best times to travel

see also:

• helpful travel links and information - Australia
• Pros and cons of traveling to Australia - but isn't it scary and dangerous?

• the following generally takes in issues such as excessive crowds, costs and extremes of climate, however, there may be good reasons to go at other times such as extremes of climate or local festivals and events
• much of the following was derived from an article by Amanda Willimott published in RACV magazine 2015

• Jan-May: generally avoid the hot, humid, wet season for the tropics such as northern Australia and the Amazon - great for wildlife, cyclones, storms and waterfalls but flooding rains, constant hot and humid conditions, insects all make it more difficult
• Jan: avoid coastal areas of Australia as it is school holidays and overcrowded - Feb-Mar are better for southern beaches as far less crowded but still hot days
• Dec-Mar - avoid central Australia as extremely hot
• Dec-Mar is a good time to travel the length of Chile as although it is busy, you get the best access with access to the Andes and Patagonia
• Nov-Mar - best times for Antarctica - as best times for wildlife and there is no access over winter (April-Oct)
• Nov-Feb - best time for Thailand as cooler but busy so need to book ahead
• Dec-Jan - good time for Morocco if you don't mind really cold nights

• Feb-Apr - bushwalking in southern Australia - in Feb, consider cooler alpine areas and Tasmania but be aware of bushfire safety
• Dec-May - avoid tropical far north Australia's wet season unless you like hot, humid wet weather with lots of insects, wildlife, storms, cyclones, floods, lightning.
• Dec-Mar - avoid central Australia as extremely hot
• do not visit Machu Picchu as trails are closed for maintenance in Feb
• Dec-Mar is a good time to travel the length of Chile as although it is busy, you get the best access with access to the Andes and Patagonia
• Feb-Mar - best time for Colombia
• Nov-Mar - best times for Antarctica - as best times for wildlife and there is no access over winter (April-Oct)
• Nov-Feb - best time for Thailand as cooler but busy so need to book ahead

• Feb-Apr - bushwalking in southern Australia - in Feb, consider cooler alpine areas and Tasmania but be aware of bushfire safety
• Dec-May - avoid tropical far north Australia's wet season unless you like hot, humid wet weather with lots of insects, wildlife, storms, cyclones, floods, lightning.
• Dec-Mar - avoid central Australia as extremely hot
• northern lights (aurora borrealis) in northern Scandinavia but it will be very cold!
• Turkey - warm, not too hot, wildflowers
• Dec-Mar is a good time to travel the length of Chile as although it is busy, you get the best access with access to the Andes and Patagonia
• Feb-Mar - best time for Colombia
• Mar-Sept - best time for Malaysia and Singapore as it is the dry season with less humidity
• Mar-May - best time to see Japan's cherry blossoms but very busy

• Feb-Apr - bushwalking in southern Australia - in Feb, consider cooler alpine areas and Tasmania but be aware of bushfire safety
• Dec-May - avoid tropical far north Australia's wet season unless you like hot, humid wet weather with lots of insects, wildlife, storms, cyclones, floods, lightning.
• April-May: great time for camping in southern Australia but in Easter and school holidays, sites are readily booked out well in advance
• April to mid June - shoulder season for western Europe, pleasant climate, less crowds, cheaper prices
• Turkey - warm, not too hot, wildflowers but remember overcrowded around ANZAC day April 25th!
• April-August are generally best times for west coast USA but perhaps avoid Gulf of Mexico region mid-May-Nov as hurricane season
• April-May - best for Machu Picchu as less crowds, clear skies , and also for Argentina
• Mar-Sept - best time for Malaysia and Singapore as it is the dry season with less humidity
• Mar-May - best time to see Japan's cherry blossoms but very busy
• Apr-May - best time for Morocco

• May - autumn foliage in southern Australia
• Dec-May - avoid tropical far north Australia's wet season unless you like hot, humid wet weather with lots of insects, wildlife, storms, cyclones, floods, lightning.
• April-May: great time for camping in southern Australia
• April to mid June - shoulder season for western Europe, pleasant climate, less crowds, cheaper prices
• May-August - UK but remember Wimbledon!
• April-August are generally best times for west coast USA but perhaps avoid Gulf of Mexico region mid-May-Nov as hurricane season
• May-Nov - avoid Hong Kong as subtropical wet season
• Mar-Sept - best time for Malaysia and Singapore as it is the dry season with less humidity
• Mar-May - best time to see Japan's cherry blossoms but very busy
• Apr-May - best time for Morocco
• May-Sept - best time for safaris in South Africa or Zimbabwe as it is dry season and wildlife is easier to spot and it is the tourist low season

• June-Oct - best time for central and far north Australia such as tropical Queensland but less wildlife and minimal rain - the grey nomads (retirees in caravans and 4WDs) tend to start travelling the outback
• April to mid June - shoulder season for western Europe, pleasant climate, less crowds, cheaper prices
• May-August - UK but remember Wimbledon!
• Scandinavia (but you won't be seeing the northern lights - consider March for that)
• April-August are generally best times for west coast USA but perhaps avoid Gulf of Mexico region mid-May-Nov as hurricane season
• avoid Machu Picchu
• June-Dec is the dry season for the Amazon and most pleasant time (ie. similar to tropical Queensland) but wildlife and rain is more plentiful in the wet season (Jan-May)
• May-Nov - avoid Hong Kong as subtropical wet season
• Mar-Sept - best time for Malaysia and Singapore as it is the dry season with less humidity
• May-Sept - best time for safaris in South Africa or Zimbabwe as it is dry season and wildlife is easier to spot and it is the tourist low season
• June-Oct - Kenya's wildebeest migration but can be crowded

• June-Oct - best time for central far north Australia such as tropical Queensland but less wildlife and minimal rain but July-Aug are more crowded
• May-August - UK but remember Wimbledon!
• avoid USA as too hot, too expensive and school holidays
• April-August are generally best times for west coast USA but perhaps avoid Gulf of Mexico region mid-May-Nov as hurricane season
• avoid Machu Picchu
• May-Nov - avoid Hong Kong as subtropical wet season
• Mar-Sept - best time for Malaysia and Singapore as it is the dry season with less humidity
• May-Sept - best time for safaris in South Africa or Zimbabwe as it is dry season and wildlife is easier to spot and it is the tourist low season
• June-Oct - Kenya's wildebeest migration but can be crowded

• June-Oct - best time for central and far north Australia such as tropical Queensland but less wildlife and minimal rain but July-Aug are more crowded
• May-August - UK but remember Wimbledon!
• April-August are generally best times for west coast USA but perhaps avoid Gulf of Mexico region mid-May-Nov as hurricane season
• avoid Machu Picchu
• May-Nov - avoid Hong Kong as subtropical wet season
• Mar-Sept - best time for Malaysia and Singapore as it is the dry season with less humidity
• May-Sept - best time for safaris in South Africa or Zimbabwe as it is dry season and wildlife is easier to spot and it is the tourist low season
• June-Oct - Kenya's wildebeest migration but can be crowded

• Sept-Oct - spring wildflowers in southern Australia although weather is changeable and often cloudy and windy but with some quite warm days amongst the cooler days; school holidays and AFL football finals in September particularly affects Victoria; great time to go bushwalking (watch for snakes) - eg. the Grampians or coastal areas
• June-Oct - good time for far north Australia such as tropical Queensland but less wildlife and minimal rain
• Sept-Oct - shoulder season for western Europe, pleasant climate, less crowds, cheaper prices
• good month for north-east USA - autumn, pleasant weather, fewer crowds, cheaper
• perhaps avoid Gulf of Mexico region mid-May-Nov as hurricane season
• Sept-Nov - best times for Ecuador
• Sept-early Oct - best times for China as reasonable temperatures and low rainfall
• May-Nov - avoid Hong Kong as subtropical wet season
• Mar-Sept - best time for Malaysia and Singapore as it is the dry season with less humidity
• May-Sept - best time for safaris in South Africa or Zimbabwe as it is dry season and wildlife is easier to spot and it is the tourist low season
• June-Oct - Kenya's wildebeest migration but can be crowded

• Oct-early Nov - Melbourne's horse racing carnival events
• Sept-Nov - spring wildflowers in southern Australia although weather is changeable and often cloudy and windy but with some quite warm days amongst the cooler days; great time to go bushwalking (watch for snakes) - eg. the Grampians or coastal areas
• June-Oct - good time for far north Australia such as tropical Queensland although getting hotter but less wildlife and minimal rain
• Sept-Oct - shoulder season for western Europe, pleasant climate, less crowds, cheaper prices
• best month for north-east USA - autumn, pleasant weather, fewer crowds, cheaper
• perhaps avoid Gulf of Mexico region mid-May-Nov as hurricane season
• Sept-Nov - best times for Ecuador
• May-Nov - avoid Hong Kong as subtropical wet season
• Oct-Nov - best time to see Japan's autumn foliage (and much less busy than the spring cherry blossom season)
• Oct-Nov - best time for Egypt as not too hot and not as many tourists
• June-Oct - Kenya's wildebeest migration but can be crowded

• Oct-early Nov - Melbourne's horse racing carnival events
• Sept-Nov - spring wildflowers in southern Australia although weather is changeable and often cloudy and windy but with some quite warm days amongst the cooler days; great time to go bushwalking (watch for snakes) - eg. the Grampians or coastal areas
• May-Nov - perhaps avoid Gulf of Mexico region mid-May-Nov as hurricane season
• Sept-Nov - best times for Ecuador
• May-Nov - avoid Hong Kong as subtropical wet season
• Nov-Feb - best time for Thailand as cooler but busy so need to book ahead
• Oct-Nov - best time to see Japan's autumn foliage (and much less busy than the spring cherry blossom season)
• Oct-Nov - best time for Egypt as not too hot and not as many tourists

• Nov-Mar - best times for Antarctica - as best times for wildlife and there is no access over winter (April-Oct)
• Dec-May - avoid tropical far north Australia's wet season unless you like hot, humid wet weather with lots of insects, wildlife, storms, cyclones, floods, lightning.
• Dec-Mar - avoid central Australia as becoming extremely hot
• Nov-Feb - best time for Thailand as cooler but busy so need to book ahead
• Dec-Jan - good time for Morocco if you don't mind really cold nights