Your Specialist will be able to tell you more about the region’s climate, including details of regional festivals, but here is a general guide.
The best time to visit Thailand is during the cool, dry season between November and April. Koh Samui’s beaches in the east are better during our summer months, whereas those in areas such as Krabi and Khao Lak in the west enjoy hot, dry days during our winter and spring. Beach properties get booked up very early for Christmas and New Year, so if you are wanting to travel during these times you need to book at least six months in advance.
Cambodia is hot all year round, with very little rainfall between November and April. April and May tend to be the hottest months before the summer rains arrive - if you choose to travel at this time you will need to be prepared for Cambodia's highest temperatures and humidity. Typically the rains last from May to October and usually consist of short, heavy, afternoon downpours. During the wet season some rural areas are rendered virtually inaccessible however travel can still be enjoyed in the more established centres of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh and it can be a great time to travel as this is Angkor's least busy period.
In our winter and spring Laos is warm and dry but evenings can be cool especially in the mountainous north with December and January being the coolest months. Temperatures gradually rise through February to April with the wet season arriving in May and typically lasting until early November. Comparatively Laos receives far less rain than its neighbours and travel is by no means ruled out during the summer months, October is usually a great month to travel as the peak season is yet to arrive and the banks of the Mekong are sumptuously verdant as the rains recede.
Vietnam boasts the most complex climate of the three Indochina countries and whatever time of year you travel you should be prepared to encounter rain at some point during your trip. Broadly speaking the country can be divided into three main areas - the north, centre and south. The wet season in the north tends to run from May to October and the winter months (November to January) can be quite cool, especially in the Tonkinese Alps but it is mostly dry. Central Vietnam, unusually for Asia, experiences fantastic weather through the summer months enjoying a prolonged dry season from February to early September. The rains arrive here from September to December with January experiencing changeable conditions. Southern Vietnam is typically Asian in climate with the wet season lasting from May to October and the months of November to March proving hot and dry. With the exception of September the diverse climate means there really is no time not to visit Vietnam! That said conditions are generally best from February to April and in November, with the optimum month for travel throughout the entire country being March. The main public holiday in Vietnam is Tet - New Year. In 2008 this falls from 5th - 8th February, and in 2009 it will be 25th - 28th January. Many museums and restaurants are closed, and as the Vietnamese also take their holidays at this time, it can be difficult to confirm accommodation.
The ideal time to visit Burma is during the dry season which falls between November and May, although towards the end of this period it can get very hot and humid. Certain regions can be very wet during our summer months, leading to flooding in some areas, and disruption to domestic flights. Some beach resorts are closed between May and October.
In Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur and the west coast are hot all year round, with a constant chance of a short, sharp downpour. The west coast is a year round destination but is driest between December and March whilst the east coast is best between April and September. The east coast can experience high rain fall and strong winds between November and February.
Singapore is a year-round destination, with an average temperature of 27˚C and consistently hot and humid conditions.
Borneo is one of Southeast Asia’s few summer destinations, but by their very nature rainforest areas have a wet, hot, humid climate. Kuching and the western side of the island (Sarawak) receives most rain between October and March whilst the 'wet season' in Sabah starts and ends a little sooner.
Although Papua New Guinea is said to have dry and wet seasons, it is often difficult to distinguish between these as the weather is very localised. In general our summer months are a good time to visit but this does not apply to the eastern peninsulas which receive most rain during this time.
There are many different micro-climates within the Philippines archipelago, but November to May is the dry season and therefore the best time to visit, whilst June to October is the wet season. The rice terraces at Banaue are at their most spectacular in April & May.
In most parts of Indonesia the wet season falls between October and April, and this therefore becomes low season, making our summer the best time to travel. However, it does depend which islands you are visiting. For example on Kalimantan there is very little difference in the climate year round, but in Nusa Tenggara the rough seas during the wet season make it very difficult to travel between the islands, and therefore December to February are best avoided. The end of Ramadan can be a very busy time to travel, and during Ramadan itself many restaurants are closed and alcohol can be difficult to get hold of. The dates of Ramadan change each year, but in 2008 it runs from 1st -30th September.