Warm sun and refreshing nights

Climate and weather are important factors to consider when visiting a country.

Costa Rica

Most people consider travelling to Costa Rica in wintertime. December and january are perfect months for vacations in Costa Rica - you can avoid the cold in the Northern Hemisphere and are most likely to hit a good weather.

The dry season lasts from November/December to the end of April. The vegetation is less lush during this season, making places like Guanacaste look like an African savannah. In recent years there has been a change of climate (due to global warming linked to the hole in the ozone layer and/or El Niño?). For example, we found abnormally heavy rains in January and February, while in theory this is the dry season. From November to April, hotels and other operators charge high season rates. Many North Americans visit the country during this season.

The („green“) rain season lasts from May until November. This is the best season to travel to Costa Rica. The season is characterized by almost daily rains, mainly in the middle of the afternoon. This phenomenon is more distinct on elevations than in the lowlands. The mornings are generally sunny; clouds begin to form around noon. Heavy showers (often in the form of storms) occur around 2 a.m. These showers last from 2 to 3 hours, after which the sun returns. During this period the vegetation is of a beautiful lushness. The Atlantic side gets more water than the Pacific, except in July and August where the case is opposite (this period is called the "little summer" in the Caribbean). The months of September and October are considered the rainiest in theory. In reality there seemed to be a change of weather in the last few years. During the years 2005 and 2006 these two months (September and October), were particularly sunny.

So... the july and august are perfect months for us to travel to Costa Rica.

Alaska

The weather in Alaska can be extreme and unpredictable. The state is the first to get whatever Arctic Siberia or the void of the North Pacific have to throw at North America. The extremes of recorded temperatures are a high of 38°C and low of -62°C. At any time of year, your vacation could be enlivened by weeks of unbroken sunny weather or weighed down by weeks of unbroken rain.

June, July & August -- Summer in Alaska is a miraculous time, when the sun refuses to set, the salmon run upriver, and people are energized by limitless daylight. The sun dips below the horizon in Anchorage for only about 4 hours on June 21, the longest day of the year, and the sky is light all night. Weather gets warmer, although how warm depends on where you go. June is the driest of the summer months, July the warmest, and August generally the rainiest month of the brief summer, but warmer than June. In most respects, June is the best summer month to make a visit, but it does have some drawbacks to consider: In the Arctic, snow can linger until mid-June; in Southcentral Alaska, trails at high elevations or in the shade may be too muddy or snowy; it's too early for prime wildlife viewing, and not all activities or facilities at Denali National Park open until late June. It's also the worst time for mosquitoes.

Summer is also the season of high prices. Most operators in the tourism industry have only these 90 days to make their year's income, and they charge whatever the market will bear. July is the absolute peak of the tourist season, when you must book well ahead and when crowds are most prevalent. Before June 15 and after August 15, the flow of visitors relaxes, providing occasional bargains and more elbowroom. Real off-season prices show up before Memorial Day and after Labor Day. But the length and intensity of the visitor season varies widely in different areas: In cruise-ship ports, it's busy from chilly early May into stormy October.

Financially late august is the best time for us.

Indonesia

Indonesia has tropical weather with high temperatures and very little fluctuation throughout the year except in terms of rainfall. The Christmas holiday and school holiday periods are popular with Australian visitors. The majority of European visitors tend to arrive in the months of July and August.

Throughout Indonesia the wet weather typically arrives in October and lasts until April. During the wet season heavy rainfall is often accompanied by thunderstorms. Despite this you can still expect between four to five hours sunshine per day. The wet season has little impact upon travel throughout the region, although in rough weather ferries may be cancelled and wet rural roads may become muddy and difficult to pass.

The dry season is the most popular time for tourists and the good weather typically lasts from the month of May through to the month of September. With eight to nine hours of sunshine per day this is the best time to visit Indonesia.

Hot summer days are perfect for beach activities.

Greece

Greece can be divided into a number of main climatic regions. Northern Macedonia and northern Epiros have a climate similar to the Balkans, with freezing winters and very hot, humid summers; while the Attica Peninsula, the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, Crete, and the central and eastern Peloponnese have a more typically Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and milder winters.

Snow is rare in the Cyclades, but the high mountains of the Peloponnese and Crete are covered in snow during the winter, and it does occasionally snow in Athens. In July and August, the mercury can soar to 40°C in the shade just about anywhere in the country. July and August are also the months of the meltemi, a strong northerly wind that sweeps the eastern coast of mainland Greece (including Athens) and the Aegean Islands, especially the Cyclades. The wind is caused by air pressure differences between North Africa and the Balkans. The wind is a mixed blessing: it reduces humidity, but plays havoc with ferry schedules and sends everything flying – from beach umbrellas to washing hanging out to dry.

The western Peloponnese, western Sterea Ellada, southwestern Epiros and the Ionian Islands escape the meltemi and have less severe winters than northern Greece, but are the areas with the highest rainfall. The Northeastern Aegean Islands, Halkidiki and the Pelion Peninsula fall somewhere between the Balkan-type climate of northern Greece and the Mediterranean climates. Crete stays warm the longest – you can swim off the island’s southern coast from mid-April to November.

Mid-October is when the rains start in most areas, and the weather stays cold and wet until February – although there are also occasional winter days with clear blue skies and sunshine.

Too hot in summer months. The end of August and early September should be a better choice.

Yucatan

The Yucatan Peninsula is hot year-round.  The two distinguishable seasons are the wet season and the dry season.  The wet season usually starts in June and ends in October, making the dry season generally from November through May.

The weather here in the dry season is much more desirable and pleasant for most tourists.  The dry season is still hot, but much more tolerable than the wet season.  Although the average temperatures throughout the year don't vary by much . It usually gets about 23.5°C in January and  28°C in July.

The humidity in the summer months makes it feel excruciatingly hot most days, especially to those who aren't used to a humid climate. In the wet summer, it actually rains most days. This rain comes in heavy, short spurts usually towards late afternoon. There is also a strong threat of hurricanes during the wet season (which is why the wet season is often referred to as hurricane season), which have been getting stronger over the past few years. If the low prices of the summer attract you enough, make sure you completely understand your risks weather-wise before you plan your trip.

Hurricane could be a problem in vacation time.

"Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, 
always bring your own sunshine."
Anthony J. D'Angelo

Take care, Mateja