March and April are among the most forgiving months in the travel year. A large part of the tropics is still dry, the northern hemisphere heat has not yet arrived where it matters, and school holidays are short enough that the crowds come in a wave rather than a season. The catch is Easter, which moves every year and quietly reshapes availability and prices around it.

The short answer

For March and April, the strongest options are Central America at the end of its dry season (Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador), Egypt just before the summer heat, and Vietnam, which is close to its best countrywide window. Northern India works in March and becomes difficult in late April. East Africa is the main destination to avoid, because the long rains usually run from March to May. If your dates fall inside Holy Week, book early: in 2027 Easter Sunday falls on 28 March, so Holy Week runs from 21 to 28 March.

Central America, at its driest and its busiest

This is the closing stretch of the dry season across the isthmus, and it is the reason so many long-haul trips are planned for these two months.

• Costa Rica. The Pacific coast is at its driest and the Guanacaste landscape turns golden. Wildlife concentrates around remaining water, which makes sightings easier. April is the last reliable month before the green season returns.
• Panama. Dry until roughly mid-April on the Pacific side and in the interior. The Caribbean archipelagos follow their own rhythm and are often pleasant in February and March.
• Guatemala. Clear light over Lake Atitlan, comfortable temperatures in the highlands, and Holy Week, which UNESCO inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2022. Antigua during that week is extraordinary and completely full; it is either the reason you go or the week you avoid.
• Belize. Dry season runs roughly from February to May, with calm seas for the reef. Whale shark sightings in the south are generally reported from around April, around the full moon, and are never guaranteed.
• El Salvador. Still dry, still under the radar, and the easiest of the five to combine with Guatemala.

The trade-off is simple: this is peak season, so rates are at their highest and the popular parks and beaches are at their fullest. If your dates are flexible, May and June often deliver eighty per cent of the experience at a noticeably lower cost, which is the argument we make in off-season travel.

Egypt, in its best window of the year

March and April are arguably the ideal months for Egypt. Warm rather than punishing in Luxor and Aswan, comfortable on the Nile, and already good for the Red Sea. By June the temperatures in Upper Egypt make midday sightseeing genuinely hard work, and by August they close the discussion.

One honest caveat: spring is the season of the khamsin, hot dry southerly winds that can raise dust for a day or two at a time. It is a nuisance rather than a trip-wrecker, but it explains the occasional hazy photograph.

Asia: Vietnam yes, India it depends

Vietnam is close to its best countrywide window in March and April. The north is in spring and no longer damp and grey, the centre around Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An is in its dry stretch, and the south is warm and dry before the rains build. Getting all three regions to cooperate at once is difficult in most other months, which is what makes this period valuable for a north to south itinerary.

India needs more nuance. Rajasthan, Delhi and Agra are comfortable in March and become hot through April, so a northern cultural circuit should be front-loaded into early spring. South India is past its best window and turns humid. Ladakh is not an option yet; the high passes and the season open later, from late spring into summer.

South America in early autumn

March and April are autumn south of the equator. Uruguay and Iguazu sit in a good spot: the Atlantic coast is still warm but the summer crowds have gone home, and the falls are usually well fed after the summer rains without being at their most difficult to visit. It is a combination almost nobody asks for, and one that consistently surprises the people who take it.

Where we would not send you in March and April

East Africa is the clearest case. In Tanzania, Kenya and Zanzibar, the long rains typically run from March to May. Some camps close, some tracks become difficult, and the coast is at its wettest. It is not impossible, and rates drop sharply, but it is the wrong first safari. If East Africa is what you want, aim for the dry months or for the January to March calving window in the southern Serengeti instead.

The same logic applies to any destination where the timing is marginal. We would rather tell you a month does not work than sell you a trip that half works.

The Easter trap, and how to plan around it

Easter moves. In 2027 Easter Sunday falls on 28 March, which puts Holy Week between 21 and 28 March and pulls European school holidays around it. Three consequences worth planning for.

• Long-haul flight prices spike in that fortnight. Booking them early and separately usually pays, which is one reason our quotations are land only and international flights are handled through our flight tickets service.
• In Latin America, Holy Week is a domestic holiday too. Costa Rican and Guatemalan beaches and lakes fill with local travellers, and some businesses close for several days.
• The two weeks either side of Holy Week are markedly calmer for the same weather. Shifting your dates by seven days is the single most effective cost lever in this period.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the best weather in March and April?

Central America is at the end of its dry season and is the most reliable choice, particularly the Pacific side of Costa Rica and Panama. Egypt is in its best window before the summer heat, and Vietnam is close to its optimum across all three regions. East Africa is the main area to avoid, because the long rains generally run from March to May.

Is March a good time for a safari in Tanzania?

Early March can still be excellent in the southern Serengeti, where calving season concentrates herds and predators. From mid-March the long rains usually set in, tracks get harder and some camps close. Rates fall significantly in that period, so it can suit an experienced safari traveller, but it is not the right choice for a first one.

Is Costa Rica busy at Easter?

Very. Holy Week is a national holiday and Costa Ricans travel domestically in large numbers, on top of international visitors in peak dry season. Beaches, national parks and coastal roads are at their busiest, and some businesses close for part of the week. Booking several months ahead is necessary, and travelling in the week before or after is much more comfortable.

When should you book a trip for March or April?

For peak dry season in Central America, six to nine months ahead is realistic, and more if your dates fall in Holy Week. For Egypt and Vietnam, four to six months is usually sufficient. The constraint is rarely the itinerary itself, it is the availability of the specific properties and the international flights.

Is April too hot for Egypt?

No. April is still comfortable, especially with early starts for the temples in Luxor and Aswan. It is May and June that begin to make midday visits demanding in Upper Egypt. The one spring variable is the khamsin, a hot dusty southerly wind that can blow for a day or two at a time.

If you already know your dates, the useful conversation is which destination fits them, not which destination sounds best. Tell us your window and we will tell you honestly what works in it. Start with a tailor-made quotation, or read the previous instalments on January and February and December.