The Best Places to Visit Each Month of the Year Part 1

We can give you a little help orienting yourself to find the best destination to visit each month of the year, with tips and tricks to avoid high-season crowds, bad weather conditions, expensive flights, and overbooked hotels.

Before starting, we want to be sure you make the most of every moment on your next trip and as experts in travel we know well how stressful can be reaching the airport with high traffic, expensive costs of fuel, tolls, taxi, and the fear of missing your flight due to public transportation delay.

GoOpti picks you up at your home address at you desire time and drive you directly to the airport, completely stress-free.

Let’s go to the world.

1. January in Northern Europe, Central America and Australia

January is one of the cheapest months to travel since it is just after the holidays and most of the people are back to work and prices are definitely lower. With few exceptions, the weather in January is favorable pretty much everywhere, with the climate conditions fulfilling everyone’s tastes.

Northern Europe

If you like the true cold, January (together with February and March) is one of the best months to watch the northern lights in countries like Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Greenland. Hunting the Aurora Borealis in this month is a true spectacle because it brings long dark nights and plenty of snow to play in during the daylight hours while you wait for darkness to fall.

Central America and Mexico

If you are more into biking, sunglasses and suncream, January is one of the best times also to visit Central America. The weather is hot and sunny, and conditions are good for beach and temple visits, jungle treks, adventure activities and spotting whales in Baja California. All kinds of activities like scuba diving, horseback riding, and spotting wildlife like dolphins, sea turtles, and whales can be done this time of the year. And of course, you can relax at the paradisiacal Mexican beaches in Puerto Escondido too, with warm weather kissing your skin.

Southern Hemisphere: Australia and New Zealand

Down-under compared to Northern Europe, Australia, and New Zealand are in their summer months. The weather is nice everywhere, which makes January a great month to visit, considering that after Christmas and New Year festivity, the costs tend to go down. If you consider visiting Australia outback, make sure to pack a hat and a lot of sunscreens because it can get really hot.

! Places you should avoid in January

As mentioned previously, this month is good pretty much everywhere depending on your season taste, but there are a few countries that are worth a visit other time: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Polynesia especially because of the rainy season.

The islands east of Africa like Madagascar, Reunion, Seychelles, and Mauritius, among others, are also to be avoided due to potential cyclonic activity.

2. February in South Africa, South America, Southeast Asia

In February, the countries at their best are those destinations in the southern hemisphere. If you want to make the best of your vacation in this time of the year, the keyword is “south”.

South Africa and Cape Town

Further down in the African continent, South Africa is an ideal destination, especially one of its capital cities, Cape Town. You can enjoy its famous vineyards and visit some of its popular beaches. Not to be missed is Boulders Beach, where you can get a close-up view of an African penguin colony that lives right at the beach. The views from the cliffs will take your breath away and you will feel overwhelmed by the wide wild sand beaches.

Southeast Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Southeast Asia is in its peak (dry) season, being one of the most popular regions for travelers this month. The weather is usually sunny and dry, not too hot or too cool. The beaches in many countries, such as Thailand and Vietnam, are at their best during this period.

South America

As the Caribbean and Central America continue with their excellent warm weather, so do Chile and Argentina, and for those interested in visiting the vineyards and hiking trails in Patagonia. Last but not least, Brazil and its Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.

! Places you should avoid in February

Same as in January: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Polynesia are still in their rainy season, and the islands east of Africa, like Madagascar, Reunion, and Mauritius are in the middle of their cyclone season.

3. March in India, Maldives and Galapagos

India and Maldives

India is one of the best countries to visit in March, especially if you want to participate in their colorful Holi Festival, the Hindu festival that celebrates spring, love, and new life and takes place every 8th of March. Mumbai being among the best Indian cities to celebrate it. Not far from India is the Maldives, where you can have ideal tropical temperatures with blue skies almost every day.

Galapagos

You might say: “Hey, March is still rainy season in the Galapagos!”. Yes, but it’s at its end, and since the poor showers you might encounter are brief, we think it’s more than worth visiting these great archipelagos in this time of the year. There are fewer people and you can make the best of its stunning crystal-clear water, dreamy white beaches and prosperous wildlife on a small budget. Oh, and you’ll get to the beginning of the mating season for birds. This is a great time to visit the Galapagos!

! Places you should avoid in March

Countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and other East African countries are in their rainy season, so it’s not the optimal time to go if you’re looking to do a safari or go to the Devil’s Pool at Victoria Falls. The islands east of Africa are still in their cyclone season, but it is slowly coming to an end.

4. April in Europe, Japan and Namibia

April is a really good month to travel in the northern hemisphere. Why? The ice is finally thawing and the flowers are starting to bloom.

Europe

Great choice! You are a couple of months ahead of the heavy crowds that come in the summertime.

The Mediterranean is one of the best places to visit in Aprile, including islands like Crete, Cyprus, and Malta. The Canary Islands have even more hospitable weather for an April vacation than most destinations in Europe, where you can enjoy a wide range of activities, from water sports, volcanos adventures, beaches and general good vibes. For a more picturesque view, The Netherlands with its colorful Tulips is a top destination for a short spring getaway. Ideal at Easter time. European capitals like Rome, Madrid, Paris, Prague are perfect during April, with little tourist gathering around and a pleasant weather to welcome you.

Japan

April is often considered the best time to visit Japan because the cherry blossom is in bloom and the weather is pleasantly mild. Japanese spring really bursts into life in this month of the year!

Namibia

April in Namibia is a quick two-month transition between the hot, wet summer and the drier, cooler winter. April is considered by many an ideal time to visit as the temperatures are generally warm but not hot, the landscape is lush and green after the wet summer, the air is exceptionally clear and the prices are lower and the crowds are smaller. As a shoulder month, April is a lovely time to spend in Namibia! Much of Namibia is covered in shades of vivid green, and the rains have washed away the late dry-season dust. For nature lovers, there’s nothing quite like visiting Sossusvlei in Namibia. This expansive salt and clay pan is among the most surreal and stunning landscapes you’ll find in Africa.

! Places you should avoid in April

Southeast Asia should be avoided as it is unbearably hot. East African countries like Tanzania and Kenya are still in their rainy season. South America, in general, is quite humid at this time of the year, but still doable overall.

5. May in the Caribbean, China + Himalayan countries and Perù

The Caribbean

May is one of the best months to travel as it has summer-like weather in most of the northern hemisphere without the summer crowds. The Caribbean is experiencing almost perfect weather, with Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico being among the top choices.

China + Himalayan countries

China is one of the highlight countries this month, giving you comfortable weather in almost all of its regions. If you decide to visit China, be careful to Covid-19 restrictions. The country now requires a 5-day centralized quarantine and 3-day home quarantine. Nepal and Bhutan in May offer excellent weather for hiking, especially if you want to hike to Everest Base Camp or the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal and these countries do not require any Covid-19 certification.

Perù

Another great destination for hiking at this time of the year is Perù, with some of the best weather to visit Cusco and hike the Inca Trail or other trails. Together with October, May is the best time to trek the Inca Trail as permits may sell out slightly less fast as in the peak months, plus it's dry, and warmer than June, July and August.

! Places you should avoid in May

India and Sri Lanka are best to be avoided starting in May, as this is just the beginning of the monsoon season, which tends to be pretty harsh there. Starting now, Egypt and most Middle Eastern countries will experience heat waves.

6. June in Tanzania, Zanizibar, Canada and Brazil

June marks the start of the tourism season in most of the northern hemisphere. Indeed, Europe makes the most of its tourism waves with tourists starting to blossom across the continent. So, our recommendation is to concentrate on more exotic destinations, if you have the chance to travel at this time of the year.

Africa

In Africa, Tanzania is now a great destination to visit if you’re interested in seeing the Great Wildebeest Migration towards Kenya or if you’re looking forward to relaxing on the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar.

Canada

Canada has comfortable temperatures to explore the wildlife and natural parks and in June you can celebrate Canada Day, the Montreal Film Festival, and the International Jazz Festival.

Brazil

While it could be a bit cold in the south of the country, the rest of the region still has lovely temperatures and dry weather. If mild temperatures don’t scare you, then this is a great time to visit Iguazu Falls, the largest waterfall system in the world.

! Places you should avoid in June

Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East have recurrent heat waves, so they are best avoided during the summer. India and Sri Lanka should be avoided, as it is at the peak of their monsoon season.

We hope this Part 1 guide will help you narrow down the perfect, exotic destination for your next trip. And...Stay tuned! Part 2 will come soon.

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