When it comes to travelling, April is a classic in-betweener. Across most of the globe, it’s neither summer nor winter, high season nor low season, dry season nor monsoon season. Essentially, it’s a bit of a misfit month - and that’s precisely why we love it!
April is smack bang in the middle of shoulder season, bridging the gap between the Easter rush and the summer onslaught. The kids are in the classroom, the holiday crowds have thinned out and the weather is, generally speaking, moderate. Most importantly, flight and hotel prices tend to nose-dive after Easter, making the whole world easier on your wallet.
Often overlooked, April is full of opportunities. Take a road trip across The Deep South in springtime, hit the beach on both sides of Peninsular Malaysia or grab your snorkel in the Galapagos Islands. If you’re after a bargain and ready to pack your bags, “Awkward” April has some great surprises in store.
Here’s our inside scoop about where to go in April:
One of Australia’s most spectacular sights, Uluru is a bucket list regular. Tradition peak season for tourists to Uluru is May to September, with an added spike over school holidays in July and August. This is the winter period, when the desert heat mellows out and trekking around Uluru is much easier to manage without melting.
However, Australia’s Outback is a land of real extremes. While it might still be hot and dry by day, the Outback can dip to below freezing on winter nights – sometimes as far as -10 degrees in July!
So, if you’re planning on stargazing or sitting out for a unique ‘Sounds of Silence Dinner’ (which we highly recommend!), April is a winner. The searing heat of the summer has already subsided, hotel rates haven’t switched over to peak season and it’s still possible to eat al fresco in the evenings. Perfect.
There are dozens of ways to experience the wonder of Uluru - whether you're after a self-drive adventure or a luxury glamping retreat. For more, read our recent blog post about getting the best out of Uluru.
When it comes to weather, it’s hard to get Sri Lanka 100% right. It’s always sunny somewhere, but it’s never sunny everywhere. The south-western monsoon runs from May to September in the south-west while the northeastern monsoon hits the north from October to January and a cheeky inter-monsoon period sweeps across the island from October to mid-November.
April is as close to perfection as it comes when planning a trip to Sri Lanka, with decent weather practically across the board. The beaches to the East and the West are both still bright with sunshine, the Cultural Triangle will be dry and, while the rolling tea highlands of Kandy might see a little rain, the monsoon is far from full pelt.
If you’re planning a cross-island adventure, combining culture and action with a beach break, April is your man.
Want to dodge big crowds and high prices, but still get an almost-guaranteed dose of sunshine? Head to Cuba in April. Peak tourist season runs from December to the end of March while the rains – and then the hurricanes – begin in May, making April your perfect window of opportunity!
By April, the Easter rush has died down but the Caribbean sun is still shining, making it a very canny time to visit Cuba. Book a trip, see the sights and then stretch out on a tropical beach with a slightly smug mojito.
Packed with atmosphere, colour and music on every corner, Havana is a wonderful city for walking. However, even Havana can be hard work during busy season, when tourists can seem to outnumber the locals and pounding the pavement in the heat is a sweaty business. Equally, the beaches will be calmer and quieter, making for a far more relaxing escape.
Basically, if you visit in April, it’s cooler, cheaper and less crowded. What’s not to like?
Forget Paris, it’s all about Texas in springtime! The Deep South is quickly becoming an ‘it’ destination – especially for foodies and music fans – and April is a perfect time to plan a road trip. Feast on Texan barbecue in Austin, sip frozen margaritas in Dallas and dive into dishes of steaming seafood gumbo in New Orleans.
As you drive through the countryside, you’ll see spring in full bloom, with fields of famous Texan bluebonnets (the state flower) all around you.
Summer is a sweltering affair round these parts, so if you travel in April, you’ll beat both the heat and the crowds. Even better, you can time your trip to coincide with New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which takes place in late April every year.
Alternatively, take the road less travelled with a trip through South Carolina and Georgia, or follow the Kentucky Bourbon Trail to Nashville and hang out in the honky-tonk bars. Spring is brilliant throughout all of these States, so it’s a savvy time to hop the pond.
Dodging monsoon season in South East Asia is a bit of a minefield, but if you’re after some April sun, make a beeline for Peninsular Malaysia. While various parts of Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia will be bucketing it down, both the East and West Coasts of Peninsular Malaysia will be sunny, making a lovely monsoon loophole.
To the West, you can stretch out on the sandy beaches of Langkawi and explore the foodie hotspot of Penang. To the East, you can hop between the tropical Perhentian Islands, swimming in clear water, snorkelling until sunset, feasting on fresh seafood and soaking up the sunshine.
Whether you stick to one coast or combine both into a longer Malaysia holiday, it will be a knockout trip with a reasonable price tag to boot!
Packed with some of the most incredible wildlife on the planet, the Galapagos Islands are astounding at any time of year. However, we think April is a brilliant time to set sail in these islands, with calm seas, good underwater visibility and warmer water. If you’re planning to snorkel or dive, you won’t do better than April. It’s also quiet season for tourists, driving prices down and making it easier to find bargains on cruises and island-hopping tours.
While April is technically part of the ‘warm and wet’ season, the bulk of the rain has already passed and there will be bags of bright sunshine between showers. Not only that, but springtime spells romance in the animal kingdom, so you’ll see breeding a-plenty!
It’s hatching season on the beaches for both the giant tortoises and green turtles, while the albatross begin their courtship rituals on Espanola Island. If wildlife spotting is your main priority, April is a brilliant bet.
Our travel consultants have travelled far and wide, so wherever you decide to go - we've been there! To get the ball rolling, you can phone us on +44 1273320580, send an email or request a call back via the website. After that, we'll get straight to work on finding you a brilliant April break.
Bryony is an explorer in every sense of the meaning. In 2013 she took the plunge, quit her marketing job and decided to face down her lifelong panic disorder to begin life as a freelance digital nomad. Journeying all over Asia, for years she earned her keep writing for travel brands. Almost by accident, she ended up in Cali, Colombia where she discovered a remarkable (as yet latent) talent for Salsa dancing. After spending a year in sequins shimmying from dance show to dance show, she returned to the UK, tanned, toned and ready to settle down. Bryony joined Travel Nation as a round the world specialist in 2016 and is now the Marketing Manager, with a little salsa on the side.
