April is the month Bangkok is hottest and happiest, in that order.
Weather#
| Typical | |
|---|---|
| Days | High 30s °C, sometimes 40 |
| Nights | Warm, high 20s |
| Rain | Dry, with the first storms possible at month's end |
| Humidity | High and rising |
March is a few degrees kinder; May starts the rains. Weather by month.
Songkran: 13 to 15 April#
Thai New Year, celebrated with water: originally a gentle pouring over elders' hands and Buddha images, now a citywide three-day water fight with buckets, hoses and super-soakers. Silom Road and Khao San are the main battlegrounds; neighbourhoods have their own. Phones in waterproof pouches, nothing you mind losing, a water gun from 7-Eleven, and surrender. Temples hold the quiet, traditional side in the mornings. Songkran in Bangkok has the full guide.
If you'd rather stay dry#
Avoid the three days and the one either side. Or lean in: it's three days a year and you'll remember them.
What closes#
Many small shops and family restaurants close for Songkran as the city empties to the provinces. Malls, hotels, big restaurants and tourist sites stay open. Trains and buses out of Bangkok sell out around the holiday; book early or stay put.
Crowds and prices#
Shoulder season: hotel rates are low, except around Songkran when they rise. The Grand Palace is quiet in the heat; go at opening regardless. Where to stay, with a pool, non-negotiable in April. Bangkok on a budget.
What to pack#
The least clothing that's still temple-legal, sandals that dry, a hat, a waterproof phone pouch, electrolytes. What to wear in Bangkok.
Plan it#
The hot-season day: out early, in from noon to four, out at dusk. The 3-day itinerary rearranged for that. For Songkran, a Bangkokian who knows which street and which hour makes it a festival instead of a drenching; post your dates on Roavi Community and a Local Friend can take you. Travellers here for Songkran appear there too.
Bangkok for Songkran? Post your dates and find your water-fight team.
Post your tripFrequently Asked Questions
When is Songkran in Bangkok?
13 to 15 April every year, the Thai New Year. In Bangkok the water fighting often starts a day early and runs a day late, and the official celebration zones (Silom Road, Khao San Road and others) are announced each year.How hot is Bangkok in April?
The hottest month: highs in the high thirties Celsius, sometimes touching forty, with warm nights and rising humidity. Afternoons are for air conditioning, pools and the river. The first storms can arrive in the last week.Should I avoid Bangkok during Songkran?
Only if you don't want to be wet. For three days you cannot walk down a main street dry from noon onward; phones go in waterproof pouches, and many small businesses close as Thais return to their home provinces. For everyone else it's the most fun the city has all year.Is April a good time to visit Bangkok?
For Songkran, yes, uniquely. Otherwise it's the hardest month for heat and a good one for prices. Plan every day around a long midday break and you'll be fine.
