When to Go to the Philippines
This tropical archipelago can be visited during any month of the year and promises all its visitors plenty of sunshine, an average yearly temperature of 27°C and cool breezes on the beaches.
With hundreds of different islands to consider, the weather pattern of the Philippines is difficult to summarise but can be roughly divided into two seasons: dry and wet. From October to June the northeast monsoon (Amihan) blows dry weather across the islands and then the rainy southwest monsoon (Habagat) arrives in June bringing four months of showers, some of them heavy.
The best time to visit the Philippines is between December and May when there is little rain and the days are slightly cooler, but even during the rainy season the storms are often brief, especially on the more eastern islands, and these months attract less visitors to the country so you'll find the popular resorts less crowded.
August is the wettest month, when roads can become impassable even in the big cities, while May is the hottest month and you'll want to escape from the humidity on the coast or up in the hills.
Manila:
The capital city enjoys hot, humid weather the whole year round with May and June being the stickiest months. The rains are at their heaviest in August and September.
Boracay and Cebu:
These island resorts have a tropical marine climate with hours of sunshine every month of the year and temperatures which rarely stray far from a pleasant 32°C. Tropical storms are a feature of the weather here from June to October but rarely last more than a few hours.
Public Holidays:
- People Power Day - February 25
- Bataan Day - Monday closest to April 9
- Independence Day - Monday closest to June 12
- National Heroes Day - 4th Monday of August
- All Saints' Day - November 1
- Rizal Day - December 30
Seasonal Highlights:
Filipinos love their fiestas and take every opportunity they can to celebrate with feasting and dancing in the street. It is well worth timing your visit to coincide with at least one of the more colourful festivals, most of which take place during the fine weather of December to May.
As a predominantly Catholic country, many of the Philippine celebrations have a more dramatic, religious side to them, such as the Black Nazarene Procession through Manila on January 9 and the crucifixion re-enactments throughout the country on Good Friday. A visit to the Philippines during the Christmas and Holy Week/Easter breaks should be approached with caution as the whole population seems to be on the move at this time and travel becomes more difficult. The Flores de Mayo flower festival is held in many towns every May with colourful processions to celebrate the coming of the rains.
