There is one catch and one exception. The catch is Christmas and New Year, the most expensive fortnight of the whole year. The exception is the Gulf coast, where Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao are still shaking off their own wet season. This guide goes through the weather region by region, then helps you pick a coast, a set of islands and a route.
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Download the appIs December a good time to go to Thailand?
Yes. December sits in Thailand's cool season, which runs from November to February: dry, comfortable and good almost everywhere at once. Bangkok, the north and the Andaman coast all rate it one of their best months.
Plenty of people know it, and that popularity has a price: rooms around Christmas and New Year sell out months ahead and can cost double.
So December works best if you book the big pieces early, know which coast you are heading to, and keep the Gulf islands for later in the season.
Thailand in December weather, region by region
Thailand's two coasts have opposite monsoons, and that one fact decides most December trips. Here is how each region behaves.
Bangkok and central Thailand
Warm, dry and less humid than the rest of the year. December is the sweet spot for walking the old town and the river, especially in the first half of the month before the Christmas crowds land. Bangkok also marks the late King's birthday holiday in December, which adds Thai visitors on top of the international peak.
Most routes start and end here. Across the more than 268,000 Thailand trips planned with Stippl, Bangkok is the stop travellers add most often, usually for two or three nights. If you are deciding on a neighbourhood, our guide to where to stay in Bangkok sorts the areas by trip style, and the Bangkok page covers what to see.
The north: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Pai
The north is at its clearest and coolest. Chiang Mai averages around 28 °C by day and 15 °C at night in December, a big swing that catches people arriving from the beach in shorts. Up in Pai, mornings run between 9 and 15 °C, and most budget bungalows have no heating.
That cool air is exactly why it works: temple visits, the Sunday Walking Street and a day out to the mountains around Chiang Mai are comfortable from early morning to evening. Pack a fleece.
Verdict: go. Book Pai early if you are there around New Year, when simple bungalows can cost two or three times their normal rate.
Andaman coast: Phuket, Krabi and Koh Lipe
This is December's star. The west coast is dry from roughly November to April, and December sits right in its settled core. Phuket's December brings a fraction of November's rain, the sea flattens out, and every boat is running.
That makes it the month for island hopping: long-tails from Krabi and Ao Nang to Railay and the four islands, ferries down to Koh Lanta, and the full run south to Koh Lipe, whose season opened in November. Diving is good too: the Similan and Surin marine parks reopen in mid October.
Verdict: go, and book boats and rooms ahead for the second half of the month.
Gulf islands: Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao
Here is the exception. The Gulf runs on the northeast monsoon, which peaks in November and tails off slowly. December is still Koh Samui's third wettest month, the sea can be rough, and on bad days the authorities keep boats ashore, which hits the Koh Tao and Koh Phangan ferries first. Ang Thong Marine Park, the classic day trip from Samui, stays closed until mid December.
It is not a washout: December is clearly better than November, and plenty of days are bright. But if one of these three islands is the whole point of your trip, February to April is the reliably dry window. Our comparison of Koh Samui vs Phuket sets the two coasts side by side on exactly this question.
Verdict: possible, but keep your plans flexible and leave a spare day around any ferry.
Eastern islands: Koh Chang and Koh Kood
The quiet alternative. The islands near the Cambodian border are dry in December, with calm water and good visibility, and they draw far fewer international visitors than the Andaman side. Koh Kood in particular is the pick for a slow week of swimming and kayaking.
Verdict: go, especially if you want beaches without the Phuket crowds.
Best beaches in Thailand in December
Stay on the Andaman side or go east, and pair islands that sit close together so you are not losing a day to every transfer:
- Krabi and Koh Lanta. Railay and Ao Nang for limestone cliffs and boat trips, then Koh Lanta for long, calm beaches. The ferry between them is short.
- Phuket and Khao Lak. Phuket's west coast beaches, then the quieter sand of Khao Lak an hour or so north, which is also the base for Similan trips.
- Koh Lipe. Far south and worth the journey for clear water and snorkelling straight off the beach. Give it at least three nights, because getting there takes most of a day.
- Koh Kood. The eastern option, calm and green, with far fewer people.
Christmas and New Year in Thailand
If your trip includes the last two weeks of December, three things help:
- Book months ahead. Rooms across the islands and in Chiang Mai sell out and often double in price for Christmas and New Year. Island boats sell out too, and buying at the harbour is no cheaper than booking online.
- Expect busy beaches. Phuket, Phi Phi and Ao Nang are at their fullest. Koh Lanta and Koh Kood stay noticeably calmer.
- Know what the dates mean locally. New Year's Eve is celebrated loudly on the islands and in Bangkok. On 26 December, the Khao Lak coast holds memorials for the 2004 tsunami, which hit this stretch hardest. It falls in the busiest week of the year, so it is worth knowing before you book a stay there.
Travelling in early December instead gets you the same weather at noticeably lower prices.
Is Thailand expensive in December?
Daily costs stay low; it is the rooms and the flights that climb. Flights to Thailand in December are at peak prices, and the closer you book to Christmas, the more you pay.
On the ground, a budget trip still runs about €20-30 a day (dorm or fan room, street food, buses and ferries), mid-range about €55-90 a day (a private room with a pool, restaurant meals, the odd domestic flight), and high-end from €180 a day. A street food plate is €1-2 (40-60 ฿).
One small thing that adds up: Thai ATMs charge a fixed fee of about €7-9 (250-350 ฿) per withdrawal, so take out larger amounts in one go.
A two week Thailand route for December
December lets you combine the cool north with the dry Andaman coast in one trip, which is not possible in most other months. This route covers both without rushing:
| Stop | Nights | Why in December |
|---|---|---|
| Bangkok | 2 | Dry and walkable before the holiday peak |
| Chiang Mai | 3 | Cool, clear days for temples and markets |
| Chiang Rai | 2 | The White Temple and the far north at their most comfortable |
| Phuket | 2 | Calm sea, beaches at their best |
| Koh Lanta | 2 | Quieter beaches, short ferry from the Krabi side |
| Ao Nang | 2 | Long-tail trips to Railay and the islands |
Fly from Chiang Rai to Phuket rather than going overland: it saves the best part of two days. If you would rather spend more time on the sand, our 10 day island route stays on the Andaman side the whole way, and the 10 day north route does the opposite.
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What to pack for Thailand in December
- Light, breathable clothes for the coast and Bangkok.
- A fleece or light jumper for the north, where nights and early mornings are genuinely cool.
- A light rain jacket if any Gulf island is on your list.
- Something that covers shoulders and knees for temple visits.
- Reef-safe sunscreen and a dry bag for boat days.
Thailand or Bali in December?
For dry weather, Thailand wins clearly. December falls in Bali's wet season, when the rain is at its heaviest and Christmas prices arrive on top. In Thailand, the Andaman coast, the north and the eastern islands are all dry, so you can plan a beach holiday with confidence.
Thailand in January
January is Thailand's busiest month to set off and the driest stretch for much of the country. The Gulf islands start to improve too, while the north stays cool. If December is fully booked, early January gives you the same weather once the New Year rush has passed. And if you can travel earlier, our guide to Thailand in November shows what you get before the December price jump.
Frequently asked questions about Thailand
Yes, it is one of the best months: dry and pleasant in Bangkok, the north and on the Andaman coast. It is also high season, so book rooms and boats early, especially for Christmas and New Year.
The Andaman islands, such as Phuket, Krabi, Koh Lanta and Koh Lipe, have the calmest sea and the clearest water. Koh Chang and Koh Kood in the east are dry and quieter. Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao can still see rain and rough seas.
Not in most of the country. The rainy season is over on the west coast and in the north. The Gulf coast is the exception: December is still one of Koh Samui's wetter months, though much drier than November.
Daily costs stay low, but rooms and flights are at peak prices, especially around Christmas and New Year, when island rooms can cost double. Travelling in early December and booking ahead keeps costs down.
Thailand, if you want dry weather. December is in Bali's wet season, while Thailand's Andaman coast and north are at their best.
Ready to put your December trip together? Start with the Thailand overview to pick your stops, then build the route day by day in the Stippl itinerary planner, where you can move nights around, add ferries and flights, and share the plan with whoever is coming along.
