South Asia Guide

South Asia season chart — month by month

South Asia's weather is shaped by two monsoons — the south-west monsoon (roughly June to September) and the north-east monsoon (roughly October to December, mainly in south-east India and Sri Lanka's east) — plus intense pre-monsoon heat. Timing varies each year; use this as a planning guide.

  • Best
  • Shoulder
  • Monsoon or extreme heat
RegionJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Delhi, Agra & RajasthanIndia — very hot Apr–JunBestBestShoulderMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatShoulderBestBestBest
Goa & Kerala coastIndia — south-west monsoonBestBestBestShoulderShoulderMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatShoulderShoulderBestBest
Chennai & Tamil NaduIndia — north-east monsoon Oct–DecBestBestShoulderMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatShoulderShoulderShoulderMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatShoulder
LadakhIndia — high-altitude summer seasonMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatShoulderBestBestBestBestShoulderMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heat
Kolkata & West BengalIndiaBestBestShoulderMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatShoulderBestBestBest
Nepal trekkingBest Oct–Nov and Mar–AprShoulderShoulderBestBestShoulderMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatShoulderBestBestShoulder
BhutanSpring and autumn festivalsShoulderShoulderBestBestShoulderMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatShoulderBestBestShoulder
BangladeshCool dry winterBestBestShoulderMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatShoulderBestBestBest
Sri Lanka — south & westSouth-west monsoon May–SepBestBestBestBestShoulderMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatShoulderShoulderShoulderBest
Sri Lanka — east coastNorth-east monsoon Oct–JanShoulderShoulderBestBestBestBestBestBestBestShoulderMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heat
MaldivesDrier Dec–AprBestBestBestBestShoulderMonsoon or extreme heatMonsoon or extreme heatShoulderShoulderShoulderBestBest

Reading the chart

"Monsoon" doesn't mean constant rain: many days have heavy afternoon showers and sunny mornings. But it can mean flooding, landslides in hills and closed routes. "Extreme heat" in north India from April to June often exceeds 40°C.

Learn more: Monsoon season: what travellers should know and Sri Lanka's two monsoons.