Thailand in July

[Canuck]

I'm trying to find info on Phuket and Northern Thailand in July. The info seems mixed. Some websights and books say it's a "bit" rainy but still find. Others claim it's terrible, can't swim in the ocean, terrible flooding, too hot. Does anyone have first hand experience or solid info?

Thanks!

 

[PeelBoy]

Used to live in Hong Kong, so had been in Thailand for over 20 times any month of the year, because of affordability, food, hospitality, culture and water sports.

Is it hot? Yes, very hot, especially in the summer months. I would avoid Bangkok in July. Go to the north, e.g. Chang Mai or Chang Rai, where the mountain provides a cooler weather, only in a relative sense. Or, go south to Phuket. It is still humid and hot, but the beaches provide excellent opportunity to cool off.

Is there any flood? It is a game of probability. Summer is the rainy season in the north. The whole country has tropical rainstorm almost daily just like Orlando. Rain is manageable in Thailand. It won't affect you itinerary much.

The best travel season is November to April. The worst is September and October when the whole country is unbearably humid and hot. July is like in-between.

Would I go in July? No. Why? Because the cheapest airfare probably is via Hong Kong, and if you want to stop over there for a few days, Hong Kong is too hot for any comfort travel. The temperature in the past few days was like 38C.

 

[CatLovers]

Too hot! Best time to visit Thailand is October or later.

 

[PLL]

We were there in July 4 yrs ago for our summer vacation. We made a side trip to Bangkok and Phuket from Singapore. Bangkok was very hot and uncomfortable due to the humidity. The only really tough part was visiting the Grand Palace in the blazing sun - you can't wear shorts and sandles and none of the buildings are air-conditioned; however the entire complex is just amazing. We enjoyed the sight-seeing, shopping and eating in Bangkok, the weekend market, MBK mall and the Thai people.

Our next stop was 3 days in Phuket - it wasn't as hot as Bangkok - stayed at the Marriott - a fab place right by the ocean. We were told the beach is not that nice in the summer, best time is Jan/Feb. We took a tour of Phang-Na Bay(I know I mis-spelled it but it included James Bond island and a village built into the ocean).

It didn't remember it raining when we were there. If it did, it cleared up quickly and did not interrupt anything. Inspite of the heat, since it was the only time we could go (school was out for our daughter), I'm glad we went. I look forward to going again.

 

[Abaco-Bob]

We lived in Chiang Mai for the last 3 years. Came back in Feb. The weather in CM at this time of year is (ru du fon) rainy nseason. What that means is it is going to rain daily but not all day. In the 3 years we only had all day rains abut 4 times. Most days it rains in the late afternoon. You just plan accordingly and carry an umbrella.

As for Bankok it is more humid as mentioned because it is only about 60K from the Gulf of Thailand. The Grand Palace is a must see but as mentioned you need to dress appropriately. No shorts or sleeveless atire. Sandals are common as that is what most Thai people (Khon Thai) wear. In fact when you enter the Temple of the Emerald Budha you must remove all foot wear and leave it outside. This temple is on the grounds of the Palace.

As for Phuket it is cooler but beware of the ocean rip currents at this time of year. They are serious and there are several drownings each year of people who are not careful.

If you have additional questions sned a PM

Abaco-Bob
Recently back from The Far Side

 

[PigsDad]

We enjoyed the sight-seeing, shopping and eating in Bangkok, the weekend market, MBK mall and the Thai people.

We traveled to Thailand twice while we were on a four month assignment in Singapore back in 1998. To this day, the thing that sticks out in my mind the most is how friendly the Thai people were -- even in a big city like Bangkok. They don't call it the "Land of a Thousand Smiles" for nothing!

While in Bangkok, another place I can recommend is Wat Po, home of the "reclining Buddha" (of fame and song). In Wat Po, there is a massage school where you can get an excellent Thai massage. It is a different kind of massage -- more focused on stretching and deep tissue work. I'm 6'4" (not a small guy) and this tiny Thai lady certainly worked me over! (but it was a good pain... ) We also really enjoyed renting a longboat (and a driver, of course) for an afternoon and he took us on a tour of the canals and river, stopping at various places.

A few weeks later we spent a weekend in Phuket. The highlights included riding elephants through the jungle, buying a hand-carved "elephant chair", and having a dinner at an outdoor restaurant with our table under the palm trees about 15 feet from the ocean shore. And the food was as fantastic as the atmosphere.

What a wonderful place! Thanks for letting me stroll down memory lane for a while. I hope the OP has a great time there.

BTW, both trips were in June/July, and we had no issues with the weather.

Kurt