When to visit - Myanmar

Best times to visit Myanmar

Best times to visit Myanmar

The best time to visit Myanmar is between the months of December and March when visitors enjoy pleasant temperatures, clear blue skies and low levels of humidity. During these months rainfall is at its lowest and average daily temperatures will be in the low 30s (Celsius). Temperatures gradually rise from December through to March so if you wish to avoid the hottest months December and January may be the best time to travel, although you should note that it can get quite cold in the hills at this time and if can even be cool in Yangon. 

Good times to visit Myanmar

Good times to visit Myanmar

The shoulder season months of April and November are also good times to visit Myanmar, and April particularly if you enjoy hot tropical weather. Whilst April is usually dry and very hot, November signals the end of the green season and so can receive the odd tropical downpour. The joy of travelling in November however is that the post monsoon season leaves the country looking lush with verdant vegetation and full rivers - a great times for cruising.

Myanmar's Green Season

Myanmar's Green Season

Myanmar's green season runs between May and October and during these months the country benefits from a pronouced monsoon with rainfall in August and September often surpassing 500mm. At the this time most beach hotels tend to close and western and southern parts of the country receive significant rainfall. However central parts of Myanmar are not so badly affected and so it is possible to visit at this time of the year concentrating on the regions around Mandalay, Bagan and Inle Lake. The advantage of travel at this time of year is that the countryside looks great, there are less people at the main sites and prices are cheaper. So if you don't mind travelling with an umbrella to hand, travel in the green season can be a good time to be in Myanmar.

  • Best time to travelBest time to travel
  • Good time to travelGood time to travel
  • Green seasonGreen season
  • Cool temperaturesCool temperatures
  • Very coldVery cold

Central Myanmar Weather Information (Mandalay)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Best time to travel
Best time to travel
Best time to travel
Good time to travel
Green season
Green season
Green season
Green season
Green season
Green season
Good time to travel
Best time to travel
Max Temp °C283136383734343333322928
Min Temp °C131519252626262524231913
Hours Daylight999986546789
Rainfall (mm)3353114716069104137109513

January – April: This period sees a huge range in temperature with January being the regions coldest month (Averages of 23°C and lows of 15°C) whilst April is traditionally Mandalay’s hottest month with temperatures regularly exceeding 40°C. Rain throughout the period is low with minimal rain falling throughout the early months of the year and a slight increases as the year reaches April and the approaching monsoon begins to make its presence known. Humidity during this period is also at an annual low with January – March having almost 0% Humidity whilst April has the still relatively low figure of 26%.

May-October: Although the monsoon season in central Myanmar is by no means the heaviest in south East Asia it is one of the longest spanning six months. Abnormally there is a lull in the rain around the month of July with averages of just 90mm whilst May and October have 140mm and 120mm respectively. Temperatures however follow a more normal pattern with an average of 34°C in May steadily declining until it reaches 27°C degrees in October. Humidity throughout this period can be extreme with highs of 100% humidity throughout July and August.

November – December: With 60 mm of rain November is, by Myanmar’s standards, certainly not one of the driest months, however cooler temperatures of around 26°C, Clearer skies and lower humidity levels mean that it definitely signifies the end of the bad summer weather. December sees very little rain and much like January has cool clear days of around 22°C.

Southern Myanmar Weather Information (Yangon)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Best time to travel
Best time to travel
Best time to travel
Good time to travel
Green season
Green season
Green season
Green season
Green season
Green season
Good time to travel
Best time to travel
Max Temp °C323233363633302929303131
Min Temp °C181819222425242424242423
Hours Daylight10101010107433566
Rainfall (mm)33585130748058252839418069

January-April: The early months of the year in Yangon are relatively cool with day time temperatures of around 25°C in January rising to 31°C in the regions hottest month of April. As well as the pleasant temperatures this period of the year is also graced with consistently blue skies (around 65% of days) and humidity is at an annual low. This period is a good time Visit Myanmar if you wish to avoid the heat of the summer months.

May- October: The months between May and October makes up the rainy season in southern Myanmar. Rainfall quickly rises from around 60mm in May to its peak of 260mm in July; this rainfall is usually in the form of large storms in the afternoon. The monsoon period brings with it a thick blanket of cloud which makes a sunny day highly unlikely during this time, as well as blocking out the sun this annual arrival of clouds causes humidity levels to skyrocket to 100% in the months of July and August. Temperatures throughout this period remain fairly constant with an average between 27°C and 29°C.

November – December: With the rainy season over, November and December are good times to visit Yangon. Temperatures throughout the period drop consistently with an average of 28°C at the beginning of November dropping to around 24°C in late December. Similarly what little rain there is in November following monsoon quickly disappears with an average of 12mm dropping to practically 0% chance of rain in December

Experiences to Inspire