Best places to visit in Asia in March

Asia

Vietnam · 23°C (73°F) · 15 rainy days

Hanoi

Guild streets, lakeside temples and street food on plastic stools. Warming up but very humid, with fine drizzle that makes walls and floors damp; trees blossom around the lakes.

Vietnam · 34°C (93°F) · 2 rainy days

Ho Chi Minh City

Colonial landmarks, war history and late-night street food on the Saigon River. Very hot and dry, with clear skies; plan outdoor sightseeing for mornings and evenings.

Japan · 14°C (57°F) · 10 rainy days

Osaka

Japan's street-food capital, neon canals and an easy base for Kansai. Mild and showery; spring holidays begin and cherry blossom starts in the last days of the month.

Singapore · 32°C (90°F) · 14 rainy days

Singapore

Hawker food, garden architecture and four cultures on one island. Hot with afternoon storms returning; a good month for museums and gardens with fewer holiday crowds.

Taiwan · 22°C (72°F) · 15 rainy days

Taipei

Night markets, temple incense, hot springs and mountain trails by MRT. Warming up, with blossom and changeable weather; a good month for hiking and day trips.

Japan · 14°C (57°F) · 11 rainy days

Kyoto

Temples, Zen gardens, geisha districts and Japan's finest traditional food. Warming, with plum blossom and, in the last days, the first cherry blossom; hotels fill quickly towards the end of the month.

Thailand · 34°C (93°F) · 4 rainy days

Phuket

Andaman beaches, island-hopping and a Sino-Portuguese old town. Hot, sunny and calm; crowds begin to thin after mid-month.

Japan · 14°C (57°F) · 10 rainy days

Tokyo

Neon districts, historic shrines, outstanding food and punctual trains. Mild days and the start of cherry blossom season late in the month, when hotel prices rise sharply.

Philippines · 31°C (88°F) · 8 rainy days

Cebu

Spanish-era Cebu City, sardine runs, waterfalls and island beaches. Sunny and dry; one of the best months for beaches and canyoneering.

Vietnam · 28°C (82°F) · 4 rainy days

Da Nang

City beaches, river bridges and mountains on Vietnam's central coast. Pleasant and mostly dry; the sea starts calming, though still on the cool side.

India · 30°C (86°F) · 2 rainy days

Delhi

Mughal tombs, Old Delhi bazaars, street food and the gateway to the Taj Mahal. Warm and dry with clear skies; one of the best months for sightseeing before the heat arrives.

Japan · 15°C (59°F) · 10 rainy days

Fukuoka

Tonkotsu ramen, riverside yatai stalls and an airport five minutes from downtown. Spring arrives, with cherry blossom in Maizuru Park and Ohori Park at the end of the month.

Japan · 15°C (59°F) · 10 rainy days

Hiroshima

Peace memorials, Miyajima's floating torii and layered okonomiyaki. Warming up with plum blossom early and cherry blossom from late in the month; Japanese spring holidays begin.

India · 31°C (88°F) · 1 rainy days

Jaipur

Pink City bazaars, hilltop forts and Rajput palaces in Rajasthan's capital. Heat builds through the month, so plan forts for early morning; Holi celebrations are exuberant in the old city.

Malaysia · 34°C (93°F) · 9 rainy days

Langkawi

Duty-free island of rainforest peaks, mangroves and west-coast sunset beaches. The hottest month, still mostly dry; occasional afternoon storms start towards the end of the month.

Philippines · 32°C (90°F) · 3 rainy days

Manila

Spanish-era Intramuros, free national museums and Binondo food crawls. Hot and dry; Holy Week, when it falls in March, empties the city as residents head to the provinces and beaches.

Japan · 14°C (57°F) · 10 rainy days

Nara

Japan's first permanent capital, the Great Buddha and a park of bowing deer. Spring arrives, with the dramatic Omizutori fire rituals at Nigatsu-do in the first half of the month.

Malaysia · 32°C (90°F) · 11 rainy days

Penang

Hawker food, shophouse streets and clan temples in George Town. Hot and still mostly dry, with occasional afternoon showers starting late in the month.

India · 32°C (90°F) · 1 rainy days

Agra

The Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Mughal tombs along the Yamuna. Warm and dry, with heat building late in the month; Holi celebrations in nearby Mathura and Vrindavan are famous.

Philippines · 30°C (86°F) · 6 rainy days

Boracay

Powder-white sand, paraw sailboats and sunsets over the Sibuyan Sea. Dry and warming, with calm swimming conditions and long sunny days.

Sri Lanka · 32°C (90°F) · 8 rainy days

Colombo

Colonial Fort streets, Buddhist temples and seafront sunsets on the Indian Ocean. Hot and increasingly humid, with occasional afternoon showers.

Vietnam · 28°C (82°F) · 4 rainy days

Hoi An

Lantern-lit merchant streets, tailors and rice-field cycling near the coast. Warm, dry and comfortable; one of the best months for cycling and sightseeing.

Nepal · 25°C (77°F) · 3 rainy days

Kathmandu

Stupas, Newar temple squares and the gateway to the Himalaya. Spring trekking season begins; rhododendrons bloom in the hills, but haze often softens mountain views.

Thailand · 31°C (88°F) · 5 rainy days

Koh Samui

Palm-fringed beaches, island resorts and boat trips in the Gulf of Thailand. Hot and sunny with calm water; one of the best months for Ang Thong and snorkelling.

Thailand · 34°C (93°F) · 6 rainy days

Krabi

Limestone cliffs, longtail boats and island-hopping on the Andaman coast. Hot and still dry; excellent for island-hopping and climbing in the mornings.

Maldives · 31°C (88°F) · 5 rainy days

Maldives

Overwater villas, house reefs, manta rays and local-island guesthouses. Hot, sunny and calm with glassy seas; a superb month for diving and snorkelling.

Beach, city or budget: March picks by trip type

What's on in March

Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.

• Osaka: Grand Sumo Spring Tournament (usually March)
• Singapore: Hari Raya Puasa bazaars in Geylang Serai and Kampong Glam (date moves with the Islamic calendar)
• Taipei: Calla lily season at Zhuzihu, Yangmingshan (usually March to May)
• Kyoto: Early cherry blossom at the Imperial Palace's weeping cherries (late March)
• Tokyo: Tokyo Marathon (usually early March)
• Cebu: Holy Week (some years fall in March)
• Da Nang: Quan The Am Festival — religious processions at the Marble Mountains (usually March or April)
• Delhi: Holi — festival of colours (usually March)
• Fukuoka: Fukuoka Castle Sakura Festival in Maizuru Park (usually late March to early April)
• Hiroshima: Cherry blossom begins (usually late March)
• Jaipur: Holi (usually March)
• Manila: Holy Week (Semana Santa) — processions and church visits (March or April)

Daylight in March

Day length on these trips ranges from about 11.9 hours in Kathmandu to 12.1 hours in Singapore (sunrise to sunset on 15 March). Longer days mean more sightseeing time; shorter ones favour museums, food and evenings.

March weather compared

Questions travellers ask