Weather
Hot and humid, with the first real rain of the year arriving mid-month. The Andaman starts to get squally in the last week; the Gulf stays calm for another month.
Why it is underrated
Hotel prices drop sharply after Songkran, temples are quiet, and the countryside turns green. You get high-season comfort at low-season prices until about the 20th.
What to book
The Gulf (Samui, Phangan, Tao) is the safer coast. In the north, the rain clears the smoke — Chiang Mai in late May is far more pleasant than in March.
