Guide CLXXVII — Asia — Calendar
Best Time to Visit the Philippines, Month by Month
Palawan, the Visayas and Manila across twelve months — the dry window, the typhoon belt, and why the two halves of the country never share a season.
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The short version
The Philippines is 7,600 islands with several climates. On the western side — Manila, Palawan, Boracay — the year splits cleanly: dry from November to May, wet from June to October. The eastern seaboard and parts of the Visayas get rain in the months the west is dry, so a badly timed trip in one place is a good one an hour's flight away.
February to April is the window that works almost everywhere: dry, calm seas, best visibility for diving, and the Tubbataha liveaboard season. Typhoons concentrate between July and October and mostly cross Luzon and the eastern Visayas; Palawan sits largely to the west of the usual tracks.
The Philippines month by month
| Month | Palawan and the west | The Visayas | Manila | Rate character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Dry, breezy amihan winds | Bright, some eastern rain | Cool and dry, the best city month | High after the festive fortnight |
| February | Excellent — dry, calm, clear | Superb across Cebu and Bohol | Warm and dry | High |
| March | The month to book — flat seas | Peak diving visibility | Hot, dry | High |
| April | Hot, calm, Holy Week crowds | Hot, busy with domestic travel | Very hot | Peak over Holy Week |
| May | Hottest; first storms late | Warm, building humidity | Hot and heavy | Shoulder |
| June | Wet season opens | Showery, still workable | Monsoon rain begins | Low |
| July | Wet, typhoon season opens | Wet, warm | Flooding possible | Low |
| August | Wettest month in the west | Variable, humid | Heaviest rain of the year | Lowest of the year |
| September | Wet, typhoon risk high | Green and quiet | Wet | Low |
| October | Rain easing late; typhoons still possible | Turning drier | Improving | Low |
| November | Dry season opens — very good | Dry, calm, excellent value | Cooler, pleasant | Shoulder rising |
| December | Dry, breezy, festive | Bright and busy | Festive and crowded | Peak over the festive fortnight |
Booking windows that actually matter
- Christmas and New Year on a private island in Palawan: book by June; the best houses hold only a handful of keys.
- Holy Week in April: the whole country travels, domestic flights sell out and island resorts fill months ahead.
- Tubbataha liveaboards, mid-March to mid-June only: the season is short and the boats sell a year out.
- El Nido and Coron in February and March: three months for a house with a boat and crew.
- Green-season weeks in August and September: three weeks is enough, at roughly half the festive rate.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best month to visit the Philippines?
- March. Seas are flat, the west is fully dry, diving visibility is at its best and the Holy Week crowds have not arrived yet. February and April are close behind.
- When is typhoon season in the Philippines?
- Roughly June to November, peaking from July to October. Storms usually cross Luzon and the eastern Visayas; Palawan lies west of most tracks and is less often affected.
- What is the best time to visit Palawan?
- November to May, with February and March the strongest. Amihan winds keep the air fresh, the sea is calm and island-hopping runs every day.
- Is the Philippines worth visiting in the wet season?
- Yes, with flexibility. Rain comes in bursts, islands are empty and rates fall by about half, but boat transfers can be cancelled at short notice during storms.
Editorial note & limitations
Rates are indicative planning figures assembled from official tourism and meteorological data and connected partner inventory in September 2026, not quotations. Hotels and rentals shown on the listings pages are searched live through our booking partners; nothing here is a sponsored placement.