February is still the dry season across mainland Southeast Asia, the Philippines and southern India, and the weather in Sri Lanka's west and south is at its most reliable. It is the last month of the Himalayan winter, with clear air and cold nights, and Japan's snow is at its deepest. Plum blossom begins to appear in the south of Japan before the end of the month.
The lunar new year is the calendar point to plan around. In some years it falls in February, and for several days China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Korea and Singapore shut down, with trains and flights full and many restaurants closed. It can be a fascinating time to be in these places, and a poor one for a tight itinerary. Check the date before you commit.
Cambodia and Laos, Thailand, The Philippines, Sri Lanka, India
Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia
South Korea, China, Mongolia
Angkor, Luang Prabang
Best timeDry and clear, with heat building a little toward the end of the month. A good time for the temples of Angkor and the waterfalls near Luang Prabang. Chinese new year can bring regional visitors, so book hotels a little early.
Angkor, Unhurried, 5 daysLuang Prabang, Slowly, 6 daysBangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui
Best timeDry and warm. The Andaman coast and the Gulf islands such as Samui are both good. Chiang Mai starts to see smoke from burning fields later in the month. Chinese new year brings extra visitors in some years.
Thailand Unhurried, 11 daysManila, El Nido, Cebu, Bohol
Best timeDry, sunny and comfortable, with calm water around El Nido, Cebu and Bohol. Rooms stay fairly full through the dry season, so island resorts need early booking. Manila is pleasant and the traffic is the usual challenge.
El Nido, by Island Resort, 7 daysSigiriya, Kandy, Ella, Galle
Best timeThe most reliable month for the south and west coasts and for the cultural triangle. Hill-country views are clear. Whale watching off Mirissa is good in the early part of the year. Rooms are in demand, especially near Galle and Ella.
Sri Lanka: Coast & Culture, 14 daysRajasthan, Kerala, Delhi
Best timeA good month for Rajasthan, with warm days and cool nights. Kerala's backwaters are pleasant. The Jaipur Literature Festival, in late January or early February, fills the city. Delhi has less fog than in January.
Palaces of Rajasthan, Waters of Kerala, 10 daysKyoto, Tokyo, Hokkaido
GoodThe coldest weeks, with the heaviest snow in the north and the Sapporo Snow Festival in early February. Plum blossom starts to open in the south by the end of the month. Kyoto is calm and cheaper than in spring, if you dress for it.
Niseko: A Week in the Powder, 7 daysTaipei, Taroko, Tainan
GoodMild, with changeable weather. The Lantern Festival, at the end of the lunar new year, sends sky lanterns up at Pingxi. Plum and cherry blossoms appear in the mountains. Expect holiday crowds around the new year.
Taiwan: Taipei and Taroko Gorge, 7 daysHanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Saigon
GoodWarm and dry in the south, with cooler, grey weather in Hanoi and Ha Long Bay. Hoi An is cool and can be damp. Tet often falls in this month and travel is heavy around it. Book well ahead and expect closures.
Vietnam & Cambodia for Two, 10 daysKuala Lumpur, Penang, Borneo
GoodA dry, sunny month on the west coast, good for Penang's heritage streets and Langkawi. The east coast islands are closed or rough. Borneo is wet. Chinese new year brings busy roads and closed shops.
Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur and Penang, 8 daysBali, Komodo, Lombok
MixedHeavy rain is common, and some days are grey from morning to night. Rice terraces are lush. Komodo trips are often disrupted by weather. Prices are low, and the island is calm, which suits a slow wellness stay.
Kathmandu, Pokhara, Paro, Thimphu
MixedCold and clear. Mountain visibility is often excellent, particularly in the early mornings. Bhutan has fewer visitors and some festivals in the lower valleys. Higher altitudes are snowbound. Cold nights need a heated room.
Seoul, Gyeongju, Jeju
Hard goingStill bitterly cold, though the light is bright and the city is quiet. Good for hot springs, street food and museums. Seollal often lands here, and for those few days many restaurants shut and trains sell out weeks ahead.
Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai
Hard goingCold, with the lunar new year in late January or February. Shops and restaurants close for days, and domestic travel peaks. Beijing is calm and clear afterwards. Shanghai is damp and cold. Only choose this month with a clear reason.
Ulaanbaatar, the Gobi, the steppe
Hard goingBitterly cold, and the main camps are closed. Tsagaan Sar, the lunar new year, falls in January or February and is a family holiday, with visits and feasts. A trip is possible only for those who want the cold.
February suits a two-part trip: a few days in a cold, quiet place such as Taiwan or Japan, then a beach or a river in the dry south. Check the date of the lunar new year first, because transport and hotels across East Asia are tight for about a week around it, and a trip planned a few days either side is far easier. Southeast Asia is in its dry season, so rooms in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam fill early. Sri Lanka's west coast and southern India are comfortable and good value outside the new-year week. Allow ten days, and book flights early for any route touching China, Vietnam or Taiwan.
The lunar new year, Tet in Vietnam and Seollal in Korea, falls between late January and mid-February and closes shops and fills transport. The Sapporo Snow Festival is in early February. Taiwan's Lantern Festival follows the new year by about two weeks.
These are typical seasonal patterns, not forecasts. Rain, heat and the dates of blossoms and festivals move from year to year, so check a current forecast and your government's travel advice before you book.
5 days · Siem Reap, Angkor
Angkor Wat at sunrise, the Bayon's faces and the roots of Ta Prohm
from €100 per person per day
6 days · Luang Prabang, Pak Ou, Kuang Si
Dawn alms, a Mekong boat to the Pak Ou caves, Kuang Si's turquoise pools
from €100 per person per day
11 days · Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai
An observation-only elephant sanctuary, a family cooking class, longtail boats to the Hong islands
from €300 per person per day
7 days · Manila, El Nido
Four nights on a private island in the Bacuit Archipelago, with a private boat day
from €300 per person per day
14 days · Colombo, Sigiriya, Kandy
Sigiriya, the hill-country train, Yala safaris and Galle Fort
from €200 per person per day
10 days · Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur
Amber Fort, palace hotels in Jodhpur and Udaipur, a private Kerala houseboat
from €200 per person per day
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Planning for
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Plan a trip for February