Weather, crowds, prices and visa timing for the three destinations we run most — so you can pick the month before you pick the package.
The short answer
| Destination | Best months | Avoid | Cheapest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maldives | December – April | June – August (monsoon) | May and September |
| Dubai & UAE | November – March | June – September (over 42 °C) | July and August |
| Egypt — Cairo & Nile | October – April | June – August (Luxor above 40 °C) | May and September |
| Egypt — Red Sea | March – November | January (windy, cooler sea) | May and October |
"Cheapest" and "avoid" overlap deliberately. Shoulder months — May, September, October — are usually the best value for money if you can tolerate a slightly higher chance of heat or rain.
Maldives
Two seasons: the north-east monsoon from December to April brings dry, calm, clear water, and the south-west monsoon from May to November brings shorter rain bursts, wind and better prices. Rain in the Maldives usually means an hour of heavy shower rather than a lost day.
The whale shark and manta seasons are the exception to the general rule: South Ari Atoll has resident whale sharks year-round, while manta aggregations at Hanifaru Bay peak from May to November — inside the wetter season.
Peak weeks are Christmas to early January and the February half-term. Book those three to four months ahead; resorts apply minimum-stay rules and price them accordingly.
Dubai and the UAE
From November to March the weather is close to perfect — 24 to 30 °C, low humidity, and every outdoor attraction working as intended. This is also when hotel prices peak and the desert safari camps run full.
June to September regularly exceeds 42 °C with high humidity. Outdoor sightseeing becomes genuinely unpleasant and the desert safari, while it still operates, is not the same experience. Prices fall by 35–45% and the malls, aquariums and indoor attractions are unaffected — a reasonable trade for a shopping-and-hotel trip, a poor one for a sightseeing trip.
Ramadan shifts by about eleven days each year. During it, daytime dining is restricted, some attractions change hours, and the evening atmosphere is one of the best things about the city. We tell you where the dates fall for your trip and let you decide.
Egypt
Cairo and the Nile valley are winter destinations. From October to April, Cairo runs 20 to 26 °C and Luxor is comfortable in the morning. In July and August Luxor and Aswan exceed 40 °C and the Valley of the Kings — an unshaded limestone basin — becomes hard work by nine in the morning.
The Red Sea is the opposite: Hurghada works from March to November, with sea temperatures around 26 °C in summer and 22 °C in winter. January is the weakest month, cooler and windier, though still warmer than anywhere in Europe.
Fitting the visa timeline to the travel date
Two of the three destinations need paperwork, and the lead time has to be planned backwards from the departure date, not forwards from the booking:
- Maldives — no visa. A free 30-day permit is issued on arrival with a confirmed hotel booking and a return ticket.
- UAE — tourist visa required, typically 3–5 working days to issue. We submit it once flights are ticketed, so allow two weeks of margin.
- Egypt — visa on arrival, approximately $25. We prepare it in advance so nobody is queuing at Cairo at two in the morning.
- A European stopover — if your routing includes an overnight in the Schengen area, you need a Schengen visa. Allow 4–6 weeks and plan it first, because it is the long pole.
If a visa is needed, book the consultation before you book the trip. It costs nothing and it is the only way to know whether your preferred dates are realistic.