April flowers with traditions, dry seasons and more public holidays than you can poke a stick at.
That’s right, PUBLIC HOLIDAYS.
Outside Christmas, April has the highest concentration of public holidays in the year. That’s Good Friday, Easter Monday and ANZAC Day giving you two back-to-back long weekends to play with. Or if you choose to hack it, one generously long 12-day holiday using a bare minimum of six leave days.
Liking the sound of that? Then you’ll need somewhere to go. Here are a few suggestions we prepared earlier...
1. Best budget destination: Cebu
With its beating sunshine, crystal clear waters and the chance to island hop by day, the Philippines is paradise on Earth.
During April, the Queen City in the south reaches peak temperatures of 33℃. It’s also one of its driest months. Spend your days combing beaches, exploring Taoist temples, snorkelling with whale sharks and diving the crystal clear waters of Mactan Island – a 15km2 island made entirely of coral reef. In terms of equipment hire, Cebu can’t be beat with snorkel hire going for under AUD$5 and scuba diving sessions for licensed divers starting from around AUD$50.
April weather: 33℃, dry season.
Top April events: Kadaugan Sa Mactan (Victory of Mactan) which includes a reenactment of a historical battle, Bantayan Island Holy Week celebration and the Tres de Abril celebration.
Best for: Unwinding.
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2. Best city to visit: Darwin
Being dry and hot, April hits the sweet spot for pristine travelling weather in Darwin.
Darwin’s wet season often causes roads on popular routes to close and open markets to shut up shop. Luckily, with April comes the dry season where warm days, balmy nights and clear skies prevail. As April is the end of the green/wet season, you’ll likely catch flowers on the landscape without the raindrops.
April weather: 24–32℃, dry with high humidity.
Top April events: Wide Open Space Festival, Malak Marketplace, Tjungu Festival, The Barratt Drive Mile, XXXX Gold Alice Springs Cup Carnival and King Ash Bay Easter Fishing Classic.
Best for: Adventure.
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3. Best for relaxation: Japan
Witness magic happen as Japan is bathed in the brilliant pink glow of the sakura tree.
Fondly known as cherry blossoms, the blooming of the sakura trees is one of the most breathtaking moments in Japan’s calendar. The first blooms occur in late March with full blooms starting in early April. Throughout the month there’s also plenty of celebrations including an annual geisha performance and a phallic festival. Yes, a phallic festival.
April weather: -4–13℃ depending on which part of the country you are visiting, spring.
Top April events: Miyako Odori, the opening of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, Inuyama Festival, Takayama Spring Festival, Kanamara Matsuri and Earth Day Tokyo.
Best for: Romance, unwinding.
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4. Best events: Semana Santa and Feria de Abril in Seville
Turn to the Spanish city of Seville for a different kind of Easter celebration.
Buckets of sunshine and an addictively sweet smell of oranges isn’t Seville’s only drawcard. During Easter it hosts one of the most unusual Christian celebrations in the world. Called Semana Santa, revellers dress in Nazareno robes, sandals and cone-shaped capirote hats and march alongside elaborate floats decorated with 17th century icons. Stay an extra fortnight and you can dance, sing, drink and party at the annual Feria de Abril Seville Fair, too.
April weather: 18℃, spring.
Top April events: Semana Santa and Feria de Abril.
Best for: Culture, unwinding, exploration.
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5. Best surprise destination: Cuba
Tipped as a hot destination for 2017, beat the masses to Cuba by visiting the island early.
April, naturally, is one of the best times to do this. It’s hot but pleasant and is just out of peak season which ends mid-March, so prices won’t be extortionately high by comparison. The capital of Havana is a popular base to start exploring the nation’s colourful architecture and music scene.
April weather: 25℃, spring.
Top April events: Havana Bienal and International Dance Festival in Havana Scenery.
Best for: Unwinding, exploration and culture.
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Follow the festival: Top April events to attend
Easter: Practically every Christian-based nation will be celebrating Easter in some way, shape or form this month. If you’d prefer to avoid the masses (and the venue closures) choose a country that doesn’t celebrate Easter such as Japan, South Korea or Morocco.
New Year: Some countries and religions celebrate their new year in April. These include Nepal, Thailand, Assyria, Bangladesh and many Indian states such as Manipuri and Bengal. As to be expected, celebrations are rife during this time.
When is the best time in April to take a holiday?
As April is the turn of a season, many countries enjoy either spring or autumn at the time so it’s a beautiful time of year to visit them.
In 2017, the Easter holidays fall 14–17 April, which means you won’t be alone on your travels if you choose this weekend to go on holiday. It also means prices soar around these dates. Are you on a budget or prefer to avoid the crowds? Choose to holiday in the first two weeks of April instead.
On the flipside, many cities host incredible festivities at Easter, which could be exactly what you’re after.
Top April holiday deals
Fly to Europe from $996 return
Travel dates vary by destination, with flights available until June 2017. Sample fares include Melbourne to London for $996, Sydney to Frankfurt for $1018, Perth to Amsterdam for $1025 and Brisbane to Amsterdam for $1138.
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Last verified 7 Dec 2016
Deal expires 21 Dec 2016 11:59pm
10% off flights within Australia
Simply use the code to get 10% off domestic airfares at Virgin Australia. Valid on bookings until 31 September. Tickets must be purchased 20 days in advance.
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Last verified 22 Nov 2016
Deal expires 31 Dec 2016 11:59pm