Where to go in Asia in April

Japan

Kyoto, Tokyo, Hokkaido

The classic month. Cherry blossom usually peaks in the first days of April in Kyoto and Tokyo and a few weeks later in the north. It is also the most crowded and expensive. Golden Week starts at the end of the month, so avoid the last days.

South Korea

Seoul, Gyeongju, Jeju

Cherry blossom in the first half, starting in the south and reaching Seoul in the first days of April. Jeju's rapeseed fields turn yellow. Mild days, cool nights and good walking weather, but the blossom weeks are busy.

Taiwan

Taipei, Taroko, Tainan

Warm and green, with a lot of the island in flower. Good for Taroko Gorge, Sun Moon Lake and the cities. The plum rains have not yet started. Clear days are common, and the heat is still bearable.

China

Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai

Spring arrives, with warm days, blossom in the cities and clear skies on most days. The Great Wall is green at its edges. A comfortable month for walking Beijing and Xi'an, though Qingming and the May holiday bring local crowds.

Vietnam

Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Saigon

Warm and settled in the north and centre, with clear skies over Ha Long Bay and the Hoi An beaches opening. The south is very hot. Reunification Day and Labour Day, around the start of May, fill hotels.

The Philippines

Manila, El Nido, Cebu, Bohol

Hot, dry and bright. Beaches are at their best. Holy Week is a major holiday and many Filipinos travel, so book far ahead for the days around it. Manila empties out in Holy Week, and some shops close.

Nepal and Bhutan

Kathmandu, Pokhara, Paro, Thimphu

A prime month in both countries. Rhododendrons are in bloom, Paro's festival is often held in spring, and Bhutan is at its busiest. Nepal's trekking is good, with some haze at lower altitudes. Book months ahead.

Bali and Indonesia

Bali, Komodo, Lombok

The dry season begins. Skies clear, humidity drops and the sea settles. Komodo's boat season opens. Easter and some school holidays bring short busy periods. A good month for Bali and a better one for the islands.

Sri Lanka

Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella, Galle

Hot and humid, with the first inter-monsoon showers. Sinhalese and Tamil new year in mid-April closes shops and fills trains. The hill country has its own April season, with gardens and horse racing at Nuwara Eliya.

Cambodia and Laos

Angkor, Luang Prabang

The hottest month, often well above 35 degrees, and the haze in Laos is at its worst. Khmer new year in mid-month and Lao new year, Pi Mai, bring water fights and closed shops. Angkor is quiet but punishing in the afternoon.

Thailand

Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui

The hottest month, and Songkran, the Thai new year, fills the middle of it with water fights across the country. It is fun, and also loud, wet and crowded, with some shops closed. Beaches are fine, and the north is smoky and hot.

Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Borneo

Hot and humid. The east coast islands, such as the Perhentians and Tioman, are open and the sea is calm. Borneo is drier, and diving at Sipadan opens up. The west coast sees more afternoon storms.

India

Rajasthan, Kerala, Delhi

Hot in most of the country. Rajasthan and Delhi often pass 40 degrees. Kerala is humid. Sightseeing needs to be at dawn and late afternoon. The hill stations offer relief. Few Western visitors, and low prices.

Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar, the Gobi, the steppe

Cold nights, windy days and dust storms in the Gobi. Most camps are still closed or just opening. The landscape is brown before the green begins. Not a month to choose without good reason.