Best time to visit Southeast Asia

When’s the best time to visit Southeast Asia?

Not surprisingly, ‘when’s the best time to visit Southeast Asia?’, is one of the most frequently asked questions we receive but one that’s surprisingly tricky to answer.

Firstly, Southeast Asia represents a vast geographical area and includes the mainland, northern hemisphere, destinations of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, (plus Burma/Myanmar which regrettably at present – for obvious reasons – we’re unable to offer), as well as the archipelago nations of Indonesia, (much of which lies south of the equator), and the Philippines. (The latter is, for now, a notable absence on our menu.) Malaysia falls between the two with Peninsula, or West, Malaysia situated on the Asian mainland and the states of Sabah and Sarawak to be found on the island of Borneo. (Sri Lanka lies on the opposite side of the Indian Ocean  and was covered in a  recent post; When’s the best time to visit Sri Lanka?)

For now, we’re limiting this particular post to when is the best time to visit Southeast Asia mainland destinations – Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam – but we will provide an itemised month-by-month breakdown with – what in our opinion – are the pros and cons of each time of the year.

Furthermore, bear in mind that it’s a long, long way from the far north of Vietnam to the far south, while some 1600 kilometres separates Thailand’s Mae Sai on the Burmese border with the crossing point to Malaysia at Betong. Needless to say, within these parameters, there exist numerous micro-climates and anomalies. Before moving on to our best time to visit Southeast Asia list, we’d also point out that, like much of the planet, weather patterns in the region have become increasingly unpredictable so while we can only describe ‘traditional’, monthly weather, there are no guarantees. Having said that, this isn’t merely a case of what’s the weather like at any given time of the year and in our opinion, climate is just one of several factors to take into account.

January

For most of mainland Southeast Asia, January is a cool and dry month and understandably a popular time to travel. However, temperatures in northern, mountainous areas (north Thailand and Laos) can get surprisingly low and we have seen frost in northern Vietnam during January.  The main drawback is that as a popular month to travel, well-known destinations can be busy, preferred accommodation is not always available and particularly in the early part of the month, airfares are high.

February

Still officially a winter month for these northern hemisphere destinations, temperatures will usually be slightly higher than January, particularly towards the end of the month. Precipitation is still low, although again by the end of the month, haze will increase.   February has become a very popular time to travel in recent years – possibly we suspect due to cheaper available fares than December or January – so you are not going to have well-known destinations to yourselves.

March

The February temperatures and haze will increase significantly by March, while the chances of showers are still very low. The second half of the month in particular is not a great time for northern Thailand or Laos; however, with far fewer visitors around, it’s still pretty good for south Thailand and Cambodia, if you can deal with high temperatures in the latter. Your airfares are also significantly cheaper at this time of year.

April

Traditionally, the hottest month, we would avoid departures for Laos and northern Thailand during this period. South Thailand and Peninsula Malaysia don’t get the haze of the mountains, plus you’re never far from the sea so are still ok for travel. It would be one of the quietest times to visit Angkor Wat but it will be hot!  Conversely, this is an ideal time to visit Sapa and far northern Vietnam which lie to the east of the Annamite Mountains and so have different weather patterns to northern Laos. Further south in Vietnam, things will have warmed up.

May

Late April and May in Cambodia, Laos and much of Thailand generally see what are called the mango rains – welcome showers after the hot season and a precursor to the monsoon season.  These freshen things up and clear the air in the north but will significantly increase humidity. Note, these showers often occur late in the day or at night time as temperatures and humidity build up. Their precise timing does, of course, vary from year to year but the end of May could be a good outside-the-box time to travel as visitor numbers are low and airfares much reduced.

June

While May and June are considered low season months for Southeast Asia, they’re not bad months to travel and we’d say the occasional shower is more than compensated for quiet destinations. and some good deals on fares. This is the start of the rainy season, so expect summer storms but the haze and smoke have gone and temperatures will be lower than March and April even if humidity remains high. Precipitation is generally in short, sharp bursts so there’s always an umbrella to hand or a coffee shop to take refuge in for 30 minutes and in our opinion, this is a particularly good time for Cambodia and Angkorian temples. The rains come from the west so if you’re in south Thailand or Malaysia, you simply head to the sheltered east, Gulf coast.

July

As rainfall increases, temperatures go down but as per June, these are often quick showers rather than north European-style non-stop drizzle.  Not for nothing, the rainy season is also known as the green season and for nature and scenery, this can be a great time of year. If you’re aiming to include a beach stay, then, as we said, head to the Gulf Coast of Thailand instead of the Andaman Sea and in Malaysia, simply swap the Perhentian Islands for Langkawi.

August

With European school holidays, August is a popular month and sees increases in fares and visitor numbers and while you won’t often see August described as the best month to visit Southeast Asia, families in particular often have little choice. Again, we feel this is partly a misconception and although certain may envisage non-stop downpours we’re writing this post in Thailand in August and outside is sunny with blue skies. Yes, you will experience some showers so take an umbrella; perhaps a waterproof for hiking, be prepared for some unscheduled coffee shop stops and choose your beach or island stay according to prevailing weather patterns.

September

Along with May and June, September is one of the quietest months of the year in these parts. That, in our opinion, is a big plus for starters while much better airfare deals are available than in August or busier months later in the year. Temperatures will be decreasing but you can still expect showers and by the tail-end of the rainy season, certain areas may have become rather waterlogged and prone to flooding. Note, this is an annual phenomenon and places are geared up to it. If the theme of your intended trip is more nature, scenery, hiking and so-on it may not be an ideal time to visit but if it involves primarily cultural sites then no problem and with few other visitors around this would be an ideal time to visit normally busier sites such as Angkor, Luang Prabang or Hoi An for example.

October

For most regions, this is the transition period between the rainy season and cool dry period so temperatures are down, destinations still relatively quiet, nature at its lushest and waterfalls at their most impressive, but…you can expect some showers.  As a transition month, it’s less predictable and you can be lucky or unlucky but overall, the choice of Andaman Sea or Gulf islands isn’t so clear cut so we’d go for the eastern islands such as Koh Chang and Koh Mak.  October is a good option for most regions but, needless to say, the early part of the month is more likely to see rain than the second half.

November

The month of November will appear on any ‘best time to visit Southeast Asia’ lists; rains have pretty much stopped, it’s the start of the cool, dry season but avoids the peak season (and peak season fares) of December and January. Consequently, it is a busy month so popular sites will be…popular, and first-choice accommodation is not always available. In the south and Peninsula, such rains as there are generally come from the east so, in Thailand, we’ll move our island stays back to the Andaman Sea coast and in Malaysia, from the Perhentian Islands back to Langkawi.

December

Along with the first half of January, December is peak season for much of Southeast Asia. Temperatures are at their lowest, rainfall is rare but places are busy. Also, bear in mind that, in the latter part of the month, airfares can increase dramatically, while many hotels and resorts charge peak season supplements.

Overall, the answer to when is the best time to visit Southeast Asia is far from a simple one. To a large extent, it depends upon your personal priorities and, as we said before, climate is just one of the factors to consider.  Pricing can be important (although this, of course, depends upon the depth of your pockets) – but if you’re travelling with the family, then peak season supplements on the ground and on airfares can mount up significantly. You’ll also need to offset your heat, humidity, and shower tolerance or lack of, with your ability to deal with large visitor numbers since, as we said, certain popular destinations can get very busy at certain times of the year. The quality of your Angkor experience may be much improved with far fewer fellow travellers around and could well be worth putting up with a shower for.

Hiking is best in cool, dry months, but if nature, flora and fauna are an area of interest, then the winter season may not be the best, while for those of a photographic bent, the rainy season is the period for those dramatic backdrops and lighting.

Nonetheless, our tour scheduling can only really reflect climate considerations – certain areas are just too hot, (or wet) during certain months etc – the rest is up to you. As usual, we’re more than happy to help you weigh up your specific concerns/interests/priorities and so on so don’t hesitate to contact our office for a chat.