Nonthaburi in November: What to Do, What to Skip, and Where to Stay

November Weather and the Riverside Rhythm

November in Nonthaburi sits at the turn of the season. The southwest monsoon has usually drained away by the first week, leaving daytime highs around 31–33°C and nights that finally drop to a comfortable 24–26°C. Rain still arrives in short, sharp bursts early in the month, so pack a light shell. The Chao Phraya runs high and fast, which means the express boat piers at Nonthaburi and Saphan Phut are busy but reliable. Mornings are the best window for outdoor wandering before the heat builds.

The province wraps around the river's western bend, and most of what a visitor wants sits within a few kilometres of the water. Ko Kret, the car-free island in the middle of the river, is the obvious anchor. Ferries leave from Wat Sanam Nuea pier in Pak Kret throughout the day; the crossing takes about five minutes. November is one of the better months to walk the island's raised concrete paths, because the monsoon mud has dried and the pottery workshops are back at full tilt.

Events and Things Worth Your Time

The big local draw in November is the annual Ko Kret pottery and Mon culture festival, usually held on weekends mid-month, when the island's Mon community opens kilns and sets up food stalls along the main path. Confirm exact dates locally before you go, as they shift with the lunar calendar. Beyond the island, the riverside temple circuit is the other reason to be here. Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat in Bang Kruai and Wat Khema Phirataram in Nonthaburi city are both worth an hour, and both are a short songthaew ride from the pier.

If you want a Bangkok day without Bangkok hotel rates, the MRT Purple Line runs from Tao Poon in Bangkok to Khlong Bang Phai in Nonthaburi. From Sai Ma or Nonthaburi Civic Center stations you can reach Chatuchak Weekend Market in roughly 20 minutes, and Siam in about 45. November is also when the Chatuchak weekend crowds thin slightly compared with December. For families, the IMPACT Muang Thong Thani exhibition halls host trade shows and concerts all month; check schedules ahead, because event nights push local hotel demand sharply upward.

Where to Stay, and What to Skip

For most travellers, I would book along the river in Nonthaburi city, within walking distance of the Nonthaburi pier. Mid-range riverfront hotels here typically run 1,200–2,500 THB in November, while the same standard in Bangkok's Sukhumvit or Silom areas often starts nearer 2,500–4,000 THB. The trade-off is real: you exchange walkable nightlife for a quiet river view and a 30–50 minute commute into central Bangkok by boat or MRT. If your trip is built around Chatuchak, IMPACT events or Don Mueang airport, Pak Kret is the more practical base.

What to skip: the weekend floating market at Wat Lam Phaya in nearby Nakhon Pathom, unless you have your own transport, because the return trip eats four hours. Skip the organised long-tail boat tours that loop past Ko Kret — the public ferry is cheaper and gives you more time ashore. And skip trying to see Nonthaburi and central Bangkok in the same day without planning your crossings; the Rama IV bridge and the Nonthaburi pier are the two chokepoints, and both slow dramatically after 4pm.

Getting There and Around

From Don Mueang airport, a taxi to Pak Kret or Nonthaburi city takes 25–40 minutes outside rush hour and costs roughly 250–400 THB by meter plus tolls. From Suvarnabhumi, allow 50–75 minutes and 400–600 THB. The MRT Purple Line is the cheapest reliable option if you are coming from central Bangkok: interchange at Tao Poon from the Blue Line, and you are in Nonthaburi in under half an hour. The Chao Phraya express boat from Sathorn pier to Nonthaburi pier runs daily and is a genuinely pleasant commute.

Once you are here, songthaews and motorbike taxis cover the short hops between the pier, the market and your hotel; expect 20–60 THB for a typical ride. Grab works well across the province. Renting a car only makes sense if you plan to visit Ko Kret, Bang Bua Thong and further-flung temples in one trip, and even then the river crossings can undo the advantage. For a three-to-five night stay in November, base yourself once and use the river and the Purple Line as your two main arteries.