It is the question everyone asks before booking their camp: what is the best month to train in Thailand? The answer varies depending on your goal: improving your technique, losing fat, fighting, or simply living an experience. Here is the complete month-by-month guide.
Thailand's three seasons at a glance
Unlike Europe, Thailand does not have four seasons but three:
- Cool season: November → February. The best period for hard training. Temperatures of 24 to 31°C, bearable humidity, clear skies. It is the tourist high season.
- Hot season: March → May. It is very hot (35 to 40°C during the day), the humidity is heavy. Midday sessions become brutal. On the other hand, prices drop and camps are less crowded.
- Rainy season: June → October. It rains in downpours, often in the late afternoon. Mornings usually stay dry. It is the low season: rock-bottom prices, quiet camps, but watch out for the rare days of heavy rain that slightly disrupt outdoor training.
Month by month: what you need to know
November
The absolute dream for a first camp. The rains are ending, the heat is coming down, the vegetation is still green and flight prices are only just starting to climb. If you can go in November, go for it.
December
Tourist high season. Ideal climate (25-30°C, dry). Camps fill up, flight prices skyrocket around the holidays. Book your ticket at least 3 months in advance.
January
Often considered the best month of the year for training: perfect climate, new-year energy, busy camps. It is also resolution month, many people go to lose weight or start a transformation.
February
Still dry, a little hotter than January but still very comfortable. The last perfect month before temperatures rise.
March
The heat starts hitting seriously from the second half of the month. Midday sessions become demanding. It is the end of the high season: flight prices come down.
April
The hottest month of the year. Temperatures climb to 38-40°C, the humidity is heavy. It is also the month of Songkran (Thai New Year, 13-15 April): the whole country stops for a few days for a gigantic water fight. Some camps close for 2 to 4 days during the festival.
May
Still very hot, but the first showers start cooling the atmosphere. Low season for travellers, good deals on flights and accommodation.
June, July, August
The monsoon sets in. Contrary to what people imagine, it does not rain all day: you often get two to three hours of intense downpours per day, usually in the late afternoon or at night. Mornings are dry. Prices are at their lowest. Outdoor sessions can be moved under covered areas in case of heavy rain.
September, October
The wettest months of the year, especially on the west coast (Phuket, Krabi). In Hua Hin (east coast), the impact is much more moderate. October remains a viable option with very gentle prices.
Depending on your goal
- First camp / discovery: November, December, January or February. Ideal climate, maximum energy.
- Weight loss / transformation: March-April. The heat accelerates the effects of training and dieting, provided you adjust your pace and hydration.
- Tight budget: May, June, September, October. Flights and accommodation up to 40% cheaper.
- Long intensive camp: November to March. Ideally, cover the whole dry season.
- Amateur fight or competition: avoid Songkran and plan for the period when you are in shape. The dry season offers more opportunities for organised fights.
The traps of the "extreme" periods
- Songkran (13-15 April). If you land on these dates, you lose 2 to 4 days of training and get buckets of water thrown at you all day. Fun once, but good to know.
- Late July (28 July, the King's birthday) and early December (5 December, Father's Day and National Day). Public holidays, some camps run at reduced pace.
- Chinese New Year (late January - early February). Hua Hin and Phuket are packed with Chinese tourism, prices go back up.
Our recommendation at Old School Boxing
For a first camp, we recommend January, February or November. It is the perfect combination: optimal climate, team at full capacity, high collective energy. If your budget is tight, October is an excellent compromise: end of the rainy season, prices still gentle, and camps already starting to fill up.
Honestly, the worst choice is not the monsoon, it is waiting for the perfect period and never leaving. The best month is the one when you can really free up two weeks.
