TRAVEL INFO - Climate
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Your travel consultant will be able to tell you more about the countries you plan to visit climatic variations, but below is a broad guide.
Due to the vast range of latitudes and altitudes, Vietnam's climate is remarkably diverse. Although the entire country lies in the tropics and subtropics, local conditions vary from frosty winters in the far northern hills to year-round equatorial heat in the Mekong Delta. Because the majority of Vietnam is over 500 meters above sea level, most of the country enjoys a subtropical climate.
The north, between October and March is chilly but mainly dry, as it starts to get warmer so it gets wetter, with the heaviest rainfall in June and July. Sapa can get extremely cold in December and January with ground frost not uncommon.
In the south, there are two main seasons: the wet and dry. The wet season lasts from May to November. During this time, there are heavy but short-lived downpours almost daily, usually in the afternoon. The dry season usually runs from December to April where late February to May is hot and humid.
Falling in the shadows of the Truong Son Mountains the central areas are generally dry and sunny between May and August but can be very wet between October and January. February and March are marked by a constant drizzling rain.
In short, any trip covering the length of Vietnam will most likely encounter a number of microclimates giving a cross-section of conditions. For detailed advice of what to expect in each area at the time you plan to travel please ask your consultant.
Cambodia is typically hot throughout the year, with very little rain falling between November and April. The rains generally start in May and continue through to October, although visits are still possible, as these usually consist of only short heavy downpours usually in the late afternoon. This can be a good time to visit Angkor as it is when the temples are at their least busy and most atmospheric, however some of the remote regions become inaccessible in the monsoon.
The optimum time to visit Laos is between mid October and the end of February when the weather is time is generally very pleasant although it can get a little chilly in the mountainous north. (If entering Luang Prabang by boat from Northern Thailand or you plan to undertake any river journeys in the North, remember to pack a warm fleece as the mornings on the river can be particularly cold). The hot dry season begins in February when temperatures can reach up to 40c and generally lasts through to April/May. Increasing humidity and temperatures bring on the wet season which lasts from June to October. During this time the Mekong River rises, and flooding of the surrounding area is not uncommon. But on average Laos receives less rain than its neighbours making it a less seasonal destination.
Thailand is hot all year round and is largely affected by the North-East Monsoon and the South-West Monsoon, which bring changes in weather patterns on a cyclical basis. The central, northern and north eastern areas have three seasons which are: cool dry season from November to February, hot dry season from March to June and wet season from July to October. The Southern peninsula areas are subject to two seasons based on the monsoons. The Eastern side of the peninsula (Koh Samui side) will receive its best conditions from May to October, while the Western side (Phuket side) receives its ideal conditions between November and April.
In general the climate in Malaysia is tropical without extremely high temperatures and days are warm and nights relatively cool. Kuala Lumpur and the west coast are generally warm and sunny all year round with the chance of a short sharp heavy down pour at just about anytime. The east coast is best visited between May and October as is Borneo, although as Borneo is mainly covered by rain forest heavy down pours can be expected at anytime. However, it is difficult to generalise about the country's climate, as rainfall differs on the east and west coasts according to the prevailing monsoon winds (northeast or southwest). Average daytime temperatures in Kuala Lumpur are around 27°C (82°F) year round. Your travel consultant will discuss the climate of each of your Malaysian destinations with you when putting together your itinerary.
Hong Kong has a subtropical climate and has distinct seasons. For most of the year the climate is temperate and seasons follow the northern hemisphere pattern and summer (late May to mid September) is hot and humid with temperatures between 26 and 32 degrees C. In spring and autumn temperatures drop and you may need a light jacket in the evening. Winter can be as cold as 10 degrees, with low humidity.
Singapore is consistently hot and humid throughout the year with an average temperature of approximately 27 degrees centigrade, making it a year round destination to visit.
Myanmar has three basic seasons. The Cool Season runs October through February with average temperatures 20-24C, Hot Season - March through May with average temperatures 30-35C and the Wet Season - June through September with average temperatures 25-30C. However, the main tourist areas of Myanmar can be visited all year round regardless of the seasons, it is only the more remote and beach areas that become adversely affected. Even during the wet season, Yangon normally receives morning and afternoon showers while rainfall in Bagan and Mandalay is very low. The weather around Inle Lake and Southern Shan State is usually quite pleasant all year round but chilly at night from December to February.
The Philippines has many different micro-climates but November to May is broadly the best time to visit and June to October the wettest. It is widely regarded that Banaue’s rice terraces in Northern Luzon are best visited in April and May when they are at their most fertile.
Indonesia sees little variation in the climate during the year; it is tropical, hot, and humid with warm waters. Western Indonesia has a dry season from June to September and a rainy season from December to March although there is no identifiable bad time to travel as rain is usually short, tropical downpours.
