Most travel advice tells you when to go. This page covers the other half of the decision: the months to avoid, country by country, and why. A bad month is rarely about one rainy day. It is the month when heat closes the middle of the day, when storms cancel boats and flights, when school holidays double the queues, or when prices peak and the reason you came is not there.
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Is This a Bad Month to Go?
Pick a country and a month. See if it is a month to skip, what goes wrong, and the better month next to it.
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Where to think twice, month by month
Pick a month to see the countries that score lowest in our When to Go guides that month, the reason, and the better months to go instead.
🚫 When NOT to go
Where to think twice in January
The lowest-scoring countries this month in our guides, the reason, and the better months.
4/10🚫BaliSkip if you need reliable beach days, plan a Rinjani trek or want calm boat crossings.Go in May or June instead →
5/10🚫CanadaSkip if you want lakes, hiking, coastal drives or anything above freezing outside Vancouver.Go in September or June instead →
5/10🚫PeruSkip if you want clear Machu Picchu views or a dry trek; this is one of the wettest months in the Andes.Go in May or September instead →
5/10🚫FranceSkip if you want sun, sea, open coastal villages or long days for sightseeing.Go in June or September instead →
5/10🚫ItalySkip if you want the coast, island hopping, long days or swimming. Daylight is short and the seaside is shut.Go in May or September instead →
6/10🚫BrazilSkip if heat above 32°C wears you down, you want the Pantanal, or you need low prices.Go in August or September instead →🚫 When NOT to go
Where to think twice in February
The lowest-scoring countries this month in our guides, the reason, and the better months.
3/10🚫PeruSkip if you want the Inca Trail (closed), clear mountain views or reliable roads and trains.Go in May or September instead →
5/10🚫TürkiyeOften the greyest month and one of the quietest. Lowest price pressure outside ski resorts.Go in October or May instead →
5/10🚫BaliSkip if you want reliable sunshine, a Rinjani trek or a beach-only holiday on the west coast.Go in May or June instead →
5/10🚫FranceSkip if you can only ski during French school holidays and want empty slopes or lower rates.Go in June or September instead →
5/10🚫ItalySkip if you want warm sea, the Amalfi Coast or the Lakes; most of the coast is still closed.Go in May or September instead →
5/10🚫GreeceCool and showery. Carnival in the towns, almond blossom late in the month, empty sites.Go in September or May instead →🚫 When NOT to go
Where to think twice in March
The lowest-scoring countries this month in our guides, the reason, and the better months.
5/10🚫CanadaSkip if your trip depends on lakes, hiking or coastal towns in the east.Go in September or June instead →
5/10🚫PeruSkip if you need clear skies and dry trails; showers are still likely most afternoons in the Andes.Go in May or September instead →
6/10🚫BrazilSkip if you want wildlife in the Pantanal, the Amazon at its driest, or reliable dry days.Go in August or September instead →
6/10🚫Tanzania & ZanzibarSkip if you are climbing Kilimanjaro on a tight schedule, or want dependable dry beach days on Zanzibar.Go in February or July instead →
6/10🚫TürkiyeBlossom on the Aegean, snow still inland. Ruins are quiet; the sea is far too cold.Go in October or May instead →
6/10🚫BaliSkip if you must fly on Nyepi day, or want settled dry weather for a beach-only trip.Go in May or June instead →🚫 When NOT to go
Where to think twice in April
The lowest-scoring countries this month in our guides, the reason, and the better months.
3/10🚫Tanzania & ZanzibarSkip if this is your first safari, you are climbing Kilimanjaro, or the beach is the main reason for the trip.Go in February or July instead →
4/10🚫CanadaSkip if you want hiking, lakes, the Atlantic coast or reliable sunshine.Go in September or June instead →
5/10🚫ThailandUsually the hottest month, with Songkran 13 to 15 April. Plan every day around shade.Go in January or February instead →
6/10🚫IcelandThe gap between aurora and midnight sun: quiet, good value, very changeable. Ice caves close.Go in September or May instead →🚫 When NOT to go
Where to think twice in May
The lowest-scoring countries this month in our guides, the reason, and the better months.
4/10🚫Tanzania & ZanzibarSkip if you want a dry beach week or a Kilimanjaro climb in the first half of May.Go in February or July instead →
5/10🚫Dubai & the UAESkip if you want the desert overnight, long walks or comfortable outdoor sightseeing.Go in January or February instead →
5/10🚫EgyptSkip if you want to sightsee all day in Luxor or Aswan, or struggle in heat.Go in February or November instead →
6/10🚫ArgentinaSkip if southern Patagonia trekking or Ushuaia boat trips are essential to your plan.Go in November or March instead →
6/10🚫CanadaSkip if your heart is set on turquoise Rockies lakes or the Atlantic coast fully open.Go in September or June instead →
6/10🚫Costa RicaSkip if you need full sunny days for beach photography or long road trips on dirt roads.Go in January or February instead →🚫 When NOT to go
Where to think twice in June
The lowest-scoring countries this month in our guides, the reason, and the better months.
3/10🚫Dubai & the UAESkip if your trip needs the desert, the beach at midday or any outdoor sightseeing.Go in January or February instead →
4/10🚫EgyptSkip if you want long sightseeing days in Upper Egypt or cannot cope with heat.Go in February or November instead →
5/10🚫ArgentinaSkip if your trip depends on Patagonian trekking or on reliable early-season snow for skiing.Go in November or March instead →
5/10🚫MexicoSkip if you want reliable all-day sun, or cannot accept any storm risk on a short trip.Go in February or November instead →
5/10🚫VietnamSkip if you need cool weather, dry Hanoi streets or calm seas on Phu Quoc.Go in March or April instead →
6/10🚫Costa RicaSkip if you are set on dry, all-day beach weather or on Osa's back-country trails.Go in January or February instead →🚫 When NOT to go
Where to think twice in July
The lowest-scoring countries this month in our guides, the reason, and the better months.
2/10🚫Dubai & the UAESkip if you expect any outdoor sightseeing, a desert evening or beach time beyond the early morning.Go in January or February instead →
2/10🚫MoroccoThe month that ruins trips inland. Build it on the coast and the mountains, never the desert.Go in March or October instead →
3/10🚫EgyptSkip if you want to see the temples of Upper Egypt in comfort.Go in February or November instead →
4/10🚫TürkiyePeak heat and peak coast. Book early, sightsee at dawn, or go up to the Black Sea plateaus.Go in October or May instead →
4/10🚫PortugalPeak crowds on the Algarve, heat inland. Works for beach holidays booked early.Go in May or September instead →
5/10🚫ArgentinaSkip if you want quiet at Iguazú or Bariloche, or plan to trek in southern Patagonia.Go in November or March instead →🚫 When NOT to go
Where to think twice in August
The lowest-scoring countries this month in our guides, the reason, and the better months.
2/10🚫Dubai & the UAESkip if you want any outdoor experience, from the beach at midday to the desert or the old souks.Go in January or February instead →
2/10🚫JapanThe month to avoid: heat, humidity, typhoon risk and Obon crowds. Go north if you must.Go in November or October instead →
3/10🚫EgyptSkip if you want to see Luxor, Aswan or the desert in any comfort.Go in February or November instead →
3/10🚫TürkiyeThe hardest month: peak heat, peak crowds, often a domestic holiday wave. Beach and mountains.Go in October or May instead →3/10🚫MoroccoJuly's heat plus domestic holidays: the coast is full and buses sell out. Book transport early.Go in March or October instead →
3/10🚫PortugalThe hardest month: Portugal's own holiday month, full coast, hot interior.Go in May or September instead →🚫 When NOT to go
Where to think twice in September
The lowest-scoring countries this month in our guides, the reason, and the better months.
3/10🚫MexicoSkip if you want a beach holiday with good weather, or a short trip with no room for delays.Go in February or November instead →
4/10🚫Dubai & the UAESkip if you need comfortable outdoor days or a desert overnight.Go in January or February instead →
4/10🚫ThailandUsually the wettest month. Quiet and low-priced, but flooding and rough seas are possible.Go in January or February instead →
5/10🚫Costa RicaSkip if your plan is Osa, Corcovado or a classic Pacific beach trip.Go in January or February instead →
5/10🚫EgyptSkip if you want mild temple weather; wait until late October.Go in February or November instead →
5/10🚫VietnamSkip if you want the central coast's beaches or dry weather on Phu Quoc.Go in March or April instead →🚫 When NOT to go
Where to think twice in October
The lowest-scoring countries this month in our guides, the reason, and the better months.
3/10🚫Costa RicaSkip if your trip depends on the Pacific coast, Osa or reliable road travel.Go in January or February instead →
6/10🚫MexicoSkip if you need a dry beach week; the Caribbean coast is still often wet and stormy.Go in February or November instead →
6/10🚫VietnamSkip if your trip depends on Hoi An's old town, Hue or a central beach.Go in March or April instead →
6/10🚫ThailandRains ease, harvest begins. Andaman reopens late in the month; the Gulf turns rainy.Go in January or February instead →🚫 When NOT to go
Where to think twice in November
The lowest-scoring countries this month in our guides, the reason, and the better months.
3/10🚫CanadaSkip if you want colour, hiking, coastal drives, reliable skiing or light.Go in September or June instead →
4/10🚫FranceSkip if you want sun, sea, mountains or long days for outdoor sightseeing.Go in June or September instead →
4/10🚫IcelandShort days and storms make road trips hard. Good for value, hot pools and the aurora.Go in September or May instead →
5/10🚫ItalySkip if you want sun, the coast or the mountains; it is the wettest month and daylight is short.Go in May or September instead →
6/10🚫PeruSkip if you want dry treks and clear afternoon views; showers increase through the month.Go in May or September instead →
6/10🚫Costa RicaSkip if the Caribbean coast is your main goal, or you need dead-certain sun; early November can still be wet.Go in January or February instead →🚫 When NOT to go
Where to think twice in December
The lowest-scoring countries this month in our guides, the reason, and the better months.
5/10🚫CanadaSkip if you want value over the holidays, or outdoor plans beyond snow sports.Go in September or June instead →
5/10🚫PeruSkip if you want dry treks and clear views, or low prices over the Christmas period.Go in May or September instead →
5/10🚫BaliSkip if you dislike crowds, traffic and peak prices from mid-December.Go in May or June instead →
5/10🚫HawaiiTwo months in one: calm, good-value first half, then the busiest, dearest weeks of the year.Go in May or September instead →
5/10🚫GreeceCool and wet. Festive Athens and Thessaloniki, snowy mountain villages, quiet sites.Go in September or May instead →
6/10🚫BrazilSkip if you want the Pantanal, low prices or dry, comfortable weather in Rio.Go in August or September instead →The five reasons a month goes wrong
- Heat: when daytime highs make sightseeing a morning-and-evening affair, especially with children or older travellers.
- Rain and monsoon: heavy, daily rain that closes trails, roads and ferry routes, not a passing shower.
- Storm season: hurricane, typhoon and cyclone months, when a single system can cancel several days of a short trip.
- Peak crowds: school and national holidays, when queues, full trains and sold-out rooms shape every day.
- Peak prices: the weeks when the same room and flight cost the most, often for weather that is only slightly better than the month either side.
A low score is not a rule. Some travellers want the quiet, wet or hot month on purpose. The checker shows the trade-off so you can choose with open eyes. For the full method, month warnings for every season and the questions to ask before you book, see When NOT to Go.
