Best time of year to tour Asia

May 25, 2020

No matter where a person is heading to for a vacation, there are certain times of the year that are better than others. When booking a tour in Asia, it is important to look at the weather and the prices before locking something in.

Choose the best time to travel to Asia with your family

Finding out the right time for a visit is sometimes challenging for a person who has no idea about the country they are heading to. The good news is that many of the weather patterns follow pretty distinct trends, so people can make educated guesses on when to visit.
Not only that, but avoiding peak season can have a benefit on a person’s wallet. Sometimes better weather and lower prices go hand-in-hand, which is when people should start booking their trip as soon as possible.

When is the best time to travel to Asia for cheap?

The simple answer to this follows pretty closely with the weather. While a lot of people want to stay away from poor weather, the one advantage is that prices are usually a lot cheaper. Not only that, but people get the opportunity to explore without having nearly as many other travellers in the way. Some people like a little bit more freedom, but others just can’t stand dealing with unpredictable weather.
In certain locations, the weather is so bad that it is still not worth the price to travel cheaply. It is always recommended to look specifically at typical weather during that stretch before putting money down on a trip. Even if it is a very cheap trip, spending it indoors is not the best way to take in a foreign country.

Breaking down the best times of year to tour Asia, based on country

Since Asia is a pretty big continent, it is better to break down the best times of the year to travel to certain countries. This is a general guide to keep in mind before booking a trip or extensive tour. There are never any guarantees with weather and crowds, but it usually follows a a pattern based on previous years.

Vietnam

Travelling to Vietnam is pretty popular 12 months out of the year. They can get away with this because they have such a long country that has vastly different weather patterns. Northern Vietnam is at its best from October to about April. Those wanting to visit the central part of the country should look at the months between January and April. For a trip to the south, anywhere from November to February is usually pretty good.

The ancient Vinh Trang Buddhist Temple, My Tho City

A lot of people ask, what is the rainy season in Vietnam? The summer months do get pretty wet just about everywhere, but specifically, the more southern a city is located. A trip to the jungle can involve a lot of wet weather, so keep that in mind.
What is the best month to go to Vietnam? January and February are usually the busiest times of the year. It is a little more affordable than going to December, and every region of Vietnam has pretty decent weather. There is still a chance for some pop-up showers and warmer temperatures at times, but it certainly beats heading there in the summer.

Cambodia

The weather in Cambodia pretty much mirrors the weather in central and south Vietnam. These neighbouring countries have some pretty wet weather during the summer. Surprisingly, it does not really vary too much in temperature, but the humidity does jump up at this time.
Royal palace is included in Cambodia tours offered by Asia Vacation Group.

Royal Palace Phnom Penh Cambodia

Try to make a visit either at the very end of the calendar year, or January/February. Some people wonder just how safe it is to travel to Cambodia, but everything should be perfectly fine as long as the summer months are avoided for outdoor activities. Stay hydrated during outdoor activities, and everything should be just fine.

Laos

Laos matches up with the north and the central part of Vietnam, but is located a bit more inland. This changes their weather slightly, but it still follows the same dry season as neighbouring countries. The best time to visit is between October and April, simply because it rains almost every day during the wet season.
Haw Pha Bang Temple is included in Laos tours offered by Asia Vacation Group.

Haw Pha Bang Temple Luang Prabang Laos

The one downfall to Laos is that rivers will dry up during dry season at times, so they do need a little bit of rain to continue operating at a high-level. Try to check to see if they are going through any droughts before booking a trip if possible. Sometimes it is hard to predict, simply because weather changes in a hurry.

Thailand

The dry season for Thailand is a little different than the three countries above. It starts just a little bit later in the year around November, and the heat and humidity shoot up once again beginning in March. The worst time to visit is between March and May, as temperatures are routinely above 40°C. There are ways to avoid these extreme temperatures, as there are cooler regions than others to check out. Just be aware that it is going to be hot in most of the top tourist destinations.

Koh Yao Noi Island in Phuket, Thailand

Koh Yao Noi Island in Phuket, Thailand

For those who really want to get to the country, what month is the cheapest to fly to Thailand? That usually falls in the summer, when even the top tourist destinations are pretty empty. Taking a trip in May or June can save people a considerable amount of money. Just be prepared to drink a lot of water and stay in as much shade as possible to make it through the trip.

Malaysia/Singapore

Malaysia and Singapore are a little more southern than the rest of Asia when looking at vacation spots. As one might expect, this leads to some pretty warm temperatures during certain parts of the year, and the area should be avoided if a person does not want to deal with that type of heat.

Marina Bay in Singapore

Marina Bay in Singapore

These countries follow a typical pattern to a lot of other countries in this region, leaving only about a three month window of really comfortable weather. A trip in February, March, or April will allow for a lot of exploration without having to sweat through clothes. It also cools down a bit right before the holiday season, but since everyone else loves heading to Malaysia and Singapore during that time, prices will be high.

India

As long as a person stays away from the middle part of the year, India is a delightful place to visit. The temperatures can get up to 40°C and even warmer in the summer, which is just too much for most travellers. Not only that, but the humidity often leads to some pretty severe storms, so having to deal with all of that is frustrating as well.
Weather starts to make a change for the better around October and November each year. It can get pretty cool right around Christmas time, and it stays cool until the end of March. There is a pretty significant jump in the weather somewhere between March and April, as the hottest part of the year starts up again.

India is extremely spread out, so keep in mind that the weather will be vastly different in New Delhi compared to locations in the south. They are also a lot of different terrains in the north, so that could affect the weather as well.
Anytime between October and March is the best time to tour North India. Surprisingly, The high tourist season comes right after between April and June. It is doable to go to North India during this time, but South India is going to be very rough. Do not go there unless it seems like it is doable.

China

China is a huge country, so it is hard to generalize exactly when to take a trip. The general rule is to look at trips in either the spring or fall. It heats up a bit in the summer, especially in the southern part of the country. It does not get quite as unbearable inland and in high elevations, but most people do not want to deal with extreme temperatures if they do not have to. They are also the occasional pop-up showered deal with in the summer, whereas spring and fall are generally drier.

A lot of Asian countries take holidays pretty seriously, but China is on another level. Whenever there is a national holiday in China, there are a lot of festivals, and a lot of shutdowns. This is especially true during the Chinese New Year and Golden Week. Make sure to check what time these holidays fall before booking a trip. Otherwise, there could be a chance to miss out on some pretty cool stuff because certain parts of China are completely shut down.
Finally, anyone wanting to head to Tibet should know that it closest off to foreign visitors about two months every spring. It might be a pretty good time to visit, but there are restrictions up that make it impossible. If Tibet is part of the itinerary, make sure that it is open first.

Japan

For spring vacation, Japan is hard to beat. People love taking in all the flowers and trees blooming in March, April, and May. It gets a little hot in the summer months, but nothing that most people can’t handle. It becomes nearly perfect weather once again in the fall, allowing people to explore some of the busiest cities in the world.
Asakusa Temple in Tokyo, Japan

Asakusa Temple Tokyo Japan

Japan is such a popular tourist destination that there really is not an off time of year. There will not be any huge deals to be found, but an early spring trip might bring the most value to the table.

South Korea

A trip to South Korea follows the same type of weather patterns as Japan for the most part. That means the spring months will provide the best weather, so look to book a trip in April, May, or June. The summer heats up a bit, but the fall is enjoyable as well.
Since the country is relatively small, it is nice to enjoy pretty much the same weather everywhere. Having four distinct seasons is sometimes hard to find in many other countries in Asia, so anyone wanting a winter getaway can also book a trip to South Korea. Some people like to go skiing in the winter, while others might be looking for backpacking opportunities in more remote locations in the north.

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