The Best Time to Visit Pattaya, From Someone Who Lives Here

It depends whether it's your first visit. For first-timers, I'd say February or March. If you've been coming for years, I think the low season is the best time of all.

Roughly speaking, the high season runs from November to March, when it's cooler and drier, and the low or rainy season from around May to October.

When should you avoid visiting Pattaya?

The end of December and early January. It's very, very busy, and everything gets more expensive: hotels, car hire, the lot. Mid-April is worth knowing about too: Songkran in Pattaya lasts about a week.

Why February or March for a first visit?

You still want to come in the high season for your first trip. The weather is a bit cooler, and there's a better atmosphere because there are plenty of people around. It has more of a buzz. February and March give you that without the Christmas and New Year prices.

Why do repeat visitors prefer the low season?

These days, I prefer the low season myself. There are fewer people around, including fewer visitors who don't understand the culture and cause trouble. The traffic is lighter, everything is a bit cheaper, and life is just easier.

How bad is the rainy season in Pattaya?

(I've written a fuller piece on the rainy season in Pattaya.)

Not bad at all. On a typical day it rains for less than 45 minutes, and within a few hours it's dry again. It can be a little overcast, but that's no bad thing when you think about sun exposure.

You can get unlucky. Some visitors hit a two-week spell with heavy rain and occasional flooding. But that's the exception, not the rule.

Whenever you come, getting around is easier with your own wheels: read what I tell every Pattaya Rent a Car customer about driving here. If golf is on the plan, low season is great value too: see my guide to golf in Pattaya.