February can be an excellent month to visit Asia, with relatively mild weather in most of the popular southeast Asia cities and beach areas. And by February, some of the winter crowds from Europe and North America are thinning out, so hotels are usually cheap and crowds are shrinking at the beaches and attractions. If you are open to other places in the world you should see our list of the best cheap destinations with great weather in February, which has more options in the Americas.
We check hotel rates every year in all of the cities listed below and in most of the cities the room rates are actually down from the last year or two. There are some amazing bargains on the list below for those with at least two weeks or so to tour multiple Asian cities. Almost all of the places below have their nicest weather of the year in February so this is a perfect time if you can pull it off.
Note: This article was updated in November, 2023.
Important Asia holidays in 2024
- February 10 to 17 – Lunar New Year/Chinese New Year (major public holiday in many Asian countries)
- February 14 – Valentine’s Day (Global, but no closures)
- February 23 – Emperor’s Birthday holiday (Japan)
17 Best destinations in Asia for February
Bangkok, Thailand
- February avg high: 91°F/33°C
- February avg low: 74°F/23°C
- February avg precip: 1.2″/3.0cm
If you can make it to Bangkok in January you might find it a bit more pleasant, but February is almost as nice and it’s still in the heart of the nicest time of year. Bangkok makes a perfect first stop on a tour of southeast Asia because it’s got a big airport with great airfares from all over, and also convenient connections to islands and all other large cities in the region.
A modern city like Bangkok has its share of 4-star and 5-star hotels that are as expensive as anywhere, but it’s also got a huge group of hostels and more affordable hotels that are always great bargains. Stay in the Khosan Road area if you are a backpacker or stay in the Siam Square area if you are coming more to shop. Bangkok hotel rates in 2024 are down from the last couple of years so this looks like a good time to visit.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$27 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$40 for two people
- Hostel dorm beds in February from US$11 per person
>>Check hotel deals for Bangkok
>>>Bangkok prices and travel tips
Phuket, Thailand
- February avg high: 91°F/33°C
- February avg low: 75°F/24°C
- February avg precip: 0.8″/2.0cm
As you can see above, the weather in Phuket is warm and almost completely dry in February, so it makes for a perfect beach location for those looking to get out of the gloomy weather elsewhere. If you haven’t visited yet you may be surprised to find out how large Phuket is and how many different beach areas there are to choose from. Do some research and choose wisely.
There are amazing and posh beach hotels and resorts in the hills overlooking the beaches, but there are also more modest hotels a few blocks away from the beach. This can seem like an expensive area at first, though it doesn’t have to be. Flights into Phuket are also usually good value. There are hotels available starting at the rates mentioned below, but if you want an international hotel right on the beach, you’ll be spending US$150 or more this time of year. If you can afford it then it can be a good move because there will be no surprises, but sometimes part of the fun of visiting a foreign country is to try something more local.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$22 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$45 for two people
- Hostel dorm beds in February from US$13 per person
>>Check hotel and resort deals for Phuket
>>>Phuket prices and travel tips
Chiang Mai, Thailand
- February avg high: 90°F/32°C
- February avg low: 59°F/15°C
- February avg precip: 0.2″/0.5cm
If you are planning a trip around southeast Asia for more than a week or two, you should pay attention to the low temperatures in each location. In most cities it’s sizzling during the day and still very hot at night, but Chiang Mai has pleasant and cool evenings that make it a wonderful pause from the heat.
Chiang Mai is also possibly the best-value tourist location in the world, as hotels and hostels are typically half what they cost in Bangkok, and Bangkok is already fairly reasonable. The food here is different from the south, and also fantastic, at least for those who love spicy and adventurous fare. Chiang Mai is also a favorite stop among those who can work from anywhere, with very affordable apartments and decent internet. If you are considering this you should start looking in the area northwest of the city walls, as this is where most of the expat community is centered. For less than US$50 per night you can get a really nice hotel in February with a pool and included breakfast.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$16 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$38 for two people
- Hostel dorm beds in February from US$7 per person
>>Check hotel deals for Chiang Mai
>>>Chiang Mai prices and travel tips
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- February avg high: 91°F/33°C
- February avg low: 73°F/23°C
- February avg precip: 6.5″/16.3cm
Kuala Lumpur is closer to the equator than Bangkok, and it has different weather patterns. This is an amazing city that is actually this author’s favorite city in all of Asia, but it does rain here any time of year. The city is built to handle the quick downpours, so it’s usually just a matter of ducking under a roof for 20 minutes.
Starting in March, KL, as they call it, gets even more rain, so February is one of the best months. Compared to Bangkok this city is just a bit more expensive, but it’s FAR cheaper than Singapore, which it also has a lot in common with. They also have a new and modern airport with cheap flights to and from everywhere, so this is a good hub or base. If you are interested in shopping and nightlife it can be wise to stay in the Bukit Bintang district and you’ll be walking distance from everything.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$25 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$55 for two people
- Hostel dorm beds in February from US$10 per person
>>Check hotel deals for Kuala Lumpur
>>>Kuala Lumpur prices and travel tips
Singapore
- February avg high: 88°F/31°C
- February avg low: 76°F/24°C
- February avg precip: 6.8″/17.0cm
February is a cooler month in most of southeast Asia, but Singapore sits nearly on the equator, so it’s hot every day of the year and you just want to avoid the rainiest months. February is one of the drier months, so it’s an ideal time to visit.
Singapore has become so popular lately that its hotels are now the most expensive in Asia, even surpassing those in Tokyo. But you can still get good deals on hostel beds and hotels in slightly remote areas. Just be careful of the many hotel rooms with no windows, unless that somehow doesn’t bother you. Food here is also excellent and can be very cheap if you eat one or two meals a day at the famous hawker centers all over the city. Sit-down restaurants will be quite a bit more expensive, and alcohol in bars is very expensive so consider the duty-free on the way in. Hotel rates in 2024 are looking even higher than in recent years so Singapore is now BY FAR the most expensive city in Asia for tourists.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$118 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$160 for two people
- Hostel dorm beds in February from US$29 per person
>>Check hotel deals for Singapore
>>>Singapore prices and travel tips
Siem Reap, Cambodia
- February avg high: 92°F/33°C
- February avg low: 72°F/22°C
- February avg precip: 0.2″/0.5cm
The main reason to plan a trip to Siem Reap is to visit the enormous Angkor Wat temple complex just to its north. But once you arrive in Siem Reap you’ll probably decide that you like the town a lot on its own, and maybe you’ll even extend your stay. Unlike so many Asian tourist towns, Siem Reap is mellow and manageable, as well as unusually cheap.
Plan on at least one full day at the temples and also a day ticket gets you in for the sunset on the day before, which is very worthwhile. There are many other things to do in town and in the area, and everything except for the temple entrance is refreshingly cheap. Siem Reap hotels are looking very cheap once again in 2024 so this is definitely a place where you can splurge a bit and still spend almost nothing.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$20 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$32 for two people
- Hostel dorm beds in February from US$6 per person
>>Check hotel deals for Siem Reap
>>>Siem Reap prices and travel tips
Luang Prabang, Laos
- February avg high: 88°F/31°C
- February avg low: 59°F/15°C
- February avg precip: 0.6″/1.5cm
Most people visiting southeast Asia fly into Bangkok and then focus more on the islands, but those who go north to Chiang Mai (above) or Luang Prabang will see a whole other side of the region. Again, note that the evenings in February here are pleasantly cool, and that will be nicer than you imagine once you are in the heat for weeks on end.
Luang Prabang is Laos’s main tourist town and it’s far more interesting than the capital, Vientiane. Many people come or go on the famous slow boat cruise that goes between here and the Thai border. The 2-day version is pleasant while the 1-day version is expensive and sometimes dangerous. Thanks to the Chinese you can now take a high-speed train from Vientiane to Luang Prabang in just a few hours, which is definitely the way to go.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$34 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$88 for two people
- Hostel dorm beds in February from US$10 per person
>>Check hotel deals for Luang Prabang
>>>Luang Prabang prices and travel tips
Hanoi, Vietnam
- February avg high: 67°F/19°C
- February avg low: 60°F/16°C
- February avg precip: 1.2″/3.0cm
As you can see by the temperatures above, Hanoi is far enough north that it actually has mild winters. On a longer tour of the region that will feel very nice. You can either start here and take the train down to Ho Chi Minh City or the other way around. The cities are very different and the cuisine is as well.
Another wonderful thing about Hanoi is that it’s one of Asia’s cheapest tourist cities. Rooms in clean and nice family-run hotels start around US$16 per night, and for US$30 or US$40 per night you can get something surprisingly nice in a great location. The food here is excellent, and incredibly cheap if you eat on the sidewalks in the tiny plastic chairs alongside the locals.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$20 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$41 for two people
- Hostel dorm beds in February from US$7 per person
>>Check hotel deals for Hanoi
>>>Hanoi prices and travel tips
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- February avg high: 91°F/33°C
- February avg low: 73°F/23°C
- February avg precip: 0.2″/0.5cm
While February might feel a bit chilly in Hanoi (above), it will be plenty warm in Ho Chi Minh City. It’s best to visit both if you can, and stop in at least Hoi An in between as well. Saigon, as it’s locally known, is much larger and more spread out than Hanoi, which makes it a bit harder to get around.
The hotels here are a bit more expensive than in Hanoi, but still great bargains by most standards. It’s worth paying a bit more for a centrally located hotel, to avoid having to deal with public transportation or dodgy taxi drivers. The food here is also some of the most acclaimed in all of Asia, so study a bit and you’ll probably love it too.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$24 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$48 for two people
- Hostel dorm beds in February from US$9 per person
>>Check hotel deals for Ho Chi Minh City
>>>Ho Chi Minh City prices and travel tips
Hong Kong
- February avg high: 66°F/19°C
- February avg low: 58°F/14°C
- February avg precip: 2.1″/5.3cm
Hong Kong is one of the world’s great cities with a fascinating history and culture, but it only has about 4 good months of weather each year. Fortunately, February is one of the better ones, even if it is often a bit chilly. This is mostly an indoor city with great public transportation, so it’s always easy to get around.
Hotels in Hong Kong can be extremely expensive, but unlike Singapore, there are some good bargains mixed in as well. The newer hotels in the prime business districts on Hong Kong Island and even in Kowloon are expensive. Still, if you aren’t visiting for business you can find something very nice for half that price not far away. The food here is also cheap if you follow the locals into the corner noodle shops instead of the expat restaurants with English signs out front.
As 2024 approaches, it’s worth checking the news from Hong Kong to see if it’s worth visiting. Since 2019, the mainland Chinese government started cracking down on locals and many fled, but it seems to have calmed down a lot since then. At this point, visiting Hong Kong is a bit like visiting Beijing so you have to be at least a bit careful and it’s probably still worth it.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$95 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$113 for two people
- Hostel dorm beds in February from US$27 per person
>>Check current hotel promotions for Hong Kong
>>>Hong Kong prices and travel tips
Boracay Island, Philippines
- February average high: 82°F/28°C
- February average low: 74°F/23°C
- February avg precip: 1.8″/4.5cm
If you feel that Thailand has become too commercial or crowded, you will probably love Boracay Island. This small and low-key island isn’t easy to reach, but that also helps keep the masses away, so it retains a low-key feeling where almost every hotel is on the beach and there is almost no car traffic at all.
Boracay Island isn’t the cheapest beach resort in Asia, but the value is still fantastic. As mentioned, every hotel is either on the beach or a short walk away, so each of them has a great location. Drinks here are famously cheap, and you can get a surprisingly good dinner buffet on the beach for a modest amount. Boracay Island was closed for 6 months in 2018 to improve the infrastructure, so it’s now nicer than it was not long ago.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$42 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$82 for two people
>>Check Boracay resort deals
>>>Boracay Island prices and travel tips
Malé, Maldives
- February avg high: 84°F/29°C
- February avg low: 79°F/26°C
- February avg precip: 1.5″/3.8cm
We mention the capital city of Malé because that is also where the Maldives Airport is, but you really want to spend as little time in this crowded (and actually dull) city as possible. The real reason to come to the Maldives is to have a sunshine holiday on one of its private island resorts. The Maldives is home to about two-thirds of the world’s water villas, which is what they call overwater bungalows here.
Water villas in the Maldives start at around US$300 per night, but the best value places are the all-inclusive resorts starting around US$600 per night. Meeru Island Resort is the largest of these and almost always offers the best deals. It’s not exactly cheap, but read the reviews and you’ll see why it’s worth it.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$95 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$187 for two people
Pokhara, Nepal
- February avg high: 64°F/18°C
- February avg low: 43°F/6°C
- February avg precip: 0.6″/1.5cm
Most people who come to Nepal come for the scenery and trekking, and Pokhara is the hub for all of that. Kathmandu is where you’ll probably first land and it’s interesting for a couple days, but if you want to spend time in the country and see the top non-Everest sights, it’s best to base yourself in Pokhara.
The February weather is cool, but at least it’s usually totally dry. This town only has 4 or 5 good months of weather each year, and February is one of them. The treks with professional guides aren’t cheap, but everything else feels very inexpensive. This is actually the world’s cheapest tourist city most years based on our annual Global Backpacker Index.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$22 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$70 for two people
- Hostel dorm beds in February from US$6 per person
>>Check current hotel promotions for Pokhara
>>>Pokhara prices and travel tips
Colombo, Sri Lanka
- February avg high: 88°F/31°C
- February avg low: 73°F/23°C
- February avg precip: 2.9″/7.3cm
To be honest, Colombo can be a frustrating city to visit, and the main sights don’t justify a long stay for most people. However, it’s the gateway to the rest of Sri Lanka, which has many wonderful destinations that are easy to connect together by trains, buses, and even (cheap) long-distance taxis.
The hill country just to the east of Colombo is rich with scenery and interesting towns and activities. You’ll have to do some research, of course, but visiting Sri Lanka is fairly easy if you are prepared, and it’s refreshingly cheap as well. There aren’t many hostels for backpackers, but the 3-star hotels are very good value.
This country went through about a year or protests and shortages and some pretty bad inflation, but as of late 2023 we hear that things are pretty normal again and they can use the visitors. There are plenty of other countries where you include a warning and they never seem to recover, but it appears that Sri Lanka is now fine and safe again.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$40 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$74 for two people
- Hostel dorm beds in February from US$9 per person
>>Check hotel deals for Colombo
>>>Colombo prices and travel tips
Delhi/New Delhi, India
- February avg high: 75°F/24°C
- February avg low: 47°F/8°C
- February avg precip: 0.6″/1.5cm
Much of the year in Delhi is insanely hot and/or rainy, so February is the perfect month to visit. This is a huge city with many excellent sights, and only a few of them are in or near the New Delhi section in the center of town. Even with the new Metro system, getting around can be challenging so hiring a car and driver is a good option since it’s amazingly cheap.
Many people come to Delhi as a launching ground for trips to see the Taj Mahal. You have to book it in advance, but that is far better for most people than having to stay in the town of Agra and getting there yourself. The new Delhi Airport is also very modern and has great fares in from all over. For the hotel rates mentioned below you’ll see there is a big difference between 3 and 4-star hotels and you kind of get what you pay for. You can save a lot of money by staying in a family-run hotel, but the standards in those are often lower than elsewhere in the world.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$36 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$156 for two people
- Hostel dorm beds in February from US$12 per person
>>Check hotel deals for New Delhi
>>>Delhi/New Delhi prices and travel tips
Goa, India
- February avg high: 89°F/32°C
- February avg low: 69°F/21°C
- February avg precip: 0.0″/0.0cm
India’s most famous beach region for non-Indian people has perfect weather in February and usually no rain at all. Goa is actually a state with about 15 different beach towns to choose from, and each of them has its own vibe so choosing carefully is important.
Many people will fly directly into the main airport in Goa, but more adventurous people will fly into Mumbai (see below) for a few days and then head to Goa on the train. This is also a nice stop for those on longer trips around India because it’s one of the few places where you don’t deal with overwhelming crowds at each turn. Choosing a hotel anywhere in India can be a challenge because most places have very few reviews and standards here run the gamut from horrendous to amazing.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$51 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$58 for two people
- Hostel dorm beds in February from US$7 per person
>>Check current hotel promotions for Goa
>>>Goa prices and travel tips
Mumbai, India
- February avg high: 88°F/31°C
- February avg low: 63°F/17°C
- February avg precip: 0.1″/0.3cm
Mumbai often has the cheapest flights into India from long distances, but it’s actually not much of a tourist city. This is the financial hub and of course the entertainment center of India, though there are also a few very worthwhile sights and experiences.
Hotels in Mumbai tend to be the most expensive in the country, partly because the tourist zones on the southern peninsula have no available real estate. If this is your first trip to India it’s probably wise to stay in Mumbai for no more than 3 days or so. Like all other large Indian cities, it can be overwhelming even for experienced travelers.
- Good 3-star hotels in February from US$59 for two people
- Good 4-star hotels in February from US$129 for two people
- Hostel dorm beds in February from US$14 per person
>>>Check current hotel promotions for Mumbai
>>>Mumbai prices and travel tips