July is a month for specific, rewarding choices. Mongolia is at the height of its summer, with Naadam in the middle of the month. Bali, Komodo and Lombok are in their dry season, with the clearest skies and the biggest crowds. Hokkaido blooms with lavender and avoids the Japanese rainy season. The Gulf islands of Thailand and the east coast of Sri Lanka are also in good shape.
Most of the rest is wet or hot. India, Nepal and Bhutan are in the monsoon, with cloud over the mountains and disrupted roads. Southern China, Taiwan and the Philippines are hot and prone to typhoons, and Japan's cities are hot and humid after the rains. If you go, go where the weather is dry, and book early, because every dry place is also full.
Bali and Indonesia, Mongolia
Malaysia
Taiwan, China, The Philippines, Nepal and Bhutan
Bali, Komodo, Lombok
Best timeDry season at full strength, with clear skies and cool nights in the highlands. Bali is busy and prices rise, particularly in the second half of the month. Komodo is excellent for boat trips and snorkelling.
Bali: Ceremony, Rice Terraces & the Bukit Cliffs, 9 daysKomodo, by Private Boat, 6 daysUlaanbaatar, the Gobi, the steppe
Best timeThe peak of summer, with green grassland and wildflowers. Naadam, the national festival of wrestling, archery and horse racing, runs in the middle of the month in Ulaanbaatar and in villages. It is busy and expensive.
Mongolia: A Gobi Lodge, 6 daysKuala Lumpur, Penang, Borneo
GoodThe east coast islands and Borneo are at their best, with calm seas and long, sunny days. Kuala Lumpur is warm and shows its usual afternoon rain. Penang is more humid with some wet days.
Kyoto, Tokyo, Hokkaido
MixedHot and humid in the cities, with the rains easing by mid-month. The Gion Festival in Kyoto fills the month. Hokkaido is at its best, with lavender fields in bloom around Furano. The Fuji climbing season opens in early July.
Seoul, Gyeongju, Jeju
MixedThe wet month. Heavy rain comes in bursts through July, with humidity high. Seoul is still workable with an umbrella and indoor stops, but hiking and Jeju days can be washed out. Prices drop, and crowds are thin.
Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Saigon
MixedHot, wet in the north and south, and the central coast is at its sunniest. Typhoons can start to affect Ha Long Bay and cancel cruises. Plan on the centre and keep the north flexible.
Angkor, Luang Prabang
MixedGreen and wet, with frequent but short downpours. The Mekong rises. Fewer travellers at the temples, and the light after rain is good. Pack for rain and heat and treat the weather as part of the trip.
Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui
MixedRainy in Bangkok and the north, and rough on the Andaman side. Samui and the Gulf stay sunnier. School holidays bring some domestic and international families to the Gulf islands. Good value in the interior.
Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella, Galle
MixedWet in the south-west and hills, dry in the east and the cultural triangle. Kandy's Esala Perahera, the great torchlit procession, usually falls in July or August and is worth planning a stay around.
Rajasthan, Kerala, Delhi
MixedHeavy rain across much of the country. Rajasthan is green and quieter, and its palaces look their best against clouds, though travel can be slow. Kerala's backwaters are full. Ladakh in the north is open and dry.
Taipei, Taroko, Tainan
Hard goingVery hot and humid, with thunderstorms most afternoons and an active typhoon season. Trails and Taroko roads can close at short notice. Beaches and the south are busy with domestic summer travel.
Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai
Hard goingHot and sticky, with heavy rain in Shanghai and thunderstorms in Beijing. Summer holidays begin and domestic tour groups fill the sights. Indoor museums and early starts help, but the weather works against sightseeing.
Manila, El Nido, Cebu, Bohol
Hard goingWet and windy, with typhoon risk rising. Boat trips and flights are disrupted at short notice. Manila floods in heavy rain. Only for those who accept the risk and carry insurance for weather delays.
Kathmandu, Pokhara, Paro, Thimphu
Hard goingHeavy monsoon rain. Mountain views are rare. Roads and flights are disrupted, especially in Nepal. Green landscapes and low prices are the only compensations, and it is not a good month for a first visit.
July is the month to book early and choose carefully. Mongolia's Naadam week fills camps and flights months ahead, and Bali's school-holiday peak raises prices from mid-month. Decide on one dry region and give it a full trip: Mongolia with the Gobi, Indonesia with Komodo, or Hokkaido with a few days in the Japanese Alps. Combining a dry region with a wet one is a poor use of time, because the weather in the wet one will cost you days. Typhoon cover on your travel insurance is worth reading for Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. Six to ten days suits most of these trips.
Naadam in Mongolia runs from 11 to 13 July. Kyoto's Gion Festival fills the month. Kandy's Esala Perahera falls in July or August. School holidays in Europe and North America raise prices in Bali and the Gulf islands.
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.
9 days · Ubud, Sidemen, Uluwatu
A morning making offerings with a Balinese family, manta rays, the Uluwatu cliffs
from €400 per person per day
6 days · Labuan Bajo, Komodo National Park
Komodo dragons, pink-sand beaches and snorkelling, with a private speedboat
from €250 per person per day
6 days · Ulaanbaatar, Gobi Desert
Three nights in a Gobi lodge, with dunes, canyons and camel rides
from €750 per person per day
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Plan a trip for July