March: Where to Go in Asia
March — best bets
All countries ↓Vietnam’s sweet spot. Cherry blossom starts in Japan late in the month.
Country by country
| Where | Weather | Crowds | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | Warming · ~14°C Tokyo | High late Mar | $$$ late Mar | First cherry blossom late March (Tokyo average first bloom: 24 Mar); plum blossom early March |
| Thailand | Hot · ~35°C; smoky in the north | Mid | $$ | Islands and diving: Koh Samui & Koh Tao, Krabi. Check the air before Chiang Mai. |
| Vietnam · north | Warming, mist lifting · ~23°C | Mid | $$ | Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, Ha Giang |
| Vietnam · centre | Dry, warm · ~28°C | Mid | $$ | Hoi An, Da Nang, Hue, caves at Phong Nha |
| Vietnam · south | Hot & dry · ~34°C | Mid | $$ | Phu Quoc & Con Dao, Mekong Delta, Da Lat |
| Cambodia | Hot & dry · ~35°C | Mid | $$ | Angkor at sunrise, then shade; Kampot & Kep |
| Malaysia · west coast | Mostly dry, hot · ~33°C | Mid (high around Hari Raya) | $$ | Langkawi, Penang, Cameron Highlands |
| Malaysia · east-coast islands | Resorts reopen, seas calming | Low | $$ | Perhentian, Redang, Tioman — better from late March |
| Bali & Indonesia | Rains easing · ~31°C | Mid (high 6–15 Mar) | $$ | Green Bali — but the island shuts on 8 Mar (Nyepi) |
| Philippines | Hot & dry · ~33°C | Mid (high 25–28 Mar) | $$ | Palawan, Siargao, Batanes, Boracay |
| Taiwan | Spring, some rain · ~22°C | Mid | $$ | Cherry blossom at Alishan, Sun Moon Lake, Taroko Gorge |
Temperatures are typical daytime highs. Price: $ low · $$ normal · $$$ peak, for that place.
Dates to know
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 6–15 Mar | Indonesia’s long holiday (Nyepi + Idul Fitri) — flights and ferries full, prices up. |
| Mon 8 Mar | Nyepi, Bali’s Day of Silence: the airport closes for 24 hours and everyone stays in. |
| About 10–11 Mar | Hari Raya in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia — homeward travel rush. |
| Mid-March | US spring break — busier flights from LAX. |
| 25–28 Mar | Easter holidays in the Philippines — beaches and ferries packed. |
| Late March | Japan’s cherry blossom season opens (typical). |
From LAX: Spring break and cherry blossom push up fares to Tokyo and Osaka — book by January. Elsewhere in Asia, fares are moderate. Live departures →
March in short
March is the sweet spot for Vietnam, dry from Hanoi to the Mekong, and the start of cherry blossom in Japan. Thailand and Cambodia are hot, and northern Thailand’s smoky season is at its worst.
Two Indonesian dates matter: Bali shuts completely on 8 March, and the whole country travels home for Idul Fitri a few days later. Malaysia’s east-coast islands reopen as the monsoon ends.
← All months · February · April → · Best Time to Visit