Where to go in August
Toss tomatoes in Spain, sing like the King in Memphis or race a boat along a dried up riverbed in Australia – August is silly season!
August seems to see a festival frenzy around the globe – from
Belize to
Papua New Guinea, and Edinburgh to
Sri Lanka. The warmth of summer in the northern hemisphere is matched by dry seasons across most of the south – great for trekking and wildlife watching.
Events & festivals
LOCAL CULTURE – The highland clans of Papua New Guinea gather for the Mt Hagen Cultural Show, with displays of ritualistic dance and music. Maherero Day sees the Herero people of Okahandja, Namibia, parade the streets in traditional dress. In Belize, the International Costa Maya Festival brings together revellers from the Mayan countries of Central America to celebrate on Ambergris Caye. And in Kandy, Sri Lanka, Buddhist adherents parade through the streets with brightly caparisoned elephants during the Esala Perahera.
FOOD – Tuck into tasty crustaceans at the Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland, USA during the first week of August. Or play with your food at La Tomatina – hordes of tomato-chucking revellers paint the Spanish town of Buñol red.
MUSIC & ARTS – Fans of the ‘King’ flock to Memphis, Tennessee for Elvis Week, with tribute acts, tours, runs and breakfasts. The Edinburgh Fringe brings the finest theatre, comedy, music, dance, musicals, opera and general arty mayhem to the Scottish capital.
WEIRD & WONDERFUL – Serpents are venerated, charmed and fed during the festival of Naag Panchami in Bengal, India. Boats are raced along a dried-up riverbed in the Henley on Todd Regatta, Alice Springs, Australia. Expect bizarre goings-on of all kinds at the Burning Man Festival in Nevada, USA. Tens of thousands of vividly costumed hanete dancers follow gigantic floats through the streets of Aomori during the annual Nebuta Matsuri – Japan’s answer to the Rio Carnival.
Wildlife
THUNDERING BISON – Rumbling bison herds resound throughout Yellowstone Park, USA as they gather for the annual August rut. Pull up next to a herd (but not too close!), shut off your engine and listen to the snorts, roars and bellows.
WILDEBEEST & ZEBRA – Vast herds sweep across the plains of Kenya’s Masai Mara during the Great Migration between July and September.
MARINE LIFE – Green and hawksbill turtles nest on the Caribbean beaches of Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica. Whales breach in the waters around Hermanus, South Africa, while humpback whales are spotted around Tonga. Elsewhere, orca gather in Puget Sound, Washington State, USA; manta rays fly over Western Australia’s Ningaloo Reef; and dolphins frolic around the Azores.
OTHER WILDLIFE – Brown bears gorge on salmon swarming up the rivers of Alaska and British Columbia, Canada. Huge herds of caribou migrate from the treeline to calving grounds in the Arctic tundra. And Brazil’s Pantanal is at its wildlife-rich best from July to September, offering the best chances of spotting jaguar. Head to Heimaey in Iceland's Westmann Islands to watch countless baby puffins take flight for the first time.
Activities
WINDSURFING – Head over to Colombia in Oregon, USA where conditions are just right for windsurfing. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, Oregon offers world-class winds with cracking waves and breathtaking scenery.
HORSERIDING – Explore Ecuador's most beautiful and biologically diverse areas on horseback. Ride through grassy plains in the Andes, or through lowland tropical rainforest. August is the perfect time to visit, with balmy temperatures up to 24°C.
WHITEWATER RAFTING – Grab a paddle, take a seat and enjoy the bumpy ride. Whitewater rafting is a great group water sport, and Spain has the best rides in Europe. Every August, Rio Sella holds an international kayaking race – try your hand or sit back and watch the pros.
Natural phenomena
FLOWER POWER – Be dazzled by carpets of blooming wildflowers in Namaqualand, South Africa.
WETLAND FLOODS – Massive rains in Angola earlier in the year wash down into Botswana, spreading through this vast inland Okavango Delta, bringing highest water from June to August.
The weather is nice in...
DUBROVNIK, Croatia 22-29°C
BEIRUT, Lebanon 24-33°C
ABIJAN, Ivory Coast 23-29°C
VICTORIA, Seychelles 25-28°C
HONOLULU, USA 24-29°C
Many areas of mainland Europe will be sweating from summer heatwaves and swarming with tourists, so now is an ideal time to visit countries that are typically cold and wet, such as Ireland, Scotland or the Netherlands. If you want heat this month, Sri Lanka is hot and humid all year round, but August is a drier month for a comfortable visit. Mild sunny days in Germany's Black Forest make for a comfortable climate to explore.
With reliable snow cover and frosty temperatures of -3°C to 15°C, August is the peak of ski season in the southern Alps in Queenstown. With long cool days, this is also an excellent time to visit Glacier Bay in Alaska.
Conventional wisdom says:
Don't talk to strangers.
Wanderlust says:
Throw tomatoes at them instead at La Tomatina festival in Spain.