Southeast Asia Weather Guide
When is the rainy season in Southeast Asia?
Southeast Asia consists of 11 countries across 1.7 million square miles of land spread out from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. It is an area with almost 650 million people of diverse culture, religion, languages, and history.
These countries fall within the year-round hot and humid tropical climate but the weather systems and patterns, particularly the rainy seasons vary from country to country, and even within the country. For example, July and August may be the rainy season in Chiang Mai and Bangkok but in Bali (Indonesia), the rainy season is from December to February, and Koh Samui (Southern Thailand) is from October to December.
Where would you like to visit in Southeast Asia in July or August (summer months in North America and Europe)? Don’t let the rain stop you from visiting the destinations on your travel bucket list.
Note: For many travelers, the rainy season did not stop them from traveling to Southeast Asia. A torrential downpour can last for just an hour or two or a few days.
Here’s a question from a reader:
Traveling in South East Asia in the summer (July/August)
"Is there anywhere in South East Asia where the weather is fairly decent for traveling in July or August? I believe it's the rainy season at this time in most countries. Is the rain fairly heavy or does it just rain for about an hour every day? Trying to plan a honeymoon. Thanks for your help!"
To make it easy for you to decide, we prepared a concise and handy guide to the 11 countries (in alphabetical order):
1. Brunei
Sandwiched between Sabah and Sarawak, two states in East Malaysia, oil-rich Brunei is the second smallest country in Southeast Asia.
Capital city and gateway to the country: Bandar Seri Begawan
Weather: 2 monsoon seasons (rainy seasons): October to February and May to June. December is the wettest month.
Best time to visit: June to September
Top 5 attractions:
- Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddien (mosque)
- Kampong Ayer stilt villages along Brunei River
- Royal Regalia Museum
- Istana Nurul Iman (palace)
- Ulu Temburong National Park
2. Cambodia
Cambodia is well worth a visit if you are looking to explore Angkor Wat and a laid-back Southeast Asian country.
Capital city and gateway to the country: Phnom Penh
Weather: The rainy season is from May to October. Wettest months are from July to September.
Best time to visit: May and early October when it is less crowded. Most visitors visit during the dry season from November to March.
Top 5 attractions/things to do:
- Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom in Siem Reap
- Royal Palace in Phnom Penh
- Killing Fields in Phnom Penh
- Sihanoukville and Ko Rong Samloem
- Trek the Cardamom Mountains
3. East Timor (Timor-Leste)
Capital city and gateway to the country: Dili
Weather: The rainy season is from December to April and dry season is from May to November.
Best time to visit: April to July
Top 5 attractions/things to do:
- Whale watching from September to December
- Diving
- Coffee
- The Roman Catholic culture
- Deserted beaches
4. Indonesia
Indonesia is the largest country in Southeast Asia. It has over 200 million people spread across 1,800 islands (some are not inhabited). The country has 3 time zones, 300 languages and has the most diverse weather.
Capital city and gateway to the country: Jakarta located in Java island
Weather: In Bali and Java, the rainy season is between October and March (brief and heavy downpour). The dry season is from May to September. In Sulawesi, the rainy season is between June and July. In northern Sumatra, the rainy season is from October to January, and November to February in southern Sumatra.
Best time to visit: Java from May to September, Bali in May, June, and September, Raja Ampat from October to April, and Komodo National Park in April and December.
Top 5 attractions/places to visit:
- Bali
- Komodo National Park
- Raja Ampat
- Java (Jakarta and Yogyakarta including Borobudur)
- Sulawesi Island
5. Laos
Capital city and gateway to the country: Vientiane
Weather: The rainy season is from May to October. March to May, are unbearable months because of it’s hot and there is smoke from fires set by farmers in the rice fields.
Best time to visit: Between October and March
Top 5 attractions/cities to visit:
- Luang Prabang
- Kuang Si Falls
- Vieng Xai Caves
- Vientiane
- The Plain of Jars
6. Malaysia
Malaysia consists of East Malaysia (in Borneo) and West Malaysia (the peninsula located south of Thailand and north of Singapore). We will only focus on West Malaysia.
Capital city and gateway to the country: Kuala Lumpur
Weather: The rainy season on the west coast is from October to December, the east coast is from November to February. Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Pulau Langkawi, and Malacca are in the west coast. Most beach resorts in the islands on the west coast like Pulau Perhentian, Redang and Tioman are closed during the rainy season. In Kuala Lumpur, the wettest month is in November.
Best time to visit: January to March and May to September
Top 5 cities and islands to visit:
- Kuala Lumpur
- Langkawi Island
- Penang
- Malacca
- Pulau Perhentian
7. Myanmar (Burma)
Southeast Asia’s second largest country Myanmar is the poorest and one of the least developed countries in the region. There is much to see and do in this country of over 60 million people.
Capital city and gateway to the country: Yangon
Weather: Rainy season is from mid-May to September, and the heaviest rain is from July to September. Besides the rainy season, temperatures in Yangon, Mandalay, and Bagan can be over 100 degrees Fahrenheit between March and May.
Best time to visit: December to February
Top 5 attractions/cities to visit:
- Bagan
- Inle Lake
- Yangon
- Mandalay
- Irrawaddy and Chindwin river cruise
8. Philippines
The Philippines has a mix of Asian and Spanish cultures, a country with over 7,000 islands and the largest Roman Catholic population in Southeast Asia.
Capital city and gateway to the country: Manila
Weather: Rainy season begins in June and ends in October. Typhoon season is from August to October.
Best time to visit: Between November and April and December to February.
Top 5 attractions/places to visit:
- Boracay
- Banaue Rice Terraces
- Manila
- Waterfall Restaurant in San Pablo
- El Nido in Palawan Island
9. Singapore
Situated just south of the peninsula of Malaysia, Singapore has the same weather as Malaysia’s west coast. This tiny island city is the smallest country and has the most robust economy in Southeast Asia.
Weather: The wettest months are between early November and January. The hottest months are May and June.
Best time to visit: June to August. Peak travel season is from mid-December to Chinese New Year (late January and early February).
Top 5 attractions:
- Gardens by the Bay
- Sentosa Island
- Singapore Botanic Gardens
- Peranakan Museum
- Marina Bay Sands
10. Thailand
Thailand, known as the Land of Smiles, is one of the most visited countries in the world. It’s Trippy users’ favorite Asian destination. It is also the third largest country in Southeast Asia. The weather in Bangkok is different from the southern coast of the country.
Capital city and gateway to the country: Bangkok
Weather: Bangkok’s rainy season is between June and October, Chiang Mai is from May to October, Phuket from May to October and Koh Samui is from October to December. Rain is brief and heavy during these months.
Note: Travelers visiting Thailand in the summer, from June to August will find a dry and hot season in Koh Samui, Phuket and the southern region of the country.
Best time to visit: November to February in Bangkok and Chiang Mai when it is cooler. The best time to visit Phuket and the coastal towns in the south east coast is from November to February. Koh Samui is best to visit from January to March and April to September.
Top attractions/places to visit:
- Bangkok
- Chiang Mai
- Koh Samui
- Phuket
- The Golden Triangle
11. Vietnam
Vietnam is one of the fastest growing economies in Southeast Asia. With their bustling cities, diverse landscape, romantic beaches and heart-wrenching history, Vietnam is an unmissable destination.
Capital city and gateway to the north of the country: Hanoi.
Ho Chi Minh or Saigon is the gateway to the southern region of Vietnam.
Weather: Rainy season in Ho Chi Minh City and southern Vietnam is from April to October. The wettest months are from June to August. Hanoi and the northern region is from May to October. Central Vietnam (Da Nang, Hue and Hoi An) monsoon season is from September to December.
Best time to visit: Hanoi, Halong Bay and Sapa from October to April. Hanoi has the mildest temperatures during these months. Ho Chi Minh City from January to March. The central region (Da Nang, Hoi An, and Hue) from February to June.
Top 5 attractions/places to visit:
- Hoi An
- Danang
- Halong Bay
- Sapa
- Ho Chi Minh City
Look at the answer treads below for ideas and information about traveling in Southeast Asia.