At a Glance
Compared to this destination's peak season
Bangkok in November
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Bangkok in November offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for couples & romantics. Expect temperatures of 25–33°C, around 4 days of rain, and medium crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around ฿700–2,200 for mid-range travellers. Book three to four weeks ahead for the best mid-range rates and the widest hotel choice.
Contents14 sections
#Weather in Bangkok in November
Bangkok in November averages 25–33°C (77–91°F) with around 4 days of rain, and crowds are medium.
| Measure | November in Bangkok |
|---|---|
| Daytime high | About 33°C / 91°F |
| Overnight low | About 25°C / 77°F |
| Wet days | About 4, mostly in the first half |
| Sunset | About 5:50pm all month |
| Season | The rains end and the cool season begins |
| Crowds | Rising through the month towards the December peak |
Figures are Thai Meteorological Department (Don Mueang) 1991–2020 normals.
What that actually means for your trip:
- November is when the rain stops. October is still wet; by the middle of November the north-east monsoon brings drier air, bluer skies and the lowest humidity since February. Early November can still throw an afternoon storm; late November rarely does.
- "Cool" is relative. Afternoons are still in the low thirties. What changes is the evening: at 25°C with drier air, sitting outside after dark becomes a pleasure rather than an endurance test.
- Low-lying streets can still flood early in the month. After a heavy October, water can linger in some districts into the first week. It clears quickly and rarely affects the tourist centre.
- Loy Krathong falls on Tuesday 24 November in 2026, the night of the twelfth full moon, and it shapes the second half of the month.
Is November a good time to visit Bangkok? Yes, and for most people it is the best balance of the year: the weather is close to its best, the festival calendar is full, and hotel rates have not yet reached the December and January peak. The first week is the gamble on weather and the last week is the gamble on price. Aim for the middle of the month and you get both the dry air and the Loy Krathong build-up.
#What to Do in Bangkok in November
Loy Krathong (Tuesday 24 November)
On the night of the twelfth full moon, Thais float a krathong, a small raft of banana trunk, leaves, flowers, a candle and incense, on the nearest water to let go of the past year's bad luck. In Bangkok the river, the canals and every park lake are covered with candles from about 6pm.
- Asiatique on the river is the biggest organised event, with stages, food and easy access to the water.
- Wat Arun and the temple piers opposite are the ceremonial version, with the temple lit behind the river.
- The khlongs of Thonburi hold small neighbourhood versions with almost no visitors.
- Lumphini Park and the city lakes are the calm option if you are nowhere near the river.
Buy a krathong made of banana trunk and leaves (about THB 20–50 from street sellers, more for the elaborate lotus designs). The polystyrene ones are still sold and they do not break down.
The Golden Mount temple fair
Bangkok's oldest and best-loved temple fair takes place at Wat Saket and its artificial hill, the Golden Mount, for several days either side of Loy Krathong. The chedi is wrapped in red cloth, a candlelit procession climbs the spiral stairs, and the lanes at the foot of the hill fill with food stalls, games and old-fashioned fairground rides. The temple announces the exact dates each autumn, so check closer to the time; it always overlaps the Loy Krathong full moon. Entry to the fair is free; climbing the mount costs a small fee.
The temple circuit in cool-season light
November is the month to walk the big temples in one day.
Start at the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew at the 8:30am opening (THB 500), walk south to Wat Pho (THB 300) for the reclining Buddha, and take the cross-river ferry to Wat Arun for the afternoon. In April this is a heat ordeal; in late November it is a pleasant day.
Ayutthaya, at its best
The old capital is about 90 minutes north by train, and November's clear mornings are the right light for its brick ruins. Go early, hire a bicycle or a tuk-tuk for the day at the station, and take the evening train back.
Solo Travellers
Spend an evening at the Muay Thai at Rajadamnern Stadium, where the crowd in the cheap seats is half the show, then eat at the street stalls on Ratchadamnoen Nok.
By day, the Jim Thompson House and the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre fill a humid morning early in the month.
Couples
Book a riverside table for Loy Krathong night several weeks ahead, or take a dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya on any other November evening.
The rooftop bars, Moon Bar at the Banyan Tree and Sky Bar at Lebua, are at their best from November to February, when the evening air is dry enough to see the city lights clearly.
Families
The Golden Mount fair is the family highlight, with fairground rides that feel a century old.
Museum Siam is hands-on and air-conditioned.
Lumphini Park is the easiest place for a family to float a krathong without the river crowds.
Groups
Take over a long table at a riverside restaurant, or join a Thonburi canal tour by longtail boat, which is at its best once the canals settle after the rains.
For a night out, Sukhumvit and Thonglor are fully busy from mid-November as the high season begins.
#Getting Around
From Suvarnabhumi, the Airport Rail Link runs to Phaya Thai in about 30 minutes for at most THB 45.
From Don Mueang, the SRT Red Line runs to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, or take a metered taxi.
In the city, the BTS Skytrain and MRT cover most of what visitors need; fares depend on distance, and a stored-value card saves queuing at the machines.
Grab covers everything off the rail network, and the Chao Phraya Express Boat is the best way along the river.
November is the month walking works again. Short hops between BTS stations that are exhausting in April are comfortable after dark.
#Budget & Costs
| Travel style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | THB 1,000–1,500 | Guesthouse room, street food, public transport |
| Mid-range | THB 3,000–5,000 | 3- or 4-star hotel, restaurant meals, a day trip |
| Luxury | THB 10,000+ | Riverside hotels, rooftop dinners, private guides |
November is the start of high season. Early in the month, hotel rates are still well below the December and January peak; by the last week they are rising, and the riverside hotels fill for Loy Krathong.
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 |
| A banana-leaf krathong | THB 20–50 |
| Tourist entry fee | Not yet charged |
- Book Loy Krathong dinner early. Riverside tables for 24 November go weeks ahead, and the best ones further out than that.
- The tourist entry fee is still only a proposal. In August 2026 the government proposed a flat 450 baht for every foreign visitor, aiming to start with air arrivals in early 2027; it needs Cabinet approval first and nobody pays it yet.
- Tipping is small. Round up at restaurants; THB 20–50 after a massage is normal.
#Food & Dining
The cool season brings a change in the markets.
The Pak Khlong Talat flower market overflows with marigolds, jasmine and lotus ahead of Loy Krathong; it is at its liveliest late at night when the wholesale deliveries arrive.
Or Tor Kor market has some of the best produce in the city.
- Street food at night is at its best in the dry evenings: Yaowarat (Chinatown), Ratchawat and the lanes off Sukhumvit.
- Riverside dining reopens its terraces fully; the tables facing Wat Arun book out for Loy Krathong and fill most weekends.
- Khanom krok and kanom buang, the coconut pancakes and crispy crêpes of street stalls, are the snacks to buy at the temple fairs.
#Nightlife
The rooftop season starts in November. Moon Bar and Sky Bar are the famous two; smaller rooftops along Sukhumvit and in Silom are cheaper and easier to get into. Dress codes apply at most rooftops: no sportswear, no flip-flops.
Rajadamnern Stadium runs Muay Thai several nights a week.
The live-music bars of Ari and Thonglor and the night markets around Srinakarin are where Bangkok's own crowd goes out.
#Shopping
The weekend Chatuchak market is busiest from November to January, and its art, plant and vintage sections restock for the high season. Go before 11am to beat the heat and the crowds.
ICONSIAM on the river has a whole floor, Sooksiam, of regional Thai food and crafts. For krathong, the street vendors in the week before the festival sell them everywhere; buying from the riverside sellers keeps the money in the neighbourhood.
#Culture & Etiquette
- Respect the monarchy. Portraits of the King and of the late Queen Mother Sirikit are everywhere. Stand for the royal anthem before films in cinemas, and never make jokes about the royal family; Thai law treats it as a serious crime.
- The year of mourning has ended, the cremation has not. Queen Sirikit died in October 2025 and the official mourning year ran to October 2026. Her royal cremation takes place at Sanam Luang, beside the Grand Palace, from 15 to 19 December 2026; if your trip runs into December, expect road closures around the old town that week.
- Dress for temples. Covered shoulders and knees at every temple; the Grand Palace enforces it strictly.
- Float your krathong quietly. It is a wish for the year ahead, and many Thais make it a personal moment. Photograph the river, not the people praying beside it.
#Essential Local Phrases
| Phrase | Thai | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | สวัสดี | Sa-wat-dee (khrap/kha) |
| Thank you | ขอบคุณ | Khop-khun (khrap/kha) |
| Happy Loy Krathong! | สุขสันต์วันลอยกระทง | Suk-san wan Loy Krathong |
| How much for a krathong? | กระทงราคาเท่าไร | Kra-thong ra-kha tao-rai? |
| Where is the Golden Mount? | ภูเขาทองอยู่ที่ไหน | Phu Khao Thong yoo tee-nai? |
| The temple fair | งานวัด | Ngan wat |
| The weather is cool and nice | อากาศเย็นๆ ดีมาก | A-kat yen-yen dee mak |
| Please use the meter | เปิดมิเตอร์ด้วย | Perd mi-toe duay |
#Packing List
- Light, breathable clothes for 30°C-plus afternoons
- One light layer for late-November evenings and cold air-conditioning
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees for temple days
- Comfortable walking shoes; November is the month for long temple walks
- A compact umbrella for early-November storms
- Sunscreen and a hat; the sun is as strong as ever
- Insect repellent for evenings by the water
- A small bag for krathong night and the crowds at the river
#Backup Plans
If early November is still wet: the Jim Thompson House, the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre and Museum Siam are all under cover, and a Thai massage at Wat Pho's own school fills an afternoon well.
If the river is too crowded on Loy Krathong night: go to a park lake. Lumphini Park draws its own crowd of floaters at a fraction of the river's numbers.
If the city is too much: take the Chao Phraya Express Boat north to Nonthaburi, a riverside town with a big morning market and old temples, about an hour from the centre by boat.
#Safety & Health
November is one of Bangkok's most comfortable and safest months. Humidity drops, mosquitoes thin out after the rains, and the main risks are the ones every high season brings: gem-shop tuk-tuk detours, the "temple is closed" line, and taxi drivers who will not use the meter. Use Grab or insist on the meter.
On Loy Krathong night the riverbanks and piers are crowded and wet; watch your footing, keep children back from the edge, and do not lean out from a boat to set a krathong down. Tap water is not for drinking; bottled water is everywhere. Pharmacies (Boots, Watsons) are well stocked.
Emergency: 191 for police, 1669 for an ambulance, 1155 for the English-speaking Tourist Police.
#What's New for November 2026
- Loy Krathong falls on Tuesday 24 November, with the Golden Mount fair running in the days around it
- The mourning year for Queen Sirikit has ended; her royal cremation is at Sanam Luang on 15–19 December 2026
- Sky lanterns remain a criminal offence near Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang
- The tourist entry fee is a 450-baht proposal, not yet approved or charged
- Krung Thep Aphiwat is the main railway station, not Hua Lamphong, for trains north and south
#About This Guide
By Harry Nara (founder of WhenToWander), updated September 2026 for November 2026. Climate data: Thai Meteorological Department 1991–2020 normals. Dates and facts verified against:
- Bangkok Post for the sky-lantern rules around the airports
- Nation Thailand for the Golden Mount fair
- Nation Thailand for the royal cremation schedule
- Nation Thailand for the proposed entry fee
- Tourism Authority of Thailand for Loy Krathong
For the full Loy Krathong guide, see Loy Krathong in Bangkok. For the peak of the cool season, Christmas and New Year on the river, see Bangkok in December.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is Loy Krathong in Bangkok?
Loy Krathong falls on the full moon of the 12th Thai lunar month, which in 2026 is Tuesday 24 November. Thais float krathongs, small rafts of banana trunk, leaves and flowers with a candle, on rivers, canals and lakes after dark to let go of the past year’s bad luck. The Chao Phraya, Asiatique and Lumphini Park are the best places to see it in Bangkok.
Is November the best month to visit Bangkok?
For many people, yes. November is the start of the cool season: highs around 33°C, lows around 25°C, lower humidity and very little rain after the first week or two. It is a little cheaper than December to February, which is why many Bangkok regulars rate it the best month of the year.
Are sky lanterns released in Bangkok for Loy Krathong?
No. The mass lantern release is Yi Peng in Chiang Mai. In Bangkok, releasing a sky lantern inside the safety zones around Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports is a criminal offence carrying up to five years in prison, so the tradition here is floating krathongs on the water. For the lanterns, go to Chiang Mai.
Are November hotel prices high in Bangkok?
Prices rise sharply from mid-November as cool-season demand returns. Early November is still shoulder-pricing; by Loy Krathong week, rates approach peak. Book 6–8 weeks ahead for any November dates, especially over Loy Krathong weekend.