok in Monsoon Season — Travel Guide
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Bangkok in Monsoon offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for budget travellers & culture seekers. Expect temperatures of 26–33°C, around 14–18 days of rain, and low crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around ฿500–1,800 for mid-range travellers. Rooms are easy to find last-minute and hotel prices stay noticeably softer through the season.
Contents16 sections
#At a Glance
Bangkok's rainy season runs from June to October, and it is not one season but two.
June and July are the gentle half: showers most afternoons, plenty of dry, bright hours, and the Buddhist Lent beginning in July.
August to October is the real monsoon, when storms are heavier, September is the wettest month of the year and the Chao Phraya rises to its annual high in October. Across all five months the heat stays at 33°C in the day, hotels are at their cheapest, and the temples and markets are quieter than at any other time. The trick is not to avoid the rain but to plan the day around it: out in the morning, under a roof when the storm breaks, back out in the cooled evening.
#Weather in Bangkok in Monsoon
Bangkok in Monsoon averages 26–33°C (79–91°F) with around 14–18 days of rain, and crowds are low.
| Month | Daytime high | Overnight low | Rainy days | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | About 33°C / 91°F | About 27°C / 81°F | About 15 | 6:42pm on the 1st |
| July | About 34°C / 93°F | About 26°C / 79°F | About 14 | 6:50pm on the 1st |
| August | About 33°C / 91°F | About 26°C / 79°F | About 18 | 6:46pm on the 1st |
| September | About 33°C / 91°F | About 25°C / 77°F | About 18 | 6:30pm on the 1st |
| October | About 33°C / 91°F | About 25°C / 77°F | About 14 | 5:51pm by the 31st |
Figures are Thai Meteorological Department 1991–2020 normals for Bangkok.
What that actually means for your trip:
- The rain has a timetable. Most days start dry and bright; clouds build after lunch, and the storm usually breaks in the late afternoon or evening, heavy for an hour or so, then passes.
- September is the wettest month, with the heaviest storms and the most street flooding; October's rain falls mostly in the first half.
- It never cools down. The rain freshens the air for an hour, but the humidity stays high, and a wet day at 33°C is still a hot day.
- The river is highest in October, after the season's rain has drained down from the north; the riverside walkways and piers can flood at high tide.
Is the monsoon a good time to visit Bangkok? Yes, for travellers who can be flexible. Prices are at their lowest, the sights are uncrowded, and the rain rarely takes a whole day. Pick June or July if you want the most dry hours; avoid September if you have only a few days and a long list of outdoor sights.
#Month by month
June opens the season gently, and the Queen's birthday on Thursday 3 June is a public holiday.
Bangkok Pride, held in recent years at the end of May or the start of June, fills Silom and Sukhumvit with a parade; check its dates when they are announced.
July brings the Buddhist Lent.
Asalha Bucha, the day of the Buddha's first sermon, and Khao Phansa, the start of the three-month Rains Retreat, fall on the full moon of the eighth lunar month and are expected around the middle of July in 2027; the Cabinet gazettes the exact dates. Temples hold candlelit processions, and alcohol sales are normally banned on both days.
The King's birthday, Wednesday 28 July, is a public holiday, with portraits and yellow decorations along the royal avenues.
August is when the monsoon sets in properly.
National Mother's Day, Thursday 12 August, is a public holiday.
September is the wettest month and the cheapest; see our September guide for how to plan around the floods.
October is the turning month.
The Vegetarian Festival, which follows the ninth Chinese lunar month, is expected around the turn of September and October in 2027, with yellow flags on the food stalls of Yaowarat.
King Bhumibol Memorial Day is Wednesday 13 October and Chulalongkorn Day Saturday 23 October.
Ok Phansa, the end of the Rains Retreat, is expected in the middle of the month, and the rain eases in the second half.
#What to Do in Bangkok in Monsoon
Solo Travellers
Do Wat Pho at opening time, when the courtyards are cool and empty, then cross by ferry to Wat Arun.
Spend the stormy afternoon at Museum Siam, by Sanam Chai station, or at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, which is free. A cooking class is a good wet-afternoon plan and ends in a meal.
Couples
A long Thai massage while the rain beats on the roof is the classic monsoon afternoon. In the evening, take a dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya or a riverside table at a hotel terrace once the storm has passed; the air is at its freshest and the clouds over the river are spectacular.
Families
The SEA LIFE Bangkok Ocean World aquarium under Siam Paragon and the malls around Siam fill a wet afternoon, and the parks, Lumphini and Benjakitti, are best in the dry morning hours. Keep the old town for the morning, when the heat and the rain are both at their lowest.
Groups
Muay Thai at Rajadamnern Stadium is under a roof, whatever the weather.
A food crawl through Yaowarat, Chinatown, works after the evening rain, when the stalls set up again on the wet street.
#Getting Around
From Suvarnabhumi, the Airport Rail Link reaches Phaya Thai in about 30 minutes for at most THB 45; from Don Mueang, take the SRT Red Line or a metered taxi.
In the city, the BTS Skytrain and the MRT are your rainy-season transport. They run above or below the floods, and covered walkways link many stations to the malls.
Sanam Chai MRT station brings you out by Wat Pho and the old town.
The Chao Phraya Express Boat runs in all but the worst storms.
Use Grab for the gaps, but not at storm time.
#Budget & Costs
| Travel style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | THB 800–1,300 | Guesthouse room, street food, public transport |
| Mid-range | THB 2,500–4,500 | 4-star hotel at low-season rates, restaurant meals |
| Luxury | THB 9,000+ | Riverside hotels at their year's best prices |
The rainy season has the lowest hotel prices of the year, lowest in September.
Costs worth knowing:
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Airport Rail Link, Suvarnabhumi to the city | Up to THB 45 |
| Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew | THB 500 |
| Wat Pho | THB 300 |
| Bangkok Art and Culture Centre | Free |
| Tourist entry fee | Proposed, not yet in force |
- A tourist entry fee of 450 baht is planned but not yet approved by the Cabinet; check whether it applies before you fly.
- App fares rise sharply in a downpour, while rail fares never change with the weather.
- This is the season for a splurge: riverside hotels that are out of reach in December cost far less from June to October.
#Food & Dining
The rainy season suits Bangkok's soups: tom yum, khao tom rice soup and the boat noodles of the canal stalls taste best with rain on the awning.
The mango season ends in June, and durian and mangosteen are in season from May into the first months of the rains.
The covered Or Tor Kor market by Chatuchak is the best place to taste fruit in any weather.
Krua Apsorn, near the Democracy Monument, cooks home-style Thai food, including its famous crab omelette. For a long lunch on a wet day, the hotel restaurants along the river are at their least crowded, and the best tables are easier to book than at any other time of year.
#Nightlife
Most of Bangkok's nightlife is under a roof.
The cocktail bars of Sukhumvit and Thonglor, the live music of Saxophone Pub near Victory Monument, and the clubs of RCA carry on whatever the weather. The rooftop bars are the exception: they close their open decks in storms, and some shut entirely until the rain passes, so keep a rooftop for a clear evening and check before you go.
#Shopping
Monsoon is mall season.
Siam Paragon, CentralWorld, ICONSIAM and Terminal 21 are linked to the Skytrain and the river boats, and the Platinum Fashion Mall in Pratunam is wholesale clothing under one roof.
The Chatuchak Weekend Market has covered sections, but its open lanes empty in a storm, so go in the morning.
#Culture & Etiquette
- Respect the monarchy. On the royal holidays, the royal portraits along the avenues are decorated, and criticism of the royal family is a serious crime.
- Dress for the temples: covered shoulders and knees, and remove your shoes before entering a hall.
- Wet temple floors are slippery; walk carefully barefoot on marble.
- During the Rains Retreat, monks stay in their temples, and the morning alms rounds continue in the old town.
- Tipping: round up in restaurants, and THB 50–100 for a good massage.
#Essential Local Phrases
| English | Thai | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | สวัสดี | Sa-wat-dee (khrap or kha) |
| Is it going to rain? | ฝนจะตกไหม | Fon ja tok mai? |
| Is the road flooded? | ถนนน้ำท่วมไหม | Ta-non nam tuam mai? |
| Please use the meter | เปิดมิเตอร์ด้วย | Bpert mee-ter duay |
| How much? | เท่าไหร่ | Tao-rai? |
| Not spicy | ไม่เผ็ด | Mai pet |
| Delicious | อร่อย | A-roi |
| Thank you | ขอบคุณ | Khop-khun (khrap or kha) |
#Packing List
- A light, packable rain jacket
- Sandals or quick-drying shoes that grip on wet floors
- Quick-dry clothing; cotton stays damp in the humidity
- A compact umbrella
- A waterproof phone pouch or dry bag
- Mosquito repellent with DEET
- Electrolyte sachets for the heat
- A shawl or long trousers for temples
#Backup Plans (Heavy Rain Days)
Museum Siam and the National Museum fill a wet morning in the old town.
The Jim Thompson House is a short walk from the Skytrain, though its garden is best between storms.
The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre is free and linked to the National Stadium BTS station. A cooking class, a massage, a cinema in one of the big malls or a long lunch in a covered market are all good ways to spend the hours the storm lasts.
If the streets flood: stay on the Skytrain or the MRT, and wait for the water to drain, which usually takes an hour or two.
#Safety & Health
The main rainy-season risks are water and mosquitoes. Do not wade through floodwater, which hides open drains and carries dirty runoff.
Dengue peaks in the rains, so use repellent, especially at dawn and dusk. Wet marble temple floors, pavements and pier steps are slippery. Thunderstorms bring lightning; stay off open ground and the top decks of boats in a storm. Tap water is not for drinking.
Emergency: 191 for police, 1669 for an ambulance, 1155 for the English-speaking Tourist Police.
#What's New for Monsoon 2027
- Asalha Bucha and Khao Phansa are expected in mid-July 2027; the Cabinet gazettes the dates
- The King's birthday is Wednesday 28 July, and National Mother's Day Thursday 12 August
- The Vegetarian Festival is expected around the turn of September and October 2027
- King Bhumibol Memorial Day is Wednesday 13 October, and Chulalongkorn Day Saturday 23 October
- The 450-baht tourist entry fee is still a proposal
#About This Guide
By Harry Nara (founder of WhenToWander), updated October 2026 for the 2027 rainy season. Climate figures are Thai Meteorological Department 1991–2020 normals. Dates and facts verified against:
- Thai Meteorological Department for climate normals
- Bank of Thailand holiday calendar for public holidays
- Tourism Authority of Thailand for festivals and the Buddhist calendar
- Nation Thailand for the proposed entry fee
- Museum Siam for the museum
For each month in detail, see Bangkok in June, Bangkok in July, Bangkok in August and Bangkok in October.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does it rain all day during Bangkok’s rainy season?
Rarely. Most days start dry, and the storm usually breaks in the late afternoon or evening, heavy for an hour or so before it passes. Plan outdoor sights for the morning and keep the late afternoon for museums, malls or a massage.
Should I avoid Bangkok in the rainy season?
Not unless your trip is short and built around outdoor sights. Hotel prices are the lowest of the year and the temples are quiet. June and July have the most dry hours; September is the wettest month and the most likely to flood. It stays hot throughout, at about 33°C by day.
Does Bangkok flood in the rainy season?
Low-lying streets flood after the heaviest storms, especially in September and October, and the riverside walkways can flood at high tide when the Chao Phraya is high in October. The water usually drains within an hour or two. The Skytrain and the MRT keep running above and below it.
What can I do indoors in Bangkok when it rains?
Museum Siam and the National Museum in the old town, the free Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, the Jim Thompson House, a cooking class or a Thai massage. The big malls around Siam, and ICONSIAM on the river, have cinemas, food halls and an aquarium, and are linked to the Skytrain or the boats.
How much does it cost to visit Bangkok in Monsoon?
Budget-conscious travellers can expect daily costs of ฿500–1,800, covering accommodation, food, and local transport. Quieter periods usually push prices toward the lower end of this range.