Where should you travel in April 2027?

Quick picks for April 2027

• Warm and sunny: Hoi An and Hue, Palawan, Bali at the start of its dry season.

• Cities: Kyoto and Osaka, Istanbul, Seville, Seoul and Busan.

• Festivals: cherry blossom in Kyoto and Kanazawa (early April), Spring Takayama Festival (14 to 15 April), Songkran (13 to 15 April), Seville's Feria de Abril (reported 13 to 18 April).

• Budget: Cappadocia and western Turkey, Transylvania.

• Skip: Bangkok if you struggle with heat, Chiang Mai if smoke bothers you, Japan from 29 April.

Cities and festivals

1. Kyoto, Osaka and Kanazawa, Japan. The Japan Meteorological Agency's averages give full bloom on 4 April in Kyoto and Osaka and around 8 April in Kanazawa; in Takayama the blossom is usually best in mid to late April, around the Spring Takayama Festival on 14 and 15 April. Moving north and uphill gives you several chances to catch it. The catch: Kyoto in the first week of April is at its busiest and most expensive, and Golden Week runs 29 April to 5 May 2027. We were in Kyoto from 2 to 6 April 2023, Nara from 6 to 8 April and Osaka from 8 to 11 April. See our cherry blossom guide, Kyoto guide and Golden Week guide.

2. Istanbul, Turkey. April highs are about 16 to 17°C (61 to 63°F), and the city fills its parks with tulips, with Emirgan Park the main display; blooms usually peak in early to mid April. The 2027 festival programme was not published when we checked. The catch: spring weather is changeable, so pack a layer. See best time to visit Istanbul and our 3 days in Istanbul.

3. Seville, Spain. The Feria de Abril follows Easter, and for 2027 it is reported for 13 to 18 April, with the lighting of the fairground (the alumbrao) at midnight at the start; the city confirms the dates. Seville averages about 24°C (75°F) in April with rain on about 6 days. The catch: many casetas (the fair's marquees) are private, and hotel prices spike for fair week. See best time to visit Spain.

4. Seoul, Busan and Jinhae, South Korea. Spring is Korea's other blossom season. The Jinhae Gunhangje, its biggest cherry blossom festival, usually runs about ten days from late March to early April; the 2027 dates are not announced, and the 2026 festival ran from 27 March to 5 April. Busan is the base. The catch: Jinhae weekends are packed and roads jam. See our Jinhae guide and 3 days in Seoul. We were in Korea in June and July 2023.

5. Songkran, Chiang Mai or Bangkok, Thailand. The Thai New Year is 13 to 15 April 2027, Tuesday to Thursday, all public holidays. Chiang Mai celebrates longest around the old city moat; in Bangkok the main water-play zones are Silom Road and Khao San Road. Do not throw water at monks, older people or anyone who is clearly not playing. The catch is heat and smoke: April is Thailand's hottest month, with Bangkok averaging about 35 to 36°C (95 to 97°F), and the north is in its haze-risk window. See our Songkran guide.

Warm and sunny

6. Hoi An and Hue, Vietnam. The central coast is in its dry season, which runs from about February to August, and April is warm before the summer heat. Hanoi is also pleasant, about 22 to 28°C (72 to 82°F). Two dates to know: the Hùng Kings' Commemoration is Friday 16 April 2027, according to Phú Thọ province's festival plan, and Reunification Day (30 April) and Labour Day (1 May) fall on a Friday and Saturday, a domestic travel peak. The catch: book trains and rooms for the end of the month early. We were in Hanoi from 20 April 2023, Hue from 27 to 29 April and Hoi An from 29 April. See how many days in Hoi An, the Hue to Hoi An guide and our Hoi An guide.

7. Palawan, the Philippines. Still the hot dry season, Manila highs about 33 to 34°C (91 to 93°F), with calm seas for island-hopping. With Holy Week over in March, April is quieter. The catch is heat in the middle of the day. See our El Nido guide and Coron vs El Nido.

8. Bali, Indonesia. The dry season starts: rain drops to about 75 to 90 mm in April and May, and prices are still moderate before the July and August peak. The catch is that early April can still bring showers; in the highlands around Ubud and Munduk it is cooler and wetter. See best time to visit Bali.

Budget picks

9. Cappadocia and western Turkey. April highs are about 15 to 20°C (59 to 68°F), the valleys are green and Ephesus is comfortable to walk, at prices well below summer. Allow two or three mornings for a balloon flight, since spring wind still grounds some (balloon guide). We were in Göreme, Pamukkale and Selçuk in November 2023.

Transylvania, Romania is the other low-cost option: March and April highs run about 10 to 18°C (50 to 64°F) and prices are low, but the countryside is muddy and the high Transfăgărășan road stays closed until early summer (it reopened on 12 June in 2026) (opening dates). For the full price comparison, see the cheapest countries to visit in 2027.

Where to avoid in April

• Bangkok and central Thailand, unless you are there for Songkran. The Thai government places the hot season from mid-February to mid-May, peaking in April.

• Chiang Mai, if you are sensitive to smoke. April is still in the haze-risk window (burning season guide).

• Japan from 29 April. Golden Week brings full trains and higher prices until 5 May.

• Croatian and Montenegrin beaches. The sea off Split is about 14°C (57°F) in April. Fine for old towns and Plitvice, too cold for swimming.

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