Where to go in March: 9 places at their best
March is the month the northern hemisphere starts to turn. The days lengthen, blossom opens in the warmer countries, and the desert destinations of the Middle East and North Africa reach the warm, clear weather that makes them worth the journey, before the heat of summer arrives. Southern hemisphere summer is ending, so beaches empty and the cities become comfortable again.
It is also a month with a few fixed dates and a few moving ones. Easter falls in March in some years, and Ramadan may overlap with the month, which changes opening hours and the mood in Muslim-majority countries without closing the main sights. Check both before you book. Here are nine places that are properly good in March.
The month rewards flexibility. Weather in spring is less settled than in midsummer, and blossom in particular depends on how the winter went, so the dates given here are the usual pattern and not a promise. Build in a day or two of slack on either side of any trip that hangs on one natural event.
Japan
Cherry blossom moves north from the end of March in the south, and in Tokyo and Kyoto the peak is usually at the very end of the month or in early April. For a week or two in each city the parks are full and hotels cost the most, so book early if your dates fall in blossom season, and expect crowds at the well-known spots. If you want the blossom without the peak, go a few days either side and walk the river paths in the early morning. The Tokyo itinerary and Kyoto itinerary give you the days, and the Japan travel guide covers the route between them.
Jordan
Spring is the best season for Petra and Wadi Rum. Temperatures are warm without being hot, the hills are green with wildflowers in March and April, and walking is comfortable all day. It is also the busiest time, so book hotels and desert camps ahead, especially around Easter and school holidays. Winter rain can still cause flash floods in narrow canyons early in the month, so listen to local advice. Read the Jordan travel guide.
Morocco
March to May is the best season in Morocco. Days are warm, the countryside is green, the Atlas valleys have blossom and the desert is hot but bearable. March is quieter than April and May, which are the most popular months, so it is the easiest time to find a riad you like. Marrakech is pleasant for walking, and the Atlas still has snow on the peaks. Use the Marrakech itinerary and the Morocco travel guide.
India
The winter season runs to March, and the north is warm and sunny without the extreme heat of April to June. Rajasthan, Agra and Varanasi are all comfortable. Holi, the festival of colours, usually falls in March, though the date moves each year, and trains and hotels fill as families travel home, so book ahead. Visitors can join in on the streets, but wear old clothes and keep phones and cameras covered. The south and the coast are already warm. See the India travel guide.
Vietnam
March and April are the shoulder months that work for most of the length of the country. Hanoi and the north are warmer and less grey than in winter, the centre around Hoi An and Hue is drying out, and the south is hot but dry. Tet has passed by March, so travel is easier and prices ease. It is a good month for a north-to-south route. Start with the Hanoi itinerary, then read the Vietnam travel guide.
Taiwan
Spring is mild and green, with blossom in the mountains. Showers are common, especially in the north, so carry a light waterproof. Taipei is a good base for day trips, and the south around Kaohsiung and Kenting is sunny and mild. The long grey stretch of plum rains arrives in May and June, so March and April are the better choice. See the Taiwan travel guide.
Australia
Autumn is mild and settled in most of the south, and the north is drying out. It suits Sydney, Melbourne and the wine regions, with fewer visitors than in summer. The summer heat has gone from the centre, though Uluru is still warm by day. Easter can fall in March or April and is one of the busiest times for domestic travel, so check the date before you book flights and rooms. The Australia travel guide has routes for each region.
Spain
Las Fallas in Valencia, a week of fireworks and giant papier-mâché sculptures that are burned on the last night, usually peaks around 19 March. The south is already warm and in flower, with Seville and the Andalusian cities at their best, and the beaches are quiet. Holy Week sometimes begins in late March, bringing huge processions and full hotels, so check the date. Use the Barcelona itinerary and Madrid itinerary for the cities, and the Spain travel guide for the south.
Egypt
Spring is warm and still pleasant, and March is a good time for Luxor and Aswan before the heat arrives. The south starts to heat up from late March, so go early. A dusty wind called the khamsin can blow in Cairo in spring. The crowds of the winter season thin out, and prices ease. Ramadan can overlap with March, so check the dates; the main sights stay open. Read the Egypt travel guide.
Planning a trip for March
March is a month of two kinds of trip: the blossom and festival trips, which have to be booked early because the dates are fixed, and the shoulder-season trips, which are easier to book and cheaper. Decide which you want first. If you are going for the blossom, rooms and trains in Japan can be booked months ahead, and our advice on how far in advance to book is a useful guide to lead times.
For a trip that follows the weather, such as a loop through Jordan and Egypt, think about the order. Put the hotter, more exposed stops, such as Luxor, early in the day, and the cooler ones in the afternoon. Shoulder-season travel covers why March is so often the sweet spot.
If you are travelling with friends, March is also a good month to agree who books what. Flights for Easter and blossom trips are the first to sell, and rooms for groups are harder to find than rooms for two. Whoever organises the trip should put the dates and places in front of everyone before booking, so that people are not left to find out by message.
Ramadan deserves a line of its own if your dates overlap. In Jordan, Morocco and Egypt the main sights, hotels and tour operators carry on, while some local restaurants close or serve discreetly in the daytime. Evenings are lively, with special meals and late shopping, and many travellers find it one of the more memorable times to visit. Eid at the end of Ramadan brings family travel and busy roads, so avoid long drives on those days.
