March 2025: Where to Travel in March

Travel Viewpoint, Issue 71 · March 2025 · Theme: Where To Travel In March?

Welcome to the March 2025 issue of Travel Viewpoint. This month we look beyond India’s borders to answer one of the most common questions our readers send us: where should I travel in March? It is a month that sits on the hinge between winter and summer. Across much of the northern hemisphere, the days lengthen, the first blossoms appear, and the big summer crowds are still months away. In Japan, the cherry blossom forecasts start to dominate the news. In southern Spain, orange trees begin to flower. In Morocco and much of the Muslim world, Ramadan shapes the rhythm of the day for most of the month in 2025. And in Southeast Asia, many destinations are enjoying their dry season.

This issue gathers practical guides, slow itineraries and a few honest warnings so you can choose a March trip that suits your budget, your pace and your idea of a good holiday. Here is everything inside, with a short note on each piece so you can decide where to begin.

Whether you have a week or a month, a tight budget or a long-planned dream, we hope these pages help you turn the March question into a journey of your own.

From the editor

Editor’s Letter: March, the Month the World Opens Its Doors

Khushi Anand introduces the issue with a reflection on why March is the hinge of the travel year, why spring makes us notice things, and how to travel thoughtfully through other people’s calendars, from hanami in Japan to Ramadan evenings in Morocco.

Where to go this March

Affordable International Destinations with Perfect March Weather

Our starting point for planning: destinations abroad where March weather is at its best and where your money goes further. Ideal if you want a memorable trip without stretching the budget.

Why Japan’s Early Cherry Blossoms Make March a Dream

An introduction to sakura season, why it captivates travellers, and how the bloom moves through Japan in spring. Read it alongside our Kyoto and Nara pieces.

Explore Southeast Asia with Less Rain, More Fun

Beaches, islands and cities across Southeast Asia that are often in their dry season in March, with ideas for every kind of traveller.

Cultural Experiences in Morocco, Spain & Egypt This Month

Festivals, monuments and living traditions in three countries where March weather is made for exploring on foot.

Features

Seville to Marrakech: The One Route That Explains March Travel

If you take only one journey this month, take this one. A slow route from the orange blossom of Seville, through Córdoba or Granada, across the Strait of Gibraltar to Tangier, and on to Chefchaouen, Fes and Marrakech, with notes on travelling during Ramadan.

Three Days in Kyoto at Blossom Time, Not a Checklist

Forget the twenty must-see spots. This is a gentle three-day plan for Kyoto in cherry blossom season, built around dawn walks on the Philosopher’s Path, the Kamo River, Gion at dusk and Arashiyama before the crowds, with tips on hanami etiquette, where to stay and how to get around.

What to Skip on Your First March Trip Abroad

Chasing a single bloom date, visiting famous sights at midday, cramming six countries into ten days, packing only for sunshine and leaving visas until the last minute: the classic first-trip mistakes, and what to do instead.

Less travelled · Guest slot

Nara: A Quieter Spring Beside Kyoto

Our guest story this month takes you less than an hour from Kyoto to Japan’s ancient capital: sacred deer in Nara Park, the Great Buddha of Todai-ji, the lantern-lined paths of Kasuga Taisha and the old merchant lanes of Naramachi. The secret? Stay the night.

Practical planning

Packing Tips & Travel Hacks for March Travel Abroad

March weather is changeable. Here is how to pack light and still be ready for warm afternoons, cool evenings and the occasional spring shower.

Food, Stay and Getting Around: Travelling Abroad in March

The practical layer of a good trip: eating with the season in Japan, Spain, Morocco and Southeast Asia, vegetarian tips for Indian travellers, choosing the right kind of stay, and moving by train, bus and foot.

A note on March in 2025

The calendar matters this month. Ramadan falls across most of March in 2025, ending around the end of the month with Eid al-Fitr; exact dates depend on the sighting of the moon. Holi is celebrated in India in mid-March. Cherry blossom dates in Japan shift every year with the weather, so check bloom forecasts close to your trip. Easter falls on 20 April in 2025, so Holy Week processions in Spain take place in April rather than March this year. Always confirm visa rules, opening hours and transport schedules with official sources before you travel.

How to use this issue

If you are still deciding where to go, start with the editor’s letter and the affordable destinations guide. If Japan is calling, read the cherry blossom introduction, then our Kyoto and Nara pieces together; they work best as a pair. If you love history and want a longer journey, the Seville to Marrakech route and the Morocco, Spain and Egypt guide will give you plenty of ideas. And before you book anything, read What to Skip and our food, stay and transport guide; they may save you time, money and a few frustrations.

Wherever March takes you, travel a little slowly, get up early at least once, and leave room in every day for the unplanned. Happy spring, and happy travels.