Asia

Thailand in November

The cool season arrives with the Loy Krathong lantern festival. Andaman ferries resume full schedules; the Gulf can still see late-year rain.

BestDrying and bright, highs near 89F (32C)

Longtail boats at Maya Bay, Ko Phi Phi, Thailand — ThailandPhoto: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0

The straight answer

November is one of the best months of the year to visit Thailand. The cool season arrives with the Loy Krathong lantern festival. Andaman ferries resume full schedules; the Gulf can still see late-year rain.

Weather: Drying and bright, highs near 89F (32C)
Crowds: 3 of 5
Prices: 3 of 5

What November is like in Thailand

November is when the cool season arrives and Thailand shines again. Highs near 89F (32C) come with drying, bright days. Andaman ferries resume full schedules, and the Similan Islands park, reopened in mid October, is in full swing. Loy Krathong lights up rivers and ponds on the full moon, usually this month, and in Chiang Mai it pairs with Yi Peng's sky lanterns. The Gulf coast can still see late-year rain.

This month suits nearly everyone: families, first-timers, divers, and festival lovers. Pick the Andaman coast over the Gulf for beaches. Crowds and prices are mid-level, rising toward December, so it is a strong month to go before peak rates kick in.

Make the most of November

What is especially good about Thailand this month.

Loy Krathong and Yi Peng

Candlelit floats on every river, and in Chiang Mai, sky lanterns fill the night. Book Chiang Mai months ahead.

Andaman high season opens

Calm seas return to Krabi, Railay, and the islands, and the Similans are open to divers again.

Chiang Mai's best window

November begins the north's finest stretch, with fresh air and clear skies.

What to pack for November

Temple-appropriate clothes
Reef-safe sunscreen
A light layer for northern evenings
Water shoes for boat landings

Our timing tip

Book Chiang Mai hotels for Loy Krathong months ahead, since the city sells out.

Book Thailand for November.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Thailand
Opens a hotel search for Thailand in November, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for November
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Vacation rentals in Thailand
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
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Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Thailand
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Thailand for November. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in November

Yi Peng and Loy Krathong

The full moon of the twelfth month of the Thai lunar calendar, usually in November and occasionally in late October, with celebrations over about three days

Lanterns rising into the night sky, candlelit floats on the river, and Chiang Mai at its most beautiful.

Loy Krathong

The full moon of the twelfth Thai lunar month, usually November

Candlelit floats on every river and pond. In Chiang Mai it coincides with Yi Peng's famous sky lanterns; book that city months ahead.

Andaman high season

November through April

Calm seas open every ferry route and dive site on the west coast, including the Similan Islands park, which closes roughly mid May to mid October.

Things to do in Thailand

Full guide

Bangkok's Grand Palace and Wat Pho

The gold-spired heart of Thai royalty and the giant Reclining Buddha next door. Go at opening, dress with covered shoulders and knees, and ignore anyone outside saying it is closed.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Bangkok street food crawl

Chinatown (Yaowarat) after dark is the classic run. Follow the lines of locals; the busiest stall is the menu.

Tickets and tours →

Chiang Mai's old city and temples

Moat-ringed lanes, hundreds of temples, and the mountain shrine of Doi Suthep above town. Best November through January; skip burning season in late winter.

Tickets and tours →

Railay and Krabi's limestone coast

Karst cliffs straight out of a painting, reachable only by longtail boat. Calm seas and full boat schedules run roughly November through April.

Tickets and tours →

Koh Phi Phi and Maya Bay

The famous bay operates with visitor limits and seasonal closures to let the ecosystem recover. Check current rules and book the earliest boat.

Tickets and tours →

Gulf islands: Samui, Phangan, Tao

Resorts on Samui, full-moon energy on Phangan, and some of the world's cheapest dive certification on Koh Tao. At their best when the Andaman side is stormy.

Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Go in November or February: you get the cool-season weather of the December-January peak with a real step down in crowds and prices.
Pick one second-tier island (Koh Lanta, Koh Yao Noi, Koh Kood) over the marquee names; the beach is the same postcard with half the longtail traffic.
In Bangkok, see the Grand Palace at opening or after 3pm, and ride the river boats and BTS instead of sitting in taxi traffic.
Book Christmas to New Year and Songkran-week transport like concert tickets, months out. The rest of high season needs only days to weeks of lead time.

Know before you go

Andaman-coast monsoon (roughly May through October): some island ferry routes stop, boat trips cancel in rough seas, and the Similan Islands national park closes entirely, typically mid May to mid October.
Maya Bay and several marine parks now enforce visitor caps and seasonal closures for ecological recovery; rules change year to year, so check before promising anyone the famous beach.
Songkran (mid April) closes many offices and small businesses for days while the whole country travels; tourist attractions stay open and very wet.
During the Gulf coast's wettest stretch (roughly October into December), Koh Tao dive trips and Samui beach days get rain-checked; the Andaman side is simultaneously reopening.