Where to go in Asia in February: six trips for the driest month

February at a glance

These six trips are the ones where February's weather suits a first visit, with the beach where there is one. The table compares them, with the mid-range cost of a day.

Every daily cost on this page comes from the country's trip-cost guide: its mid-range all-in total per person, for two people sharing a room, divided by its days and converted to euros at the rate that guide states. That covers rooms, every meal, local transport, sights, a SIM and a buffer; only the international flight is extra. Each guide prices its own route in the month it names, so the figures show the level of a country, not a quote for your dates.

Thailand: the north and all three coasts

February is the one month when every part of Thailand a first-time visitor wants is in season together. Chiang Mai is still in the cool season, which the Tourism Authority of Thailand dates from November to February; the Andaman coast is in its November-to-April season; and the Gulf islands, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, are past their October-to-December rains and inside their December-to-June beach season. Chiang Mai holds its flower festival each February.

That makes it the month to combine coasts. Our Thailand 2-week itinerary runs from Bangkok to Koh Lanta, and the Gulf islands route gives a week to Samui, Phangan and Tao.

In Thailand, a mid-range trip costs about EUR 115 a day all-in, from our Thailand trip-cost guide.

Makha Bucha, a Buddhist holy day, falls at the full moon of the third lunar month, which is in February in many years and a public holiday. Lunar New Year is not a public holiday in Thailand, but Bangkok's Chinatown still fills with lanterns and food stalls. The Thailand festivals calendar gives the year's dates.

Sri Lanka: the south coast and the hill country

Sri Lanka's classic loop works from end to end in February. The south and west coast is in its calmer November-to-April season, the tourism board describes the highlands as cool and relatively dry from January to April, and Horton Plains has its clearer January-to-March weather. Only the east coast is still in the north-east rains, which the German Foreign Office dates from December to March.

Our Sri Lanka 10-day itinerary runs Colombo, Kandy, Ella and Galle; with two weeks, the 14-day route adds the ancient cities and the elephants.

In Sri Lanka, a mid-range trip costs about EUR 100 a day all-in, from our Sri Lanka trip-cost guide.

Sri Lanka's key February dates are Independence Day (4 February) and the Navam Maha Perahera in Colombo, the Gangaramaya Temple's two-day procession around Beira Lake, held at Navam Full Moon Poya, the February full moon. On full-moon Poya days the sale of alcohol, meat and fish is prohibited and some shops and businesses close. The Sri Lanka festivals calendar gives the year's dates.

Singapore and Malaysia's west coast

Meteorological Service Singapore names February as the island's driest month: its 1991-2020 normals give 105.1 mm of rain on 9 days, against 331.9 mm in December. Malaysia's west coast, Penang and Kuala Lumpur, is in its own drier spell, which makes February a good month to ride the train between them.

Our Penang to Singapore by train route links the two in four nights; Singapore in 5 days covers the city on its own.

In Singapore, a mid-range trip costs about EUR 185 a day all-in, from our Singapore trip-cost guide; in Malaysia, about EUR 80 a day all-in, from our Malaysia trip-cost guide.

Lunar New Year shapes the month in the years when it falls in February. Singapore gives its first two days as public holidays, with a substitute day when one falls on a Sunday, and Malaysia also closes for the New Year. Singapore's Chingay Parade, an annual street parade, comes in the weeks after it, and River Hongbao usually runs over the New Year. Our Lunar New Year guide gives the year's dates for the holidays and celebrations in ten places.

Hokkaido and Japan's winter festivals

February is Japan's month for snow. The Sapporo Snow Festival usually runs from 4 to 11 February, and the Otaru Snow Light Path and the Asahikawa Winter Festival are held in the same weeks. Sapporo's 1991-2020 February mean is -2.7°C, so dress for snow. In the south, the Nagasaki Lantern Festival lights the city for about two weeks in February. Tokyo and Kyoto are dry and cold, with highs of about 11°C and 10°C.

Our Sapporo Snow Festival guide gives the year's dates, the sites and getting there, and Hokkaido in 7 days adds Otaru and Noboribetsu.

In Japan, a mid-range trip costs about EUR 150 a day all-in, from our Japan trip-cost guide. That guide prices a spring trip; winter in Hokkaido adds lift passes for skiers.

Plan for crowds. The Japan National Tourism Organization names early February among the busiest weeks on the ski slopes and says Hakuba is particularly busy at Chinese New Year. National Foundation Day (11 February) and the Emperor's Birthday (23 February) are public holidays.

The Philippines: Palawan, Cebu and Bohol

February is one of the driest months in the western Philippines. PAGASA's 1991-2020 normals give Manila 21.9 mm of rain, Coron 22.9 mm, Puerto Princesa 30.7 mm and Cebu's Mactan 88.9 mm; only the Pacific coast, at Surigao with 468.1 mm, is still wet. That makes it a good month for island-hopping out of El Nido and Coron.

Our Philippines in 14 days combines El Nido, Coron, Bohol and Cebu; Cebu and Bohol in 7 days is the shorter version.

In the Philippines, a mid-range trip costs about EUR 65 a day all-in, from our Philippines trip-cost guide, which prices a February trip.

Chinese New Year is usually declared a special non-working day, and Panagbenga, Baguio's flower festival, runs through February; Baguio's 1991-2020 normals give it cool, dry weather with 23.7 mm of rain. The Philippines festivals calendar gives the year's dates.

India: Rajasthan and Kerala

February is warmer than January in the north-west and the fog has mostly gone. The India Meteorological Department's 1991-2020 means give Jaipur a low of 12.0°C and a high of 26.1°C with 10.2 mm of rain, and Delhi 10.9 foggy days against 21.6 in January. Kerala is still in its pleasant October-to-March season.

Our India in 10 days adds Udaipur to the Golden Triangle, and the Kerala route covers Kochi, Munnar and the backwaters.

In India, a mid-range trip costs about EUR 100 a day all-in, from our India trip-cost guide, which prices a February trip.

The Tent City of the Rann Utsav in Kutch stays open through the winter season, and the Magh Mela pilgrimage at Prayagraj continues through the Hindu month of Magh. Holi follows in March. The India festivals calendar gives the year's dates.

Also good in February

Five more places suit February, with conditions.

• Cambodia and Laos: Phnom Penh's 1991-2020 February normal is 4.6 mm of rain, Luang Prabang's 10.6 mm. See Cambodia in 7 days.
• The Maldives is in its January-to-March dry season. Ramadan follows the Islamic lunar calendar and moves about 11 days earlier each year, so check whether it falls in your dates; the best time to visit the Maldives guide explains what it changes on local islands.
• Bhutan: the Punakha Drubchen and the Punakha Tshechu follow each other in Punakha Dzong on dates set by the Bhutanese lunar calendar, usually in February; the Department of Tourism publishes the year's dates. See the Bhutan festivals guide and the best time to visit Bhutan guide.
• Hong Kong and Macau for Lunar New Year: both give the first three days of the New Year as public holidays, and Hong Kong's fireworks over Victoria Harbour are usually on the second day. The best time to visit Macau guide covers Macau's season.
• Southern Taiwan: Kaohsiung averages 17.7 mm of rain in February, Taipei 143.2 mm. The Taiwan Lantern Festival opens on the Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first lunar month, which falls in February or early March; see our Lantern Festival guide.

Where not to go in February, and why

Lunar New Year is the main thing to plan around; the weather rules out fewer places than in December or January.

• Vietnam during Tet, unless Tet is the point: Tet falls in late January or February, and the national tourism board says many businesses, transport services and restaurants close for several days. Trains for Tet travel go on sale months ahead. The south and Hoi An are dry; read our Tet guide for the year's dates before booking.
• China around the Spring Festival: the Chunyun travel rush, 40 days from about two weeks before the New Year in recent years, fills trains and flights, and Beijing's February averages a low of -6.9°C. The best time to visit China guide suggests the spring months.
• Bali and Java: still in the November-to-March wet season, according to Indonesia's tourism ministry.
• Coastal Sarawak and north-east Sabah: still inside the December-to-March wet spell of the north-east monsoon; north-west Sabah is at its driest.
• Taipei and Taiwan's north-east: Keelung averages 349.8 mm of rain in February.
• Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan: Ulaanbaatar's February averages a high of -9.6°C, and Kyrgyzstan's roads outside Bishkek are often blocked by snow in winter. The annual Khövsgöl Ice Festival on the frozen lake is for travellers equipped for -28°C nights; the Mongolia festivals calendar gives the year's dates.