Winter
Dec → Feb28 to 29°
nights 25°
- 13 rainy days · 89 mm
- 10.1 h of sun
- sea 27°
When is the best time to visit the Philippines?
In short: December to May, during the dry season, and above all January to April, when El Nido gets less than 90 mm of rain a month at 28 to 31 °C. From December to February, the cool dry season makes the heat more bearable; from June to November, rains and typhoons settle over the archipelago.
- The lagoons of Palawan: From January to April, at the driest (26 mm of rain in February in El Nido): bangka boat trips between the lagoons of El Nido and Coron.
- Cities and sightseeing in the cool: From December to February, the cool dry season according to the Philippine weather service: the most bearable time for Manila, Cebu and the colonial towns.
- Beaches in the hot season: From March to May, the hot dry season: 30 to 31 °C in the afternoon in El Nido, with still little rain until April (43 mm).
- Typhoons and Mindanao: From June to November, the typhoon season; their tracks head north-west and usually spare Mindanao, in the south of the archipelago.
Best avoided: July to October: typhoons possible across the archipelago and 230 to 319 mm of rain a month in El Nido, over 24 to 28 days.
Sources: pagasa.dost.gov.ph, diplomatie.gouv.fr
- Jan28°recommended
- Feb29°recommended
- Mar30°recommended
- Apr31°recommended
- May31°recommended
- Jun30°fair
- Jul29°not recommended
- Aug29°not recommended
- Sep29°not recommended
- Oct29°not recommended
- Nov29°fair
- Dec29°recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in the Philippines, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28° | 25° | 10 h | 81 mm | 13 d | 28° | ✓ |
| February | 29° | 25° | 10.8 h | 26 mm | 7 d | 26° | ✓ |
| March | 30° | 25° | 11.3 h | 33 mm | 9 d | 26° | ✓ |
| April | 31° | 26° | 11.6 h | 43 mm | 14 d | 29° | ✓ |
| May | 31° | 26° | 10.8 h | 122 mm | 24 d | 30° | ✓ |
| June | 30° | 26° | 8.8 h | 237 mm | 26 d | 30° | |
| July | 29° | 25° | 7.7 h | 305 mm | 27 d | 30° | |
| August | 29° | 25° | 8.9 h | 230 mm | 24 d | 30° | |
| September | 29° | 25° | 8.3 h | 319 mm | 27 d | 30° | |
| October | 29° | 25° | 8.7 h | 281 mm | 28 d | 30° | |
| November | 29° | 25° | 9.7 h | 136 mm | 21 d | 30° | |
| December | 29° | 25° | 9.4 h | 159 mm | 20 d | 28° | ✓ |
The four seasons in the Philippines, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (El Nido, Palawan) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May30 to 31°
nights 25 to 26°
- 16 rainy days · 66 mm
- 11.2 h of sun
- sea 28°
Summer
Jun → Aug29 to 30°
nights 25 to 26°
- 26 rainy days · 257 mm
- 8.5 h of sun
- sea 30°
Autumn
Sep → Nov29°
nights 25°
- 25 rainy days · 245 mm
- 8.9 h of sun
- sea 30°
Book early for December to May
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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What to do in the Philippines, month by month
EventsSinulogJanuaryAti-AtihanJanuaryPanagbengaFebruaryMassKaraOctoberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
Beach & swimming: good conditions all twelve months.
Diving & snorkelling: good conditions all twelve months.
- Hiking: February
- Towns & culture: February, March
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in the Philippines, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. These events fill the hotels and push prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- JanuarySinulog big crowds
Cebu dances to the beat of the drum for the Santo Niño on the third Sunday of January, in a seemingly endless parade.
- JanuaryAti-Atihan big crowds
In Kalibo, dancers blacken their faces and parade to the drums for a week in mid-January.
- FebruaryPanagbenga big crowds
Baguio parades flower-covered floats along Session Road throughout February.
- OctoberMassKara
Bacolod brings out its smiling masks and its street dance troupes for the third week of October.
Travelling off-peak
When to visit the Philippines, region by region
A country's best time is an average, and it hides big differences. Here is what the records say for each area, month by month: ✓ for a recommended month, ~ for a fair one, a dot for a month to avoid. Hover over a cell for the temperature.
| Area | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇵🇭 Palawan | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ |
| 🇵🇭 Cebu | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · | · | · | · | ~ |
| 🇵🇭 El Nido | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ |
Month by month, in detail
January
Recommended28°25° at night
- 81 mm · 13 d
- 10 h
- sea 28°
High season, book early
February
Recommended29°25° at night
- 26 mm · 7 d
- 10.8 h
- sea 26°
High season, book early
March
Recommended30°25° at night
- 33 mm · 9 d
- 11.3 h
- sea 26°
Busy, without the crush
April
Recommended31°26° at night
- 43 mm · 14 d
- 11.6 h
- sea 29°
Busy, without the crush
May
Recommended31°26° at night
- 122 mm · 24 d
- 10.8 h
- sea 30°
Busy, without the crush
June
Fair30°26° at night
- 237 mm · 26 d
- 8.8 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
July
Not recommended29°25° at night
- 305 mm · 27 d
- 7.7 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
August
Not recommended29°25° at night
- 230 mm · 24 d
- 8.9 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
September
Not recommended29°25° at night
- 319 mm · 27 d
- 8.3 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
October
Not recommended29°25° at night
- 281 mm · 28 d
- 8.7 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
November
Fair29°25° at night
- 136 mm · 21 d
- 9.7 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
December
Recommended29°25° at night
- 159 mm · 20 d
- 9.4 h
- sea 28°
High season, book early
Read the twelve months in detail
January. 28 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (81 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 10 h a day on average. The sea is at 28 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
February. 29 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. Rain stays light: 26 mm over 7 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.8 h a day on average. The sea is at 26 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
March. 30 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (33 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 11.3 h a day on average. The sea is at 26 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
April. 31 °C in the afternoon and 26 °C at night. Frequent but light showers: 43 mm over 14 days. Plenty of sunshine: 11.6 h a day on average. The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
May. 31 °C in the afternoon and 26 °C at night. Frequent rain: 122 mm over 24 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.8 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
June. 30 °C in the afternoon and 26 °C at night. Frequent rain: 237 mm over 26 days. Expect 8.8 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
July. 29 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 305 mm of rain over 27 days. Expect 7.7 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
August. 29 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 230 mm of rain over 24 days. Expect 8.9 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
September. 29 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 319 mm of rain over 27 days. Expect 8.3 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
October. 29 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 281 mm of rain over 28 days. Expect 8.7 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
November. 29 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. Frequent rain: 136 mm over 21 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.7 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. 29 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. Frequent rain: 159 mm over 20 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.4 h a day on average. The sea is at 28 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit the Philippines?
December to May, during the dry season, and above all January to April, when El Nido gets less than 90 mm of rain a month at 28 to 31 °C. From December to February, the cool dry season makes the heat more bearable; from June to November, rains and typhoons settle over the archipelago.
Which month should you avoid in the Philippines?
July to October: typhoons possible across the archipelago and 230 to 319 mm of rain a month in El Nido, over 24 to 28 days.
What is the hottest month in the Philippines?
April, with 31 °C on average in the afternoon and 26 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (El Nido, Palawan).
What is the coldest month in the Philippines?
January, with 28 °C at best during the day and 25 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (El Nido, Palawan).
What is the driest month in the Philippines?
February: 26 mm over 7 days of rain, against 319 mm in September, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in the Philippines?
April, with 11.6 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
When can you swim in the Philippines?
The water never drops below 22 °C: from 26 to 30 °C depending on the month (warmest in May), measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast (El Nido, Palawan).
When is the best time to hike in the Philippines?
February: highs between 12 and 29 °C and no more than 9 days of rain a month according to 2015-2024 records (El Nido, Palawan), the safest windows for walking.
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