Where to go in August

Latin America & Caribbean

Brazil · 26°C (79°F) · 5 rainy days

Rio de Janeiro

Dry and sunny, with occasional cold fronts that bring a few grey, cooler days; good hiking weather in Tijuca.

Europe

Denmark · 21°C (70°F) · 9 rainy days

Copenhagen

Still summery with the warmest sea of the year; festivals fill the calendar before autumn.

Germany · 25°C (77°F) · 8 rainy days

Berlin

Warm and busy, with open-air culture across the city and lakes at their warmest.

Ireland · 19°C (66°F) · 11 rainy days

Dublin

Mild and busy with summer visitors; the sea is at its warmest, though still bracing.

Iceland · 14°C (57°F) · 12 rainy days

Reykjavík

Still peak season and mild; nights begin to darken late in the month.

Germany · 24°C (75°F) · 10 rainy days

Cologne

Warm and lively; one of the world's biggest video-game fairs fills hotels for a week.

Germany · 25°C (77°F) · 9 rainy days

Frankfurt

Warm and relaxed as many locals travel; the big museum festival closes the month.

Switzerland · 26°C (79°F) · 8 rainy days

Geneva

Hot and sunny, with the lake at its warmest; many residents leave on holiday.

Germany · 23°C (73°F) · 12 rainy days

Hamburg

Warm and lively, with summer festivals and evenings outdoors.

Finland · 21°C (70°F) · 10 rainy days

Helsinki

Warm with the sea at its warmest, and the city's cultural season restarts with big festivals.

Norway · 21°C (70°F) · 12 rainy days

Oslo

Still warm, with the sea at its warmest for swimming; showers become more frequent late in the month.

Latvia · 22°C (72°F) · 10 rainy days

Riga

Warm with the sea at its warmest; the city festival brings concerts and markets to the streets.

Sweden · 22°C (72°F) · 9 rainy days

Stockholm

Still warm, with the best water for swimming and crayfish parties; evenings start to darken again.

Estonia · 21°C (70°F) · 10 rainy days

Tallinn

Still warm, with the sea at its warmest; showers become more frequent later in the month.

Lithuania · 22°C (72°F) · 9 rainy days

Vilnius

Warm and summery, good for lake swimming at Trakai and evening walks.

Switzerland · 24°C (75°F) · 11 rainy days

Zurich

Hot spells and thunderstorms; big events fill the lakeside.

Switzerland · 23°C (73°F) · 12 rainy days

Interlaken

Warm and busy, with lake swimming at its best and high trails clear of snow.

North America

Canada · 25°C (77°F) · 11 rainy days

Montreal

Summer continues, with big music festivals and Pride filling the calendar.

Canada · 26°C (79°F) · 9 rainy days

Toronto

Summer continues; the Caribbean Carnival parade and the CNE fair draw huge crowds.

Canada · 22°C (72°F) · 5 rainy days

Vancouver

Warm and dry; smoke from wildfires in the interior occasionally brings hazy days.

United States · 18°C (64°F) · 14 rainy days

Anchorage

Wetter, with berries ripening and silver salmon running; nights begin to darken.

Canada · 23°C (73°F) · 9 rainy days

Calgary

Warm and dry; wildfire smoke from distant fires can haze the sky some years.

United States · 30°C (86°F) · 9 rainy days

Denver

Warm with afternoon storms; peak mountain hiking and Palisade peach season.

Canada · 22°C (72°F) · 12 rainy days

Banff

Still peak season; wildfire smoke can haze the views in some years.

United States · 28°C (82°F) · 3 rainy days

Portland

Warm and dry; wildfire smoke can occasionally haze the sky in late summer.

Canada · 24°C (75°F) · 14 rainy days

Quebec City

Warm and busy, with cooler nights by the end of the month.

United States · 26°C (79°F) · 4 rainy days

Seattle

Warmest and driest month and the best for Mount Rainier's wildflower meadows; wildfire smoke can haze the views some years.

Asia

Singapore · 31°C (88°F) · 14 rainy days

Singapore

Similar to July, with patriotic decorations across the city and the seventh lunar month bringing street opera and offerings.

Indonesia · 33°C (91°F) · 4 rainy days

Jakarta

Driest month; Independence Day fills neighbourhoods with flags, games and parades.

Japan · 26°C (79°F) · 9 rainy days

Sapporo

The warmest month, comfortably mild compared with Honshu; Obon holidays in mid-August bring Japanese visitors.

Thailand · 32°C (90°F) · 12 rainy days

Koh Samui

One of the busiest months, with generally good weather and calm seas on the north and east coasts.

Indonesia · 31°C (88°F) · 2 rainy days

Yogyakarta

Driest month with cool mornings, especially on the Dieng Plateau, where nights can be near freezing.

Oceania

Australia · 23°C (73°F) · 4 rainy days

Brisbane

Dry, sunny and mild; the Ekka show fills the Exhibition Grounds.

Fiji · 28°C (82°F) · 4 rainy days

Fiji

Dry and breezy with the clearest water for diving; cool evenings on the water.

New Zealand · 9°C (48°F) · 9 rainy days

Queenstown

Reliable snow and slightly longer days; still cold and busy at weekends.

Australia · 27°C (81°F) · 4 rainy days

Cairns

Dry and pleasant with cool nights; dwarf minke whales visit the northern reefs in winter.

Africa

Kenya · 21°C (70°F) · 4 rainy days

Nairobi

Cool and dry with peak safari demand; book flights to the Mara and lodges well ahead.

Tanzania · 28°C (82°F) · 5 rainy days

Zanzibar

Peak season, dry and pleasant, with the coolest sea of the year; book early.

Beach, city or budget: August picks by trip type

What's on in August

Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.

• Copenhagen: Copenhagen Pride (usually August)
• Montreal: Osheaga — music festival at Parc Jean-Drapeau (usually early August)
• Singapore: National Day — parade and fireworks (9 August)
• Berlin: Long Night of Museums (usually August)
• Dublin: Dublin Horse Show at the RDS (usually August)
• Reykjavík: Reykjavík Pride (usually early to mid-August)
• Toronto: Toronto Caribbean Carnival grand parade (usually the Civic Holiday weekend in early August)
• Vancouver: Vancouver Pride Parade (usually the BC Day weekend in early August)
• Brisbane: The Ekka — Royal Queensland Show (usually August)
• Jakarta: Independence Day — flag ceremonies and neighbourhood games (17 August)
• Anchorage: Alaska State Fair in Palmer (usually late August to early September)
• Calgary: GlobalFest — international fireworks festival (usually mid-to-late August)

Daylight in August

Day length on these trips ranges from about 10.3 hours in Queenstown to 16.4 hours in Reykjavík (sunrise to sunset on 15 August). Longer days mean more sightseeing time; shorter ones favour museums, food and evenings.

August weather compared

Questions travellers ask