What city in Thailand has the best weather?

[Rachel2023]

While I was whining about how hot it is in Bangkok (so hot), I started to wonder which city in Thailand has the best weather. I'm looking for comfortable temperatures and less humidity. Any recommendations or personal experiences please?

[Hummin]

3 minutes ago, Rachel2023 said:

While I was whining about how hot it is in Bangkok (so hot), I started to wonder which city in Thailand has the best weather. I'm looking for comfortable temperatures and less humidity. Any recommendations or personal experiences please?

Most of the Islands have more chill subtropical climate, but quite a bit rough weather in the rain season. 

 

Hua hin along the seaside, same for Bangkok Riverside.

 

Hua Hin have statistically less rain in a year.

[NJHOUSE]

There are places in Thailand with more temperature variation throughout the year such as Loei but the highs are pretty high during the summer. However, it does cool down quite a bit during winter.

[Hummin]

11 minutes ago, NJHOUSE said:

There are places in Thailand with more temperature variation throughout the year such as Loei but the highs are pretty high during the summer. However, it does cool down quite a bit during winter.

Moving to such places you do only if you have a connection or interest in the area. 

 

Isaan get smoking hot and smokey in the dry hot season, and rainseason is not to prefer either. You got 5 months that's actually thriving nice climate up there. End of rain season and until February max. 

[Sandboxer]

Patong/Phuket climate is pretty nice/predictable. Too bad it's such a s-hole.

[Hummin]

Just now, Sandboxer said:

Patong/Phuket climate is pretty nice/predictable. Too bad it's such a s-hole.

West coast is great most seasons, but heavy rain season

[Lambique]

Chiang Mai

[AsiaTraveler1234]

I would say Koh Samui since it has a very short rainy season compared to other parts of Thailand, plus you have a good private hospital, airport, great beaches, and many convieniences of the larger cities.

 

[Korat Kiwi]

20 hours ago, Lambique said:

Chiang Mai

Definitely less humid but avoid the burning season at all costs. 

 

It's nasty as heck

[newbee2022]

On 6/26/2024 at 10:56 AM, Rachel2023 said:

While I was whining about how hot it is in Bangkok (so hot), I started to wonder which city in Thailand has the best weather. I'm looking for comfortable temperatures and less humidity. Any recommendations or personal experiences please?

Obviously you don't know the difference between weather and climate?😳

[1FinickyOne]

It is the tropics - there is lots of heat everywhere... some of the more remote provinces have cooler mountains but you might not want to live that remote.. good luck

[Soondae]

I am a Chiang Rai fan. Small city easy to get around and the surrounding mountains are nice. Also airport close to city which makes transportation simple. How ever they do have some air quality issues during the burning season.

[khunPer]

On 6/26/2024 at 5:56 AM, Rachel2023 said:

While I was whining about how hot it is in Bangkok (so hot), I started to wonder which city in Thailand has the best weather. I'm looking for comfortable temperatures and less humidity. Any recommendations or personal experiences please?

The islands in the southern part of the Gulf...

[thecyclist]

Pattaya, minimal rainfall.Trat, if you love rain.

[dayo202]

The northern town of Pai, I'm in the process of building a small house there temperature can be as much as 8 degrees lower than BKK... please note avoid smokey season mid march until around month of may

[KhunLA]

To live ... full time, part time, or to visit ?

 

To live full time, you're screwed.   As best non hot weather, would be N or NE.   BUT ... half the year the air is literally unhealthy to breath.   PM2.5 is slightly to off the charts unhealthy during smog season.

 

Fresher air and maybe more of a rainy season, more overcast & less brutal sun, along with sea or up in the (low) hills breeze, then Chumphon and below.   

 

Just came back from Phrae & CM area, and it was lovely.  Stunning landscape, decent temps (overnight), but I couldn't live there from Nov-May.  Why we visit there only in rainy season now, and about 4 years in a row, since covid.

 

Used to live at Udon Thani, and it got damn chilly for 6-8 weeks, teens to single digit C.   Lovely overnight temps during cool season, but had to deal with the air pollution.

 

Live 1+ hr below Hua Hin now, and only about 2 months of air pollution, but not real break from the heat.   Only during rainy season, when overcast and rainy like now.  Actually didn't need the AC overnight last night, though rare.  As use it just to knock the RH down.

 

In a perfect situation, split your time N & S, six months of the year.

[Captor]

6 hours ago, KhunLA said:

To live ... full time, part time, or to visit ?

 

To live full time, you're screwed.   As best non hot weather, would be N or NE.   BUT ... half the year the air is literally unhealthy to breath.   PM2.5 is slightly to off the charts unhealthy during smog season.

 

Fresher air and maybe more of a rainy season, more overcast & less brutal sun, along with sea or up in the (low) hills breeze, then Chumphon and below.   

 

Just came back from Phrae & CM area, and it was lovely.  Stunning landscape, decent temps (overnight), but I couldn't live there from Nov-May.  Why we visit there only in rainy season now, and about 4 years in a row, since covid.

 

Used to live at Udon Thani, and it got damn chilly for 6-8 weeks, teens to single digit C.   Lovely overnight temps during cool season, but had to deal with the air pollution.

 

Live 1+ hr below Hua Hin now, and only about 2 months of air pollution, but not real break from the heat.   Only during rainy season, when overcast and rainy like now.  Actually didn't need the AC overnight last night, though rare.  As use it just to knock the RH down.

 

In a perfect situation, split your time N & S, six months of the year.

Were do you live exactly if I may ask? I am looking into Hua Hin but have not decided yet and are looking into other options as well.

[SingAPorn]

Definately any of the islands are the best place to hang around. Far better then Hua Hin that is full of older retirees, a dead place and people trying to pose and pretend to be what they could not afford back home in the west. Not to mention the overcharging all over and high cost of living, compared even to Bangkok. Definately not worth the trip anymore.

[Hummin]

Any Island is more expensive than Hua Hin. Pattaya and Bangkok is cheaper. 

[swerve]

If just for weather, Hua Hin could be a good choice.  It has a long dry season and is not too hot due to being located on the ocean.

[KhunLA]

54 minutes ago, Captor said:

Were do you live exactly if I may ask? I am looking into Hua Hin but have not decided yet and are looking into other options as well.

Just outside Prachuap Khiri Khan municipality.   About an hour+ below Hua Hin.   Which is a bit of a hassle, considering, HH Imm (100 kms away) is where we have to do any immigration paperwork or visa extensions.   

 

Fishing town, that gets some local weekenders.  Got some pretty bays, though nothing I'd swim in.  No nightlife, which I consider a plus, though most would be bored.

 

Can't really say I'd recommend for a single person, or a family person, as schools are a bit to be desired, and not even a Uni here.    Pineapple & coconut farmers, aside from fishing.

 

Quiet life suits us, and daughter got decent school elsewhere and Uni @ Bangkok area.

 

If not wanting to be close to Bangkok, where daughter lives, we'd probably live further south.   Chumphon or Nahhon Si Thammarat on gulf side, or Krabi city on  Andaman side.   Muang Phang Nga (municipality)  for a rural-ish city area, as quite lovely.

Edited June 27 by KhunLA

[Incorrigible1]

9 hours ago, Soondae said:

How ever they do have some air quality issues during the burning season.

I believe that is an extremely conservative description of the severe pm 2.5 air quality issues that infect northern Thailand for 4-5 months a year

[Kinok Farang]

16 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

Obviously you don't know the difference between weather and climate?😳

And i bet you do Mr Smug.

[KhunLA]

If looking for less heat & humidity, OP is going to have to consider another country.   It the tropics, hot most of the year, and RH 60-80% even in dry season..  Sun blazing and UV levels high.

 

Did I mention ... it's the tropics 

[Captor]

On 6/27/2024 at 6:28 PM, KhunLA said:

Just outside Prachuap Khiri Khan municipality.   About an hour+ below Hua Hin.   Which is a bit of a hassle, considering, HH Imm (100 kms away) is where we have to do any immigration paperwork or visa extensions.   

 

Fishing town, that gets some local weekenders.  Got some pretty bays, though nothing I'd swim in.  No nightlife, which I consider a plus, though most would be bored.

 

Can't really say I'd recommend for a single person, or a family person, as schools are a bit to be desired, and not even a Uni here.    Pineapple & coconut farmers, aside from fishing.

 

Quiet life suits us, and daughter got decent school elsewhere and Uni @ Bangkok area.

 

If not wanting to be close to Bangkok, where daughter lives, we'd probably live further south.   Chumphon or Nahhon Si Thammarat on gulf side, or Krabi city on  Andaman side.   Muang Phang Nga (municipality)  for a rural-ish city area, as quite lovely.

Thanks for the info. I have never been there in Prachuap Khiri Khan but I have heard it is quite and peaceful there. I have been in Chumphon and Krabi and Ao Nang but not Nakhon Si Thammarat which seems interesting as well. We too are not so much into the nightlife scene. Quite and peaceful is nice for us. We are living in Nong Khaem in the outskirts of Bangkok right now. But at the moment I am back in Sweden for some unfinished business. Yeah, we need to look around more when I am back again. I will for sure look into those places again, thanks. When I was there I had the tourist hat on and that is different from moving. I need to check those again I think. One important thing is to have a descent hospital around considering that we are not getting younger and that can become a life saver. And uni´s for the daughter but it looks like she will go in BKK anyway so that is not a big issue anymore. We will see were we end up but it is always nice to hear other peoples location and life situation so thank you very much for that :-).

[BE88]

On 6/29/2024 at 3:07 AM, Captor said:

Thanks for the info. I have never been there in Prachuap Khiri Khan but I have heard it is quite and peaceful there. I have been in Chumphon and Krabi and Ao Nang but not Nakhon Si Thammarat which seems interesting as well. We too are not so much into the nightlife scene. Quite and peaceful is nice for us. We are living in Nong Khaem in the outskirts of Bangkok right now. But at the moment I am back in Sweden for some unfinished business. Yeah, we need to look around more when I am back again. I will for sure look into those places again, thanks. When I was there I had the tourist hat on and that is different from moving. I need to check those again I think. One important thing is to have a descent hospital around considering that we are not getting younger and that can become a life saver. And uni´s for the daughter but it looks like she will go in BKK anyway so that is not a big issue anymore. We will see were we end up but it is always nice to hear other peoples location and life situation so thank you very much for that :-).

 

Maybe Hua Hin is better suited for your needs because two private hospitals and several clinics also have excellent dentist, which Prachuap Khiri Khan does not have and therefore the 100 km to go to Hua Hin are a necessity for those who live in Prachuap who are in any case a very sleepy city with few foreign residents for the reasons described above.

 

[Captor]

13 hours ago, BE88 said:

 

Maybe Hua Hin is better suited for your needs because two private hospitals and several clinics also have excellent dentist, which Prachuap Khiri Khan does not have and therefore the 100 km to go to Hua Hin are a necessity for those who live in Prachuap who are in any case a very sleepy city with few foreign residents for the reasons described above.

 

Thank you very much for that information. Yes maybe that is better. And in worst case it is also more close to Bangkok and the hospitals there. Is there no government hospital in Hua Hin?

[BE88]

6 hours ago, Captor said:

Thank you very much for that information. Yes maybe that is better. And in worst case it is also more close to Bangkok and the hospitals there. Is there no government hospital in Hua Hin?

 

 Yes there is one but it is always crowded as it is the only hospital.

Another advantage that should not be underestimated is that in Hua Hin there is a well-equipped bus service with long chairs that goes directly to Savarnabhurni airport and which is very practical for catching international flights.

Edited July 13 by BE88

[The Fugitive]

12 minutes ago, BE88 said:

 

 Yes there is one but it is always crowded as it is the only hospital.

Odd how Government hospitals are provided/located. Population is an obvious factor but there must be other considerations too? Our local community hospital has been inadequate for years, patients in beds along both sides of corridors being the norm. A sizeable extension was completed last year and another is now in progress. In the next larger town it wasn't possible to extend the hospital due to it's town centre location. Another, much larger hospital was built, out of town. The original hospital has been retained, with each having 24 hour A/E departments.    

[The Oracle]

On 6/26/2024 at 10:56 AM, Rachel2023 said:

While I was whining about how hot it is in Bangkok (so hot), I started to wonder which city in Thailand has the best weather. I'm looking for comfortable temperatures and less humidity. Any recommendations or personal experiences please?

Unless you can afford Khao Kho, which is up in the mountains and is very mild, avoid Phetchabun Province.

The weather is great for 48 weeks of the year BUT...

I live about 80km south of Mueang Phetchabun - Khao Kho is about 40km north of M.Phetchabun. 
I enjoy:
Mild "winters"- down to about 13 overnight to generally 28-29 during the day. It's a short winter, thoug, maybe five or six weeks.
Stinking hot in the build up to the rainy season (three weeks steadily over 40 degrees with a four-day streak of 45+) for the month of April-May.  It was, admittedly, abnormal but these extremes have been getting longer generally over the eight years I've lived here.
The rest of the time outside the extreme heat and the chilly December, it isn't too bad.  23-28 overnight to 32-36 during the day.  
As you know it is currently the rainy season but we're having quite a mild one this year, only raining five nights a week, and rarely a shower during the day if it has not rained the night before.

BUT - and it is a big "but" - the infrastructure in this province is woeful; you're four hours from anywhere that sells passable foreign food (apart from KFC 15km, Pizza Hut 90km, or Pizza Company 80km which aren't "food" in this sense).  The bus service is slow and, while buses leave several times daily, the distances to Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, take five and six hours respectively, while Mueang Phetchabun to Don Muang airport will take you around six-and-a-half hours.

If you like swimming and/or beaches, you're out of luck.  400km drive to the nearest beach and that's Pattaya.  And that's a s  hol e.  There a few reservoirs and a couple of swim resorts near me that you can go into but I tend to avoid e.coli nexi 🙂 

Also, due to the unique topography and location of this province all the burnoff smoke from the Isaan/Esan provinces misses us and heads west and north of us so, except for localised burning off - the majority of which whisks west immediately, we don't get any Air Quality Index warnings.

To *live* here and maintain your sanity you'd need a car or speak Thai, or have a partner, or find some pocket of foreigners - there some, I think in Winchianburi, a town another 45km further south from me - or a mix of them all.

I moved here, single, to get away from everything and it worked really well.  FOR ME. 
I used Google Translate and my landlady to learn Thai; I bought a car after being here for 18 months, and have since travelled all over the country solo.

Overall, though, you're better off down near a tourist area but away from the hubub - The "Dark side" of Pattaya or even Rayong, Phang Nga instead of Phuket; Cha Am instead of Hua Hin;  for inland: Nongbua Lamphu instead of Udon Thani or Khon, for example.  That way you can experience cleaner air but still maintain proximity to whatever your native language is and be also affordable.

No place in Thailand has perfect weather.  But here?  and Loei?  It gets pretty close.