Where to travel in August — mild northern cities, dry-season beaches, and steppe and mountains at their summer best

How to choose an August trip

August is still the summer holiday season, so crowds are likely almost anywhere, and many places nearby get typhoons, heavy rain and heat at the same time. You can head for mild northern cities, go to a dry-season beach, or pick steppe and mountains that are at their best only in summer.

This article uses the 'best time to go' in each city guide and the August normals (average high, average low and rainfall) stored in our guides. Normals are averages over many years, so they don't tell you this year's weather, and the source agency and period differ by city. Bali uses 1961–1990 and Manila 1971–2000, older periods, and Ulaanbaatar and Madrid use 1981–2010, so treat them as rough figures. Check the forecast before you go.

Temperatures are in °C and rainfall in mm. The sources are listed below. July-August heat and rain in Japanese and Southeast Asian cities are covered in our summer-winter climate comparison, and rainy seasons by region in our Southeast Asia rainy-season article.

• Japan Meteorological Agency, 1991–2020: Sapporo, Hakodate, Sendai, Fukuoka, Kyoto and Osaka stations, Okinawa (Naha station)
• Korea Meteorological Administration, 1991–2020: Seoul station
• NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: Seattle (Seattle–Tacoma International Airport station), Guam (Guam International Airport station), Las Vegas (McCarran, now Harry Reid, International Airport station)
• MeteoSwiss (Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology), 1991–2020: Interlaken station
• AEMET (Spanish State Meteorological Agency), 1981–2010: Madrid (Madrid, Retiro station)
• WMO World Weather Information Service, 1991–2020: Da Nang and Hanoi (Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration), Hong Kong (Hong Kong Observatory)
• WMO World Weather Information Service, 1981–2010: Ulaanbaatar (National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring of Mongolia, NAMEM)
• WMO World Weather Information Service, 1971–2000: Manila (Metro Manila; Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, PAGASA)
• WMO World Weather Information Service, 1961–1990: Bali (Denpasar; Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics, BMKG)

• Summer heat vs winter cold: Japan and Southeast Asia →
• Traveling Southeast Asia in the rainy season →

The mild north — Sapporo, Hakodate and Sendai

Sapporo is pleasantly mild in June-August, a good summer escape. The August normals are a high of 26.4°C, a low of 19.1°C and 126.8 mm of precipitation (JMA, 1991–2020). Autumn colors begin as it moves into September-October.

Hakodate's cool June-September months are best for walking, and the Hakodate Port Festival runs in early August. August has a high of 25.9°C, a low of 18.9°C and 156.5 mm of precipitation (JMA, 1991–2020). Private cars are restricted on Mt. Hakodate on peak-season evenings, so use the ropeway or buses.

In Sendai, the Sendai Tanabata Festival fills the downtown arcades with colorful decorations every year on August 6-8. Rooms fill up quickly then, so book early, and check official information for fireworks and other events. The August normals are a high of 28.2°C, a low of 21.6°C and 157.8 mm of precipitation (JMA, 1991–2020).

• Sapporo travel guide →
• Hakodate travel guide →
• Sendai travel guide →
• Otaru day trip from Sapporo →

Dry-season beaches — Bali and Da Nang

Bali's April-October dry season brings the most sunny days. The August normals are a high of 29.6°C, a low of 22.5°C and 25 mm of rain (WMO/BMKG, 1961–1990, Denpasar). They come from an older period, so treat them as rough figures. Prices rise in July-August, and Ubud is busy as the months overlap Indonesian school holidays, so plan early.

In Da Nang, June-August is hot but fairly dry, good for the beach. August has a high of 34°C, a low of 25.8°C and 167 mm of rain (WMO/Viet Nam MHA, 1991–2020). Flights and hotels get much pricier in the summer peak. September-December is the rainy season, with heavy rain and typhoons especially likely in October and November, so if your trip runs from September on, see our Da Nang rainy-season article below.

• Bali travel guide →
• Da Nang travel guide →
• Da Nang in the rainy season (Sep-Dec) →
• Ubud vs Seminyak →

At their summer best — Ulaanbaatar, Interlaken, Seattle

Ulaanbaatar is best visited in summer, June to August. The August normals are a high of 22.4°C, a low of 10.5°C and 71.7 mm of rain (WMO/NAMEM, 1981–2010). They come from 1981–2010, so treat them as rough figures.

Interlaken is best for combining hiking with mountain railways in June-September. August has a high of 23.7°C, a low of 13.6°C and 145.8 mm of precipitation (MeteoSwiss, 1991–2020). The Schynige Platte cogwheel railway runs only from late May to late October.

Seattle is sunniest and driest in June-September. August has a high of 25.3°C, a low of 14°C and 24.6 mm of precipitation (NOAA NCEI, 1991–2020, Seattle–Tacoma International Airport). At the Ballard Locks, salmon climb the fish ladder roughly from July to September, peaking around August.

• Ulaanbaatar travel guide →
• Interlaken travel guide →
• Seattle travel guide →

Think twice in August — typhoons and heavy rain

Some places see frequent typhoons. In Kyushu, including Fukuoka and Kagoshima, typhoons often pass in August-September and can stop flights and ferries, and Fukuoka's August rainfall normal is 210 mm (JMA, 1991–2020). Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya are also in typhoon season in August-September. In Okinawa, typhoons often pass in July-September, with 240 mm of rain in August (JMA, 1991–2020, Naha), and in Ishigaki they often approach from late June to October. Typhoons are most frequent in Haikou in August-September, and Sanya may also see them then. Guam and Saipan may see typhoons from July to November, and Guam's August rainfall is 448.6 mm (NOAA NCEI, 1991–2020).

Check heavy rain and rainy seasons too. Hong Kong's typhoon season runs May-September, with 453.2 mm of rain in August (WMO/Hong Kong Observatory, 1991–2020), and buses and ferries generally stop when Typhoon Signal No. 8 or higher is raised. Seoul's July-August brings the monsoon and heat, with 348.2 mm in August (KMA, 1991–2020). Hanoi is hot with frequent rain in May-September, with 335 mm in August (WMO/Viet Nam MHA, 1991–2020), and Ha Long Bay's June-August monsoon season means cruises can be cancelled at short notice. Manila faces typhoons and flooding in June-October, with 486.1 mm in August (WMO/PAGASA, 1971–2000, an older period). Phuket's west coast has big waves in May-October, and Phu Quoc's west coast often has high waves around July-September that can cancel boats.

If a typhoon is coming, watch for messages from your airline and accommodation, and read your travel insurance terms on delays and cancellations before you go. Our Southeast Asia rainy-season article covers how to plan around the rain.

• Fukuoka travel guide →
• Okinawa travel guide →
• Hong Kong travel guide →
• Guam travel guide →
• Travel insurance checklist →

Heat and holidays — Japanese cities, southern Europe, the desert

Japanese cities are very hot and humid in July-August. Kyoto's August normals are a high of 33.7°C and a low of 24.7°C, and Osaka's August high is also 33.7°C (JMA, 1991–2020). In August, Nara holds Nara Tokae, lighting about 20,000 candles over ten nights, so rest by day and walk after dark.

Southern Europe is hot and busy. Madrid often reaches 35-40°C in July and August, with an August average high of 31.3°C (AEMET, 1981–2010, Retiro). In Madrid and Paris, some shops close for August holidays. Rome often tops 35°C in July and August, and Barcelona is busiest then, with sights booking up fast.

Take care in the desert and inland too. Las Vegas is extremely hot at midday in June-August, with an August average high of 39.3°C (NOAA NCEI, 1991–2020). Chongqing is known as a 'furnace city', and in midsummer nights can stay near 40°C. Tashkent's 'chillya', the hottest stretch, lasts until early August. Cancún's rainy season runs May-October and the Atlantic hurricane season starts on 1 June, so check weather warnings and your government's travel advice before you go.

• Kyoto travel guide →
• Nara travel guide →
• Madrid travel guide →
• Las Vegas travel guide →
• Cancún travel guide →

At a glance — August by city

A quick August summary. Figures are 'high/low temperature and rainfall'; sources and periods differ, so the comparison is rough.

• The mild north: Sapporo 26.4/19.1°C, 126.8 mm; Hakodate 25.9/18.9°C, 156.5 mm; Sendai 28.2/21.6°C, 157.8 mm (all JMA, 1991–2020)
• Dry-season beaches: Bali 29.6/22.5°C, 25 mm (WMO/BMKG, 1961–1990); Da Nang 34/25.8°C, 167 mm (WMO/Viet Nam MHA, 1991–2020)
• At their summer best: Ulaanbaatar 22.4/10.5°C, 71.7 mm (WMO/NAMEM, 1981–2010); Interlaken 23.7/13.6°C, 145.8 mm (MeteoSwiss, 1991–2020); Seattle 25.3/14°C, 24.6 mm (NOAA NCEI, 1991–2020)
• Typhoon check: Kyushu (Fukuoka, Kagoshima), Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, Okinawa and Ishigaki, Haikou and Sanya, Guam and Saipan, Hong Kong
• Heavy rain and rainy seasons: Seoul, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Manila, Phuket, Phu Quoc
• Heat and holidays: Kyoto and Osaka; Madrid, Paris, Rome and Barcelona; Las Vegas, Chongqing and Tashkent; Cancún (rainy and hurricane season)

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