Happy Layover

Where to go in August

11 of the 57 places we track are at their best in August. Busy times to fly out of India that month: Student rush and Gulf back-to-school rush.

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At their best in August

Places with their best weather in August, cheapest first where our scanner has a fare from India that month.

SingaporeSingapore 30° / 26° wetShoulder See the month-by-month guide Kuala LumpurMalaysia 30° / 24° very wetShoulder Drier months on the west coast. Gulf visitors on summer holiday make malls and hotels busier. See the month-by-month guide BaliIndonesia 28° / 24° some rainPeak Dry season: sunny, less humid and calm seas on the south coast. The best time for beaches, diving and Mount Batur... See the month-by-month guide LondonUnited Kingdom 22° / 14° some rainPeak Summer: long days (light past 9 pm) and 20-24°C. The busiest and priciest months. See the month-by-month guide FrankfurtGermany 26° / 16° some rainShoulder Late spring to early autumn: 20-26°C, Rhine valley day trips and apple-wine gardens. See the month-by-month guide MunichGermany 24° / 15° rainy spellsPeak Summer: 22-26°C, beer gardens and Alpine day trips. The busiest months. See the month-by-month guide ZurichSwitzerland 25° / 15° rainy spellsPeak Summer: 22-25°C, swimming in Lake Zurich and Alpine hikes. Jungfraujoch and Titlis are at their busiest. See the month-by-month guide SeattleUnited States 25° / 14° mostly dryPeak Dry, sunny summer (24-27°C): Mount Rainier and the Olympic Peninsula at their best, and Alaska cruises sail. See the month-by-month guide TorontoCanada 27° / 17° some rainPeak Summer: 24-27°C, patios, the Toronto Islands and Niagara day trips. The busiest season. See the month-by-month guide VancouverCanada 23° / 16° mostly dryPeak Dry, sunny summer (22-24°C): the best time for Stanley Park, the mountains and Alaska cruises. See the month-by-month guide NairobiKenya 24° / 13° mostly dryPeak The Great Migration: wildebeest river crossings in the Maasai Mara, usually July to October. Peak safari season;... See the month-by-month guide

Think twice in August

Rain, storms, heat or closures that month. Often cheaper, but pack for it.

  • Bangkok 32° / 26°, wetRainy season: short, heavy afternoon downpours. September and October are the wettest and some streets flood.
  • Phuket 29° / 26°, wetSouthwest monsoon: rough seas, red-flag days on west-coast beaches (rip currents are dangerous) and some boat trips cancelled. Hotels are much cheaper.
  • Ho Chi Minh City 31° / 25°, very wetRainy season: short, heavy afternoon storms that can flood streets for an hour. Fine for travel with an umbrella, and the Mekong Delta is lush.
  • Hanoi 32° / 26°, very wetHot, humid rainy season with heavy downpours; June and July often top 35°C.
  • Colombo 28° / 25°, wetSouthwest monsoon: rain and rough seas on the west and south coasts. The east coast (Trincomalee, Arugam Bay) is at its best instead.
  • Maldives 29° / 27°, wetSouthwest monsoon: more rain, wind and choppy seas, but still warm with sunny spells. Resort prices drop sharply.
  • Kathmandu 26° / 20°, very wetMonsoon: daily rain, landslides on mountain roads and cloud hiding the peaks. Flights to Lukla are often delayed.
  • Dubai 41° / 30°, drySummer: 40-45°C with sticky humidity on the coast. Hotels are at their cheapest and life moves indoors.
  • Abu Dhabi 43° / 31°, drySummer: 40°C and above. Hotel prices drop and Yas Island's indoor theme parks are the draw.
  • Doha 41° / 31°, drySummer: up to 45°C with humidity; most life moves to malls and museums.
  • Muscat 37° / 29°, drySummer: 40°C and above in Muscat. Salalah, in the south, has its cool, misty khareef season from late June to September instead.
  • Tokyo 31° / 24°, rainy spellsHot and humid: highs of 31-35°C, and heatstroke warnings are common.
  • Osaka 31° / 25°, wetHot and humid: highs of 33-35°C.
  • Seoul 28° / 24°, wetHot, humid summer, around 30°C.
  • Hong Kong 30° / 27°, very wetHot, humid, very wet summer with heavy rainstorms.
  • Taipei 31° / 26°, wetHot and humid, around 33-34°C.
  • Chiang Mai 27° / 20°, wetRainy season: afternoon storms and green hills; waterfalls are at their best and prices are low.
  • Krabi 28° / 26°, very wetSouthwest monsoon: rough seas, some boat trips and island tours cancelled, and red-flag days on the beaches. Hotels are much cheaper.
  • Phu Quoc 28° / 28°, very wetSouthwest monsoon: rain showers and rough seas on the west coast; some island boat trips stop running. Resort prices drop.
  • Paris 25° / 15°, some rainSummer heatwaves can pass 35°C, and many older hotels and flats have no air conditioning.
  • Rome 30° / 22°, mostly drySummer: 32-35°C and long queues at the Colosseum and the Vatican. Book timed tickets.
  • Madrid 34° / 19°, drySummer: 33-35°C and often hotter. Many locals leave in August and some restaurants close.
  • New York 27° / 20°, rainy spellsSummer: hot and humid (29-30°C), with heatwaves above 35°C.
  • Washington, D.C. 30° / 20°, rainy spellsHot, humid summer (31-32°C). August is quiet while Congress is in recess.
  • Dallas 35° / 25°, rainy spellsSummer: 35-37°C and often hotter.
  • Perth 18° / 9°, rainy spellsWinter: Perth's wet season, 18-19°C days and cool nights.
  • Auckland 15° / 9°, rainy spellsWinter: mild (14-15°C) but wet and windy. The South Island's ski season (Queenstown) runs from June to October.
  • Cape Town 17° / 8°, some rainWinter: cool (17-18°C days) and rainy; the Table Mountain cableway shuts on stormy days.

Busy times to fly out of India in August

  • 20 Jul – 31 Aug · expectedStudent rushThousands of Indian students fly out for autumn intakes, so fares from India to the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Europe peak from late July through August.
  • 15–31 Aug · expectedGulf back-to-school rushIndian families in the Gulf fly back before schools reopen, so fares from India to the Gulf peak in the second half of August.

Festivals and holidays abroad

  • 13–16 AugObonJapan's summer holiday: people travel home, and with Mountain Day (11 Aug) trains and flights are packed from about 7 to 16 Aug.