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Português (PT)Where to go in February
The shortest month carries the most festivals, and it is the last one where Southeast Asia still feels cool.
February holds Asia's densest run of festivals. Lunar new year sends several countries travelling at once for a week, while Southeast Asia is still dry and not yet as hot as the month after. Europe is still cold but room rates are the lowest of the year, which makes it a good month for a city trip if short daylight does not bother you.
8 places this month suits
Thailand
Still dry, and the last month before March's heat. Both coasts remain calm with clear skies nearly every day.
Thailand plansTaiwan
The south is dry and warm while Taipei is still damp, so this is a month for Kaohsiung and the southern coast rather than the north.
Taiwan plansJapan
The ski season is at its best and the northern snow festivals fall now, while southern cities begin to warm ahead of blossom season.
Japan plansEgypt
Cool enough to walk the monuments in full sun all day, which summer makes impossible. It is the best-value month for a history-led trip.
Egypt plansMorocco
Southern cities and the desert edge are comfortable by day and genuinely cold at night, so pack for both. It comes before the spring crowds arrive.
Morocco plansNew Zealand
Late summer, with the steadiest weather of the season and fewer people than January. Days are still long enough for a full trail.
New Zealand plansSouth Korea
Still cold and dry, with ski areas open to the end of the month. The cities stay easy to walk thanks to little rain and a lot of connected indoor space.
South Korea plansMexico
Dry country-wide: the Caribbean coast is at its best and the central highlands are comfortably cool. You can cross regions this month without meeting rain.
Mexico plansWhat this month does to a data plan
Lunar new year week congests networks in festival districts in bursts, especially on the big nights: a live upload from inside the crowd can crawl even with full bars. What works is filming first and uploading once you are clear of it.
What to skip this month
Unless the festival is why you came, avoid lunar new year week in China, Taiwan, Vietnam and South Korea: domestic transport sells out and many businesses close for days.
Thai holidays in February and what they do to fares
In 2027 Makha Bucha falls on Sunday 21 February, and the Bank of Thailand list gives Monday 22 February as the substitute holiday, so there is a Saturday to Monday long weekend. Short-haul fares from Bangkok to Hanoi, Taipei and Hong Kong rise for the Friday evening and Monday evening flights around it.
Lunar new year is not a national Thai holiday, but it moves the whole region: Hong Kong's gazetted 2027 holidays put Lunar New Year's Day on Saturday 6 February. Thai families of Chinese descent travel that week too, and flights to China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Vietnam are priced as peak. Banks in Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala, Satun and Songkhla close for Chinese New Year when it falls on a weekday, per the Bank of Thailand.
Visa notes for Thai passport holders in February
These are the entry rules for the places this page recommends. Rules change, so confirm on the official page before you pay for flights.
- Taiwan: Thai passport holders are visa-exempt for up to 14 days under a trial that Taiwan's consular bureau lists as effective until 31 July 2027, and must be able to show a hotel booking, a contact in Taiwan and enough travel funds. https://www.boca.gov.tw/cp-149-4486-7785a-2.html
- Japan: Thai ordinary passports are visa-exempt for short stays of up to 15 days; a longer trip needs a visa from the Embassy of Japan. Immigration rules: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/index.html
- South Korea: short visits are visa-free, but Thai passport holders must hold an approved K-ETA before boarding unless an exemption is announced. Apply only on the official site: https://www.k-eta.go.kr
- Egypt: check the visa options for Thai passports on the official e-Visa portal, and avoid look-alike agency sites. https://www.visa2egypt.gov.eg/
- Anywhere else on this page: check the country's embassy in Bangkok or its official e-visa portal, starting from the Thai Department of Consular Affairs. https://consular.mfa.go.th
Weather and crowds at a glance in February
| Destination | Typical conditions | Crowds and prices | Official forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taiwan, Kaohsiung | Mild and mostly dry | Very busy in lunar new year week, normal after | CWA |
| Taiwan, Taipei | Cool, damp, frequent drizzle | Many small shops close for the first days of the new year | CWA |
| Japan, Hokkaido | Snowy, very cold | Sapporo Snow Festival week books out early | JMA |
| South Korea, Seoul | Cold and dry | Seollal holiday fills trains and buses | KMA |
| Egypt | Mild days, cold desert nights | High season at the main sites | Egyptian Meteorological Authority |
| Morocco | Pleasant days, cold nights | Quieter than spring | Morocco's national weather service |
| Mexico | Dry nationwide | Busy on the Caribbean coast | Mexico's national weather service |
Conditions are typical patterns, not a forecast. Check the national weather service listed for the week you travel.
When to book for February
- If the trip overlaps lunar new year week, book flights and rooms as early as you would for Songkran; outside that week, February is one of the easier months to find seats from Bangkok.
- For the Makha Bucha long weekend, short-haul seats on the Friday evening go first. Leaving on the Saturday morning or taking one day of leave on the Friday usually costs less than the Friday night flight.
- Taiwan's visa exemption for Thais requires a hotel booking at the border, so book a refundable room before you fly even if you plan to move around.
- Buy and install the eSIM at home in the days before departure; most plans in our catalogue only start counting days on first connection at the destination, which the plan page states.
Data needs in February
Festival nights are the data trap this month: crowded districts in Taipei, Hong Kong or Seoul can slow uploads even with full bars. Plans themselves are not the issue, so a mid-size daily plan of 1 GB to 2 GB a day suits most city trips. A Hokkaido ski trip or an Egypt tour with long coach transfers needs less, while a Mexico road trip needs more.
Where to go in February
When does lunar new year fall?+
It moves each year with the lunar calendar, falling between late January and mid-February. Check the date for that year before booking, because the effect lasts a full week.
Is Europe worth it this month?+
Yes for a city trip: rates are the lowest of the year and museum queues the shortest. The trade is short daylight and some outdoor attractions closed for the season.
What should I prepare for festival week?+
Book rooms and domestic transport further ahead than usual, and activate your plan before you travel — many service counters close for the holiday.
Is there a Thai long weekend in February 2027?+
Yes. Makha Bucha falls on Sunday 21 February and the substitute holiday is Monday 22 February, according to the Bank of Thailand's list.
What documents do Thais need for visa-free Taiwan?+
A passport, a confirmed onward or return ticket, a hotel booking, a contact in Taiwan and proof of enough funds. The stay is up to 14 days and cannot be extended.
Does a Korea trip in February need K-ETA?+
Thai passport holders entering visa-free need an approved K-ETA unless an exemption is in force. Apply on k-eta.go.kr at least a few days before flying, not on the day.
Will my eSIM work during festival crowds?+
It stays connected, but every phone in the crowd shares the same cell, so speeds drop. Send big files from the hotel and keep messaging for the street.