The best indoor activities for rainy days in Thailand
Rainy days in Thailand can be quite unpredictable, and this can spoil whatever activity you have planned for the day. But then the good thing is that this could be a chance for you to take things a bit slower and enjoy the busy city in a different way.
The rainy days do not have to stop your plans. Instead of the different outdoor activities you have planned, you can choose to take the fun indoors instead. No matter which city you happen to be in, as a local or tourist, you can still experience several fun indoor activities on gray days.
1. Play Online Games Indoors
One of the most enjoyable and easy things to do on a rainy day is to play online games. What’s good about online games is that one can play them solo or with friends. There’s even a good chance of making new friends while playing online.
There are many online games to try: from multiplayer battles to virtual reality games and online casino games. For visitors from the Middle East, who are used to staying indoors during hot summer days, Thailand’s rainy afternoons can feel quite similar.
Many tourists spend this time relaxing in their hotel rooms and enjoying online entertainment. Those who are into iGaming end up visiting Arabic casinos. These platforms were made for them. They have Arabic-language options, live dealers, and mobile access that make gaming easy and familiar even while traveling.
(Source: https://www.valuewalk.com/igaming/best-arabic-casinos/)
To make gaming time count, ensure that the space is comfy, there is a reliable WiFi connection, grab a drink, and then settle in. But make sure to check for reviews about the platform you’ll be playing on if it’s your first time on it. The good thing is that gaming is booming in Thailand, so you will most likely find a community for whatever type of game you’re into. You can ask for first-hand opinions. And they can guide you better.
2. Indulge In A Relaxing Spa Or Wellness Experience
In Thailand, a great indoor experience on a rainy day is to indulge in a spa or wellness centre. The Thai wellness tourism industry is well sought after globally. Currently, there are over 92,800 wellness-tourism businesses in the country, which generate about THB 670 billion (US$20.6 billion) in revenue. About 28,200 from these businesses are direct providers like spas, clinics, and wellness centres, valued at THB 220 billion (US$6.77 billion). Then the remaining 64,600 related businesses bring in about THB 450 billion (US$13.86 billion). (1 THB ≈ 0.03 US$)
What this means is that on rainy days, instead of being bored, visiting a wellness center or spa to receive a Thai herbal wrap or a foot reflexology session is a great way to spend the day. Places like Bangkok and other popular tourist centres offer great resort spas and boutique wellness studios. If you’ve been busy doing outside activities, a rainy day is the perfect opportunity to get much-needed rest and feel better at the end of the day.
3. Join A Thai Cooking Class
Rainy days mean that there’s no trip to the beach, or ways to attend any outdoor activities. However, Thai cooking classes are indoors. A cooking class is a great alternative instead of being upset at canceled plans due to the weather. Thai cuisine is renowned globally, and they know it.
The culinary tourism market made US$32.5 billion(THB 1.05 trillion) in 2024 and is projected to grow to US$179.4 billion (THB 5.82 trillion) by 2034. That’s how good the food is. So why not take a lesson and see how it’s done?
These classes teach students how to choose ingredients, learn cooking skills, and cook Thai dishes themselves. In Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Phuket, and other cities, they mostly start in an open local market and proceed to a kitchen, so they are perfect for rainy days.
4. Explore Museums, Aquariums & Malls
Rain in Thailand shouldn’t be the reason the outing has to stop. Fortunately, many of the country’s major cities have large, well-designed indoor venues for exploring, shopping, and entertainment. In Bangkok, for instance, the mega mall MBK Center has over 2,000 shops and draws more than 100,000 visitors a day at certain times. Other large-scale malls like Siam Paragon and Iconsiam rank among Thailand’s biggest indoor destinations and combine shopping, dining, cinema, an aquarium, and other entertainment zones.
Apart from the malls, Bangkok and other major cities have unique museums like the National Museum Bangkok and indoor aquariums like Aquaria Phuket. There are also other aquariums in large shopping centres that allow visitors to wander along the glass windows to watch sea life.
5. Visit Cafés, Covered Markets & Local Workshops
Thailand offers plenty of cozy cafes and covered markets where people can enjoy freshly brewed tea and coffee while watching the rain or shopping for different types of goods. There are also indoor workshops for pottery, textile dyeing, and local crafts. Anyone can visit these places to learn.
There are also themed cafes like After the Rain Coffee and Gallery in Bangkok, and Chon Cafe in Chiang Mai. If you like a little bit of flair, the Floral Cafe at Napasorn is known for its floral theme. Covered markets like Bangkok’s Chatuchak Weekend Market are among the world’s biggest markets. There is also the Phuket Weekend Market (Naka market), which has a large corrugated metal roof to protect the place from getting wet when it rains.
These places provide fun and enjoyable experiences for anyone who loves shopping, just sitting quietly in a cafe, or learning something new.
6. Visit An Indoor Cinema
Going to watch movies in an indoor cinema is a good way of passing a rainy day. Thailand has over 1,200 theatre screens, with about 70% of them located in Bangkok and the other major cities. The popular ones, like SF Cinema and Major Cineplex, are the luxury cinemas. They provide recliner seats, private screens, and 4DX experiences, all of which are perfect for a solo or couple rainy day.
Thailand has a strong cinema culture. The country’s Box Office reported that revenue from cinema admissions exceeded THB 4.2 billion (about $115 million) in 2023, a 25% increase from the previous year. This shows just how much both the locals and international visitors enjoy the cinema culture.
7. Visit Entertainment Complexes
Interestingly, most entertainment complexes in Thailand, especially the ones in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, are not just cinema halls; they have other entertainment zones with arcade games, indoor go-karting, karaoke rooms, escape rooms, bowling alleys, and VR gaming pods. The Urban Playground in Bangkok has indoor climbing, skate parks, and fitness areas all fully covered and air-conditioned.
Rainy days in Thailand don’t have to be boring; there are so many fun activities to enjoy, from spas to entertainment centers to gaming. Many of these spots are close to each other, which means several of these activities can be tried on a single day. No matter how rainy it is in Thailand, there is always something fun to do.
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