When is the rainy season

Bali’s wet season runs roughly November to March, peaking December to February. The dry season — May to September — is the best time to visit for surf, beaches, and rice terraces.

Most of Thailand has a southwest monsoon from about May to October, with the heaviest rain September to October. The driest, most reliable months are November to February.

Costa Rica’s rainy — or “green” — season runs about May to November, with the wettest months September and October on the Pacific side. The dry season, December to April, is the most reliable time to visit.

India’s southwest monsoon lasts roughly June to September. In Goa the heaviest rain falls June to August, so the popular dry, warm window is November to March.

It splits by region. Central Vietnam (Hoi An, Da Nang) is wettest September to November, while the south runs May to October. December to April is the driest overall, and the tool flags the typhoon window from August to November.

Mexico’s rainy season runs about June to October, overlapping Atlantic hurricane season. The driest, most reliable months on the Caribbean coast — Cancún and Tulum — are November to April.

It varies by region. The southwest (summer) monsoon brings heavy rain to South and Southeast Asia from roughly May or June to September or October — India and Goa June to September, Thailand’s west coast May to October. Bali and the southern hemisphere tropics are wettest November to March instead.

A rainy season is simply the wettest part of a destination’s year. A monsoon is a specific seasonal wind shift — common across South and Southeast Asia — that drives a heavy, prolonged rainy season. The tool flags monsoon, typhoon, hurricane, and cyclone windows separately from general rain risk.

“Green season” is a marketing term — popularised in Costa Rica and the tropics — for the rainy season. It emphasises the lush, green landscape rather than the rain. Showers are often short and heavy, prices drop, and crowds thin out, so the green season can be excellent value.

Thailand, the Maldives, Goa, Cape Verde, the Caribbean (in high season), Egypt, and the UAE are all reliably dry in December — ideal for winter sun without rainy-season regret.

Bali, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Mauritius, Zanzibar, and most of the Mediterranean are dry in June, while much of Southeast Asia and the Caribbean is entering its wet or hurricane season.

Atlantic hurricane season runs 1 June to 30 November, peaking August to October. The ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao) sit south of the main track and stay more reliable.

Usually not. In the tropics, rainy season often means short, heavy afternoon downpours that clear quickly, with sunshine either side. It still affects diving visibility, road travel, and outdoor plans, so it is worth timing around.

Often, yes. Outside the worst monsoon, typhoon, hurricane, and cyclone peaks, the rainy or green season means lower prices, fewer crowds, and lush scenery, with rain that frequently falls as short afternoon storms. City sightseeing works well; beach and diving holidays are more weather-sensitive.

Often yes. Shoulder and wet-season travel can mean lower prices and fewer crowds. If you can handle some rain — or you are mainly sightseeing in cities — the green season can be great value.

No. It is a seasonal planning tool based on average monthly climate data. Always check a live forecast close to departure, especially during monsoon, typhoon, hurricane, and cyclone seasons.