There’s more to Pattaya than just being the most seductive city in Thailand. While Pattaya girl and ladyboy bars are attracting men all year round, this resort city can also be friendly to traveling couples, ladies and even families. Its sacred places and temples, museums, floating market and waterparks are some of the sites you can explore. Pattaya’s culture-rich, beach-inspired and nature-surrounded city is definitely worth a stop for local and foreign explorers in Thailand. The time of your visit, though, is a great factor to the quality of your experience. Check out the following considerations on deciding which is the best time to visit Pattaya.

Nightlife in the streets of Pattaya

 Photo Credit ToxicAlert

Climate in Eastern Thailand

Like other Southeast Asian countries, Thailand generally experiences a tropical climate throughout the year, but understanding its seasons will align your expectations to reality. Monsoon winds affects different regions of Thailand during different times of the year, producing three seasons.

March to May is the hot season, perfect for bumming in Pattaya beach under a shade with a cold champagne or lemonade. Temperatures can reach 40°C with the least chance of rain.

June to October is the rainy season, when tropical monsoons occasionally strike Thailand, especially in July. There would still be days, though, when the tropical climate is evident and the rain stops. However, because downpours and floods can be unpredictable, they can affect your outdoor activities while in the city.

November to February is the cool season, although not really that cool in comparison to temperate countries. Temperatures still reach a sizzling 30°C, which is still a little bit lower compared to the scorching hot season. Since this time is a compromise between hot and rainy season, it is usually considered as the best time to visit Pattaya. However, there are more factors to consider than just the weather; the crowds, prices and festivities are worth looking at before booking a date to Pattaya.

Tourist Seasons in Pattaya

Due to the compromise in temperature and rains, the cool season of November to February is the peak season in Pattaya, with the largest number of visitors pouring into the city, as well as Thailand in general. The cool temperatures also coincide with the Christmas and New Year holidays of tourists, so the streets and tourist spots can really be crowded. Prices, especially of accommodations are increased during the peak season,therefore advanced booking may be required to ensure that you have a nice place to stay.

On the other hand, the rainy season of June to October is the non-peak season. You can be sure that you won’t be sharing Pattaya Beach with a hundred other people! This is the quietest time for the foreign tourism industry in Pattaya, although there are still quite a few people who take advantage of the non-crowded city. During this time, prices are at a low. Meanwhile, Pattaya during the hot season, experiences less crowds than the cool season, but is still considerably more compared to the rainy season.

Must-See Festivities in Pattaya

Aside from the climate, number of tourists and prices, one important factor to consider is the festivities that are worth visiting Thailand for. The Kingdom has a lot of holidays throughout the year but the following festivals top the list.

Song Kran Festival

Definitely the most fun holiday in the entire country. This three-day festival usually falls on April 13th-15th in celebration of Thailand’s New Year. The festival is considered to be the world’s largest water fight, and nobody is excused from getting wet during the celebration. If you are riding a motorbike, expect to be splashed with water. A taxi’s windshield will not protect you either since locals can flag you to stop and participate, whether willingly or unwillingly. Come prepared in your wet suits and get a water gun to join the fun! Just don’t forget to secure valuables in ziploc bags to keep them dry!

No one is excused from participating in Song Kran; even elephants join the fun!

Loy Krathong

Probably the most spectacular festival in the entire kingdom where the skies and bodies of water are lit with beautiful lanterns and floats. This festival happens every 12th full moon during the Thai calendar year, which usually falls during the end of November. Loy Krathong means “to float a basket,” which originally came from a tradition of floating a decorated basket on a river. In Pattaya, Thais gather on the beach on the night of the 12th full moon to launch their Krathong into the sea. It has also become popular for the locals to launch illuminated sky lanterns, which works in principle like a hot air balloon. If you visit during the celebration of Loy Krathong, you will see the night sky light up with hundreds of lanterns.

Aside from floating basket lanterns, locals and foreigners also launch sky lanterns made of rice paper during the celebration of the 12th full moon.

Best Time To Visit Pattaya

In summary, visit Pattaya around the cool months of November to early February if you want to avoid extreme heat while keeping your planned activities from getting ruined by rains. Specifically, hit the city in November to see the lovely sight of lanterns floating in the air and around Pattaya beach during Loy Krathong. This, however, is the peak season when tourists fly to Thailand. Therefore, booking accommodations should be done in advance, and budget should be set at mid to high range due to increased prices.

However, if you don’t mind an extra splash of the sun’s heat on your skin, then the best time to visit Pattaya would be between March to June. Although the crowds are still present, they are considerably less compared to the cool season. Be sure though that you are well-equipped with sun protection such as sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, and an ample supply of drinking water.

If you’re the type who doesn’t enjoy the crowds, then you can risk visiting Pattaya during the rainy season, and take the chance of having a clear sky outside the month of July. Whichever month you visit, though, Pattaya remains to be the resort city with an active nightlife.

Pattaya beach road.