The best holiday destinations in March
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The slow slog to March is one that feels momentous. Finally, you made it to lighter days, you can put your thermals back in storage, breathe a sigh of optimistic relief, and celebrate with a trip away. Schools are in session so its prime for an adults-only escape, and the change of season means great deals are there for the taking. But where to go on holiday in March? Skiing is still an option, its shoulder season at beach escapes everywhere from the Indian Ocean to the Caribbean, and much of Europe is starting to defrost again. For more inspiration, see our picks for the best places to visit in March.
Getty Images1. Chamonix, France
Temperature in March: 6°C high; 1°C low
Season: winter
Travel time from UK: 1 hour 40 minutes
Time difference: GMT +1Set on a mountainside below Mont Blanc, the ski resort town of Chamonix has bags of storybook appeal: churches sparkle under a frosting of snow, the windows of picturesque chalets glow with firelight, and shimmering pine trees look as if they've been plucked straight off a Christmas card. By March, the serious skiers have left to find cooler climes, and the weather is warm enough for lunching al fresco. You can still catch the last of the winter snow and accommodation is easier to find, whether you're after a romantic Airbnb for two or a cool new ski hotel for a post-piste party.
Where to stay: Retro Americana RockyPop is a great affordable option with fun communal areas (think table football, table tennis, games consoles, live music) and an excellent in-house ski rental shop. If you prefer an Airbnb, check into Studio Grace, a self-contained apartment that's connected to a larger chalet, but with its own private outdoor terrace.
Getty Images2. Madrid, Spain
Temperature in March: 16°C high; 6°C low
Season: spring
Travel time from UK: 2 hours 25 minutes
Time difference: GMT +1Barcelona's big sister sheds her winter skin in March. When the clocks go forward, as if by magic a wave of warmth sweeps the city and loosens up its reserved exterior. Madrid's expansive parks burst into bloom and locals tumble out onto the streets to sip caipirinhas and dance till dawn. Temperatures stay around 20ºC (far more gentle than the capital's sizzling summers), meaning you can explore its world-class galleries, belle-époque mansions and designer boutiques without breaking a sweat. There are great traditional tapas to be had, but leave time to try the city's newer breed of stylish gastro bars. Just don't plan anything more than a siesta afterwards.
Where to stay: Family-owned 7 Islas – half hotel, half gallery with polished concrete floors and whitewashed walls. If you're after a view, reserve a room at The Principal Madrid Hotel, where the rooftop terrace overlooks the angel-topped dome of the city’s famous Metrópolis building. If you're travelling with a group, this airy Airbnb apartment sleeps six and is within walking distance of Madrid's top attractions. For more options, check our Madrid hotels roundup. CS
Getty Images3. Rome, Italy
Temperature in March: 17° high; 6° low
Season: spring
Travel time from UK: 2 hours 30 minutes
Time difference: GMT +1It’s the ultimate European city break for history buffs, foodies, and all-round Italophiles. However, if you’re yet to tick off the ancient metropolis’s major attractions, avoid the peak summer months. The sprawling Roman Forum, the Trevi Fountain, and much of the Colosseum offer little to no respite from the sun, so breezy spring days are best. There’s so much to see that it’s easier to admit you’ll be back again before you know it – plan days accordingly to take everything in. Otherwise, get lost. Church-hop, roam around leafy parks as the flowerbeds bloom, and fuel the smartwatch-buzzing on-the-go from Rome’s best pizza spots. Just be careful with timings; if Easter falls in March, as it does in 2024, it’ll affect what’s open – and what’s really, really busy.
Where to stay: Cardo Roma, an Autograph Collection Hotel, opens in early 2024. It’s outside the city centre, so transport is needed, but the wellness and leisure facilities, plus the sleek, modern design, will have travellers checking into the 324 guestrooms and suites. For something a little closer to the action, join the fashion-conscious clientele at Palm Suites, a stone’s throw from the chaos of the Colosseum. CS
Getty Images4. Lisbon, Portugal
Temperature in March: 18° high; 10° low
Season: spring
Travel time from UK: 2 hours 45 minutes
Time difference: GMTAlongside the usual selection of holiday treats and trinkets, it’s common to return from Lisbon with sore glutes – the Portuguese capital is known as The City of Seven Hills for good reason. Tackling the top sights during scorching summers is a sweaty affair, but in March, things are warming up just enough for it to be one of the most pleasant European city breaks. Marvel at the glitzy interiors of the Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, light a candle in The Cathedral of Saint Mary Major, and roam the Botanical Garden of Lisbon before finding a roadside spot for lunch. In the evening, don a light jacket and discover the city’s nightlife scene via a bar crawl down Rua Nova do Carvalho (Pink Street) or secure a spot at Red Frog, the only Lisbon bar to make the World’s 100 Best Bars list. Also, UK travellers have no time difference, so it’s a great place to try the digital nomad lifestyle.
Where to stay: 1908 Lisboa Hotel is centrally located and affordable, making it the perfect stay for first-timers likely to spend little time lounging around in fancy lobbies. Alternatively, the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon is one of the best hotels in Lisbon for aesthetes and all-round fans of glamorous stays – dinner at Michelin-starred chef Pedro Pena Bastos’s CURA is a must.
Getty Images5. Ireland
Temperature in March:12°C high; 8°C low
Season: spring
Travel time from UK: 1 hour 5 minutes
Time difference: GMT +0Ireland is one of those rare places that fully lives up to its reputation: incredibly green, windswept, raucous, and – more often than not – pelted by rain. What better time to visit than during the month that features an ode to St Patrick, the 'Apostle of Ireland'? Donegal’s wild beaches and the looming Cliffs of Moher are movie-beautiful, and the elemental, towering sea crag of Kerry’s Skellig Michael was picked for a pivotal role in Star Wars. There’s nowhere cosier for a pint than the brightly painted pubs of Galway (wood-panelled Tigh Neachtain’s is a favourite), best paired with the riverside city’s famous oysters. In Dublin, the cobbled, Georgian capital, the docklands have lately gone from run-down to tech hub: the so-called Silicon Docks are now home to Facebook, Google and Airbnb HQs. The rooftop bar at the area’s Marker Hotel is where young Dublin comes for après-coding.
Where to stay: At part 13th-century castle, part French-inspired château Ashford Castle in County Mayo, one of our picks for the best hotels in Ireland.
Ana Lui6. Canary Islands, Spain
Temperature in March: 21°C high; 15°C low
Season: spring
Travel time from UK: 4 hours 6 minutes
Time difference: GMT +0Spain's tiny golden islands off the coast of North Africa are heavenly in early spring. The days are getting longer and sunnier and there's no sign of the peak-season crowds. We're excited by Lanzarote's beautiful beaches, cool surf scene and amazing places to stay. We're captivated by Tenerife's unexpected lunar landscapes and intrigued by the unsung Canaries: a whistle-stop tour could take you through Santa Cruz de la Palma's whitewashed Renaissance palaces, La Gomera's plunging ravines and Fuencaliente's sleepy volcanic craters bathed in early morning mist. To help plan your trip, see our guide to the best Canary Islands to visit.
Where to stay: For an unusual stay, book still-functioning 18th-century lighthouse Faro Punta Cumplida on the rugged north-east of La Palma. Ditching the all-inclusives and going small and local is better for the community, the environment and your holiday, too. Try the cottages on family-owned working vineyard Finca Malvasia in Lanzarote; or Tenerife’s gorgeous Garachico, a mercifully under-visited seaside village.
David Crookes7. South Africa
Temperature in March: 27°C high; 21°C low
Season: dry
Travel time from UK: 10 hours 45 minutes
Time difference: GMT +1For a high-octane safari adventure look to the tip of this mighty continent. South Africa has 19 national parks and the tail-end of wet season means fewer tour groups and lower costs if you can tolerate the odd afternoon shower. If you're hungry to see the big five, head to Kruger National Park in the north-east, while those yearning for Out of Africa-style romance should travel south to the lush Garden Route to track game on horseback. Or if you don't want to stray too far from the city, Little Karoo is the closest safari to Cape Town. When you're done, dust off at one of Cape Town's smartest hotels: the southern capital is at its best in March, mostly free of visitors and basking in the sun.
Where to stay: One of our favourite hotels in Africa is Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, a private and carbon-negative reserve just south of Cape Town. The lodges here are glassy and contemporary, while most of the food is grown on the 2,500-hectare site.
Getty Images8. Oman
Temperature in March: 29°C high; 23°C low
Season: spring
Travel time from UK: 7 hours 30 minutes
Time difference: GMT +3Natural and understated, Oman couldn’t be more different to its neighbour on the Arabian Peninsula, the UAE. Where the latter has built a playground of space-age skyscrapers and bling-bling beach clubs, Oman has the pristine, dolphin-filled fjords of the Musandam Peninsula, Wadi Shab’s emerald waterfalls and Salalah’s misty greenery – a quirky anomaly in a region known for barren ruggedness (thank the Khareef, Salalah’s very own monsoon). Even Oman’s port capital Muscat keeps it classy with a backdrop of craggy brown mountains and the majestic, sandstone Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. Not that Oman can’t do luxury – it’s just of a more low-key sort. See the Omani-style villas of ultra-secluded Six Senses Zighy Bay (where guests can paraglide into the hotel), or Anantara’s canyon-edge village in the remote Hajar Mountains. The perfect time to discover the Middle East’s unsung jewel? March falls neatly between the winter rush and stifling summer heat.
Where to stay: Our top picks include Six Senses Zighy Bay, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort and The Chedi in Muscat. See more at our where to stay in Oman guide.
Getty Images9. Southeast Sicily, Italy
Temperature in March: 18°C high; 9°C low
Season: Spring
Travel time from UK: 3 hours
Time difference: GMT +1If you’re seeking the warmest place in Italy in March, look to southeast Sicily. This eternally awe-inspiring island has Europe’s sunniest city in modern Catania and Europe’s hottest spot in ancient Syracuse. While there’s little chance of a heatwave in March, you’ll still get eight hours of sunshine a day, and the temperate Mediterranean spring climate is ideal for exploring the area’s baroque cities – Modica, Ragusa, Noto – and Greek and Roman remains. On warmer days, the dunes and lagoons of Vendicari Nature Reserve harbour some of the best (and quietest) beaches in all of Italy, along with a great diversity of birdlife returning from Africa in springtime.
Where to stay: In Ortigia, Hotel Gutowski is artful, welcoming and extraordinarily good value (doubles from £73). On the slopes of Etna outside Catania, shell-pink Monaci delle Terre Nere must be one of the most heart-stirringly romantic places to stay in Sicily. For stays by the Vendicari nature reserve, try thethinkingtraveller.com.
Getty Images10. Delhi, India
Temperature: 30°C high; 16°C low
Season: spring
Travel time from UK: 9 hours 20 minutes
Time difference: GMT +4.30Holi, the festival of colours, might now attract as many Hackney Instagrammers as devout Hindus, but the spring celebrations are, of course, at their best and brightest in India. Come March, the country’s capital erupts in a riot of rainbow powder, as Holi parties across the city pop with DJs, street food and clothes-ruining antics. After several showers, be sure to explore the city’s dichotomies: grand temples and dusty bazaars in Old Delhi, followed by New Delhi’s colonial pomp and G&Ts. For a taste of modern India, Hauz Khas Village (‘HKV’ to trendy young Delhiites) is a pedestrian-friendly hub of galleries, fashion boutiques, bars and bohemian cafés.
Where to stay: Modern-day, opulent hangout The Leela Palace is made of white marble, with soaring ceilings and a rooftop pool.
Getty Images11. Malaga, Spain
Temperature in March: 19°C high; 9°C low
Season: Spring
Travel time from UK: 2 hours 45 minutes
Time difference: GMT +1By March, Malaga is already sunny and warm enough for T-shirts and beach games, if not exactly scorchio quite yet. This pocket-sized city on Spain’s Sunshine Coast has had something of a renaissance of late; no longer just a hop-off point for Marbella and other beach resorts, it’s worth a trip in its own right. Not least for its youthful and exuberant food and creative scenes: buzzy, affordable restaurants run by rising stars are packed with locals year-round, Antonio Banderas has revived the Teatro del Soho, the Lego-like Centre Pompidou sits on the newly redeveloped port. Meanwhile, the Old Town has interesting galleries and artisan boutiques to be found on its squares and sidestreets, as well as a museum dedicated to Malaga’s most famous son, Picasso. Then, of course, there are the beaches, stretching out either side of the town, with beach bars serving up sundowners and seafood, day and night.
Where to stay: The recently opened La Zambra hotel is a clean contemporary take on Andalucia located in the Mijas Costa area. Mijas Golf is nearby if that's your thing, but it's also worth a stay just for the Moorish patio, pool and spa offering as well.
Getty Images12. Whistler, Canada
Temperature in March: 7°C high; –2°C low
Season: Ski season; spring
Travel time from UK: 9 hours 30 minutes
Time difference: GMT –8The granddaddy of North American ski resorts does winter sports on a supersized scale. Up in the awe-inspiring Pacific Ranges above Vancouver, Whistler gets phenomenal snow in a winter season that runs November–May. The best month of all is March when you can expect bluebird powder days; it’s sunnier yet there’s still heavy snowfall, slopes and lifts are less busy, and rates are cheaper. In a resort that has committed to becoming carbon-neutral (including building a hydro plant to produce enough energy to power ski lifts, restaurants and snow cannons), there are a whole bunch of restaurants run with a sustainability ethos. Fine-dining Alta Bistro is perhaps the smartest of them, and the greenest: as well as all-seasonal, all-local ingredients, everything is ethically sourced, bought from nearby farms and makers, right down to the sustainably farmed wine. Plus, all organic waste gets composted at a local farm and they use renewable hydroelectric power.
Where to stay: Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler is the starriest hotel in town. Alternatively, and for the accomplished skier, Mabeyski arranges amazing off-the-beaten-piste winter adventures in British Columbia, including heliskiing and stays at spoiling lodges.
Getty Images13. Cayman Islands
Temperature in March: 29°C high; 22°C low
Season: Dry
Travel time from UK: 12 hours 45 minutes direct
Time difference: GMT -5At last, there’s a compelling reason to choose this archipelago over other Caribbean islands. Palm Heights is the Caymans’ first smart all-suite boutique hotel, and something entirely different for the Caribbean. Design is 1970s retro-Tropicana – bold in orange, tan and sunshine yellow, with an eclectic mix of vintage classic furniture and contemporary art. There’s a huge wellness centre with visiting athletes, superb restaurants headed up by New York chefs, and a diverse crowd of islanders as well as guests. The location is one of the best in the Caribbean, on icing-sugar Seven Mile Beach. March is the best month to go to the Cayman Islands – for weather, for watersports, and lower rates and fewer tourists between school holidays.
Where to stay: Take any of the 50 suites at Palm Heights – all are spacious, with separate living rooms, tiled breakfast/cocktail bars, and balconies overlooking the sea.
Getty Images14. Essaouira, Morocco
Temperature in March: 20°C high; 14°C low
Season: Spring
Travel time from UK: 3 hours 40 minutes (direct)
Time difference: GMT +1A couple of hours’ drive to the coast from Marrakech brings you to the cute seaside town of Essaouira, painted every shade of blue. Its Atlantic breakers and wide sandy stretches lure surfers and its bohemian vibe bring hippies. Plus, now its collection of cool galleries, boutiques and chic little places to stay and eat makes it a destination in its own right, whether for an early spring beach break or a Moroccan escape a little off the well-worn path.
Where to stay: On the edge of the Medina, Villa Maroc is a charming riad made up of four 18th-century houses, with 21 uniquely decorated rooms and suites (including a couple of two-bedroom family suites).
Getty Images15. Sorrento, Italy
Temperature in March: 19°C high; 13°C low
Season: spring
Travel time from UK: 2 hours 35 minutes
Time difference: GMT +1Nothing brings a spring to the step quite like the sight of Italy’s glorious Amalfi coast. Particularly in March, when its vertiginous twists are bathed in a daily average eight hours of sun. Cliffs plunge into the Tyrrhenian Sea, topped with grand palazzos and smart hotels. Narrow, Roman lanes are stuffed with limoncello stalls flogging the boozy spoils of Sorrento’s famous fruit. Its snoozy air and pastel-coloured houses are pure Italian cinema: you might even swear you’ve seen a young Sophia Loren looking impossibly saucy by the quay. Do as the Italians do and spend the lazy, romantic days enjoying a long aperitivo. Don’t miss fresh fritto misto at Marina Grande, the town’s old fishing harbour, or Michelin-starred Il Buco in the cellars of an old monastery, where chef Peppe Aversa serves seasonal ingredients under a stone-hewn, vaulted ceiling. The sweet life, indeed.
Where to stay: Maison la Minervetta is a five-storey, upside-down hotel built into the cliff-side above Sorrento's pretty Marina Grande. For more options nearby, see our edit of the best Amalfi Coast hotels.
Getty Images16. Las Vegas, USA
Temperature in March: 22°C high; 4°C low
Season: dry
Travel time from UK: 10 hours 45 minutes
Time difference: GMT -8Sin City isn’t subtle. But you might call it an interesting anthropological study. What happens when you build an entire city dedicated to hedonism? Everyone goes nuts. Look no further than the Strip, where even early mornings see punters stumbling giddily past a dancing fountain and lava-spewing volcano, toting half-yards of booze. But when not ogling the spectacle, the city’s chequered history makes for fascinating discoveries. The Mob Museum, in the old courthouse, is a thorough chronicling of the mafia here, while the Neon Museum shows off retro, rescued signs from the earliest hotels and casinos. The slightly seedy Atomic Liquors bar also claims a place in Vegas lore: from its rooftop, drinkers would watch mushroom clouds billow out of nearby atomic testing sites in the 1950s. March weather in Las Vegas is like a good UK summer day. But a day in Vegas is like nowhere else on Earth.
Where to stay: At Resorts World Las Vegas, the first new resort to be built on the Las Vegas Strip in more than a decade. The super-sized spot comprises three distinct hotels as well as the Awana Spa and a bevvy of restaurants – the most notable being Wally's with its headline worthy $1000 steaks.
Getty Images17. Jordan
Temperature in March: 24°C high; 13°C low
Season: dry
Travel time from UK: from 2 hours 30 minutes
Time difference: GMT +2As well as being regarded as the Middle East’s most accessible country, Jordan just might be its most captivating. But then, it has many an unfair advantage. There’s the ancient, stone-carved city of Petra, a new wonder of the world; Jerash’s vast Greco-Roman ruins; the super-salty Dead Sea. Or joining a camel caravan to Wadi Rum, star of Lawrence of Arabia: a cinematic, rust-red desert valley dressed up with dramatic sandstone mountains and deep caverns. March is an excellent time to bound around. Daytime temperatures hang in the comfortable half of the 20s, while desert nights are warm enough for camping under the stars.
Where to stay: Four Seasons Hotel Amman, where a serene atmosphere is maintained by cool, calm neutrals and impeccable service.
Getty Images15. Nepal
Temperature in March: 24°C high; 8°C low
Season: spring
Travel time from UK: 12 hours 5 minutes
Time difference: GMT +4.45There’s no better time than spring to experience Nepal’s Himalayan charms. Flowers are blooming in the high mountains, dry and clear weather shows off generous views, and the days are warm but not sticky. It’s ideal for trekkers, although you needn’t summit Everest for elevated adventure: the Annapurna range offers excellent hikes through lowland villages and around high, glacial lakes. In Kathmandu, March’s Holi festival paints the town red, blue, yellow, purple and green, too. Exploitation of porters is a huge problem in Nepal, so be sure to book with a reputable tour company that enforces weight restrictions, and provides porters with terrain- and weather-appropriate gear and shelter, and fair pay. And we all saw those crazy pictures of the queues to summit Everest, so consider an off-the-beaten-track trekking route for a unique and more peaceful and sustainable experience.
Where to stay: Dwarika's Hotel in Kathmandu has become the stuff of legend – or stay at younger sister Dwarika's Resort, a spa on the ancient trade route to Tibet.
Getty Images19. Valencia, Spain
Temperature in March: 19°C high; 7°C low
Season: spring
Travel time from UK: 2 hours 25 minutes
Time difference: GMT +1Spain’s third largest city celebrates spring in typically fiery Spanish style. Which is to say, it sets everything on fire. March’s week-long Las Fallas festival sees Valencia display a host of giant, satirical papier-mâché sculptures (often nodding to topical political scandals and celebrity meltdowns), before they’re paraded around town and spectacularly set ablaze on the final night. In the lead-up, the whole city’s a party: parades, music, ear-busting fireworks, plus the hipster Ruzafa district puts on its own dazzling festival of lights. Better still, this appealing cosmopolitan port city isn’t short of spectacles by day. Alongside almost 3km of beaches and a vibrant old town, there’s the awesome futuristic architecture of the City of Arts and Sciences, where buildings evoke the skeleton of a whale, a water lily, a giant eye and more. For more ideas, see our recommendations for things to do in Valencia.
Where to stay: El 16 Ruzafa has five apartments in an early-20th-century modernist building.
Getty Images20. Puerto Rico
Temperature: 22°C high; 16°C low
Season: spring
Travel time from UK: 8 hours 58 minutes
Time difference: GMT -5Kick off the month with a beach party on the shores of Puerto Rico. Only two hours from Miami, this Caribbean isle has long been the USA's weekend playground. Expect a distinctly Latin flavour with a side of home comforts – Puerto Rico has the biggest shopping mall in the Caribbean and the largest virgin tropical rainforest. March is the best month to sample both sides of island life. The beaches lose their crowds and a light breeze rustles the palm trees, lifting the humidity and letting you sleep on the sand in Vieques. Those craving a faster pace can always go salsa dancing in Mayagüez, whale-watching in Rincón or wander the cobbled streets of old San Juan, Piña Colada in hand.
Where to stay: Close to Vieques’s beautiful beaches, Puerto Rican-owned Finca Victoria is a sustainably minded boutique hotel offering yoga, farm-sourced breakfasts and organic locally made bath goodies. For a villa stay, try The Horned Dorset Primavera featuring Moorish interiors and a French-influenced restaurant.
Kalle Gustafsson21. Mexico's West Coast
Temperature in March: 30°C high; 22°C low
Season: dry
Travel time from UK: 12 hours 15 minutes
Time difference: GMT -6Mexico's Pacific coast transplants Californian cool to a warmer climate with bigger waves – no wonder Hollywood heavyweights jet down to graze by the pool in Cabo. March is a fantastic time to visit, with prime conditions for whale-watching in Baja California, virtually no rain and rising temperatures. Chilled-out Sayulita draws travellers with its neon-bright shopfronts and wild beaches. Further south in Oaxaca, you'll find Puerto Escondido, a beach town where you can surf all day, party all night and browse contemporary art installations the morning after. If you fancy branching out during your stay, click here to see the hottest day-trips from Sayulita.
Where to stay: Check in to Cabo's One&Only Palmilla to star-spot over ceviche or head further north to Baja California Sur’s Todos Santos, where Paradero Todos Santos is a palm-tree oasis with an outdoor spa and half moon-shaped infinity pool.
Getty Images22. Bermuda
Temperature in March: 21°C high; 16°C low
Season: winter
Travel time from UK: 7 hours 30 minutes
Time difference: GMT -4Castaways in the 17th century were the first to see the startling beauty of this undiscovered island. Bermuda hasn't changed much since then with its pristine rose-pink sands and fiercely loyal locals who have a disdain for flashy resorts. Visit in March before the late spring price spike for warm waters and seven hours of daily sunshine. Watching a rosy sunset from the docks of the capital Hamilton, you'll feel as if you've accidentally stumbled on paradise.
Where to stay: At the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, which has sat on the harbour of Bermuda’s capital since the late 19th century.
Getty Images23. Fez, Morocco
Temperature in March: 21°C high; 8°C low
Season: winter
Travel time from UK: 3 hours 10 minutes
Time difference: GMT +0Bigger than Marrakech, the imperial Moroccan city of Fez also comes first for authentic charm. Its eighth-century medina is a chaotic trip back in time to fragrant tanneries and wizened merchants; an extraordinary restoration project has lately breathed new life into old buildings. Less of a tourist circus than its medieval rival, Fez is nevertheless catching up in the sophistication stakes. Exciting chefs are also bringing modernity to the medina: El Bulli, Noma and French Laundry alum Najat Kaanache applies haute techniques to local-market finds at her intimate new restaurant Nur.
Where to stay: Parisian designer Christophe Pillet’s 50-bedroom, stone-clad Sahrai hotel has a covetable rooftop bar and Givenchy spa, while Dar Arsama riad is a chic blend of contemporary and traditional, hung with the curious art of Spanish owner Violeta Caldrés.
Getty Images24. Vietnam
Temperature in March: 23°C high; 18°C low
Season: dry
Travel time from UK: 11 hours 15 minutes
Time difference: GMT +6There's no better time to scale the length and breadth of this compelling country. Vietnam's usually sticky humidity vanishes in March and dazzling sunshine heralds the driest month of the year. It's the ideal time to laze on the southern beaches but also optimum weather for trekking the craggy northern mountains. It's also still shoulder season, meaning you can see much more for less. Admire Ho Chi Minh's French colonial architecture from a buzzing sky bar, explore Hanoi's ancient pagodas, sail on the tranquil Mekong and take a rickety bike ride over the bridges of Hoi An in the gorgeous central region. Just up the coast is the Khoai Chau district, where the Chu Dong Tu festival takes place in March with processions of richly embroidered golden dragons and burning incense. It's a feast for the senses that won't be forgotten in a hurry.
Where to stay: We like Four Seasons The Nam Hai just outside pretty Hoi An, which has three-tiered swimming pools and bedrooms set in sleek villas. For a beach-side stay, Regent Phu Quoc is a luxury gem with all the trimmings for an idyllic long-haul fly-and-flop.
Getty Images25. Japan
Temperature in March: 14°C high; 5°C low in Tokyo; -1°C high; -11°C low in Niseko
Season: winter
Travel time from UK: 14 hours 30 minutes
Time difference: GMT +8March is a wonderful time to visit Japan. You might just miss peak cherry blossom season – it's more likely to fall at the very end of March into early April. But really, exactly when the cherry blossom will bloom is unpredictable, and growing ever more so. And skiing is possible in some parts of Japan throughout the month – we like Niseko, “the smartest area on Japan’s northernmost island, where the fluffy powder is the stuff of legends,” features director Toby Skinner says in our round-up of where to ski in March.
Where to stay: The Green Leaf is a classic ski-in, ski-out option. Kimamaya Boutique Hotel, meanwhile, is a small hangout with a glass-walled restaurant.
Getty Images26. Sri Lanka
Temperature in March: 28°C high; 24°C low
Season: dry
Travel time from UK: 10 hours 30 minutes
Time difference: GMT +4.5The teardrop island has grown stronger than ever in the past few years, and is officially back as a top choice destination for those craving tropical landscapes and serious sunshine. Hang out on the beach or go on adventures across national parks such as Yala National Park (where you might see leopards, elephants and crocodiles) and ancient ruins. You could spend days learning to surf, practising yoga or simply snacking your way through the country's culinary highlights – the choice is yours.
Where to stay: The best Sri Lanka hotels include Wild Coast Tented Lodge, in Yala, and Nine Skies, in the Hill Country.
27. The Maldives
Temperature in March: 30°C high; 27°C low
Season: dry
Travel time from UK: from 10 hours
Time difference: GMT +4Night-snorkelling, island-hopping and the turquoise Indian Ocean lapping onto ice-white shores… when it comes to the Maldives the travel clichés flow as freely as the cocktails. While the island nation is idyllic year-round, March is a great time to spot manta rays and sharks or simply relish the temperate 30ºC days in a private beach hut. It's dreamy for the kids too – see our pick of the best family hotels in the Maldives. One of our favourites is Soneva Fushi with its technology-free zone called The Den, complete with tunnels, treasure maps and a pirate ship built for would-be Peter Pans and Wendys. A note: luxury retreats don’t tend to be the most sustainable of businesses, and even less so in the Maldives, where fresh water and waste management will always be challenges, and private flights and imported food are the norm. But some spots are giving it a go: Kudadoo Private Island runs entirely on solar power; Kuramathi Island Resort produces 70 per cent of its own herbs and salads in an onsite hydroponic garden; and Soneva Fushi is carbon-neutral and 90 per cent waste-free, with onsite plastic and glass recycling and composting.
Where to stay: Our top recommendations include Soneva Fushi, Kudadoo Private Island, Gili Lankanfushi. For a new address, Alila Kothaifaru Maldives is the archipelago's most recent opening, featuring just 80 villas, split between over water (sunrise or sunset) and beach (properly hidden from each other by leafy vegetation) are supported by two restaurants. For more options, read our guide to the best hotels in the Maldives.
Getty Images28. The Philippines
Temperature in March: 34°C high; 21°C low
Season: dry
Travel time from UK: 14 hours 7 minutes
Time difference: GMT +7This emerald archipelago is the perfect spot for unwinding after a long winter. A thatch-roofed villa in a private island resort is the ideal base from which to discover the winding rice terraces, quaint villages, coral reefs and deserted islands of the Philippines. In March the heat is more bearable on the beaches and in the bustling capital Manila. But those itching to get their feet wet should head to the Palawan islands - the real inspiration for Alex Garland's The Beach. Take a dip in a natural lagoon, or doze under the tilting coconut trees.
Where to stay: Harana Surf in Siargao draws a surfer-yogi crowd, or for something smarter try Nay Palad Hideaway, which has a swimming pontoon off the beach.