Things to Do in Thailand during Spring

Thailand is an amazing country that evokes visions of friendly locals with beaming smiles, delicious and exotic food, perfect sandy beaches with aqua blue water, and the outrageous hedonism of Bangkok’s nightlife. Everything sounds perfect for a springtime holiday, doesn’t it?

1. When is spring in Thailand?

Despite its location in the Northern Hemisphere, Thailand is an equatorial country, so it’s climate does not match up with the regular Northern Hemisphere seasonal cycle. There is no season called spring in Thailand, this country really only has 3 seasons: Wet Season (mid-June through to mid-October), Cool Season (November through to February), and Hot Season (March through to mid-June).

Normally, spring in Thailand is considered to start from January to March. The average temperatures in Thailand during springtime are usually in the mid-30s degree Celsius, usually combined with humidity above 75%!

Normally, spring in Thailand is considered to start from January to March

2. What to do in the spring of Thailand

Needless to say, if you want to go temple tramping through Bangkok and Ayutthaya, or hike through the mountains and national parks in the North and Northeast, this is probably not the best time, unless you are really fit and don’t mind sweating a lot.

However, it’s an excellent time to head South and check out Thailand’s idyllic tropical islands, and no matter what your preferences are, there is an island for you. For those who love to snorkel or scuba dive, March and April are among the best months to do this, especially in Phuket, Krabi, Koh Phi Phi, and the rest of the islands in the Andaman Sea. The seas in springtime are calm, nice, and warm at around 28 - 31°C), and you will even increase your chances of diving with Whale Sharks and Manta Rays!

Even if you’re not into snorkeling or scuba diving, spring is a perfect time to laze around the beaches with a cocktail, rent a jetski or simply lie on your towel with a good book and work on your tan. Additionally, as it is no longer the high season, the beaches are far less crowded and hotel prices drop considerably from the previous few months.

At night, this is an excellent time to head to Koh Phangan and experience the infamous Full Moon Party. Thousands of revelers from all over the world descend every month to this small island off the east coast in order to indulge their inner hedonist. It’s not something any self-respecting party animal should miss!!

Spring in Thailand is not a good time for temple tramping or hiking

3. Thailand’s events and festivals in spring 

Spring is a great time for the New Year festivals in Thailand. Among them, the Songkran Festival in mid-April is the most exciting event to get a uniquely Thai cultural experience. This is one of the most important cultural and religious events in the Thai lunar calendar.

The word Songkran means ‘to pass or move into, and the festival is a time when people gather with their friends and family to pay respect to their elders and to visit temples for prayer and offerings. Depending on where you stay in Thailand, Songkran Festival can last from 3 - 10 days and offers many exciting and intriguing parades and rituals for travelers to participate in.

During Songkran, a visit to the local temple is a must, in order to watch the bathing ritual where the locals bathe both their Buddha statues and the senior Buddhist monks with water mixed with Thai fragrance. It is believed that by doing this, they will gain good luck for the forthcoming year. After this, the chief monk will deliver a dhamma talk and bless those who have attended. The best places to join the religious experiences are at Wat Pho and Wat Arun in Bangkok, or anywhere in Chiang Mai.

The most exciting part of Songkran however, is the enormous nationwide water fight!! Thais of all ages and dispositions will run around their town with water pistols, water balloons, buckets, and anything else that can contain water, and soak whomever they find, wherever they can find them. This is inevitably the highlight of any trip to Thailand for any traveler who is lucky enough to visit. There is no bad place to experience the water fight, but Chiang Mai seems to get the most positive reviews and is a must-see on any Thai itinerary anyway.

A few important tips for the Songkran water fight:

#1: Expect to get wet. The moment you step outside your door on Songkran, you become an automatic target for anybody who sees you. If you don’t want to get wet, stay in your room!

#2: Either leave your camera and phone in your room or ensure they are properly protected. If they aren’t waterproof or protected, they will get ruined. You can buy a waterproof phone and camera protection at any 7-Eleven or Tesco.

#3: Do not ride or drive. Unsurprisingly, Thais love to drink during this festival and there are many drunk riders/drivers on the roads at this time. As a result, there is a significant spike in road accidents during this time. Play it safe, and stay off your bike at this time.

Songkran Festival is one of the most exciting activities during spring in Thailand

Now, Let's Get Ready for Songkran Festival

Lastly, as this takes place during the hot season, it’s a brilliant way to cool down. So head to the nearest 7-Eleven, buy a water pistol, book a tour in Thailand, and be ready to go!

Hang Moon

Image sources: Internet