SeasonMapTravel seasons
A season is a thing you travel for (cherry blossom, whales, the aurora), the state of a place (monsoon, ski season, sea warm enough to swim), a holiday that swamps it, or a hazard worth knowing about. Each page shows where the season is on, month by month, with SeasonMap's climate score beside every place — so you can see both when it happens and whether the weather is any good while it does.
Things to travel for
Blossom, foliage, whales, the light itself — the short windows worth booking a month around.
- Cherry blossom54 placesThe week the trees go pink, and the crowds with them.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jul, Aug, Nov and Dec
- Autumn colour149 placesFoliage at its peak — usually a fortnight, never the whole month.On in Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Jacaranda12 placesStreets under purple for a few weeks.On in Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Wildflowers & blooms168 placesLavender, tulips, wisteria, lotus — a short window that moves with the spring.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Dive season46 placesMantas on the cleaning stations, whale sharks, the sunfish months, the weeks the water is clear.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Whale season126 placesThe months the whales are in the bay.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Turtle nesting67 placesNesting and hatching on the beaches, mostly at night.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Birdlife season70 placesPuffins on the cliffs, cranes on the marsh — the weeks the birds are in.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Dark-sky season29 placesStar parties, the Milky Way core, a firefall — the nights the sky is the attraction.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- High water44 placesThe falls or the river at full flow — spray, thunder, and closed viewpoints.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Wildlife season63 placesThe wildebeest crossing, the cranes, the monarchs, the pups on the beach, the bears at the river — timed by the rains and the food.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Rutting season9 placesStags roaring, elk bugling, moose on the road — the autumn weeks the big animals are loud and close.On in Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep and Oct
- Fireflies5 placesA few weeks of lights in the trees after dark, and the nights the paths are closed to headlamps.On in Apr, May and Jun
- Aurora27 placesDark enough to see the northern (or southern) lights, cloud permitting.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
The state of the place
Monsoon, dry season, lifts open, sea warm enough — what the weather is actually doing.
- Sea warm enough168 placesThe months the sea is comfortable without a wetsuit.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Surf season57 placesThe swell arrives; the calm beaches move to the other coast.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Ski season151 placesLifts open, base building.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Dry season267 placesThe rains have stopped; the roads and trails reopen.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Monsoon219 placesThe wet season proper — heavy, daily, and the reason prices fall.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Harvest181 placesGrapes, olives, rice, saffron — the countryside at work and at table.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Foraging season46 placesMushrooms, berries, calçots, hamsi — what the market sells for a few weeks only.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Trail season188 placesHuts, passes, high roads and trails open — the summer window at altitude.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Fog season68 placesThe weeks the view disappears — low cloud, marine layer, garúa.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Wind season149 placesThe named wind arrives most afternoons; sailors and kites love it, café tables do not.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Ice season41 placesIce caves, frozen falls, skating on the canal, dog sleds and ice roads — the weeks the cold is the attraction.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Nov and Dec
- Winter-sun season43 placesThe northern winter is this place's high season: full, sunny, and booked from October.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Off-season shutdown265 placesHotels, ferries and lifts close between seasons; quiet, cheap, and half of it shut.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Summer season opens167 placesBeach clubs, lake steamers, the funicular, the cave tours and the open-air cinema — what runs for the season only.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
Festivals & culture
The festivals a place is known for, and the weeks the streets belong to them.
- Carnival130 placesThe week before Lent, and the biggest party of the year where it counts.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Pride38 placesThe parade weekend; hotels in the centre go early.On in Feb, Mar, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct and Nov
- Film festival77 placesScreenings, red carpets and a fortnight of full hotels.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Motorsport weekend28 placesGrand Prix weekend: road closures, engines from dawn, the year's dearest rooms.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Major festival898 placesThe festival the place is known for.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
Holidays that swamp a place
Mass holidays: full trains, closed shops, the year's dearest fortnight.
- Day-tripper crush33 placesCoach parties from ten to four; the town is yours before and after.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Cruise season53 placesThe days the ships are in, the old town belongs to them until four.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Lunar New Year72 placesThe largest annual migration on Earth; closures and full trains.On in Jan, Feb, Mar and Dec
- Water-festival New Year41 placesSongkran, Thingyan, Pi Mai, Chaul Chnam: three days of water in the streets and a week of shut offices and full buses.On in Apr
- Ramadan & Eid152 placesDaytime closures during the fast; the Eid holidays after.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Pilgrimage season17 placesThe weeks the shrines, passes and hill towns fill with pilgrims: book far ahead or come after.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Muharram & Ashura9 placesTen days of mourning processions ending on Ashura, and the Arbaeen walk forty days later; the country closes, then moves.On in May, Jun, Jul and Aug
- Easter & Holy Week170 placesProcessions, closures, and the first crowds of spring.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr and May
- Diwali24 placesThe festival of lights — and, in the north, the smoke that follows.On in Oct and Nov
- Jewish holidays5 placesRosh Hashanah to Sukkot, Passover: the country shuts, then fills.On in Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Golden Week38 placesA country on the move; book everything early or go elsewhere.On in Apr, May and Oct
- School holidays360 placesFamily season: full, expensive, lively.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- National holiday334 placesThe long weekend the whole country travels: full trains, closed offices, the coast and the mountains booked out.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Christmas & New Year377 placesMarkets, closures and the year's dearest fortnight.On in Jan, Feb, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
Hazard seasons to know about
Not forecasts — the seasons in which the risk exists. Most weeks pass quietly.
- Hurricane season101 placesStatistically quiet most weeks, occasionally catastrophic.On in May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct and Nov
- Typhoon season60 placesA system a summer stops the trains for a day; it rarely ruins a week.On in May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Cyclone season54 placesThe southern-hemisphere storm season.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Smoke season108 placesBurning fields or forests; the air, not the weather, is the problem.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Dust season64 placesSpring dust and sandstorms; sensitive lungs stay in.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Nov and Dec
- Flood season78 placesThe river comes into the streets most years.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Extreme heat180 placesThe weeks the city lives indoors.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Algae & red tide10 placesBlooms that close beaches and clear the water of fish for a few weeks; not the Caribbean weed.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Volcanic activity14 placesEruption alerts, ash clouds and closed summits — irregular, but the place plans around it.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Avalanche season18 placesBackcountry and passes on forecast; the weeks the road closes after a dump.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Sargassum season23 placesThe months the seaweed comes ashore on Caribbean and Gulf beaches.On in Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep and Oct
- Winter smog38 placesCoal smoke and a valley inversion; the air, not the cold, is the problem.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Storm season30 placesTornadoes, derechos, hail — the afternoons to watch the sky.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Extreme cold49 placesThe weeks the city stops going outside — dzud, ice storms, minus thirty.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Insect season48 placesFlies, midges, mosquitoes or sandflies at their worst; nets and repellent weather.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
- Pollen season11 placesCedar, olive, birch — the weeks allergy sufferers plan around.On in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Aug, Sep and Dec