Where to Go in Asia, Month by Month
Where to go — December to May
Month grid ↓Pick a month: weather, crowds and prices for eight countries.
Month by month
| Where | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | Good | Good | Good | Best | Best | Good |
| Thailand | Best | Best | Best | Good | Mixed | Mixed |
| Vietnam north | Good | Mixed | Mixed | Good | Best | Mixed |
| Vietnam centre | Avoid | Mixed | Good | Best | Best | Best |
| Vietnam south | Best | Best | Good | Best | Good | Mixed |
| Cambodia | Best | Best | Good | Good | Mixed | Mixed |
| Malaysia west | Good | Best | Best | Good | Good | Good |
| Malaysia islands | Avoid | Avoid | Avoid | Good | Best | Best |
| Bali | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Good | Best |
| Philippines | Good | Best | Best | Best | Good | Mixed |
| Taiwan | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Good | Best | Mixed |
★ Best ✓ Good ◐ Mixed ✕ Avoid — tap a month.
Big dates, winter & spring 2027
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 4–11 Feb | Sapporo Snow Festival · Japan in winter |
| Sat 6 Feb | Lunar New Year (Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia); Seollal Sun 7 Feb |
| Mon 8 Mar | Nyepi — Bali’s airport closes for 24 hours |
| About 10–11 Mar | Hari Raya / Idul Fitri — travel rush in Malaysia and Indonesia |
| Late Mar – early Apr | Japan cherry blossom (typical) |
| 13–15 Apr | Songkran · Khmer New Year 14–16 Apr |
| 29 Apr – 5 May | Golden Week in Japan |
Seasonal guides
How to use this
Asia’s seasons run on different calendars: the mainland is cool and dry from December to February, Bali and Malaysia’s east coast are best from April, and central Vietnam dries out only in February. The grid shows where the weather is on your side each month; the month pages add crowds, prices and the dates that move them.
Ratings are for typical weather, not a forecast. For June to November, see Best Time to Visit.
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