The best times to visit Asia
Thu, April 06 2006
Fancy a last-minute, cheap holiday in Asia? Admit it, we’ve all been tempted by those giveaway prices in travel advertisements and agency windows.
Travel agents are quick to book us on discount deals to luxury resorts on exotic beaches. They’re slower to inform us that because it’s the monsoon season -- we’ll be spending most of our time sandbagging the hotel doorways and aquaplaning around souvenir shops.
To avoid getting into this kind of fix, here is your A-Z guide on the best times to visit the best places in Asia.
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Angkor Wat, Cambodia |
The cooler weather of December makes it a good time to explore the ancient Khmer ruins. It’s the end of the rainy season and the surrounding jungle is at its lushest.
Boracay Island, Philippines:
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Boracay Island, Philippines |
Typhoon season is over, the bungalows have been spruced up and the beaches groomed. Try November for high-season weather at low-season prices.
Cameron Highlands, Malaysia:
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Cameron highlands, Malaysia |
For a break from the humidity of the plains head up to the hill country in June. Enjoy a round of golf and a bowl of freshly picked strawberries. Take a sweater for chilly evenings.
Delhi, India:
Warm, dry days but cooler at nigh
t. The colourful march on Republican Day makes January a good bet. A camera will be more useful than an umbrella.
Everest Base Camp, Nepal:
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Everest Base Camp, Nepal |
Trekking is all about breathtaking vistas. To avoid the haze of summer, the crowds of autumn and the bitter cold of winter, arrange your trekking permit for April.
Flores, Indonesia:
Four islands east of Bali, this mountainous gem will appeal to hikers and should be dry, sunny and almost cloudless in September. The infamous dragon island of Komodo lies to the west.
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Flores, Indonesia |
Goa, India:
By October the rains have finished and the beaches will be peaceful. The party crowd who invade this former Portuguese enclave at Christmas won’t have even confirmed their flights yet.
Hokkaido, Japan:
The Japanese head for the national parks of their northernmost island in the summer to escape sweltering temperatures in the cities. August is a good month to join them.
Incheon, South Korea:
This likeable port city and the location of the new airport serving Seoul is best experienced in October, when skies are clear and nearby forests are a riot of colour.
Java, Indonesia:
Java is sunny when most of South-East Asia is wet. Head there in July and explore the cultural city of Jogyakarta and the still-active Bromo volcano.
Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia:
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Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia |
For a beach holiday, a visit to the orang-utan sanctuary or an attempt at climbing Mount Kinabalu, March is the month of lowest rainfall.
Luang Prabang, Laos:
November is a pleasant time for temple gazing and relaxing over coffee and croissants in this traffic-free World Heritage town situated on the Mekong River.
Malacca, Malaysia:
A colonial collision of architectural styles, cuisine and people, the salmon pink Dutch buildings look especially attractive against the deep blue skies of February.
Nha Trang, Vietnam:
A palm-fringed beach town with a Mediterranean flavour. Give the central Vietnamese coast a try in December.
Outlying islands, Hong Kong:
Cooler weather and sunny skies mean November is the best month to explore some of the territory’s 235 rural islands. Enjoy a seafood dinner before taking the ferry back to the city.
Phuket, Thailand:
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Phuket, Thailand |
Cooler, less humid weather occurs in what passes for winter in Thailand. Do your bit to help the post-tsunami recovery and hit the sands in February.
Qingdao, China:
Visitors weave around town in August during the (Tsingtao) Beer Festival. Pray that the staff in charge of fairground rides and the fireworks display are more sober than you are.
Rangoon (Yangon), Burma:
If you’ve made the decision to visit Burma, y
ou’ll be glad you booked your temple-hopping trip for January. The only umbrellas you’ll see are protecting the shaved heads of Buddhist monks from the sun.
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Rangoon, Myanmar |
Singapore:
There are no great seasonal variations this close to the equator. Rainfall is evenly spread throughout the year so visit in June and cheer on the teams at the International Dragon Boat Festival.
Tokyo:
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Tokyo, Japan |
Come in April, partly for the cherry blossom, but also as the weather should be dry and warm. Leave it much later and the humidity kicks in.
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia:
Those keen to follow in the footsteps of Genghis Khan without the discomfort of freezing in the Gobi Desert will be glad they chose to go in July. Join the nomads who come from far and wide to celebrate the Nadaam Festival, Mongolia’s Olympic Games.
Varanasi, India:
The holiest of holy Hindu cities is at its best in autumn. Plan your pilgrimage for October but make sure that refreshing cup of chai isn’t brewed with filthy Ganges water.
Weligama, Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka offers some of Asia’s best beach
es and Weligama ("sand town" in Singhalese) is the jumping-off point for many of them. Grab a sun bed in March.
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Weligama, Sri Lanka |
Xishuangbanna, China:
This picturesque autonomous region bordering Laos and Burma is home to minority hill tribes including the Dai people. It offers some of China’s mildest winter weather, so book for January.
Yangshuo, China:
The mainland for beginners with scenery to delight photographers and artists. Rent a bicycle and pedal around the paddies in May. You’ll only get wet if you inner
-tube down the Li River.
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Zanskar, India |
Zanskar, India:
Leave the heat and dust of the Indian plains and head for the Himalayas.
Acclimatize to the altitude and the isolated Buddhist kingdom will feel comfortable in September.
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