7 Destinations to Avoid in the Monsoon (PDF Chapters) Lonely Planet

If you're heading off on holiday to the southern hemisphere during the northern European summer, you may need to prepare for a bit of tropical weather. While this certainly shouldn't stop you traveling, many people make the mistake of expecting the Caribbean (for example) to always be blue sunny skies, and this is less likely during certain times of the year.

 To help you understand when the best time to visit certain Monsoon prone countries is, we've put together a handy Monsoon weather guide for you to use.

 You can download individual Lonely Planet 'Plan your Trip' (PDF chapters) for a couple of euros instantly to your smartphone, tablet, eBook reader or laptop.

 Lighten your luggage! EbookTravelGuide.com
Monsoon Guide:

 1. India - Plan your trip (PDF Chapter) Lonely Planet

The weather in India can vary widely, but in general the most pleasant time to visit most of the country is during the cooler period of November to mid-February.

 If you’re in India during the wet humid monsoon (June to September) cool relief can be found in the northern Himalayan region – consider pursuing ‘The Great Himalayan Circuit’.
2. Thailand - Plan your trip (PDF Chapter) Lonely Planet


 Thailand: The best time to visit most of Thailand is between November and February, because it rains the least and it is not too hot. This period is also Thailand’s main season for festivals, like Loi Krathong. If you plan to focus on the northern provinces, the hot season (March to May) and early rainy season (June to July) are not bad either, as temperatures are moderate at higher elevations. 
3. Lonely Planet: Caribbean Islands - Planning (Chapter)

Caribbean: Summer is the hurricane season, particularly bad in August and September, when some hotels, restaurants and shops simply close for the month. The sweet spot for visiting the islands is November and early December. Rates are still low but the weather is good.
4. Brazil - Plan your trip (PDF Chapter) Lonely Planet


 Brazil: Brazil’s high season runs from December to March. Rio and the Northeast have temperatures in the high 30's. The rest of the year temperatures are generally in the mid-20's to low 30's.

 The Amazon region rarely gets hotter than 27°C, but it is humid there, with considerable rainfall over tropical Amazonia. In some parts of the North (December to March) is considered winter, since that’s the rainiest season.

 Unless you want to experience Carnival, you may want to avoid the summer crowds (and heat), and visit from April to November. Treks into the Amazon and the Pantanal are best then – especially from June to August, when it’s drier.
5. Sri Lanka - Plan your trip (Chapter) Lonely Planet

Sri Lanka is tropical, with distinct dry and wet seasons. The seasons are slightly complicated by having two monsoons. From May to August the Yala monsoon brings rain to the island’s southwestern half, while the dry season here lasts from December to March. The southwest has the highest rainfall – up to 4000mm a year. The Maha monsoon blows from October to January, bringing rain to the North and East, while the dry season is from May to September. 
6. Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei - Singapore (Chapter)

Practically on the equator, Singapore is constantly hot (the temperature never drops below 20°C) and humid and gets fairly steady year-round rainfall. The wettest months are supposedly November to January, when it’s also a degree or two cooler, while the driest are supposedly May to July, but in reality there is little distinction between the seasons. 
7. Africa - Understand Africa & Survival Guide (PDF Chapter) Lonely Planet

East Africa has two dry seasons – December to February and March and June to October – with rainy seasons in between. 

 In southern Africa it’s dry from May to June, gets really hot in October, then rains November to April to May. 

 In West Africa the dry season is October-November to April/May, and it gets very hot at the end of this period. 

 In Central Africa, June to September is the dry time. In North Africa, rain isn’t the main issue – it’s temperature. The best time to travel is the cooler period from October to March.