Where is hot in March
By Mark Hodson, Sunday Times Travel Writer and Editor of 101 Holidays
March is too early in the year to bank on hot weather in the Mediterranean. The closest destinations to get a serious suntan are the Canary Islands including Tenerife, and Madeira – both about 4.5 hours flying time from the UK.
In five hours you can be on the Red Sea coast of Egypt where you’ll find temperatures of 25C, zero rainfall, 10 hours of sunshine a day – and a great selection of hotels. The capital, Cairo, is a great city where you can discover the Pyramids and the Sphinx, as well as markets and museums.
Six hours flying time – and no jet lag – gets you to The Gambia on the West coast of Africa, a great-value destination for magnificent beaches, friendly hotels and plenty of fascinating sights. March is hot in the Gambia with 10 hours of sunshine a day and average temperatures of 34C. Toasty!
Further north, Morocco is just a three-hour flight from London. Don’t expect scorching temperatures, but you can look forward to lots of desert sunshine and warm days – ideal, in fact, for sightseeing. Marrakech is the obvious destination but to get a little off the beaten track, we recommend Taroudant or Casablanca combined with a stay on one of Morocco’s beaches or a couple of days in the Atlas Mountains.
March is also a great month to explore the Middle East before the onset of summer when temperatures can get oppressive. Try a short break to Istanbul – where Europe meets Asia – or an adventure tour in Jordan where you can visit the rock-carved city of Petra, the Dead Sea and the magical desert landscapes of Wadi Rum.
Even in southern Europe you have a good bet of finding good weather (though not scorching heat). Try Seville in southern Spain, the Mallorcan capital of Palma or Sorrento in Italy.
Long haul holidays in March
If you are prepared to fly long haul you’ll have no shortage of destinations that are hot in March. The Caribbean is perfect at this time of year and can be great value if you avoid the Easter holidays. Expect temperatures of around 29-32C.
In Barbados, Jamaica, Grenada, Tobago, the Cayman Islands and the Grenadines you are likely to enjoy 8 or 9 hours of sunshine a day. This is also a great time to be in Cuba and the Bahamas. See our selection of the best Caribbean holidays and these luxury Caribbean villas.
March is a great month to be in the Maldives with temperatures of around 30C, 9 hours of sunshine and low rainfall. The Seychelles are also ideal, but Mauritius is not so great: this is the rainy season.
Where’s hot in March in Africa? We recommend South Africa, particularly Cape Town and the Winelands and beaches of the Western Cape. You’ll find hot weather in Kenya where you want a safari or a beach holiday – or both.
Asia is a great bet. The weather in Vietnam is great, with temperatures of Nha Trang of around 34C. In Sri Lanka you can expect temperatures of 31C with a risk of short, sharp showers.
Thailand is hot in March and this is a good time to visit both Koh Samui on the Gulf coast and Phuket on the Andaman coast.
March is a great month to visit Japan: hot enough to enjoy a beach break on one of the southern islands, but not too hot for some serious sightseeing.
Both Brazil and Argentina are superb destinations for hot holidays in March. You could also discover the very best that Australia and New Zealand has to offer.
Find more holiday ideas and short breaks. Find more March holidays and see our sister site for honeymoons in March.
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Hot holidays in March
