AngelaI’ve been taking baths 30 minutes longer than usual in cascading cold water. I turn my fan up to the highest speed but the room still feels like a desert conquered by a raging dragon. For countless days, I wake up in perspiration to find the blankets I love strewn all over the floor. Yes, the weather has been behaving irrationally and I’m not the only one who feels bothered by it.
These few days have been nothing but fiery hot, and researchers fear that the condition is not going anywhere better. Rather than complaining about it, we might as well get to know it a little better and learn how to manage our days under such torment.
This dry and oddly sultry curse is due to the phenomenon El Nino, or La Niña (for cooler-than-usual weather). Varying from country to country, El Nino (or La Niña) can happen once in every two to seven years. The surface temperature of the sea will record an unusually high (or low) temperature and disrupt the conventional weather patterns. Many times, El Nino and La Niña are the main culprits behind many disastrous droughts and floods.
However, the searing heat we are experiencing in Southeast Asia now is more than the solo work of El Nino. It is the ruthless synthesis of both El Nino and the global warming that made this year the hottest year after 2010 in Southeast Asia.
If you’re planning to travel to neighbouring countries during this holiday season, be sure to check that you’re not hitting right into the El Nino season. To avoid the less-than-pleasant experience and the opportunity to get a free roast, we have summarised a list of Southeast Asian countries and the months where El Nino is most likely to hit so hard that you regret going on that otherwise beautiful vacation.
Singapore
Temperature has been hitting sweltering highs of 34°C in Singapore and the occasional showers ain’t providing any respite – it just turns our sunny island into a mega sauna with humidity hitting 80%. To avoid getting well-cooked, you may want to avoid travelling to Singapore between October 2014 and June 2015.
Philippines
The mass killing of Indonesian forests has turned the country into a hazy blur. However, love it or hate it, Philippines is currently the only country in the region with the coolest weather with an average of 29°C. Seize the chance to travel Philippines while you can. From September all the way to June 2015, the island country will not be very welcoming to your arrival.
West Malaysia
Looks like you’ve got to postpone your trekking trip to the late 2015. Not only has the average temperature remained at 35°C, the weather will also either be too hot or too humid from now to mid-2015. You’ll be busy wiping off your perspiration rather than enjoying the jungle trekking in Terangganu. If you insist on going, remember to cover yourself with sunblock and bring lots of handkerchiefs.
East Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei
Going for Mount Kinabalu hike? Better plan your trip now when the average temperature is still at 30°C! Not exactly “cool” but you don’t really have much of a choice if Southeast Asia is where you want to go for your vacation. Attracting too much attention from the guys with your fair skin? Travel to these places between November this year and March 2015 and get the perfect tan.
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
The perfect time to travel to these countries is limited to August and September. It’s best not to travel there during any other months since you’ll most likely feel the ground burning your soles and blazing your feet. Even the most majestic scenery will not appease your already sunken mood.
If for unforeseen circumstances you’re forced to confront the deadly summer, do drink lots of water, take not a sip, but a bucket if need be. Now don’t be selfish, bookmark this page and share it with your friends!
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Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines and Brunei
