February: Where to Go in Asia
February — best bets
All countries ↓Lunar New Year week is busy and festive. The rest of the month is quiet.
Country by country
| Where | Weather | Crowds | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | Cold; snow north · ~11°C Tokyo; plum blossom late Feb | Mid (high in Sapporo 4–11 Feb) | $$ ($$$ Sapporo) | Sapporo Snow Festival, skiing, snow monsters · Japan in winter |
| Thailand | Dry, warming · ~34°C; haze may start in the north | High | $$$ | Beaches on both coasts (Koh Samui & Koh Tao, Krabi), Bangkok |
| Vietnam · north | Cool, drizzle · ~21°C | Mid (Tết rush) | $$$ around Tết | Tết flower markets in Hanoi — closures 4–10 Feb |
| Vietnam · centre | Dry season starts · ~26°C | Mid | $$ | Hoi An, Da Nang, Hue, Quy Nhon |
| Vietnam · south | Dry & hot · ~33°C | High around Tết | $$$ around Tết | Tết flower street in Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc & Con Dao |
| Cambodia | Dry, warming · ~34°C | High | $$ | Angkor, Kampot & Kep, Koh Rong |
| Malaysia · west coast | Mostly dry · ~33°C | Mid (high 6–8 Feb) | $$ | Lunar New Year in Penang; Langkawi |
| Malaysia · east-coast islands | Monsoon ending — most resorts reopen in March | — | — | Wait for March |
| Bali & Indonesia | Wet · ~30°C | Low | $ | Quiet, cheap Bali |
| Philippines | Driest month · ~31°C | Mid | $$ | Palawan, Siargao, Cebu & Bohol |
| Taiwan | Cool · ~20°C; Lunar New Year 4–10 Feb | High at New Year, then low | $$$ at New Year | Lantern Festival from 20 Feb, sky lanterns in Pingxi, hot springs |
Temperatures are typical daytime highs. Price: $ low · $$ normal · $$$ peak, for that place.
Dates to know
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 4–11 Feb | Sapporo Snow Festival. |
| 4–10 Feb | Lunar New Year break in Vietnam and Taiwan — many small shops close. |
| Sat 6 Feb | Lunar New Year. Korea’s Seollal: Sun 7 Feb (break 6–9 Feb). |
| 13–15 Feb | US three-day weekend — busy flights from LAX. |
| Sat 20 Feb | Lantern Festival. Taiwan Lantern Festival in Miaoli (planned 20 Feb – 7 Mar). |
From LAX: Lunar New Year: flights to Asia fill from late January, and flights home fill the week after. Outside those weeks, February fares are moderate. Live departures →
February in short
February splits in two. Lunar New Year week (4–10 Feb in Vietnam and Taiwan) is festive, crowded and partly closed; the rest of the month is calm and good value.
Central Vietnam dries out, the Philippines has its driest month and Thailand’s beaches are good on both coasts. Northern Japan has its deepest snow — and in 2027 the Sapporo Snow Festival falls in the same week as Lunar New Year, so book Hokkaido early.
← All months · January · March → · Best Time to Visit