Weather and climate play a very important role when planning a photographic trip and unfortunately not all the destinations are good to travel to when you have your holidays. After years of research I have compiled a list with some of the top tourist destinations and the best time to visit them in the hope of helping you decide where you want to go next. Some destinations are good to travel to all year round however there are some countries where it is not advisable to travel due to climatic conditions such as monsoon season from May till August India or extremely hot temperatures from July to November in Philippines. Another factor to take into consideration is whether you are comfortable with snow (marked with ✓*) like it is the case with certain parts of the United States and New Zealand.
A lot of people have lots of misconceptions regarding the best time to travel to a country like for example South Africa. Although in August it is Winter, I visited this country during this month and apart from a couple of days I found beautiful weather with clear cloudless skies. Moreover usually you can save a lot of money when you go in low season since accommodation is cheaper and you won’t find huge crowds at famous landmarks. The image below portrays an image in the Karoo area in South Africa. I have chosen this image since I found that this country is a top destination for self-drive trips. It has a good road infrastructure and it offers the advantage of discovering the country at your own pace. In my opinion self drive holidays offer limitless possibilities for photographers since sometimes you cannot rely on public transport to get to a particular place.
| Country | When to go | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Southeast Asia | ||||||||||||
| Borneo | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cambodia | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | |
| Indonesia | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Laos | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | |
| Malaysia | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Myanmar | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ |
| Papua New Guinea | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Philippines | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Thailand | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ |
| Vietnam | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | |
| Indian Subcontinent | ||||||||||||
| Northern India | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Eastern India | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ||||
| Southern India | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | |||||
| Indian Wildlife | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ||||
| Bhutan | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | |||
| Himalayas Area | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Nepal | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | |||
| Maldives | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Sri Lanka | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| North and Central Asia | ||||||||||||
| China | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ||
| Japan | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | |
| Russia | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tibet | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | |||||||
| Uzbekistan | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| North Africa and the Middle East | ||||||||||||
| Egypt | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | |||
| Jordan | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | |||||
| Morocco | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Oman | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ||||
| Tunisia | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Africa and the Indian Ocean | ||||||||||||
| Botswana | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Kenya | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Madagascar | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | |||
| Malawi | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Mauritius | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Mozambique | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Namibia | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rwanda | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Seychelles | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ||
| South Africa (Kruger) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| South Africa (Kwazulu Natal) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| South Africa (Cape Town & Garden Route) | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ||
| Tanzania | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Uganda | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Zambia | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Zimbabwe | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| South America | ||||||||||||
| Argentina | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ |
| Bolivia | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Brazil | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ |
| Chile | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ |
| Colombia | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ |
| Ecuador & the Galapagos | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ |
| Peru | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Venezuela | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Central America | ||||||||||||
| Belize | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ||||
| Costa Rica | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | |||||
| Cuba | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ||||
| Guatemala | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | |||
| Mexico | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ||||
| Nicaragua | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ||||
| Panama | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ||||
| USA & Canada | ||||||||||||
| California and Nevada | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | |||
| The Rockies and Southwest | ✓* | ✓* | ✓* | ✓* | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| New England | ✓* | ✓* | ✓* | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | |||
| New York | ✓* | ✓* | ✓* | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓* |
| Pacific Northwest | ✓* | ✓* | ✓* | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ||
| Texas & the Deep South | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ||||||
| Hawaii | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ |
| Alaska | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | |||||||||
| Atlantic Canada | ✓* | ✓* | ✓* | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | |||||
| British Columbia, Alberta & the Rockies | ✓* | ✓* | ✓* | ✓* | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ||
| Ontario & Québec | ✓* | ✓* | ✓* | ✓* | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓* | |
| Northern & Arctic Canada | ✓* | ✓* | ✓* | ✓* | ✓* | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓* | ✓* | ✓* |
| Oceania | ||||||||||||
| Northern New Zealand | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ |
| Southern New Zealand | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | ✓* | ✓* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ |
| Fiji | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| The Cook Islands | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| French Polynesia | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Samoa | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Northeast Australia | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | |||
| Northwest Australia | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Central Australia | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ||
| Southeast Australia | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ |
| Southwest Australia | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ |
| Tasmania | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ||
| Polar Expeditions | ||||||||||||
| Arctic Alaska | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ||||||||||
| Antarctica | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ||||||
Key:
✓ – Good time to travel, but there are some factors to be aware of
✓✓ – Best time to travel
✓* – It is possible to travel but it is highly likely to find snow
If you need any help in organising your next trip do not hesitate to Contact me and I can help you decide which place to choose and help you make the necessary arrangements.
