Deciding which country you want to travel to is the first step. The next step is checking when it’s the best time to travel there. Just going whenever you can get the days off from work isn’t going to do the trick. And may cause a disappointing travel experience.

Temperature & climate

Temperature and climate changes during the year and varies from country to country. Summer time in one country may be rainy season in another. If you finally travel to that country you always wanted to go to, it would be a shame if it turns out to be the monsoon or hurricane season.

Or you may end up in the middle of a heat wave. Like I ended up ten years ago. I found an amazing last minute 3-week round trip through Morocco. But it was in August and the temperatures were extremely high that summer. And rose to 50 degrees Celcius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). Big mistake! (But despite the heat, I must say it still was an amazing trip).

Website tips

There are several websites where you can check when it’s the best time to visit destinations. You can find information like temperature, climate tables, weather and best time to travel to that country or city.

Use a website like HolidayGuru to check your destination and find the perfect time for you to go traveling. Preferably with nice temperatures and not too much rainy days.
Also a good site is World Weather & Climate Information. They provide a lot of information, also at the level of specific cities in a country.

Rain doesn’t always mean the same

Rain in one country may be totally different than rain in another country. When you see the number of rainy days, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it rains all day long. Rain in Asian countries can be different than the rainy days in Europe.
When it rains in Europe, like in the Netherlands, it can easily rain all day long. When you’re in Asia, you have more chance of short rain showers. Often in the late afternoon. So that’s not all too bad. And can even be quite refreshing at times.

So not only look at how many days a month it rains at your travel destination. Also take into account the amount of rain. Because it may rain 18 days out of the month. But if it’s only a little rain shower, it isn’t worth cancelling or changing your plans.

Holidays & special occasions

Climate and temperature are important factors that can make or break your vacation. Something that can also be a big influence is the date and period that you want to travel. Every country has his own peak season. Or seasons. This may be due to holidays, kids school vacation, weather, religious events etc. It’s important that you find that out before you book your trip. So if you want to be in the middle of it, it’s been a conscious choice. And not something you end up wishing you knew before, so you could have avoided it.

Some examples of peak season periods are Spring Break in the US. And (for example in Europe) the long summer vacations that the kids have in July and August. The prices for a vacation in Europe in the summer are way higher than when you go in March or April. Also due to the weather in Europe of course. And think about Christmas and New Years. That’s obviously also an expensive period to go traveling.

But every country also has his own special holidays, occasions or events. Like Holi festival in India. Or the blossom in Japan. So check which are the special dates and occasions in the country you want to travel to. That way you can make a good decision on whether you want to go in the peak season or low season. Depending on what’s more important to you. With regard to money, weather conditions, crowds, special events, nature and scenery etc.

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