Thailand Holidays Off-Peak: 5 Tips Why You should

So you’ve decided that the Land of Smiles is the destination for this year’s vacation. Tropical, easy on the budget, great food, what’s not to like? And to make the best of your time, you go when things are happening—Flower Festival in Chiang Mai, Songkran in northern Thailand, New Year, the Lantern Festival. Right? Wrong. Here’s why.

1. Airfare deals, bargain flights. Budget travel is the key. Take a look at Thai Airways or do a general search for flights to Thailand, and you’ll find great packages and cheap flights. Some won’t let you cancel and/or change your dates, but if you’ve already got everything organized, that shouldn’t be any trouble.
2. More flexible. Need to extend your stay a day or two? Can’t. The day before you arrive, or the day after your intended check-out, is already packed. The receptionist will apologize and tell you they’d have loved to let you stay on, but they simply don’t have the space. Time to lug your suitcases around town in a rented car or worse, a tuk-tuk, and nobody to blame but yourself. Traveling in off-peak months and want to extend your stay? They’ll probably give you a room upgrade or a discount for the privilege.
3. Last-minute decisions. We’ve all been there! Your schedule got tight, your client wanted this job done right now, things piled up and you lost track of time. Before you know it, it’s just a day before you board the plane and head for the tropical warmth of Thailand. Oops. You forgot to book a hotel. Now all there is left is a bunch of run-down bed and breakfast and guesthouses. Cheap, sure, but do you really want to spend your holiday in those? You deserve better. Travel off-peak and you’ll find yourself in luxury three-to-four-stars hotels at almost the same price you’d have paid for dilapidated guesthouses during Flower Festival.
4. More expensive. Accommodation during peak times is at a premium. Hotel rooms in tourist hubs like Chiang Mai, Phuket and Koh Samui will be full up. Ask for the best suite, tell them you’re a millionaire, but if they haven’t got it, they haven’t got it. If you do squeeze in, be assured that on New Year’s Eve you aren’t going to get that last remaining room for nuts. You can threaten to take your business elsewhere or tell them that so-and-so hotel is giving you a much friendlier rate, and the receptionist will shrug and wish you luck. They can sell the room to someone else, after all. It’s supplier’s market.
5. Crowds, crowds, crowds. Those charming street markets sure looked great on the postcards until you’re there and realize you are another tuna in a tin can. Want to know a secret? They’ve got street markets all the time! Same goes with many year-round events and festivals. Look up your destination and do a little research. You’re bound to find any number of fairs. Plus, the tiger farm or the elephant camp you’ve always wanted to see? Yup, that’s also active round the year, and what’s more you won’t be rubbing shoulders with so many tourists. No reason to put up with long baggage collection waits, either.

The best months to do all these are May to September. Weather in Thailand during this time of the year is on the warm side with a bit of rain, but if you’d wanted wintry, you’d have stayed home, right? Besides, you can always duck into a café for some iced drinks and air-conditioning. And with all the travel budget you’ll be saving—along with everything else I’ve listed right here—the climate isn’t going to bother you for long.