Bangkok (Lonely Planet) - Andrew Burke [1]
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WHEN TO GO
The ‘City of Angels’ has three distinct seasons: the hot season runs from March to May or June, followed by the rainy season until November, and the cool season from November until the end of February. With its low humidity, relatively low temperatures and clear skies, the cool season is the best time to visit, though regular days of high 20s and low 30s might leave you wondering just who came up with the term ‘cool’. The hot season vivifies the famous Noel Coward verse: ‘In Bangkok at twelve o’clock they foam at the mouth and run, But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.’ The fresh winds from February to April are a relief, but May is deadly. The monsoon season brings rain almost daily, but it’s rare that it will rain all day and it’s often limited to a short, refreshing afternoon downpour. For more on Bangkok's climate, see Click here.
Not surprisingly, Bangkok’s peak tourist season is during the cool season, with a secondary peak during July and August. If your main objective is to avoid crowds and to take advantage of discounted rooms and low-season rates, come during April to June and September and October.
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FESTIVALS
Thais love little more than a festival full of sà·nùk (fun) and Bangkok is host to an eclectic mix, from Buddhist celebrations to jazz events and festivals of food. Dates and venues often vary from year to year because the festival adheres to the lunar calendar, organisers aren’t organised enough or local authorities change festival days. Which means you’ll often have to wait until the festival is only months or even weeks away before exact dates and locations are available. That said, wherever dates have been available we have included them here. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (www.tourismthailand.org) features major festivals and events.
On Buddhist holidays it’s illegal to sell alcohol so bars stay closed. For a list of public holidays, see Click here. For a lunar calendar, see http://kalender-365.de/lunar-calendar.php.
January & February
CHINESE NEW YEAR
3–5 Feb 2011, 23–25 Jan 2012
Some time from late January to late February, Bangkok’s large Thai-Chinese population celebrate their lunar new year, called đrùt jeen in Thai, with a week full of house cleaning, lion dances and fireworks. The most impressive festivities, unsurprisingly, take place in Chinatown.
MAKHA BUCHA
Makha Bucha is held on the full moon of the third lunar month (late February to early March) to commemorate the Buddha preaching to 1250 enlightened monks who came to hear him ‘without prior summons’. The festival culminates with a candlelit walk around the main chapel at every wát.
March
BANGKOK INTERNATIONAL FASHION WEEK
www.thaicatwalk.com
Thai designers show their work in this trade fair that is busy with catwalk shows and parties, usually in mid-March. If you want a seat but don’t have a ticket, be sure to look the part.
KITE FLYING SEASON
During the windy season from the middle of February to early April colourful kites battle it out over the skies of Sanam Luang and Lumphini Park. The Thailand International Kite Festival is held at this time every second year; next in 2012.
WORLD THAI MARTIAL ARTS FESTIVAL
Ayuthaya
Week-long moo·ay tai (also spelt muay thai) festival in mid-March with a spiritual aspect, the ancient Waikru Muay Thai ceremony.
April
SONGKRAN
13–15 Apr
Songkran is the celebration of the Thai New Year. Those Bangkokians who don’t head home for the holiday observe traditional rites such as Buddha images being ‘bathed’ and monks and elders receiving the respect of younger Thais through the sprinkling of water over their hands. Travellers tend to become thoroughly immersed in one mega-waterfight or another. The biggest are organised