australia:travel_besttimes
best times to travel
introduction
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
January
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
February
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
March
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
April
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
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
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
July
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
August
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
September
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
October
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
November
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
December
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
australia/travel_besttimes.txt · Last modified: 2015/10/02 13:38 by gary1