Best Time to Visit Philippines

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On this page, you will find information about the climate and the best time to visit Philippines. We created climate tables and charts for the locations of Manila, General Santos, Iloilo, Tacloban und Puerto Princesa. These contain details about temperatures, precipitation and more.

Furthermore, we analyzed all climate data and provide a recommendation about which months are best to visit Philippines for your holiday.

Climate Overview

Thermometer Symbol 22 °C to 33 °C
Waves Symbol 27 °C to 30 °C
Rainy Cloud Symbol 0.2818.74 in (2 – 22 Days of Rain)
Average Annual Temperature is between 26.8 °C (Tacloban) and 28.1 °C (General Santos)
Show temperatures in degree

Geographical location

The Philippines is a state with a total of 7107 islands in the Pacific Ocean. About 100 million inhabitants live on an area of 214000 square miles.

In the west of the Philippines lies the South China Sea, which also borders on Vietnam. In the southwest, towards Malaysia, is the Sulusee, in the south the Philippines border Indonesia via the Celebesee and in the east is the Philippine Sea.

Of the many islands of the Philippines, about 880 are inhabited. There are about 20 active volcanoes on the islands as well as a variety of golf courses and inland seas. With its depth of up to 10,500 metres, the Philippine Trench is one of the deepest in the world.

The most popular destinations are Boracay, Palawan, Cebu and Bohol. The capital of the Philippines is Manila on the main island of Luzon, whose metropolitan region is home to over 12 million people.

Climate in the Philippines

Boracay (Deortiz)  [flickr.com]  CC BY 
License Information available under 'Proof of Image Sources' On the islands of the Philippines in the western Pacific (e.g. Leyte) there is a tropical climate and temperatures are high all year round between 20 °C to 40 °C. The southern Philippines is one of the most humid regions and experiences quite a lot of rain at constantly high temperatures.

In the north and in the centre of the Philippines (Manila/Luzon among others) there are also very heavy rains between June and October, from the end of November to March the air is somewhat cooler and it usually remains dry. Cebu is a little more protected and climatically balanced. There is no clear peak rainy season here.

Boracay also has quite even rainfall throughout the year, the driest period being between December and May. The situation is similar in Palawan, where rainfall is lowest from the end of November to April. In the period between July and December, the Philippines is regularly affected by typhoons, especially on Leyte and Luzon.

In general it can be said that the Northwest Monsoon brings a rather cooler dry season from December to March and the hotter dry season from April to June. This is mostly sunny, but due to lack of wind it is often extremely hot. The rainy season is initiated by the southwest monsoon and runs from about July to November.


Best Time to Visit Philippines: Overview

JanuaryJan
Best time to traveltime
fresher dry seasonfresher dry season
FebruaryFeb
Best time to traveltime
fresher dry seasonfresher dry season
MarchMar
Best time to traveltime
fresher dry seasonfresher dry season
AprilApr
Good time to traveltime
Hot Dry SeasonHot Dry Season
MayMay
Good time to traveltime
Hot Dry SeasonHot Dry Season
JuneJun
Good time to traveltime
End of hot dry seasonEnd of hot dry season
JulyJul
Southwest MonsoonSouthwest Monsoon
oft heavy rainoft stark. of rain
AugustAug
Southwest MonsoonSouthwest Monsoon
Rain and risk of typhoonrain and risk of typhoon
SeptemberSep
Southwest MonsoonSouthwest Monsoon
Rain and risk of typhoonrain and risk of typhoon
OctoberOct
Southwest MonsoonSouthwest Monsoon
Rain and risk of typhoonrain and risk of typhoon
NovemberNov
Suitable time to traveltime
Little worse in the northLittle worse in the north
DecemberDec
Good time to traveltime
mostly Pleasantmostly Pleasant climate in
Philippines

When to travel to the Philippines?


It is best to travel to the Philippines in the dry season between December and June to avoid the sometimes heavy rainfall and the risk of a typhoon in the best possible way. Despite local differences, weather records consistently show that it is hottest in the Philippines from March to June.

Nevertheless, this hot phase of the dry season is also recommended as a good travel time. With a free choice, however, we recommend the somewhat cooler months of January and February as absolutely perfect travel time for the Philippines. From December to May, especially in March and April, you can see whale sharks in a bay on the island of Luzon.

Due to heavy rainfall, the risk of hurricanes and high humidity, the months of June to October are less suitable. Although unforgettable dream vacations can also be experienced in this travel season, we cannot recommend the long journey to “first offenders” with a clear conscience in view of the weather risks.

Best Time to Visit the Regions

Find the best time to visit the regions (Philippines) in the following overview.

LocationBest Time to Travel
ManilaJanuary, February, March, November, and December
General SantosJanuary, June, July, August, September, and October
IloiloJanuary, February, March, and December
TaclobanMarch, April, June, July, and September
Puerto PrincesaJanuary, February, March, and December
BoracayJanuary, February, March, and April

Climate Charts Philippines

In the following, you will find climate charts for the regions.

Furthermore, there are some charts you can use for quick comparison of climate between the regions.

Show Climate Chart for    

Manila

Climate Chart Manila
Show temperatures in degree

General Santos

Climate Chart General Santos
Show temperatures in degree

Iloilo

Climate Chart Iloilo
Show temperatures in degree

Tacloban

Climate Chart Tacloban
Show temperatures in degree

Puerto Princesa

Climate Chart Puerto Princesa
Show temperatures in degree

Day Temperatures

Show temperatures in degree

Night Temperatures

Show temperatures in degree

Average Temperatures

Show temperatures in degree

Water Temperatures

Show temperatures in degree

Precipitation

Source of Data: German Weather Service (Offenbach) and Wikipedia

Climate Tables Philippines

In the following, you will find some climate tables for Philippines, containing information about Temperatures, Precipitation, Water Temperatures, and Hours of Sunshine.
Show climate table for    

Temperatures, Precipitation, Sunshine in Manila (Philippines)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day Temperature30°30°32°33°33°32°31°30°31°31°31°30°
Night Temperature22°22°24°25°26°25°25°24°25°24°24°23°
Water Temperature27°27°27°28°30°30°29°29°29°29°29°28°
Precipitation (inch)0.530.290.840.745.4611.1714.3318.7513.157.894.392.2
Rainy days4233101622222018149
Hours of Sunshine677975444555
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Manila is 27.6 °C.

For comparison: London 11 °C, NYC 12 °C, LA 17.9 °C

Warmest month: May (29.6 °C)
Coldest month: January (25.9 °C)

The maximum water temperature in Manila is 30 °C. You can take a bath at these temperatures.

Months with water temperature of at least 21 °C (adequate for beach vacation):
all months

Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 79.75 inch on 143 rainy days

For comparison: London 24.06 in, NYC 41.57 in, LA 12.01 in

Rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation): June, July, August, September, and October
Overall precipitation in the rainy season: 65.31 in

You cannot expect snow in any month in Manila.

Sunshine
As our climate table shows, April is the sunniest month with an average of 8.6 hours of sunshine per day. Over the year, there are 5.8 hours of sunshine per day on average. For comparison: London has 4.1, NYC has 7 and LA has 8.9 hours of sunshine per day on average.

Temperatures, Precipitation in General Santos (Philippines)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day Temperature32°32°32°33°32°31°31°31°31°31°31°32°
Night Temperature24°24°25°25°25°25°24°24°24°24°24°24°
Water Temperature29°28°28°29°29°29°29°29°29°30°30°29°
Precipitation (inch)3.52.911.611.894.094.84.293.313.194.213.823.58
Rainy days6656810998898
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in General Santos is 28.1 °C.

Warmest month: April (29.1 °C)
Coldest month: August (27.6 °C)

The maximum water temperature in General Santos is 30 °C. You can take a bath at these temperatures.

Months with water temperature of at least 21 °C (adequate for beach vacation):
all months

Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 41.22 inch on 92 rainy days

There is no rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation).

You cannot expect snow in any month in General Santos.

Temperatures, Precipitation in Iloilo (Philippines)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day Temperature30°30°32°33°33°32°31°30°31°31°31°30°
Night Temperature23°23°24°25°25°25°24°25°24°24°24°23°
Water Temperature27°27°27°28°30°30°29°29°29°29°29°28°
Precipitation (inch)1.570.751.061.894.6510.0412.3214.3310.5110.396.892.52
Rainy days533381515161514119
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Iloilo is 27.6 °C.

Warmest month: May (29.1 °C)
Coldest month: January (26.2 °C)

The maximum water temperature in Iloilo is 30 °C. You can take a bath at these temperatures.

Months with water temperature of at least 21 °C (adequate for beach vacation):
all months

Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 76.93 inch on 117 rainy days

Rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation): June, July, August, September, October, and November
Overall precipitation in the rainy season: 64.49 in

You cannot expect snow in any month in Iloilo.

Temperatures, Precipitation in Tacloban (Philippines)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day Temperature27°28°29°30°31°30°30°31°30°30°29°28°
Night Temperature23°23°23°25°25°25°25°25°25°25°24°23°
Water Temperature27°27°28°28°29°30°30°29°29°30°29°28°
Precipitation (inch)11.028.275.914.725.916.36.34.725.517.8711.0212.99
Rainy days201715141416161416192021
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Tacloban is 26.8 °C.

Warmest month: May (28 °C)
Coldest month: January (25 °C)

The maximum water temperature in Tacloban is 30 °C. You can take a bath at these temperatures.

Months with water temperature of at least 21 °C (adequate for beach vacation):
all months

Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 90.55 inch on 202 rainy days

Rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation): January, February, October, November, and December
Overall precipitation in the rainy season: 51.18 in

You cannot expect snow in any month in Tacloban.

Temperatures, Precipitation in Puerto Princesa (Philippines)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day Temperature31°31°32°33°33°31°31°31°31°31°31°31°
Night Temperature23°23°23°24°25°24°23°23°23°23°23°23°
Water Temperature28°27°28°29°30°30°29°29°29°29°29°29°
Precipitation (inch)1.210.661.461.675.617.256.997.237.738.278.085.41
Rainy days4245121516171616149
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Puerto Princesa is 27.4 °C.

Warmest month: April (28.6 °C)
Coldest month: January (26.7 °C)

The maximum water temperature in Puerto Princesa is 30 °C. You can take a bath at these temperatures.

Months with water temperature of at least 21 °C (adequate for beach vacation):
all months

Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 61.57 inch on 130 rainy days

Rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation): June, July, August, September, October, and November
Overall precipitation in the rainy season: 45.55 in

You cannot expect snow in any month in Puerto Princesa.

Highlights and Attractions


Recommended sights and activities include Kayangan Lake in Coron on Busuanga Island, a tour of the Mayon Volcano on Luzon Island, cliff diving at Ariel’s Point and a visit to the Batad Rice Terraces in Bananue on Luzon.

Popular beaches are White Beach and Yapak Beach on Boracay. In El Nido in North Palawan you will find the beautiful Nacpan Beach, the Big Lagoon and the lonely Hidden Beach as real highlights.

Popular Activities

More attractions

Manila: Historical Bamboo Bike Tour in Intramuros | From Manila: Panoramic Tagaytay Ridge Tour | From Manila: Majestic Pagsanjan Falls Adventure | Puerto Princesa: Half-Day City Tour with Optional Massage | From Manila: Taal Volcano Island and Pagsanjan Falls Tour | From Puerto Princesa: Day Trip to El Nido and Island Hopping | Puerto Princesa: Underground River and Firefly Watching Tour |

Current Weather and Forecast

Current Weather in Manila (Station Santa Cruz)
scattered clouds     scattered clouds, 28.9 °C
Clouds: 40 %       Wind: 10 mph OSO
Air Pressure: 1009 hPa       Humidity: 77 %
Last updated: 7th Feb 2023, 10:48 am
The next days …
7th Feb 20238th Feb 20239th Feb 202310th Feb 202311th Feb 202312th Feb 2023
scattered clouds25 °C to 32 °Clight rain25 °C to 30 °Covercast clouds24 °C to 30 °Cscattered clouds25 °C to 30 °Cbroken clouds25 °C to 31 °Cbroken clouds25 °C to 31 °C
25 °C to 32 °C25 °C to 30 °C24 °C to 30 °C25 °C to 30 °C25 °C to 31 °C25 °C to 31 °C
Clouds: 45 %Clouds: 63 %Clouds: 100 %Clouds: 50 %Clouds: 80 %Clouds: 67 %
No Precipitation0.01 in of rainNo PrecipitationNo PrecipitationNo PrecipitationNo Precipitation
Weather information provided by OpenWeatherMap. (CC BY-SA)
Show temperatures in degree

Important Regions and Cities

We have extended climate information for the following region:

Philippines: Experiences of our Visitors

There are 3 reviews for Philippines holiday already. Average rating is 3.7 of 5 stars.
  1. Avatar Preview
    Andreas Kunz, 47 years old was there in May

    Ideal weather for Europe. During the day quite pleasantly warm and bathing weather. It rained at night.
    I was on the island of Cebu.

    Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent

  2. Avatar Preview
    Markus , 52 years old was there in January

    Lots of rain / Alternating – 1 day beautiful to follow 2 days rain and cloudy

    Weather Rating: 2 stars – Tricky

  3. Avatar Preview
    AIsha Eckmann, 26 years old was there in April

    Perfect for foreigners, very warm. Too hot for the locals!

    Weather Rating: 4 stars – Good

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Philippines vacation on Boracay

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