August is the peak of the northern summer and, for much of Asia, the peak of the wet season. Typhoons begin to reach Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam. India, Nepal and Bhutan are deep in the monsoon, and Cambodia and Laos are green and wet. The heat in China, Korea and Japan is strong, and domestic holidaymakers fill the beaches and mountains.
A handful of places are at their best. Indonesia's dry season is at its height, with the calmest seas around Komodo. Mongolia's steppe is warm and green. Sri Lanka's east coast and cultural triangle are dry, and Hokkaido and the Japanese Alps are cooler than the cities. These are popular and book out early. For everywhere else, accept the weather or choose another month.
Bali and Indonesia, Mongolia
Malaysia
South Korea, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, The Philippines, Nepal and Bhutan
Bali, Komodo, Lombok
Best timeThe busiest month, with long dry days and plenty of visitors. Bali's roads and beaches are crowded, and rooms fill early. Komodo and Lombok are at their best for calm seas, and the climbing season on Rinjani is open.
Bali: Ceremony, Rice Terraces & the Bukit Cliffs, 9 daysKomodo, by Private Boat, 6 daysUlaanbaatar, the Gobi, the steppe
Best timeWarm, green and, in the steppe, sometimes wet, with thunderstorms. The Gobi is hot. Nomad families are in their summer pastures. Visitors are numerous, so camps and guides need booking early.
Mongolia: A Gobi Lodge, 6 daysKuala Lumpur, Penang, Borneo
GoodA strong month for the east coast and Borneo, with sunny weather and good diving. Independence Day on the 31st is a lively time in the capital. Penang and Langkawi have more rain than in winter.
Kyoto, Tokyo, Hokkaido
MixedThe hottest, stickiest weeks, and the mid-August Obon holiday sends Japanese families on the road, so trains and rooms fill. Typhoons start to appear. Go north to Hokkaido or up into the mountains, and keep city sightseeing to the mornings.
Angkor, Luang Prabang
MixedHeavy rain is common, and river levels in Laos climb. Sunrise at Angkor is often cloudy but still worth the effort. Landslides can interrupt roads in northern Laos. A quiet month for travellers who do not mind being rained on.
Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui
MixedWet across the country, though the Gulf remains drier. Heavy showers are short rather than all-day in most places. A reasonable choice for the north's greenery and for the Gulf islands, if you stay flexible.
Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella, Galle
MixedStill the east coast's season, and a time for the cultural triangle and Yala. Kandy's Perahera may fall here too. The west and south coasts are rough. Plan the trip as a cultural and east-coast journey.
Rajasthan, Kerala, Delhi
MixedMonsoon continues, with humid heat and heavy showers. Rajasthan is green and its lakes are full. Roads and trains can be disrupted by floods. Independence Day on the 15th brings celebrations and some closures.
Seoul, Gyeongju, Jeju
Hard goingHot, humid and crowded with domestic holidaymakers. Beaches are packed, and typhoons can reach the south late in the month. Seoul is manageable in the early morning and in air-conditioned museums, but this is not the month to choose.
Taipei, Taroko, Tainan
Hard goingThe peak of the heat and of typhoon risk, with the Ghost Festival month adding a quieter, ritual mood to the cities. If you travel, build in spare days and travel insurance that covers weather cancellations.
Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai
Hard goingThe hottest weeks, with crowded sights as schools break for the summer. Typhoons can reach Shanghai. Beijing and Xi'an are very hot. If you travel, plan for the mornings and for air-conditioned afternoons.
Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Saigon
Hard goingTyphoon season in the north, with heavy rain and cancelled Ha Long Bay cruises on bad days. The south is wet. Hoi An is hot, with a sunny coast. Only for flexible travellers, with insurance that covers weather.
Manila, El Nido, Cebu, Bohol
Hard goingPeak monsoon, with heavy rain and a real chance of typhoons. Inter-island flights and boat tours are often cancelled. The landscape is green, and prices are low, but the plans are fragile.
Kathmandu, Pokhara, Paro, Thimphu
Hard goingMonsoon continues, with landslides and cancelled flights. Kathmandu and Pokhara are wet. Bhutan is lush and quiet. Only for travellers who can accept delays and are mainly interested in culture and greenery.
August needs a plan for the weather. The dry places, Bali, Komodo, Mongolia's steppe and Sri Lanka's east coast, are also full, so book three to five months ahead. Elsewhere, travel on dates you can change and choose a fare class that lets you do so. Insurance that covers typhoon cancellations matters for Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam. A cooler option is to go north: Hokkaido and the Japanese Alps are much more comfortable than the cities. Keep trips short, around a week, and avoid long overland transfers in the monsoon countries, where landslides and floods can close roads for days.
Obon, in mid-August, sends Japanese families travelling and fills trains and hotels. Malaysia's National Day is on 31 August. School holidays in Europe and North America make Bali, Komodo and the Gulf islands busy and expensive.
These are typical seasonal patterns, not forecasts. Rain, heat and the dates of blossoms and festivals move from year to year, so check a current forecast and your government's travel advice before you book.
9 days · Ubud, Sidemen, Uluwatu
A morning making offerings with a Balinese family, manta rays, the Uluwatu cliffs
from €400 per person per day
6 days · Labuan Bajo, Komodo National Park
Komodo dragons, pink-sand beaches and snorkelling, with a private speedboat
from €250 per person per day
6 days · Ulaanbaatar, Gobi Desert
Three nights in a Gobi lodge, with dunes, canyons and camel rides
from €750 per person per day
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Plan a trip for August