What to do in Bangkok in April: heat, Songkran and tips

April is Bangkok's hottest month and the month of Songkran, the Thai New Year, with its street water fights. Afternoons top 35°C, nights stay above 27°C, and the first storms at the end of the month begin to cool the city. It is also a month of holidays: 6 April is a public holiday, followed by three days of celebrations on 13-15 April 2027. This guide covers the weather to expect, crowds and prices, dated events, what to wear and ideas for staying in the shade or on the water. Dates were checked in October 2026.

April weather: the hottest month

Songkran on Silom Road, Bangkok

Bangkok average	April
Average maximum temperature	35.7°C
Average minimum temperature	27.2°C
Rainfall	93 mm
Rain days (at least 1 mm)	5
Sunshine	227 h

Source: 1991-2020 normals for the Bangkok Metropolis station of the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD), consulted in October 2026. These are averages: a given year can differ markedly. Visit temples when they open, keep the midday hours for air-conditioned museums and the malls of Siam, and drink plenty of water. The storms at the end of the month are short and violent, often in the late afternoon. To compare every month, see the best time to visit Bangkok.

Crowds and prices in April

Crowds are moderate, with a peak around Songkran: Thais use the holidays to travel with their families, trains, buses and domestic flights fill up, and hotels near the water-play zones (Silom, Khao San Road) book early. Outside those days, April is quieter than the high season from November to February. To choose a neighbourhood, see where to stay in Bangkok, and to estimate your spending the Bangkok travel budget.

April 2027 events

Tuesday 6 April: Chakri Day

Chakri Day commemorates the founding of the ruling dynasty. It is a public holiday: banks and government offices are closed, while shops and malls generally stay open.

Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 April: Songkran

Bathing of Buddha statues at Wat Pho during Songkran

Songkran, the Thai New Year, is a public holiday from Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 April 2027, according to the Bank of Thailand calendar published in August 2026. It is first a family and religious festival (bathing of Buddha statues, offerings, scented water poured over elders' hands) before it is the great water fight. In Bangkok the city supervises the water play: in 2026 the main zone was on Silom Road and the Khao San Road zone was open from noon to midnight, with no alcohol inside the perimeter. The 2027 programme has not been published yet: the page describes the 2026 edition, whose pattern is stable from year to year.

Note: high-pressure water guns, powder and alcohol were banned in the supervised zones in 2026; only splash people who are joining in. Keep your phone, passport and cash in a waterproof pouch.

What to wear in April

Light cotton or linen clothes that dry quickly, especially during Songkran.
A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen for outdoor visits.
Covering clothes in your bag (shoulders and knees) for temples, see dress code in Bangkok's temples.
Closed shoes that stay on when wet if you join the water play.
A waterproof pouch for your phone and papers.

The best things to do in April

Sand stupas at Wat Pho during Songkran

Temples early in the morning: Wat Pho and Wat Arun are far more bearable at opening time; during Songkran, temple courtyards fill with sand stupas.
The river: the breeze on the Chao Phraya cools you down; see also the canals of Thonburi.
Air-conditioned museums: see Bangkok's museums to fill the afternoon.
Parks at sunset: Lumphini Park comes alive when the heat drops.
The city at night: Bangkok at night for markets and cooler terraces.
At the table: iced desserts and fruit, see Thai desserts in Bangkok.

April 2027 at a glance

Date	Event	Info
Tuesday 6 April	Chakri Day	Public holiday, banks closed
Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 April	Songkran, Thai New Year	Public holidays, water fights, banks and offices closed
All month	35.7°C in the afternoon, 5 rain days	First storms at the end of the month