The best months in Pyay are the cool dry season from November to February, when daytime temperatures stay in the high twenties and the river plain is at its greenest after the monsoon. March, April and May are extremely hot — central Myanmar regularly exceeds 40°C — and the heat makes exploring Sri Ksetra in the open exhausting.
The southwest monsoon (May to October) brings heavy afternoon rain. Travel is still possible, the countryside is at its lushest, but unpaved tracks around Sri Ksetra turn to mud and the river runs high. Most travellers passing between Yangon and Bagan visit Pyay in the November–February window.