Holiday in the rainy season: Is it worth it?

Anyone who likes to travel to distant countries should always find out about the respective rainy season beforehand. You can read here when the rainy season is, where and what advantages a trip can have at this time.

Some people say that some bargains on exotic locations are only so cheap because it is the rainy season there at the time in question. That it wasn’t even worth traveling in the rainy season, no matter how cheap it was. Do you know what the rainy season in countries like this is all about? In most cases, that doesn’t mean that it rains for days, you can’t leave your room, and beach and sightseeing trips “fall through the cracks”! I will explain to you what the rainy season means and what advantages it brings.

A holiday in the rainy season

The rainy season cliché is that it rains all day and all you can do is hole up in your hotel room. But that is often not the case at all. Usually, the rain pulls away after one to two hours. What remains is a well-watered flora and a nice, clear air. And the sun comes out again and the sand has dried. Okay, maybe some things don’t always go so smoothly. In more remote areas the electronics may fail during heavy downpours. Excursions have to be interrupted from time to time and if you are surprised by the rain far away, you sometimes stay in a park under a covered seat. But just make the best of it!

The benefits of traveling in the rainy season

Of course, I know that when someone books a holiday in a far-flung, exotic country, they want something out of it. Instead of lying on a paradisiacal beach under palm trees and drinking from coconuts, waiting for the next downpour under a tent is not quite what you imagine.

If you are considering traveling to a country that is currently experiencing the rainy season, you should weigh the pros and cons of the trip and, above all, use my travel calendar to find out what the rainy season means in the country or region. You only have a small budget for the next trip but you want to go far away? Then the prices for flights and accommodation in most regions with the rainy season are a clear advantage. Travel to paradisiacal countries is often cheaper by up to 300€ at this time. The fact that you then have to take an umbrella or even rubber boots with you for the afternoon shower can be seen as a disadvantage – or you can enjoy the fact that nature is watered and then glows even greener.

This brings us to the next advantage. Most exotic countries, or even less distant ones like Ireland, are only that bright green precisely because it rains regularly. In addition, there is less tourism in the countries in the off-season, so you can experience most excursions and sights without much hustle and bustle.

Southeast Asia

Thailand

The rainy season generally runs from June to October. There are showers for one to two hours a day, flooding may occur in the countryside. The climate is hot and humidity is very high (up to 90%).

Vietnam

The rainiest country in the region is Vietnam. The rainy season is roughly from May to October. This also means here that there will be brief but heavy downpours. The year-round tropical monsoon climate is influenced by the south-east monsoon from May to September and by the north-east monsoon from October to April.

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka when the southwest monsoon is up to mischief from May to September, the sun shines in the northeast. It is the other way around with the northeast monsoon from December to March.

Malaysia and Singapore

These beautiful countries offer year-round summer temperatures of around 30°C and high humidity. When it comes to the rainy or monsoon season, when it can get hot and muggy, the climate zones on the east coast differ from those on the west coast.

Philippines 

The rainy season in the Philippines falls between June and November. However, since the country consists of around 7,000 islands, fluctuations can occur. The violent hurricanes and even typhoons, especially in August to October, weigh particularly heavily here during the monsoon season, and they have gotten worse in recent years.

Indonesia

There is hardly a more diverse country than Indonesia in terms of climate! Since the islands are quite scattered, one cannot speak of a rainy season in general. This is also because there can be showers almost all year round, no matter where you are. A popular destination is Bali, which has a rainy season from November to March.

North and South Atlantic

Fine sand, wide, azure sea, plus the tropical warmth with light breezes. In the local summer, which differs only slightly in terms of temperature, it rains more often – usually not for long, but heavily.

Cape Verde Islands

The Cape Verde Islands offer a special case in terms of climate. Despite the tropical climate, the island of Sal has long been considered the driest of them all. That has changed a bit: in recent years, there has also been very heavy rainfall here.

Indian Ocean

The islands in the Indian Ocean are also famous for their dreamlike scenery. Holidays in Seychelles and the Maldives, in particular, are very popular and are enjoyed all year round. The weather on both archipelagos is characterized by monsoon winds.

Seychelles

It is permanently warm in Seychelles, in the rainy season there are short, heavy showers with sometimes heavy thunderstorms. The climate in Seychelles is most pleasant in the period from April to November. During the interface between the rainy and dry seasons, the trade winds alternate – there it is often windless, very oppressive, and the humidity is at its highest at up to 80%.

Maldives

The weather in the Maldives is also determined by two monsoons: the north-east monsoon from November to April is rather dry, the south-west monsoon is considered wet. Then there are heavy tropical showers and it can rain for one or more days.

South America

When you hear South America, you don’t think of downpours, flooded streets, and high humidity. The cliché of the dry southern continent, of mountains and deserts and hot temperatures prevails. But don’t be fooled. Even if there are not heavy downpours everywhere, there is a time of year almost everywhere when it gets a bit uncomfortable. The sky is overcast, cool, and windy.

But on the large continent of South America, you have an extensive selection and so there will be a region where the rainy season is worthwhile. In the Peruvian Andes, for example, the rainy season also means summertime – as in many other countries. After a short rain shower, the sun comes out again. The rainy season is also considered a good travel time on the Galapagos Islands because despite the rain showers, these months are considered sunnier and animal observations are more possible.

Oceania

What is the weather like below the equator? On average, Australia is the driest continent on earth, New Zealand is partly tropical and it can rain quite a bit there. The Australian summer ( November to March ), favorable travel weather prevails only in the south of the country and on the southern island of New Zealand. The outback of Australia, however, it is so hot during the summer that driving there is not recommended. In the northeast of the country, especially in the state of Queensland, heavy rains and floods are common in January and February. At this time, many roads are impassable. The rains usually don’t last longer than an hour.

Fiji, Tahiti, or the Cook Islands 

The South Seas are synonymous with a dreamlike holiday in the middle of paradise! In our dreams, we imagine miles of white sandy beaches with palm trees slowly swaying in the sea breeze and a turquoise sea gently lulling us to sleep at night. But here, too, there is a less than optimal travel time. When the rainy season sets in on the islands of the South Pacific, hurricanes can occur in addition to the downpours, especially at the beginning of the year. In general, the rainy season in the South Pacific lasts from November to March. There are also high temperatures and humidity on the islands. The period from April to October is the ideal travel time for this.

Is it worth traveling in the rainy season?

Some cases, the rainy season means that the entire holiday has to be canceled because of it! In many holiday resorts, there is only a short, heavy shower a day and then the sun comes through again. Heavy thunderstorms from typhoons or hurricanes could ruin your vacation. Find out in advance how the rainy season can go at your desired destination and what the average weather is like at the planned travel time. And if your whole vacation does get rained out, there is only one thing that can help: take rubber boots and an umbrella with you or use the time to explore museums or read through the travel guide in a nice café.