May is the last month of fall in New Zealand, and weather can range from pleasantly warm to quite wintry, depending on where you go. It's shoulder season, and some of the most popular destinations remain busy, but some of the more outdoorsy attractions see far fewer visitors than in the summer. Here are some important things to know about traveling to New Zealand in May.
April is the middle of the fall season in New Zealand. In some parts of the country, that means the leaves on the trees turn orange and the air is crisp and cool. In others, especially farther north, April can still be quite warm, particularly at the start of the month. And because it's shoulder season, you'll contend with fewer visitors than in the peak season. But, if Easter falls in April, you can expect domestic travelers to be out and about.
The largest of the Cyclades islands, Naxos, is often paired with a visit to its neighbor, Paros, and smaller surrounding islands. You can visit in 24 hours (it's a short ferry ride from Santorini, making it a perfect day trip or overnight). To really experience Naxos, however, consider spending up to five days here: you'll be able to tour traditional mountain villages, take in the unspoiled nature of the island's interior, and check out some of the island's beaches, said to rival those in Santorini.
March is the first month of fall in New Zealand, but summery conditions tend to linger, and in many parts of the country it's almost as warm and sunny as February. The farther south you go, however, the more autumnal the weather, with leaves on the trees turning orange. If Easter falls in March then expect an increase in domestic travelers at popular places, otherwise this month is the shoulder season. Here's what you need to know about traveling in New Zealand in March.
February is midsummer in New Zealand, and also peak tourism season. But, schools go back earlier in the month, so international visitors won't be competing with locals for space on beaches or in camp grounds as they do in January, plus weather conditions continue to be ideal for outdoor activities. Here are some important things to know about traveling to New Zealand in February.
January is midsummer in New Zealand, and peak season. Schools are on vacation until the end of the month, so you'll encounter a lot of domestic travelers throughout the country. Temperatures are generally warm, although there's a lot of variation between the far north and the extreme south. January also tends to be New Zealand's driest month, so conditions are good for outdoor adventures.
December is one of the best months of the year to visit Myanmar. The weather is warm but not suffocatingly hot, and there's virtually no rain anywhere in sight. The flip-side to the amazing weather, of course, is that it attracts a lot of people—the second half of December through mid-January is the busiest time of year. That means you won't have those idyllic Mandalay sunrises all to yourself as you might in June, but most people find it worth braving the crowds.
The month of November, which marks the kickoff of peak tourist season, is without a doubt one of the best times to visit Myanmar. The temperatures drop to a more comfortable level and the rains dry up. The coasts become sunny and beautiful, and in the mountains the scenery is stunning. It's a time when you can visit virtually any part of the country and find pleasant, travel-friendly weather.
October is a fantastic time of year to visit Myanmar. After a long wet season, the rain finally begins tapering off and the storms on the coast let up. People start arriving again and, though you won't enjoy the same lack of crowds that you do in the middle of August, it's nevertheless much less busy than during peak season. For this reason, you can often find good deals on hotels, too.
If you like mountains, temples, and historic ruins, September is a great month to visit Myanmar. It's a shoulder month that comes at the end of the wet season, offering decent weather without many crowds. Although the beaches remain closed due to rainfall, other parts of the country beginning seeing less rain and nicer weather. It's still a hot part of the season but it's not sweltering like it is in April or May. Plus, the crowds taper back significantly so you can soak up the scenery without hordes of tourists everywhere.
In August, the wet season is in full effect, and though that makes some places more lush and beautiful, it also means you're likely to experience some heavy downpours. That said—it's not monsoon weather everywhere in the country. Although the coast and southern cities get hit hard, there are plenty of regions in the north and around the mountains that are spared some of the heavy flooding and torrential downpours. The weather is still warm and, best of all, the crowds completely disappear.
If you don't mind the rain, July is a wonderful time to visit Myanmar. The big tourist crowds disappear. and in Myanmar's "Big Four" destinations (Bagan, Mandalay, Inle Lake, and Yangon), you'll find not only fewer people but also lower prices. The downside, of course, is that aside from August, July is the wettest month of the year. That said, most destinations in the north receive regular breaks of sunshine throughout the day, during which you can wander around comfortably and explore the sites.
June kicks off the rainy season, but temperatures are warm and it can still be an excellent time to visit, depending where you go. The wet weather keeps crowds away, so you'll have the tourist sites virtually to yourself. And since the showers are scattered, you can be outside without getting poured on, a good thing since the scenery is gorgeous this time of year—there's foliage everywhere and Myanmar's botanical gardens come to life.
Although not quite as hot as April (the hottest month of the year), May nevertheless sees above-average temperatures in Myanmar, especially during the first half of the month. This is a good time to head to the mountains or hit some of the drier parts of the coast, as much of the central plains (Mandalay, Bagan, and Yangon) will be uncomfortably hot. This can actually be a fantastic time to plan a trip, even to the hotter areas, because the rain is light and crowds are few.
April is low season in Myanmar due to the extreme heat in many parts of the country. The mountains are a bit cooler around Inle Lake and Kalaw but the big tourist cities of Mandalay, Bagan, and Yangon are typically scorching throughout the month. The upside? Skies are clear almost every day, and in the middle of the month, locals celebrate their New Year with fun festivities. This is also a great time to take advantage of the crowdless beaches and cooler mountain towns.
March is a shoulder season in Myanmar. You don't have to worry about rain, although the increasing temperatures—which range from 81 to 97 degrees Fahrenheit—can be uncomfortable in the central plains and other open valleys. Generally speaking, it's a more pleasant time to be in the mountains where it's cooler, or on the coast where you can spend your time in the ocean or sitting by the pool. Crowds thin out significantly compared to February, so you won't have to contend with as many fellow tourists.
February is one of the best times to visit Myanmar—especially the first half of the month, before the temperatures start to rise. With warm, dry weather, it's a wonderful time just about everywhere in the country. The downside is that these pleasant conditions also make it fairly crowded—hotels are more expensive, guided tours fill up, and most of the tourist spots have crowds. Still, it's a fantastic time to visit.
January is one of the best times of the year to visit Myanmar. Weather is at its finest—temperatures range from 70 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit, and it's drier than other times of the year. You'll enjoy a warm, pleasant atmosphere that isn't hot and sweltering (like it can be in April or May), nor rainy and wet (like July or August). The only drawback to visiting in January is that crowds are usually thick, and lodging tends to be more expensive.
On this nine-day itinerary, starting in Marrakech, go off the beaten path to explore Morocco's culture and landscapes. Cross the Atlas Mountains and enjoy an off-road adventure to discover Ouzoud and the country's tallest waterfalls before riding a camel to your desert camp near Zagora. Next is Taroudant, a fortified town with excellent souks that are easier to navigate than those in bigger cities, ending your stay in the laidback coastal city of Essaouira.
Discover Morroco's historic and modern cities on this 6-day tour of the country's urban centers. You'll get a sense of Morocco's evolution across the centuries, from its Roman ruins in Volubilis to its modern commercial capital, Casablanca. You'll also visit the seaside splendor of Rabat — which showcases the influence of French-colonial heritage — as well as the exquisite Imperial City of Meknes. Finally, you'll immerse yourself in Marrakech, the "Red City," where you'll be welcomed with fantastic cuisine, a bustling Medina, and gorgeous architecture.
The Moroccan Sahara is a great place to visit in December. The days are warm but not hot, perfect for outdoor adventures in the dunes, and nights are cold—ideal for relaxing by an open fire and gazing at the stars—and it's relatively quiet in terms of tourism, save for the days around Christmas and New Year's Eve. Learn more about to expect in the Sahara Desert in Morocco in December with this monthly guide.
November is a quiet time for tourism around Morocco—which makes it a great time to visit the Sahara Desert. Take a camel ride over the dunes, visit the "Hollywood of Morocco," stargaze by a campfire: the fall weather is crisp and sunny, ideal for outdoor activities, and you won't encounter big crowds or inflated prices. Read on for more about what to expect with this monthly guide to November in the Moroccan Sahara.
If you're planning to visit the Moroccan Sahara in October, you can expect a few things: beautiful weather, major cultural festivals, and an influx of weekend visitors. It's a wonderful time to get a glimpse into local culture and cuisine, to go for a camel ride on the dunes, or to star-gaze under a brilliant sky. Learn more about what to expect with this monthly guide to visiting the Sahara in Morocco in October.
September is the tail end of the high season in Morocco. The days cool off slightly and the crowds get smaller as summer turns to fall, but you'll still experience intense sunshine in the Sahara—planning ahead for desert excursions is key. Learn more about what to expect and what to do in the Moroccan Sahara in this monthly guide.
August is the hottest month of the year in the driest desert in the world. Think long, hot, sunny days, vast night skies filled with stars—and lots of tourists around. It's true that you'll need to plan ahead to enjoy the majesty of the Moroccan Sahara's sweeping landscapes (and avoid getting sunstroke). Learn how with this monthly guide to August in the Sahara Desert in Morocco.
July is the middle of summer in the world's driest desert. On the bright side, it's not quite as hot as in August—but you'll still want to carefully plan your trip to the Moroccan Sahara at this time of the year so that the weather won't stop you from enjoying the desert's magnificent scenery. Find out more about what to expect, see, and do with this monthly guide to the Sahara Desert in Morocco.
June marks the beginning of summer in the Moroccan Sahara. While visiting the driest desert in the world during the hottest months of the year may sound daunting, it's not a bad time to visit if you plan your excursions wisely and stay out of the sun during the middle of the day. Find out more about what to expect with this monthly guide to the Sahara Desert in Morocco.
The Moroccan Sahara sees a spike in tourism in April—and with warm, sunny weather and several cultural festivals on the calendar, it's not difficult to see why. Visiting the desert at this time requires a bit of advance planning, but you'll enjoy comfortable temperatures that are ideal for trekking and camel rides. Learn more about what to expect with this monthly guide.
Considering a visit to the Moroccan Sahara in March? It's a good time to go: the weather is pleasant for outdoor adventures, save for the occasional sandstorm, and you won't encounter major crowds. Find out more about what to expect with this monthly guide to visiting the Sahara in Morocco in early spring.
February marks the end of winter in Morocco. In the Sahara Desert, the weather is sunny and dry—great for outdoor activities—with chilly evenings that are ideal for stargazing by an open fire. It's not a peak travel time, so you won't encounter major crowds or higher-than-average prices. Find out more about what to expect with this monthly guide to the Sahara Desert in Morocco.
January is the middle of winter in Morocco. In the Sahara Desert, which extends into the country's southeast, the days are sunny (though shorter than you'll experience in summer) with temperatures pleasant for outdoor activities during the day. Though you'll have crowds to contend with in the first week of the month, the latter part of January is a quiet time to visit.
If you're hoping to visit the Moroccan Sahara in May, plan ahead: tourism is up around Morocco in spring. Though the weather in the desert gets hot in the middle of the day, it's generally pleasant and sunny, making May a great time to plan early-morning treks and sunset camel rides. Learn more about what to expect, from occasional sandstorms to a major rose harvest festival, with this monthly guide.
This tour is perfect for the traveler who's short on time and looking for a taste of Morocco and its hidden gems. You'll enjoy a guided tour of Marrakesh and watch its famed Jamaa El Fna Square come to life at dusk, then ride a camel through the stunning sand dunes of the Agafay Desert, where you'll spend the night in a traditional tent. As you make your way to Casablanca, you'll stop at an argan oil collective, enjoy fresh, delicious seafood on the coast, and visit the gorgeous Essaouira, all at a relaxed pace.
This exciting, yet relaxing, adventure combines cultural and outdoor elements across Western Norway for the ultimate summer road trip. Start in Oslo where you'll have a day to check out the capital before traveling by train and ferry to pick up your car. From here, drive around farms, villages, and towns with opportunities to hike, bike, kayak, and river raft in the area's glorious scenery. You'll eventually drop off your car and catch a fjordcruise to Bergen's colorful wharf, loaded with restaurants.
This 3-week wellness retreat starts in bustling Cape Town, where you'll enjoy several spa treatments at a posh accommodation while adventuring out of the city for scenic drives and wine tasting. Foodies will be pleased with exquisite meals made from traditional methods and served with seafront views, plus tours of colonial tea farms. Where pampering meets adventure, this trip also includes safaris, submarine rides, whale watching, sightseeing flights, and catamaran cruises.
There are few more family-friendly regions of Argentina than the area around the Patagonian town of Bariloche. The mountains, lakes, and gorgeous scenery of Nahuel Huapi National Park make it a no-brainer for parents looking to take their kids on an outdoor adventure. The fun begins with a walking tour of Buenos Aires before jetting off to Bariloche for nature hikes, kayak excursions, and lakeside picnics.
The perfect family vacation to Argentina combines city activities with adventures in the great outdoors. This brisk six-day itinerary offers precisely that as you and the brood will discover Buenos Aires on walking tours before jetting south to the Lake District and the alpine resort city of Bariloche. From there you'll explore the surrounding lakes and mountains plus brave the rapids on a whitewater rafting trip.
Get ready for nine days in two of Argentina's most exciting regions. You and the family will arrive in Buenos Aires where you'll discover the culture on a walking tour as well as by sampling its cuisine and seeing a live tango performance. Then the outdoor adventures begin when you jet to Patagonia and the alpine town of Bariloche, from which you'll embark on nature hikes, kayak trips, and whitewater rafting excursions.
If you're looking for the ideal South American country in which to enjoy the perfect family vacation, look no further than Argentina. This 10-day itinerary kicks off with a tango show in the capital of Buenos Aires followed by a trip to the countryside to a working cowboy ranch. Then you'll fly south to the lake town of Bariloche and venture into Patagonia for kayak trips, nature hikes, and a whitewater rafting trip.
Argentina's capital exudes Latin American spirit and European style. It's a city of wide boulevards and baroque buildings, where tango dancers perform on cobbled streets and soccer-mad denizens party all night in raucous discos. Enjoy the best of B.A. on a six-day tour of its famously carnivorous culinary scene, plus see a tango show and take a day trip to a country ranch for horseback riding with real gauchos.
In six days, you can experience the highlights of Buenos Aires and its surrounding countryside. You'll begin with a city tour where you'll visit B.A.'s famous sights, indulge in its notoriously meat-centric cuisine, and enjoy a live tango performance. Rounding out this unforgettable vacation are day trips to a colorful river town and a country ranch for a traditional BBQ and equestrian show performed by real cowboys.
Seven days is just enough time to experience three of Argentina's most famous regions. You'll arrive in Buenos Aires and feel its energy on a city tour of famous sights like the Presidential Palace before sitting down for an unforgettable dinner and tango show. You'll then fly to Argentina's premier wine region, Mendoza, for a tasting followed by a journey north to Iguazú Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the world.
In eight days you can criss-cross Argentina, visiting its metropolitan capital, the wine region of Mendoza, and the northern border with Paraguaya and Brazil. In Buenos Aires, you'll enjoy city tours and a live tango show before jetting to Mendoza to sample the region's famous Malbec wine. Finally, you'll end up in the far north, where a tour of one of the world's great natural wonders—Iguazú Falls—awaits.
Discover Argentina's virtues on a nine-day vacation that mixes city tours with wine tastings and excursions to natural wonders. It begins in Buenos Aires where you'll witness a live tango show, and it continues in Mendoza with wine tours of this famous viticulture region. Finally, you'll travel north to Iguazú Falls where you'll appreciate this awe-inspiring wonder from both the Argentine and Brazilian sides.
Argentina is famous for its food, wine, and natural beauty. You'll experience all of it on a 10-day trip that begins in Buenos Aires and continues in Mendoza to sample the region's famous Malbec wine. The grand tour culminates in northern Argentina at the massive Iguazú Falls, second only to Victoria Falls in terms of size and splendor.
This 11-day adventure places you amid some of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring landscapes in Argentina. After enjoying a live tango show in Buenos Aires, you'll take a river cruise to the colorful town of Tigre. Then you'll fly to the nation's wine capital of Mendoza for tasting tours, horseback trips, and mountain hikes, followed by a flight to Iguazú to see one of the largest waterfalls in the world.
In 12 days you'll get to enjoy many of the cultural activities that define Argentina. This includes seeing a live tango show in Buenos Aires plus embarking on a tasting tour of its most famous wine region, Mendoza. You'll round out the itinerary with some horseback riding, mountain hikes, and a trip to what might be the most beautiful waterfall in the world: Iguazú Falls.
In Argentina, you can mix exciting outdoor excursions with fun cultural activities. On this 13-day adventure, you'll discover Buenos Aires on city tours, hike through the Andes, and sample the wines of Mendoza. As a bonus, you'll travel north to the border with Brazil and stroll to the edge of the largest waterfall in the Americas, Iguazú.
With thirteen days in Nepal, you can spend time in a few destinations to get a taste of what the country has to offer or you can commit to one particular region, which you can explore by foot, raft, or safari (and in some cases, all three). For trekking, consider getting away from crowds: Pikey Peak, the Khopra Ridge, and the Dolpo region are off-the-beaten-path, offer incredible views, and opportunities to learn about local villages and their heritages. You can also travel through Nepal in style; stay in luxury accommodations after a day of trekking, take a helicopter tour of the Himalaya, or sleep in a deluxe resort in a jungle, where you’ll be lulled to sleep by the trumpets of the property’s resident elephants. Read on for some inspiring ideas!
Skip the summer crowds with this autumn-themed itinerary in Norway's far north. The adventure begins in Tromsø—'Gateway to the Arctic'—with time to explore the city and a nearby farm. From here, you'll ferry to Senja island and then cruise to the northernmost point of Europe. Continue by bus to Alta for UNESCO-listed rock carvings before returning to Tromsø. Activities depend on the snow (or lack thereof), and each night presents another opportunity to spot the Northern Lights.
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