February is a fantastic month to pack your travel gear and set off in search of the warm sun that is very much missed by the northern hemisphere. Unless you are a big fan of overcrowded and expensive ski-resorts, this is the perfect time to visit the neighbours down south. What are the best places to travel in February?
Unless you are stoked to brush up on your winter sports skills at a ski resort in France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Andorra, and Spain, set your sights down south where you will find a few more rays of sunshine. With spring on its way, you will find warmer weather in some southern countries like Portugal, the south of Spain, the south of Italy, Greece and Turkey.
Some Asian countries are an ideal travel spot at this time: Burma and the Philippines are typhoon-free and the west and south of Sri Lanka and Laos are also great as long as you avoid the mountains. Trekking in Nepal or northern India is pretty fantastic right now: although the evenings might be extremely cold while at high altitude, the day is filled with plenty of sunshine and clear views of the mountains.
If you feel like Africa, this is the right time to travel across the north African desert, or visit countries such as Senegal or Egypt before the beginning of the ‘really’ hot season. South Africa can also be a great destination since the temperatures are warm and there is little rain. Mauritania, Jordan and Syria are also sunny but cooler at night.
Most of South and Central America have pleasant temperatures in February and celebrate huge events like Carnival in Brazil. In the Andean mountains, the weather is usually very rainy during this time of year although not too cold. This is also a great time to get to know Southern California and the deserts of Southwest USA. Mexico and the Caribbean boast nearly perfect climates this time of year.
In Oceania and the Pacific Islands, surfers are having a fantastic time riding the giant waves.
Author Suggestion:
This is the perfect time to enjoy South American beaches. Uruguay is a wonderful country and February is the best time of the year to visit, since the big tourist season is coming to an end and the weather is still almost rainless. From Punta del Diablo to Colonia de Sacramento, there is a whole country to discover. Look out for carnival at La Pedrera and for the beautiful beaches and wildlife of Valizas and Cabo Polonio. See the sunrise and sunset on the sea in Punta del Este, also known as the Ibiza of South America, or go back in time visiting the capital, Montevideo, and the beautiful coastal town of Colonia de Sacramento.