Trip Planning? Here’s When You’ll Find The Rainy Season Around The World

Unsplash/Wild Away

It’s called “monsoon season” in some places, “wet season” in others and some clever places looking to garner more tourists might call it the “green season.” But wherever you are, you’re going to see a lot of precipitation during the rainy season. Here’s when the rainy season makes some popular destinations a bit damp.

Europe

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You won’t get monsoons in Europe, however, the spring (March through May) tends to have more rain than other seasons. But we fall on the pro-rain in Paris side of the debate. We say all seasons are pretty good for Euro travel.

North America

Unsplash/Casey Allen

There are only a few places in North America where you need to worry about heavy rains ruining your vacation. (And no, we’re not talking about the Pacific Northwest. You should expect to pack an umbrella for any trip to Seattle.) Here’s where and when you should look out for a wet forecast.

Hawaii: November to March

Caribbean: June to November (hurricane season)

Mexico: May to October

Central and South America

Unsplash/Mariusz Prusaczyk

With the varied climates of Central and South America, you have to be aware of seasonal changes here.

Costa Rica: May to November

Chile: April and May

Argentina: June to August

Bolivia: November to March

Peru: January to April

Brazil: December to February

Colombia: April to May and October to November

Middle East and Africa

Unsplash/Matthew Cramblett

Africa’s rainy seasons differ by region (the continent is enormous) and climate. When it’s raining in the Serengeti, it could be completely dry in the north.

Northern Africa: November to March

Western Africa: April to July and September to October

Eastern Africa: April to June and October to December

Asia

Unsplash/Bernard Hermant

Asia’s vast landmass means that different parts of the continent and even different parts of the same countries go through rainy periods at different times.

Thailand: July to October

Vietnam:

• Southwestern monsoon season: May to September
• Northeastern monsoon season: October to April

Laos: May to October

Myanmar: May to October

Philipines: June to October

Indonesia: October to April

China: May to September

Japan: May to July

India: June to September

Don’t mind the rain? 

There are plenty of places where you can enjoy a spectacular trip even during the wet season. For example, the African Savanna turns green during the rainy season and is lush with plant and animal life. Pack a raincoat and embrace the downpour. Plus, there are some amazing water-themed festivals that mark the beginning of monsoon season in places such as India, Vietnam and Thailand.

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