Where to go in Asia in September

September is the start of the good weather in the north and the end of the bad weather in the south. The heat breaks in Korea, China and Japan in the second half of the month. Mongolia is golden and uncrowded. The Himalayan monsoon fades, and by the end of the month Nepal and Bhutan are clear and green. Indonesia is still dry, and Komodo and Bali remain in good shape.

Typhoon risk is the main reason to be careful. Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam are still within the season, and the odd cancelled train, ferry or cruise is likely. Southeast Asia's mainland is wet, and Thailand is at the height of its rain. The best choices are the ones where September is a shoulder month, with fewer people and good light.

At a glance

Best time

Bali and Indonesia, Mongolia

Good

South Korea, China

Hard going

Cambodia and Laos, Thailand, The Philippines

Region by region

Bali and Indonesia

Bali, Komodo, Lombok

Best time

Still dry, a little less crowded than August. Good for diving, boats and temples. The sea around Komodo is calm and clear. Humidity is low, and temperatures are comfortable at night in the highlands.

Bali: Ceremony, Rice Terraces & the Bukit Cliffs, 9 days Komodo, by Private Boat, 6 days

Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar, the Gobi, the steppe

Best time

Warm days, cool nights and golden light as the grass turns yellow. Fewer visitors than in July and August. A good month for the Gobi and the steppe, and one of the best for photography.

Mongolia: A Gobi Lodge, 6 days

South Korea

Seoul, Gyeongju, Jeju

Good

Typhoon risk early on, then the heat breaks and the skies clear. Chuseok, the harvest holiday, falls in September or early October and closes many shops for several days. Late September is among the most comfortable times to visit.

Seoul, Gyeongju & Jeju, 7 days

China

Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai

Good

The heat eases in the second half of the month. Early September is still warm and humid. Clear skies return, and the crowds thin after the summer holidays. A good time for Xi'an and the Great Wall by the end of the month.

China's Three Great Cities, 9 days

Japan

Kyoto, Tokyo, Hokkaido

Mixed

Heat lingers for the first half and typhoons are most likely, so expect the odd cancelled train or ferry. Things settle by the end of the month. Silver Week, in some years, makes a few days busy. Rice fields turn gold in the countryside.

Taiwan

Taipei, Taroko, Tainan

Mixed

Still typhoon season, though the odds fall as the month goes on. Hot early, then easing. A fine time for food and cities if you stay flexible. Mid-Autumn Festival brings moon-viewing barbecues in early autumn.

Vietnam

Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Saigon

Mixed

The north starts to cool and clear toward the end of the month. The centre begins its rainy season, with typhoon risk and the first floods. The south is wet. Better in the second half, and a quiet month for the north.

Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Borneo

Mixed

Rain becomes more frequent on the west coast, and haze from fires in Sumatra can drift over the peninsula in some years. The east coast and Borneo are still reasonable. Plan with some flexibility.

Sri Lanka

Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella, Galle

Mixed

The south-west monsoon fades, though showers continue. Yala's main park block often closes for a few weeks for maintenance and for the animals' sake. Check before you book. The east is still dry.

India

Rajasthan, Kerala, Delhi

Mixed

The monsoon withdraws from the north and begins to ease. Rajasthan remains humid. Kerala is green and lush, with the boat races of Onam in August or September. The best weather is a few weeks away.

Nepal and Bhutan

Kathmandu, Pokhara, Paro, Thimphu

Mixed

The rains begin to fade by the end of the month. The air starts to clear and the landscape is lush. Bhutan's autumn season opens. Mountain views improve through September. Fewer visitors than in October.

Cambodia and Laos

Angkor, Luang Prabang

Hard going

Peak of the wet season, with the heaviest rain and the highest rivers. Some roads and boat trips are cut, and Tonle Sap is full. Only for flexible travellers who want empty temples and low prices.

Thailand

Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui

Hard going

Peak rain, with floods possible in Bangkok and the central plains, and rough seas on both coasts. Some island operators close for the season. A quiet month for travellers who plan around the weather.

The Philippines

Manila, El Nido, Cebu, Bohol

Hard going

Typhoon season continues. Flooding and cancelled transport are common. Palawan, the central islands and Luzon are all affected in different weeks. The Christmas season starts being celebrated in the shops, which is a local quirk.

Building the trip

September is a month of shoulder-season value. Prices drop in the places that are still dry or just drying out, and crowds thin after the summer holidays. Mongolia and Indonesia are good choices for the first half, and Korea and the Himalaya improve toward the end. If you plan Japan, accept that typhoons can disrupt a few days, and leave a buffer before an international flight. Book Nepal and Bhutan early, because the autumn season begins and rooms are short from October. Eight to ten days works for most routes, and a flexible start date lets you move a few days either way to dodge a storm.

Dates to plan around

Chuseok, the Korean harvest holiday, falls in September or early October and closes many shops. Taiwan's Mid-Autumn Festival is at around the same time. China's National Day Golden Week starts on 1 October, so late September is the time to be there, before the crowds.

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.

Sample itineraries for September