HEADLINES OF THE WEEK WITH LONELY PLANET / The 9 Best Places To Visit In Spring In Thailand / By Craig Sauers / Publisher Lonely Planet

Spring in Thailand looks nothing like it does elsewhere. While the northern hemisphere shakes off winter, the Thai summer is just heating up.

March launches the country’s steady, fiery climb to April, the hottest time of year, when temperatures soar past 36°C (97°F) and can feel even hotter. Then as the heat reaches its breaking point, the first rains arrive in May – a prelude to the wet, muggy months ahead.

But hot or wet weather rarely slows things down in Thailand. If you plan wisely, spring (in other words, Thai summer) is still a great time to visit. Whether you’re after sun-drenched islands or off-the-beaten-path adventures, here’s where to go in Thailand in spring 2025.

Ko Lipe. fokke baarssen/Shutterstock

1. Ko Lipe

When temperatures climb, Ko Lipe is a perfect escape. This tiny Andaman island – just 4 sq km (1.5 sq miles) – is known for its sugary white sands, thriving coral reefs and sublime beaches like Hat Sunset, Hat Sunrise and Hat Pattaya. March brings a slight dip in crowds, making it easier to find your own stretch of snowbird-free sand.

Beyond the obvious appeal for sunseekers, Ko Lipe’s coral and calm seas create a watersports wonderland. If you get bored of terrestrial beauty, consider a day trip to neighboring Ko Adang, Ko Usen or Ko Kra – all fine snorkeling sites. You can also snorkel, dive, kayak or take a paddleboard around Ko Lipe.

Planning tip: Ferry services scale back in May as the monsoon approaches, so check schedules in advance.

Wat Wang Wiwekaram. Chakarin Wattanamongkol/Getty Images

2. Sangkhlaburi

Best for hidden history

Four hours northwest of Kanchanaburi, Sangkhlaburi is a border town where Thai, Karen and Mon communities have coexisted for centuries. Visitors who make the journey are rewarded with a slow pace of life, beautiful hill-surrounded scenery and unique sites.

Walk across Saphan Mon, Thailand’s longest wooden bridge at 447m (1466ft), and visit the striking Wat Wang Wiwekaram, the spiritual heart of Thailand’s Mon people. Then search for Sangkhlaburi’s sunken city. In the 1980s, the Vajiralongkorn Dam submerged the old settlement here. All that remains are the ruins of a few old temples. You can tour them by boat year-round, but in March, when the water is low, you can sometimes access Wat Samprasob by foot.

Planning tip: If the heat allows, Sangkhlaburi is a fantastic place to hike, and you can also follow the Three Pagodas Pass (Phrá Jedii Sǎam Ong) to the border, although be sure to check current security conditions.

3. Ko Phayam

Best for unplugging

With northern Thailand choked in seasonal haze and Bangkok sweltering, head to Ko Phayam, a car-free island off the coast of Ranong.

Ever since The Beach propelled a fantasized picture of Thai islands onto the silver screen, freedom-seeking travelers have been searching for the same kind of untouched utopia. Ko Phayam comes close.

The internet is patchy, most bungalows are basic, and electricity is limited, but that’s the charm. The main beaches – the wide, sweeping Ao Yai and vacant Ao Khao Kwai – face Myanmar’s Andaman Islands and promise stunning sunsets. Unlike most Thai islands, Ko Phayam even gets surfable waves, with intermediate-level swells as early as March.

If your idea of paradise is a digital detox scored to the sound of the sea, this is the place.

The rooftop at Skywalk Mahanakhon in Bangkok. Athikhom Saengchai for Lonely Planet

4. Bangkok

Best for food and nightlife

April in Bangkok is scorching, but if you embrace it, the city will satisfy you.

Songkran (aka Thai New Year, April 13 to 15) turns Bangkok into a giant water fight-slash-frat party, with celebrations taking over Silom, Ratchaprasong and Khao San Road. For a more traditional experience, you can visit Wat Arun and Wat Pho to witness the holiday’s cultural roots.

If being soaked in water of unknown provenance doesn’t appeal, Bangkok’s refreshingly over-air-conditioned shopping malls, bars and restaurants present a reprieve when you need it. The local markets and mom-and-pop shops stay open, some even during Songkran.

But this is also a fine opportunity to sign up for a cooking class, take a nighttime food tour through Chinatown or get drinks at a breezy, open-air rooftop bar.

Planning tip: Bangkok’s ever-growing array of high-end restaurants often adjust their menus in April, serving seasonal and hyper-regional Thai cuisine you won’t find anywhere else.

During Songkran in Chiang Mai. Catherine Edwards/Getty Images

5. Chiang Mai

Best for Songkran

If Bangkok is the most convenient place to experience Songkran, Chiang Mai is the most exciting. Thailand’s second city celebrates for a full week. From April 12 to 16, the Old City moat becomes a battleground where locals and travelers drench one another with buckets of ice-cold water, the music thumps and food and drinks flow freely.

Mornings provide a glimpse into Songkran’s spiritual side, with parades and purification ceremonies at the mountaintop Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and Wat Phra Singh in the Old City. When you need a break from the action, you can unwind at a cafe or by your hotel pool.

Chiang Mai is also a foodie’s paradise in April. This time of year, nam dok mai mangoes – the juiciest kind, known for their sunrise-yellow flesh – hit peak season, piling up at the Warorot market stalls alongside mangosteen, jackfruit, rambutan and late-season lychee.

6. Phuket and the Similan Islands

Best for diving

Setting aside the Thai new year – which is celebrated with booze-filled zeal here too – Phuket is an ideal April destination. This month marks the end of the dry season, meaning one last chance for sunny skies and calm seas for beach days and island-hopping. It also means rain-free nights exploring Phuket Town’s budding bar life and festivals at beach clubs unrestricted by adverse conditions.

If you can peel yourself away from Phuket’s 30-plus white sand beaches and buzzing dining and nightlife, venture out to the Similan Islands. The 70-sq-km (27-sq-mile) marine park is one of the world’s top dive sites, home to graceful manta rays, schools of barracuda and the occasional whale shark. Not only is the visibility still good in April but it’s also your last chance to dive until October – the islands close for six months during the monsoon.

7. The Gulf Islands

Best for affordable island getaways

In May, the Andaman Coast gets drenched by summer storms. But in the Gulf of Thailand, Ko Samui, Ko Pha-Ngan and Ko Tao stay drier. High season is over, so hotel prices drop and you can score a deal on a beachfront stay.

The three gulf islands have different strengths. On upscale Ko Samui, you can channel The White Lotus with a stay at the five-star Anantara and Four Seasons properties featured in the series. Just don’t expect huge discounts. Neighboring Ko Pha-Ngan never really empties, thanks to full-moon parties and a long-stay community along its west coast, but mellow vibes and activities more aligned with yoga and sound baths than motorized watercraft and cabarets make it a placid place to unplug. The smallest of the three, Ko Tao is all about diving. It’s one of the most convenient places on the planet to get PADI-certified, and whale shark sightings peak in April and May.

8. Isan

Best for lush landscapes

By May, Isan’s rice paddies burst into a patchwork of green as farmers prepare for the planting season. The monsoon may be on the horizon, but this is one of northeastern Thailand’s most scenic months and a great opportunity for travelers to experience the rhythms of rural life. Go on a road trip here and you’ll see more than quiet countryside.

On top of jade-colored paddies, May brings Isan’s most explosive festival – Bun Bang Fai, better known as the Rocket Festival. A multiday merit-making ceremony practiced by the Lao people in Yasothon, Roi Et and Mahasarakham provinces, the festival features full-blast molam music, parades and rice whiskey-fueled dancing.

Planning tip: On the third day, residents fire makeshift rockets into the sky to encourage the rain to fall. It’s a one-of-a-kind sight, but make sure to stand at a safe distance from the homemade pyrotechnics.

A slice of durian. Ekachai Chobphot/EyeEm/Getty Images

9. Rayong and Chanthaburi

Best for fruit-filled feasts

While Thailand’s beaches empty out in May, Rayong and Chanthaburi step up for those seeking serene shorelines, scenic drives, culture and food.

Late May kicks off an indulgent harvest in Thailand’s eastern provinces. The Rayong Fruit Festival celebrates the region’s bounty – mangosteen, durian, snake fruit, rambutan, mango and more – with themed parades, all-you-can-eat fruit buffets and bursting markets.

Neighboring Chanthaburi is one of Thailand’s most unheralded historic destinations, blending French, Chinese, Khmer and Vietnamese Christian influences. Explore the stilted Chanthaboon waterfront community. Wander the quaint old town, home to the Gothic-style Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, with its sapphire-covered Virgin Mary statue. Then chase waterfalls, like the three-tiered Nam Tok Phlio, visit a fruit farm or two, and savor local specialties, like sweet-savory moo chamuang (pork curry with cowa mangosteen leaves) and seafood with Chanthaburi pepper.