Best time to visit Southeast Asia
Everyone has a different favourite season in Southeast Asia and it all depends on what you want to get out of your trip![]()
The best time to visit Southeast Asia is between November and February. There’s drier, less humid and slightly cooler weather in most of the region, with average temperatures around 30°C. Bring a warm jacket for evenings, though. The rainy season in Southeast Asia is between June and October, meaning flooding in the Mekong Delta and lush paddy fields in Cambodia and Vietnam. If you don’t mind the odd shower, the monsoon season can often be the best time of the year to visit Southeast Asia for deals on flights and accommodation.
When to go to Southeast Asia month by month guide
Our Indochina Vacations
Indochina vacation adventure
Laos and Cambodia; Luang Prabang, the Plain of Jars & Angkor
From
US $2575 to US $2695
14 days
ex flights
Indochina tours
An awesome adventure Cambodia Laos Thailand & Vietnam
From
US $4351 to US $5220
30 days
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Indochina tour, small group
Experience the diversity of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
From
US $1849 to US $2435
26 days
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Indochina vacation, private departure
Discover the charms and landscapes of South-East Asia!
From
£3074
16 days
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Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City
Thailand to Southern Vietnam via Angkor Wat
From
US $742 to US $1105
9 days
ex flights
Cycling vacation to Indochina and Angkor Wat
Cross three countries with contrasting recent histories
From
US $3679 to US $3849
14 days
ex flights
Bangkok Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
21
32
8
FEB
23
33
21
MAR
25
34
31
APR
26
35
68
MAY
26
34
182
JUN
26
33
159
JUL
25
33
167
AUG
25
32
207
SEP
25
32
292
OCT
24
32
199
NOV
23
32
49
DEC
21
31
11
Travel Team
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Responsible Travel recommends
Kian Rackley from our supplier, Insider Journeys, shares his opinion on the best time to visit Southeast Asia: “The best time to visit Southeast Asia is between October and March; it’s cool and the weather is dry. The rainy season kicks off in April across the region, but it is fickle from country to country, so it’s safer to say that it lasts through from March until September, but can still be a great time to visit. In central Vietnam where most of the beaches are, from April through to July is a very warm and dry spell. Laos becomes very dry and very hot during that period, especially inland, and in the south it becomes unbearably hot, and in Cambodia it’s rainy, but the showers are short and sharp and happen predictably in the morning and in the afternoon, so it’s perfectly manageable. Visiting during this period is well worth it because tourist arrivals plummet, so you really escape the crowds, and it’s when the rice harvests starts, so the brown rice fields are replaced by a fluorescent green.”
Festivals & events
Songkran
A real benefit to visiting Southeast Asia on the cusp of the dry season is Songkran, the New Year celebrations that happen across Southeast Asia in April. It’s a huge, week-long party in the street celebrating the end of the dry season and the start of the rainy season. Everyone has a water gun, so there’s no hiding behind anyone to escape from getting wet; they’ll definitely have a water gun and will soak you through while belly laughing. A 90-year-old granny in the street? Don’t trust her.
More about Indochina
Our Indochina travel guide incorporates all the charm, creativity and chaos of four of South East Asia’s most beguiling countries: Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Follow the Mekong River as it traces a route through Indochina and provides a valuable source of work, food and transportation for local people as well as an ideal point of reference to make the most of your time in Indochina.
The beauty of traveling in Southeast Asia is that capital cities, such as Bangkok, and key cultural sites, such as Angkor Wat, are relatively close together and easily accessible, even if they’re in different countries.
Flowing south through Laos, Thailand and Cambodia before forming the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, the Mekong is the life source for many of the region’s capital cities and rural villages, and a wonderful place to explore.
Seeking out the street food stalls and cooking classes of Southeast Asia allows travelers to taste the difference and compare the cuisine of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
If you’ve been to Southeast Asia and feel like you’ve seen all there is to see, perhaps it’s time to check out Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam from a slightly closer perspective.
If you’re planning on traveling in Indochina with kids then go for it, as from primate rescue centers and bamboo rafting along the Mekong River to hidden temple ruins and friendly local people, this region of South East Asia is made for families who love to explore.
We’re proud to be able to publish some genuinely helpful Indochina travel advice that has come directly from our friends in Indochina with food advice and tips on visiting ancient cities just as insightful as tips on how to travel safely in Indochina.
We know that all responsible travelers want to travel right in Indochina which is why our responsible tourism page highlights the important issues, including orphanages, poverty, animal rights and boycotting Thailand’s tiger temple, plus what you can do to help.
