Last updated August 16, 2026 · Editorial policy
March is shoulder-season gold — Japan’s first cherry blossoms, Europe waking up without the crowds, the American Southwest before the heat, and the last of the reliable ski snow up high.
Why travel in March 2027?
March is the turning point: spring arrives in the Mediterranean and Japan, deserts (Morocco, Jordan, the US Southwest) are perfectly mild, and you get warm-enough days with low-season prices and space.
Where to travel in March 2027 FAQ
Where is the best place to travel in March 2027?
Is March a good time to travel?
Where is warm in March 2027?
March 2027 at a glance: how the 10 destinations compare
| Destination | Region | Why March | Best for | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morocco | North Africa | Warm days, cool nights before summer heat | Medinas, desert, mild sightseeing | $$ |
| Jordan | Middle East | Comfortable pre-summer temperatures | Petra, Wadi Rum, ruins | $$ |
| Japan | East Asia | Earliest blossoms in the warmer south | Cherry blossoms, cities, food | $$$ |
| Portugal | Southern Europe | Mild and green before the high season | Coastal towns, cities, quiet travel | $$ |
| Egypt | North Africa | Pleasant temperatures for the Nile and monuments | Ancient sites, river cruises | $$ |
| India | South Asia | Last cool, dry weeks before pre-monsoon heat | Culture, forts, sightseeing circuits | $ |
| Vietnam | Southeast Asia | Dry and pleasant north to south | All-rounder trips, food, coastline | $ |
| Nepal | South Asia (Himalaya) | Trekking season opens with clearing skies | Hiking, mountain views | $ |
| Spain | Southern Europe | Ideal sightseeing temperatures in the south | Andalusia, cities, culture | $$ |
| Mexico | North America | Warm, dry and sunny on both coasts | Beaches, ruins, resorts | $$ |
How to choose where to go in March 2027
The first choice in March is really a climate choice, because the month sits on the hinge between winter and spring. If you want the classic spring experience, head to Japan, where the earliest cherry blossoms typically open in the warmer south late in the month while the north stays cooler and later. If blossoms are your priority, weight your dates toward the back half of March and toward southern cities, and treat any bloom timing as a rough window rather than a fixed date, since it shifts year to year with the weather. Prefer reliable warmth and dry skies over spring greenery? The desert and monument destinations are at their best now: Morocco, Jordan and Egypt give you comfortable daytime sightseeing before the punishing summer heat, though you should still pack a warm layer because desert nights and early mornings can be genuinely cold.
Europe in March is a shoulder-season play rather than a beach one. Portugal and southern Spain are mild, green and much quieter than in peak summer, which makes them ideal for cities, coastal walks and culture rather than swimming; expect a real mix of bright days and rain, so plan for both. The Asian options split by activity: India and Vietnam are in a dry, pleasant stretch that suits touring, while Nepal is about the mountains, with the spring trekking season opening as skies clear. Mexico is the straightforward warm-and-sunny beach pick on both coasts. A simple way to decide: if you want to swim, lean Mexico; if you want to walk ancient sites in comfort, lean Morocco, Jordan or Egypt; if you want spring atmosphere, lean Japan or southern Europe.
On logistics, March covers a spring-break period in several countries, so popular beach and city spots can fill up and prices firm up around those weeks. As a general rule, booking flights roughly two to three months out gives you a reasonable balance of price and choice, and booking earlier still is wise if your dates overlap a school holiday or a well-known local festival. For packing, think in layers: light, breathable clothing for warm afternoons, a genuine warm layer for cool evenings and higher elevations, a light rain shell for Europe and northern Vietnam, sun protection everywhere, and sturdy shoes if ruins or trekking are on the itinerary.
Practical March travel tips
- Pack for a wide daily temperature swing. Deserts and higher-altitude spots can be warm at midday and cold after dark, so layers beat a single heavy coat.
- Treat cherry blossom timing as a window, not a date. Bloom shifts each year with the weather; aim for late March in southern Japan and keep your plans flexible.
- Expect changeable weather in Europe. Portugal and Spain can swing between sun and rain in March, so bring a light waterproof and don’t count on beach weather.
- Book around spring-break peaks. Popular beach and city destinations get busier and pricier during school holiday weeks, so reserve flights and key stays earlier if your dates overlap.
- Front-load outdoor sightseeing in hot-climate spots. In Egypt, Jordan and Morocco, do monuments and desert time in the morning and rest in the warmer afternoon.
- Check what’s shoulder season means locally. Some attractions, tours and coastal businesses run reduced hours before high season, so confirm opening times in advance.
- Match footwear to the trip. Ruins, medinas and Himalayan trails all reward broken-in, supportive shoes over fashion sneakers.
How to choose where to go in March 2027
Start by choosing a half of the month rather than a country. The first fortnight favours India, Egypt and Mexico's Yucatan, while the heat is still gentle and the spring-break surge has not peaked. The last fortnight favours Japan and southern Europe, as blossom and spring warmth arrive. Desert trips to Morocco and Jordan work across both halves, so build the rest of the itinerary around whichever weeks your leave allows.
If cherry blossom is the actual reason for the trip, Japan is the only option on this list, but treat it as the riskiest booking here: peak timing shifts every year and rooms in Kyoto and Tokyo go months ahead. If you want the same spring feeling with far more certainty, Portugal and southern Spain deliver green landscapes and mild sightseeing weather for considerably less money and stress.
Choosing between Portugal and Spain usually comes down to festivals. Spain's Easter processions and Valencia's Fallas normally fall in March, which brings atmosphere alongside higher room rates and closed city-centre streets; confirm the dates before you commit. Portugal tends to stay quieter and cheaper across the whole month. Pick Spain if the crowds are part of the appeal, Portugal if you want empty coast paths and easy restaurant tables.
Among the three ancient-sites options, Egypt suits travellers who want maximum monument density with minimal walking between them, Jordan suits people happy to cover Petra and Wadi Rum on foot over several days, and Morocco suits anyone wanting cities, mountains and desert in one loop. Egypt is typically the warmest of the three by late March, while Morocco and Jordan keep genuinely cold evenings that matter if you are hiking.
For active trips, Nepal and Mexico sit at opposite ends of the effort scale. Nepal opens its spring trekking season with warming trails and rhododendron colour, and although skies clear as winter ends, spring air carries more haze than the autumn trekking season, so the sharpest mountain views still belong to October. Mexico is the low-effort choice for dependable sun on both coasts, with the caveat that North American spring break fills the Caribbean resorts and lifts prices through much of the month.
Practical March 2027 travel tips
- Set fare alerts for Japan and Nepal first, since lodging in those two runs out well before airfares do.
- Ramadan in 2027 is expected to end in early March, with Eid usually following, which changes opening hours and restaurant service across Morocco, Jordan and Egypt. Dates depend on moon sighting, so confirm locally before fixing plans.
- Easter falls in late March in 2027 by standard reckoning, pulling Semana Santa demand into Spain and Portugal. Confirm the dates, then either book those weeks early or shift your trip to the first fortnight.
- Do not build a Japan trip around a forecast bloom date. Reserve refundable rooms in two cities roughly a week apart, then let the late-winter blossom forecasts decide which stretch you actually travel.
- Northern India warms quickly through the month. Front-load Rajasthan and the Golden Triangle into the first half of March, and treat anything after mid-month as a genuinely hot sightseeing trip with early starts.
- March differs from February mainly in heat and daylight: deserts and India warm noticeably, and Europe gains usable evening light. Against April, sea temperatures and European crowd levels are both still lower.
- Coastal Portugal and parts of Mexico still run reduced winter hours in early March. Confirm that the restaurants, ferries and tours you are planning days around have actually reopened for the season.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
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