Season guide · Pattaya · Thailand
Pattaya in the hot season
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Horiuchi, Public domain
Quick answer
Very hot and humid, mostly dry, with Songkran water fights in April. Expect highs up to 34°C (93°F) and lows around 25°C (77°F), with about 23 rainy days across March–May.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 25°C (77°F) to 34°C (93°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 23
- Sea
- 29°C (84°F) to 30°C (86°F)
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in the hot season
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 33°C (91°F) | 25°C (77°F) | 4 | 12 h | 4/5 |
| April | 34°C (93°F) | 26°C (79°F) | 6 | 12.4 h | 4/5 |
| May | 34°C (93°F) | 26°C (79°F) | 13 | 12.7 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 34°C (93°F) against a yearly 32°C (90°F), and 23 of the year's roughly 112 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in the hot season
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- March: Pattaya Music Festival — free outdoor concerts (has usually been held in March)
- April: Songkran — Thai New Year water festival (13–15 April), with Pattaya's celebrations usually continuing until around 18–19 April
- May: Visakha Bucha — Buddhist holiday (usually May or June)
Make the most of the weather
Beach · Jomtien
Jomtien Beach
Head to the southern end for more space and kite-surfing schools, and visit the Jomtien Night Market in the evening.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Active
Viewpoint · Pratumnak Hill
Pattaya Viewpoint (Khao Phra Tamnak)
On the hill above Bali Hai Pier, this viewpoint looks over the whole curve of Pattaya Bay and the city, with the large Pattaya City sign on the hillside below.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Photo spot
- Couples
Religious site · Pratumnak Hill
Wat Phra Yai (Big Buddha Hill)
Find the Buddha image for the day of the week you were born and make a small offering, as Thai visitors do.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- History
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Garden · Sattahip
Nong Nooch Tropical Garden
About 15 km south of Pattaya, this huge privately owned garden covers hundreds of hectares with French and Italian-style gardens, cactus and orchid collections, a valley of dinosaur sculptures and daily Thai cultural shows.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Theme park · Na Jomtien
Ramayana Water Park
Arrive at opening to beat queues on the big slides, bring reef-safe sunscreen and rent a locker for valuables.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Active
- Outdoors
Day trips in the hot season
- Khao Kheow Open Zoo (About 45 minutes by car) — A large open-concept zoo in the hills of Si Racha district, where many animals live in wide enclosures; visitors can drive, cycle or ride a tram around, and there is a night safari.
- Bang Saen and Nong Mon market (About 1 hour by car) — A beach resort popular with Thai families, with a long palm-lined beach, seafood stalls and the Nong Mon market, famous for khao lam sticky rice and dried seafood.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the hot season a good time to visit Pattaya?
It is a trade-off: Very hot and humid, mostly dry, with Songkran water fights in April. The best months overall are November–February.
+What is the weather like in Pattaya in the hot season?
Highs of up to 34°C (93°F) and lows around 25°C (77°F), with about 23 rainy days over the season.