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When to go · April

Wellness retreats in April

In April, 10 of our 15 wellness destinations are in their preferred season — Rishikesh, The Ayurveda coast, Bhutan and Ubud and more — and 3 more are good alternatives.

MarchMay
Snow-covered Himalayan peaks above a wooded valley

At their best

10 places in season in April

  1. Snow-covered Himalayan peaks above a wooded valley

    01 India · Asia

    Rishikesh

    • About 34°C by day
    • Yoga, Ayurveda
    • US$3,440per person

    February to April and late September to November: warm days, cold clear nights, and a river that is green rather than brown and in spate. July and August are landslide season in the hills. May and June are simply too hot for a full practice schedule, and December to January is cold enough that an unheated ashram room becomes a test of commitment.

    Rishikesh in full
  2. Turquoise water along the Sri Lankan southwest coast

    02 Sri Lanka · Asia

    The Ayurveda coast

    • About 32°C by day
    • Ayurveda, Yoga
    • US$4,060per person

    December to April is the dry, calm-sea window on the southwest coast, and when the Ayurveda houses run at capacity with their long-stay European guests. The Yala monsoon soaks this coast from May: some properties simply close, and the ones that do not are quietly discounting a fortnight of rain.

    The Ayurveda coast in full
  3. A walker on a high ridge in the Bhutanese Himalaya

    03 Bhutan · Asia

    Bhutan

    • About 20°C by day
    • Sowa Rigpa

    Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are the only two settled-weather windows and they differ. Spring gives rhododendron across the hillsides and warming valleys; autumn gives the clearest skies of the year and the festivals. The monsoon closes the passes in July and August, and January is beautiful and extremely cold.

    Bhutan in full
  4. A temple standing on water in Bali

    04 Indonesia · Asia

    Ubud

    • About 31°C by day
    • Yoga
    • US$1,200per person

    April to September is the dry season and the only period we quote for. Ubud sits inland at elevation in jungle and catches noticeably more rain than the coast; December to February is the wettest stretch, and mould is a genuine consideration in an open-sided hall over a month-long stay.

    Ubud in full
  5. White sand and clear shallow water on a Thai island

    05 Thailand · Asia

    Koh Samui

    • About 32°C by day
    • Traditional Thai medicine
    • US$2,890per person

    Samui does not follow the mainland or Andaman calendar, and this catches people out constantly. The northeast monsoon pushes across the Gulf from October, so October to December is Samui’s genuine wet season — November is the wettest month of the year. February to April and June to August are the reliable windows.

    Koh Samui in full
  6. A wooden bathing room open to a garden

    06 Japan · Asia

    Beppu

    • About 20°C by day
    • Onsen

    Onsen is a cold-weather practice: much of the physiological point is the contrast between chilled air and 42 °C water, and the steam columns that make Beppu photogenic only show in cold air. Late October to early December is the best of it. June to August combines heat and humidity with very hot bathing, which is a poor combination — locals bathe less in summer for exactly that reason.

    Beppu in full
  7. A palm and parasol on white sand in subtropical Japan

    07 Japan · Asia

    Okinawa

    • About 24°C by day
    • Longevity, Onsen

    October to early November is the best window: the summer humidity has broken, the sea is still warm, and the major typhoon risk has largely passed. March to April is the second window. June to September combines heat, humidity and typhoon season, when flights are cancelled at a day’s notice — we do not sell it.

    Okinawa in full
  8. Atlantic surf running onto a wide Breton beach

    08 France · Europe

    Quiberon

    • About 13°C by day
    • Thalassotherapy

    April to June and September to October: the Côte Sauvage walking, the sea light and the best programme availability all fall then. August is French national-holiday saturation on a peninsula with one road. Bretons themselves often take a cure in November, when the sea is grey and the point is the water rather than the view — and it is a third cheaper.

    Quiberon in full
  9. An Alpine lake below mountains on the Swiss shore

    09 Switzerland · Europe

    Montreux

    • About 15°C by day
    • Longevity

    Late spring and early autumn give the lakeside walking and the Lavaux vineyards at their best, which matters because the programmes leave a lot of free afternoons. July is the Jazz Festival and the town is full. January is quiet and heavily discounted if a grey lake does not bother you.

    Montreux in full
  10. Tropical forest canopy on the Nicoya peninsula

    10 Costa Rica · The Americas

    The Nicoya peninsula

    • About 35°C by day
    • Longevity, Yoga

    December to April is the reliable window: Guanacaste is the driest province in Costa Rica and the dry season is close to absolute, which matters for the inland roads more than for the beaches. September and October are the wettest months nationally and access to the villages becomes a genuine problem.

    The Nicoya peninsula in full
Travelling in April?

Tell us your dates and what you need — we will shortlist the right place and programme for April, free.

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April, answered

Questions about travelling in April

Where is best for Ayurveda in April?
Rishikesh (India) and The Ayurveda coast (Sri Lanka) are in their preferred season for Ayurveda in April.
Where is best for The Mayr cure in April?
None of our The Mayr cure destinations is at its best in April, but Tyrol (Austria) is a good alternative.
Where is best for Onsen in April?
Beppu (Japan) and Okinawa (Japan) are in their preferred season for Onsen in April.
Where is best for Yoga in April?
Rishikesh (India), The Ayurveda coast (Sri Lanka), Ubud (Indonesia) and The Nicoya peninsula (Costa Rica) are in their preferred season for Yoga in April.
Where is best for The thermal kur in April?
None of our The thermal kur destinations is at its best in April, but Baden-Baden (Germany), Karlovy Vary (Czechia) and Tyrol (Austria) are good alternatives.
Where should I avoid in April?
We would suggest another month for Kerala and Bad Gastein — the season there is less suited to a wellness stay in April. Each destination page explains why.