March is a highly favorable month for finding “sweet spot” (shoulder season) travel opportunities across a significant portion of the globe. It’s a time of awakening in the Northern Hemisphere, with spring blooms and warming temperatures after winter. This means pleasant weather, often vibrant natural beauty, and significantly fewer crowds compared to the upcoming peak summer months. For the Southern Hemisphere, it often signals the end of summer and the comfortable onset of autumn, again offering a great balance of conditions and fewer people. True “deep off-season” locations often present lingering cold or the onset of challenging hot/humid conditions.

Main Regions Globally and Their Associated Seasons in March:

Northern Hemisphere:

• • Temperate (e.g., Europe, US/Canada): Late winter/early spring. Gradually warming temperatures, first blooms. Largely a shoulder season, with some winter activities still possible early in the month.

• • Tropical/Subtropical (e.g., Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Middle East): Towards the end of their dry/cool season, or warming up rapidly before the intense heat/rain. Mostly shoulder season, but still peak season for some areas.

• • Arctic/Far North (e.g., Iceland, Norway, Alaska): Still winter, but increasing daylight. This is primarily a shoulder season for winter activities (aurora viewing) winding down, or deep off-season for general tourism.

Southern Hemisphere:

• • Temperate (e.g., Southern South America, Australia/New Zealand): End of summer/early autumn. Pleasant temperatures, start of fall foliage in some areas. Predominantly a shoulder season.

• • Tropical/Subtropical (e.g., Southern Africa, parts of South America): End of rainy season or pleasant post-summer conditions. This is generally a shoulder season moving towards peak for safaris.