June/Monsoon Season in Thailand

Im thinking about visiting Thailand in June to avoid the busy crowds and save a bit of money but how bad are the monsoons? Is it constant rain and misery? and will I still be able to viit everywhere or do sites close outwith the main tourism periods?

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@kim It usually rains in the evening and at night, so your daytime activities probably won’t be affected much by the rain. It will still be very hot and humid during the day, so if you go to the beach, you could probably still enjoy it. Based on my experience, the Gulf of Thailand sites (like Koh Samui and Koh Tao) tend to be drier than other sites (like Krabi and Phuket), so maybe consider visiting this site during this time. All major tourist attractions will still be open, but it’s probably a good idea to double-check, as some sites you want to visit may be closed

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I visited Thailand a couple of years ago in August, smack bang in the middle of monsoon season. I found, in Bangkok specifically, it would bucket down for 10 minutes, then be nice and sunny for a couple of hours, before it would rain again. I can’t speak for other areas of Thailand as we only visited Bangkok and Pattaya, so it might be different down south or up north.

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No it’s not constant rain, and is there misery on a Thai trip?
I visited in June a few years ago and on a 12 day trip we had one full day of rain, which was warm, and the rest of the time it was dry and sunny.
I think Monsoon season just means that when it rains it will really pour for hours at a time, but it won’t be constant drizzle or showers.
Plus if you enjoy thunder or storms, they can be extremely beautiful and make your trip a bit more of an adventure! :cloud_with_rain:
I also found the low number of tourists was a good thing, the beaches etc were quieter

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Nice to see you planning a long way in advance; a good way to keep things open for longer.

Although you did say ‘thinking’. Are you still thinking, or are plans finalised?

The great thing about the rains, is it brings relief after an intensely humid day.

Coastal areas, especially on the Andaman Sea side (Phuket, Krabi), can experience rough seas and occasional flooding.

The Gulf coast (Koh Samui, Koh Phangan) often has slightly better weather in June compared to the west coast.

No worries about tourist sites closing. You won’t generally find sites closed just because it’s off-peak.

Outdoor activities like island hopping, snorkelling (if the seas are rough), and trekking might be interrupted by rain, but many operators still run tours with some flexibility.

Some remote or rural areas might be harder to access if heavy rains cause flooding or road issues, but major cities and popular destinations usually cope.

Not in Thailand, but I have been almost knee-deep in water in other countries.

I remember in Seoul, pop-up sellers appeared at underground stations with plastic capes and umbrellas, when the sudden rains arrived.