Where to travel in March?

This southern cone country is a must-visit destination. Chile is vast - it's the longest in the world - and has 45 nature reserves with a wide range of ecosystems, from lush forests to glacial tundras.

March is an excellent time to go to Chile because prices are very low, particularly in areas such as the Lake District and Patagonia, both in the south of the country. In that part of the world in March it's not spring but autumn, so the weather is also mild, with summer just leaving but without the masses of travellers that arrive in high season.

Southeast Asia has been all the rage for a few years now, but Vietnam is simply sublime. Visiting in March has several advantages, such as the fact that it's the least humid season, so the walks are great. During summer temperatures hover between 30ºC and 35ºC and in winter it rains non-stop, while in early spring the average high is 27ºC during March in Vietnam and the minimum is around 19ºC, and there are more dry days than rainy ones.

On top of that, March coincides with many festivals, such as Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, so the whole country is decked out in colour, the best dishes are prepared and there's partying left, right and centre.

Good life, pure life. March in Costa Rica means the peak of biodiversity: whales come to mate, sea turtles lay their eggs on the beaches and the national parks awaken to the sound of spring. It's wet all year round in this tropical country, but March is one of the driest, allowing you to enjoy its rainforests, volcanoes and paradisiacal beaches without the rain.

As if that were needed, another reason to go to Costa Rica in March is that this month marks the start of the surfing season on the Pacific coast, which attracts the sport's greats to venture out into the waters. It's not the best time to learn the sport, but it's a great time to watch the big boys do their thing riding those huge waves.

Budapest, in Eastern Europe, is a city that welcomes hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. Its fascinating history, unusual language, rich culture and delicious cuisine attract people from all over the world, particularly in summer. So March is the perfect time to be enchanted by all these attractions without the harassment of crowds and the heat that makes you feel like melting.

The onset of spring brings longer days and milder temperatures than winter. Instead of being below freezing, the thermostat is usually between 4°C and 11°C, which still calls for a coat but allows you to walk around the city to discover its architecture that tells stories of empires, the Soviets, the world wars and modernity. And Hungarian cuisine is best enjoyed when it's a little chilly; there's nothing like a goulash to warm the bones.

The neighbouring country is always a destination, but because it's so charming and popular, it's sometimes hard to find space in the crowds. March is the ideal time to go and not get lost in the tides of tourists, and the already low prices are further reduced. Porto and Lisbon have a more authentic atmosphere during this season, which is sometimes diluted by the summer crowds.

This season is particularly good for exploring the Douro valley and its vineyards, exploring the flower fields - which will be at their peak in early spring - in the Alentejo and hiking along the Algarve coast without the scorching summer temperatures or winter winds.

The largest Caribbean island, also the one with the best pace and flavour, is a super destination for travel in March, when the high season is over and visitors return to their home countries with a wide heart. Temperatures, always warm here, are milder in spring, but perfect for enjoying its white beaches or exploring its colonial cities such as Havana and Trinidad, where the Spanish invasion left architectural marks that have been transformed by Cuba's fascinating history.

During March, Cuba hosts the International Habano Festival and the International Trova Festival, which brings together the island's best musicians - and there are many - for celebrations and plenty of son. There's never a shortage of dancing, good music and a very good drink here, but the arrival of spring marks the halfway point of the zafra season, the sugar cane harvest, so the atmosphere takes on a very special vibe.

Punta Cana is a luxury destination, with a total focus on relaxation and well-being tourism. Although it tends to be an expensive place, with all-inclusive resorts and unrealistically green golf courses, March is the month when prices drop and it's possible to enjoy this destination without breaking the bank. Also, as in most countries in the area, March is the dry season in the Dominican Republic, so there's little chance of rain ruining your tanning session on the pristine white beaches, which are undoubtedly the reason why this city is one of the most sought-after destinations in the world.

Being on the eastern tip of the island, where the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean meet, the 32 kilometres of sand that frame this city receive the most amazingly coloured waters. The seas are calm and warm, perfect for water sports or just a peaceful swim.

From the opposite end of the world, New Zealand also begs to be visited in March. Here, autumn begins during this month, so all those extraordinary nature postcards will be painted in vibrant ochre colours.

March is a great time to go to Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound, the stunning fjords of the South Island. Here you can see raging waterfalls tumbling with force and mountain peaks reflected in the waters of the serene lakes. It's also harvest season in Hawke's Bay, so you can enjoy the wine culture in this idyllic bay famous for its vineyards, beaches and the town's art deco architecture.

Tanzania is a chance to experience some of the most breathtaking and diverse landscapes in Africa. March is a particularly good month to visit this extraordinary country because it marks the end of the short rainy season, which leaves a lush, verdant landscape of wildlife, one of the main things to see in Tanzania.

The Great Migration, one of the world's most amazing natural spectacles, happens in March: millions of wildebeest and zebra roam the Serengeti plains in search of fresh pastures. This is generally the ideal season for safaris, which are much less crowded and at better prices compared to the high seasons. This, as well as being very pocket-friendly, makes for a much more authentic experience, without having to compete for a spot of elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino.