Thailand is famed as one of the biggest and most beautiful holiday destinations in the world. However, like other popular travel destinations, traveling to Thailand can be quite expensive especially if you are coming from a country that is far away from Southeast Asia. Nonetheless, there is a particular time you can travel to Thailand if you want to save lots of money on your itinerary.
Based on experience, the cheapest time to visit Thailand is the rainy season as this period is considered to be the off-peak season. Notably, the season runs from March to September every year. During the rainy season in Thailand, only a handful of tourists visit the country; hence, you can get the best deal on almost anything that affects your trip to Thailand.
While everyone agrees that the rainy season is the cheapest time to visit Thailand, you should realize there are some considerations you must note. Besides, you may want to understand why traveling to Thailand during this period is believed to be the cheapest. To help you to learn more about visiting Thailand during the cheapest time, we will take a look at some essential things.
Why is the rainy season the cheapest time to visit Thailand?
As mentioned briefly earlier, most tourists avoid visiting Thailand during the rainy season. This factor tends to affect numerous things that usually contribute to the overall cost of the itinerary to Thailand.
- Low cost of air transport
Sky Scanner notes that you can get the cheapest airfare to Thailand between May and October. Generally, airfare is usually determined by whether lots of individuals are traveling during a period or not. This is why traveling by air during the weekend will likely cost more than traveling on a Tuesday afternoon. Since the rainy season is the off-peak period for going to Thailand, only a few people will be willing to travel during the same period. You can save as much as 40% on your airfare if you travel during the rainy season.
- Low shopping cost
Since most places in Thailand will be less crowded during the rainy season, you will likely enjoy a significant discount on everything that you buy. Many restaurants will reduce the bills as they only get a handful of visitors during this period. Even the street vendors in tourist locations will be willing to sell their wares at a lower cost because they hardly get customers during the rainy season. However, you should be ready to haggle the prices with some of the vendors.
- Low cost of guided tours
If you can take the time to check the costs of guided tours to different areas of Thailand at various periods, you will notice how they differ. During the peak period (usually between October and February), the costs of the guided tours, boat cruises, etc. are often at the highest rates. This is justifiable as there are tons of people interested in the offer. However, the reverse is the case during the rainy season. Only a few people want to explore the country during the period; hence, you can enjoy discounted guided tours, boat cruises, etc. Even the car/motorbike/boat rentals are cheaper during the rainy season.
- Low cost of accommodation
As expected, you need to stay in a resort, hotel, hostel, or another accommodation arrangement during your visit to Thailand. As lots of people are vying for the limited accommodations during the peak period, it is not surprising that the cost of accommodation is usually high at the time. But during the off-peak period, most hotel and resort owners are looking for people to fill their empty properties. Consequently, they are always ready to offer these accommodations at a relatively cheaper cost. You can even negotiate for prices lower than the initial offers of the hotels and resorts.
Vital considerations for traveling during the rainy season
Nonetheless, before embarking on a cheap trip to Thailand during the off-peak period, you should note some considerations. Basically, everyone avoids traveling to the country during this period for a reason. Rain may fall for several hours during the day. This does not only lead to flooding and other issues, but it will also make it difficult for you to explore Thailand. So, what is the essence of visiting Thailand on the cheap if you will hardly be able to go to any tourist attractions?
Besides, in Thailand, the rainy season is notorious for strong winds, downpours, and storms. The combination of these adverse weather elements can cause great discomfort and sickness for people, especially foreigners that are not used to them. Hence, if you are unlucky, you may need to return home earlier than planned because of the unbearable intense humidity of Thailand.
In addition to this, some activities may be difficult to enjoy during the rainy season. For instance, if you like hiking, the rainy season may not be the right time to do so. Even Lonely Planet notes that some islands may be closed down and some boat services may be unavailable during the period.
All these factors suggest that you should be careful before going to Thailand during the rainy season.
What are the best places to visit in Thailand during the rainy season?
Although the rainy season in Thailand can be harsh, the severity of the weather differs from one location to another. For instance, the monsoon season brings more rain to the south of Thailand than the northern side of the country. As a result of this, it is more advisable to visit the south of the nation during the rainy season if you want to save money on your journey. The thunderstorms, winds, rain, and floods also tend to be more bearable in the south than in the north.
Conclusion
The cheapest time to visit Thailand is the rainy season, which usually runs from March to September. During this period, the majority of the tourists avoid visiting the country. Hence, you will likely get cheaper accommodation, airfare, shopping bargains, etc. during the period. However, don’t forget to check the various considerations highlighted above to understand some of the challenges you may encounter if you visit the country during the rainy season.