Warm places to visit in February

Latin America & Caribbean

Argentina · 29°C (84°F) · 7 rainy days

Buenos Aires

Tango, steakhouses, late nights and grand avenues on the Río de la Plata. Still hot and humid; neighbourhood carnival troupes (murgas) parade at weekends and the city refills by the end of the month.

Mexico · 29°C (84°F) · 4 rainy days

Cancún

Turquoise Caribbean beaches, Maya ruins, cenotes and island day trips. Dry, sunny and busy with North American winter visitors; excellent beach weather.

Brazil · 30°C (86°F) · 10 rainy days

Rio de Janeiro

Granite peaks, city beaches and samba between rainforest and the Atlantic. Carnival usually falls in February, with samba-school parades at the Sambadrome and hundreds of street blocos; hotel prices are at their annual peak.

Cuba · 26°C (79°F) · 5 rainy days

Havana

Colonial plazas, the Malecón seawall and live son music on every corner. Dry and comfortable, with cultural events filling the calendar.

Bahamas · 25°C (77°F) · 5 rainy days

Nassau

Pastel colonial streets, Junkanoo and turquoise water on New Providence. Peak winter season with dry, comfortable weather; the sea feels cool to some.

Middle East

United Arab Emirates · 26°C (79°F) · 2 rainy days

Abu Dhabi

A white-marble mosque, island museums and Yas Island's theme parks. Some of the most comfortable weather of the year for sightseeing and outdoor dining.

United Arab Emirates · 26°C (79°F) · 2 rainy days

Dubai

Record-breaking towers, winter beaches, desert dunes and creekside souks. Some of the most pleasant weather of the year, ideal for the beach, the desert and outdoor dining.

Asia

Thailand · 33°C (91°F) · 2 rainy days

Bangkok

Gilded temples, river boats, street food and rooftop bars. Dry, warm and sunny, still one of the most comfortable months.

Vietnam · 33°C (91°F) · 1 rainy days

Ho Chi Minh City

Colonial landmarks, war history and late-night street food on the Saigon River. Dry and hot by afternoon; if Tết falls this month, expect closures and full transport for several days.

Thailand · 33°C (91°F) · 2 rainy days

Phuket

Andaman beaches, island-hopping and a Sino-Portuguese old town. The driest month, with calm seas and excellent visibility for snorkelling and diving.

Philippines · 30°C (86°F) · 9 rainy days

Cebu

Spanish-era Cebu City, sardine runs, waterfalls and island beaches. Drier and pleasant, with calm seas for island hopping and diving.

Vietnam · 26°C (79°F) · 6 rainy days

Da Nang

City beaches, river bridges and mountains on Vietnam's central coast. Drier and warming up, with grey days becoming less common; Tết brings domestic crowds.

Philippines · 29°C (84°F) · 7 rainy days

Boracay

Powder-white sand, paraw sailboats and sunsets over the Sibuyan Sea. Dry, sunny and less humid; one of the most pleasant months.

Thailand · 32°C (90°F) · 1 rainy days

Chiang Mai

Lanna temples, night markets and mountain day trips in northern Thailand. Warm and dry; the flower festival brings parades, though haze from burning may begin late in the month.

India · 32°C (90°F) · 0 rainy days

Goa

Portuguese-era churches, 100 km of beaches, fish curry rice and beach shacks. Dry and sunny with calm seas; Carnival brings parades to Panaji and other towns in some years.

Vietnam · 26°C (79°F) · 6 rainy days

Hoi An

Lantern-lit merchant streets, tailors and rice-field cycling near the coast. Drier and warming up; Tết brings large domestic crowds and decorations.

India · 25°C (77°F) · 1 rainy days

Jaipur

Pink City bazaars, hilltop forts and Rajput palaces in Rajasthan's capital. Warm afternoons and pleasant evenings, one of the best months for sightseeing and fort walks.

Malaysia · 33°C (91°F) · 5 rainy days

Langkawi

Duty-free island of rainforest peaks, mangroves and west-coast sunset beaches. Dry, sunny and hot, with some of the best visibility for snorkelling and boat trips.

Laos · 31°C (88°F) · 2 rainy days

Luang Prabang

Gilded monasteries, dawn alms rounds and the Mekong in Laos's old royal capital. Warm, dry days and cool nights; haze from agricultural burning starts to appear late in the month.

Philippines · 31°C (88°F) · 3 rainy days

Manila

Spanish-era Intramuros, free national museums and Binondo food crawls. Dry and pleasant, with cooling breezes; good for walking Intramuros.

India · 32°C (90°F) · 0 rainy days

Mumbai

Victorian Gothic and Art Deco, Bollywood, sea-facing promenades and vada pav. Warm and dry with clear skies; the arts calendar peaks with the Kala Ghoda festival.

Malaysia · 32°C (90°F) · 7 rainy days

Penang

Hawker food, shophouse streets and clan temples in George Town. The driest month on average; Chinese New Year celebrations can continue into February, with Chap Goh Meh on the 15th day.

Cambodia · 33°C (91°F) · 1 rainy days

Phnom Penh

Royal Palace, riverside promenades and Cambodia's modern history. Dry and warm, with heat building late in the month; good for sightseeing.

Cambodia · 34°C (93°F) · 1 rainy days

Siem Reap

Gateway town to Angkor Wat, the Bayon and the temples of the Khmer Empire. Still dry and clear, with heat building through the month; crowds ease slightly after Chinese New Year.

India · 26°C (79°F) · 2 rainy days

Agra

The Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Mughal tombs along the Yamuna. Clear, comfortable weather and less fog; one of the best months for photographs.

Sri Lanka · 31°C (88°F) · 5 rainy days

Colombo

Colonial Fort streets, Buddhist temples and seafront sunsets on the Indian Ocean. One of the driest months, with calm seas and clear sunsets over Galle Face.

Thailand · 30°C (86°F) · 5 rainy days

Koh Samui

Palm-fringed beaches, island resorts and boat trips in the Gulf of Thailand. Dry, sunny and comfortable; peak season, with calm seas for boat trips.

Thailand · 33°C (91°F) · 3 rainy days

Krabi

Limestone cliffs, longtail boats and island-hopping on the Andaman coast. The driest month, with flat seas and clear water for snorkelling.

Maldives · 30°C (86°F) · 3 rainy days

Maldives

Overwater villas, house reefs, manta rays and local-island guesthouses. Usually the driest month, with clear water and excellent visibility on the eastern side of the atolls.

Africa

South Africa · 27°C (81°F) · 3 rainy days

Cape Town

Table Mountain, two oceans, Cape Malay food and winelands an hour away. Often the warmest month, with calmer winds than December; schools are back, so beaches are quieter on weekdays.

South Africa · 25°C (77°F) · 10 rainy days

Johannesburg

Apartheid history, Soweto, gallery districts and the road to Kruger. Warm and green, with afternoon storms that clear quickly; good for museums in the morning and outdoor plans after the rain.

Kenya · 26°C (79°F) · 4 rainy days

Nairobi

Lions below the skyline, orphaned elephants and the gateway to Kenyan safaris. Usually the warmest and one of the driest months, with good game viewing and clear views.

Tanzania · 32°C (90°F) · 6 rainy days

Zanzibar

Stone Town's carved doors, spice farms and white-sand Indian Ocean beaches. One of the hottest months, with clear water and a big music festival in Stone Town.

North America

United States · 27°C (81°F) · 7 rainy days

Honolulu

Waikīkī surf, Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor and year-round warm sea. Humpback whale-watching is at its best; the North Shore can see huge winter swells.

United States · 25°C (77°F) · 6 rainy days

Miami

Art Deco beaches, Cuban coffee windows and street art in winter sun. One of the best months for weather: dry, sunny and comfortable, with high hotel prices.

United States · 25°C (77°F) · 5 rainy days

Key West

Sunset at Mallory Square, Hemingway's house and reef trips at the end of US-1. One of the driest and busiest months; book accommodation and reef trips well ahead.

Oceania

Australia · 26°C (79°F) · 5 rainy days

Melbourne

Laneway coffee, free CBD trams, big-ticket sport and serious food. Often the warmest, most settled month, ideal for rooftop bars, St Kilda's beach and long evenings outdoors.

Australia · 26°C (79°F) · 9 rainy days

Sydney

Harbour ferries, ocean beaches and the Opera House on one waterfront. Hot and humid with the warmest sea of the year; schools are back, so beaches are calmer on weekdays. Summer storms bring short, heavy downpours.

Australia · 32°C (90°F) · 1 rainy days

Perth

Sunny Indian Ocean city of sunset beaches, Kings Park and Rottnest's quokkas. Often the hottest month, with very little rain and the warmest sea.

New Zealand · 25°C (77°F) · 7 rainy days

Auckland

Harbour city of volcanic cones, island ferries and west-coast surf beaches. Usually the warmest, most settled month and the best for swimming, once school holidays have ended.

Beach, city or budget: February picks by trip type

What's on in February

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

• Buenos Aires: Carnaval corsos — neighbourhood murga parades (weekends in February)
• Abu Dhabi: Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open — women's tennis tournament (usually early February)
• Bangkok: Makha Bucha — Buddhist holiday with candlelit temple processions (February or March)
• Honolulu: POW! WOW! Hawaii mural festival in Kakaʻako (usually February)
• Melbourne: Midsumma Festival (usually until early February)
• Sydney: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival (February into early March; parade usually late February or early March)
• Cancún: Cancún Carnival (usually February or early March, before Lent)
• Dubai: Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships (usually late February)
• Miami: Miami International Boat Show (usually February)
• Phuket: Chinese New Year in Phuket Town's shrines and old town (January or February)
• Rio de Janeiro: Carnival — Sambadrome parades and street blocos (usually February, sometimes early March)
• Cebu: Chinese New Year — celebrations at the Taoist Temple and in the city (late January or February)

Daylight in February

Day length on these trips ranges from about 11.2 hours in Agra to 13.6 hours in Melbourne (sunrise to sunset on 15 February). Longer days mean more sightseeing time; shorter ones favour museums, food and evenings.

February weather compared

Questions travellers ask