How do you decide the best time to visit anywhere?

Balance four things: weather (temperature, rain and daylight), crowds, price, and any season-specific draw like cherry blossom, northern lights or whale migration. The 'shoulder' months on either side of peak season usually win overall - you keep most of the good weather while dropping the crowds and cost. Use the month-by-month guide for each destination to see exactly how those four line up.

What is the cheapest time of year to travel?

Three windows repeat across most destinations: the shoulder months either side of peak season, the low season (as long as the weather still suits your plans), and the quiet weeks right after major holidays. Flights and hotels both drop then. Booking midweek departures one to three months ahead compounds the savings.

When is the best time to visit somewhere warm in winter?

December to March is dry season across much of the tropics: Thailand, Costa Rica, Mexico's Riviera Maya, Egypt's Red Sea and the Caribbean are all at their sunniest. In the southern hemisphere it's high summer, so New Zealand, Australia and South Africa's coast are also prime. All of these are on the month-by-month picks above.

What does 'shoulder season' mean and why is it best?

Shoulder season is the transition period between a destination's peak and off-peak - typically spring and autumn in temperate places. It's often the sweet spot because you get most of peak season's good weather with noticeably fewer crowds and lower prices. May-June and September-October are the classic European shoulders; April-May and September-November work for much of the US and tropics.

How far in advance should I book once I've picked a month?

For a destination's peak month (cherry blossom in Japan, summer in Iceland or Alaska, Christmas in the tropics), book flights and hotels three to six months ahead - prices only rise and the best places sell out. For shoulder and low seasons, four to six weeks is usually enough. Lock the flight first, since fares move fastest.

Which month is the best to travel overall?

May and September/October are the strongest all-round months: much of the northern hemisphere is in shoulder season with warm weather, thin crowds and fair prices, while the tropics are between their extremes. There's no single best month for the whole planet, though - the right answer always depends on where you're going, which is what this guide is for.

Month by monthWeather · crowds · price2026

The Best Time to Visit Anywhere

The right month makes or breaks a trip - it decides the weather you get, the crowds you fight and the price you pay. This is the shortcut: pick a month to see where's at its best right then, or jump to a destination for a full month-by-month breakdown.

Updated 4 July 2026

Alice - Trip planning and when to go

Published July 4, 2026

In Brief

What is the best time to visit... anywhere?

There's no single best month for the whole world - it depends where you're going. As a rule, the shoulder seasons (spring and autumn in temperate places, the edges of the dry season in the tropics) give you the best balance of good weather, thin crowds and fair prices. May and September/October are the strongest all-round months across the northern hemisphere; December to March is prime for tropical and southern-hemisphere sun.

Where to go, by month

Choose when you can travel and see where's at its best - then check flight and hotel deals for that trip.

January: Chase summer south or ski the north - and cash in post-holiday deals

Thailand
Full guide
Peak of the cool, dry season - the single best month for beaches and temples.
Flight + hotel deals Hotels
Costa Rica
Full guide
Deep in the dry season: sun, wildlife and green landscapes.
Flight + hotel deals Hotels
New Zealand
Full guide
Southern-hemisphere high summer - long days for the road trips.
Flight + hotel deals Hotels
Japan
Full guide
Cheap, clear cities and world-class powder snow up north.
Flight + hotel deals Hotels