Myanmar has two distinct seasons, making working out the best time to tour Myanmar relatively straightforward. The dry season in Myanmar runs from October until April with the wet season from May until September.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that the months between October and April are strictly the best times to tour Myanmar, since this also coincides with high season when hotel prices are higher and attractions busier. Availability of accommodation can be an issue in organizing a Myanmar tour, so it pays to book early during high season.

During the rainy season months it is unusual to experience lengthy periods of rain, and rainfall although heavy, is usually concentrated in short sharp downpours, often late in the afternoon or early evening.

Temperatures in Myanmar are uniformly high throughout the year, often reaching the mid 30’s, especially in the more humid months of April and May. On the central plains of Myanmar, temperatures can become stifling in the middle of the year, with the thermometer sometimes topping 40 degrees.

Myanmar’s coastal region is quite badly affected during the monsoon period, as there is little protection from the arrival of the winds and rains. Many beach resorts in Myanmar simply shut up shop during this time of year.

Of course Myanmar’s climate varies dramatically, from the sweltering jungles of the sub-tropical south to the freezing Himalayan foothills, with the sometimes baking river valleys in between.

The river plains of central Myanmar, which include Bagan and Mandalay are typified by high temperatures and low rainfall, with dry days often continuing right up until the middle of August.