Borneo
Sarawak & Sandakan
In Sabah, rainfall is increasing although in the north and east of Sabah there are still plenty of fine days expected and in the centre and south the majority of days are expected to be dry. Keen divers should enjoy optimum conditions on the Sidapan & Mabul Islands... In Sarawak, October marks the beginning of the wet season, with an increase in rainfall, particularly in coastal areas. Further to the south and east, Batang Ai and Gunung Mulu NP are still likely to be experiencing dry weather...more
Burma (Myanmar)
With the levels of rainfall now more manageable, Burma once again opens its doors to travellers. Despite the coolest months of the year being just around the corner, temperatures throughout the month are likely to remain in the high 20’s and even early 30’s°C. The central plains to the south of Mandalay are once again the hottest and driest region of the country, with temperatures in the low 30’s°C and minimal rainfall. Towards the end of the month the beach resorts start to open again... more
Cambodia
The rainfall will start to decrease, especially towards the end of the month with the dry season just around the corner. Across the country the flora and fauna is in full bloom and the moats at the Angkor Temples are full of life (avg temp: 27°C). One great benefit of travelling in Cambodia at this time is that the Angkor Temples will be far less crowded. On the south coast, in Sihanoukville and Kep, rain is still a possibility although this will become less frequent as the months moves on...more
Laos
Good weather returns to Laos with far less rain expected than the previous few months, especially as in the latter parts of the month. It’s a great time to travel throughout the entire country, with low visitor numbers and improved weather conditions bringing a wealth of benefits, especially the lack of visitors at key tourists sites (Luang Prabang & Vientiane avg temp: 24°C, further south avg temp: 26°C)...more
Malaysia
The winds of change continue to blow for both sides of the peninsula. The South-East monsoon is nearing its end; however, it often has a sting in the tale for both Langkawi and Penang, giving them some of their heaviest rainfall of the year. Over on the east-coast (Tioman Island, Perhentian Islands, Terengganu and Redang) the winds of the North-East monsoon gather momentum, bringing rougher sea conditions and a slight drop in temperature...more
Sri Lanka
A month of change as the south-west monsoon starts to fade, especially towards the end of the month. This doesn’t, however, mean that the blue skies and sunshine return straight away. Rainfall remains high on the coast and temps are well below their annual peak. Rainfall is also high in the Tea Country, although hot dry weather is expected further north in the Cultural Triangle.
Things are also changing in the north and along the east coast, with the arrival of the north-eastern monsoon. Across the country cyclones can occur, bringing with them heavy rain and high winds, making October one of the wettest months of the year country-wide...more
Thailand
A month of change, although when that change comes is anyone’s guess! The rains should start to recede and the humidity levels fall as the month progresses. Temperatures are also declining as October marks the start of ‘winter’ in North & Central Thailand (avg temp: 24 - 27 °C). On the beaches, rainfall remains high on both sides of the peninsular (avg temp: 25 - 27 °C); although on the west the rains start to decline as November approaches. The best chance of dry sand is on Koh Chang in the north of the Gulf as even Hua Hin gets a proper dousing in October...more
Vietnam
Things continue to improve in the north with clearer skies, less rainfall and a break to the high humidity of recent months. In the centre it’s the opposite story with high rainfall and the chance of stormy weather. Whilst the rain tumbles in the centre, the south starts to see a change for the good with less rainfall and a promise of the returning summer. Good conditions for adventure activities also return in the mountains of the north and in the Central Highlands...more