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Português (PT)Where to go in August
The month Europe takes its holiday at once, and the month an off-list destination pays off most.
August is when much of Europe holidays at once: small shops in big cities can close for the month while the coast is at its fullest. In Asia the cities are hot and humid and the east is in typhoon season. This month's best answers usually sit off the popular list — eastern Europe, Central Asia and the southern hemisphere.
8 places this month suits
Kyrgyzstan
The short high-altitude summer, when every route is open and the pastures are greenest — one of the few months mountain travel is easy.
Kyrgyzstan plansSlovenia
The mountains and lakes are at their best and the towns are nowhere near as full as the Mediterranean coast, at prices below western Europe in the same month.
Slovenia plansIndonesia
Mid dry season with the year's best underwater visibility. Prices are high because it coincides with the European holiday, but the sea makes up for it.
Indonesia plansBotswana
Dry season, with animals concentrated around the water: the best wildlife viewing of the year. Nights are properly cold, so pack for it.
Botswana plansPoland
Summer at a comfortable temperature with the old towns still easy to walk, at prices far below western Europe in the year's most expensive month.
Poland plansCanada
Full summer with every park open: warmer than June, and the high-altitude trails in their best condition of the year.
Canada plansSouth Korea
Hot and humid in the cities, but it is the month Jeju and the coast are liveliest. Move the afternoon indoors and the day still works end to end.
South Korea plansArgentina
Southern winter, with the western ski areas open and the cities still walkable, at prices well below their own summer.
Argentina plansWhat this month does to a data plan
Typhoon season in East Asia can rearrange flight schedules quickly, and airlines push the notice to their apps before anywhere else. Having data working from the moment you land is worth more than usual this month.
What to skip this month
The Mediterranean coast and the big southern European cities are the fullest and priciest of the year, while Asia's large cities are humid enough to make midday outdoors barely workable.
Thai holidays in August and what they do to fares
H.M. Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother's Birthday Anniversary and National Mother's Day falls on Thursday 12 August 2027, per the Bank of Thailand. With Friday 13 August as leave it is a four-day weekend, and Bangkok to Japan, Korea and Taiwan flights fill on the Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.
The Mother's Day weekend collides with Japan's Obon, the mid-August period when much of Japan travels home. Obon is not a national holiday, but trains, highways and rooms are busy, so the long weekend is better spent in Taiwan, Korea or a Southeast Asian city than in Japan.
Visa notes for Thai passport holders in August
These are the entry rules for the places this page recommends. Rules change, so confirm on the official page before you pay for flights.
- South Korea: short visits are visa-free, but Thai passport holders must hold an approved K-ETA before boarding unless an exemption is announced. Apply only on the official site: https://www.k-eta.go.kr
- ASEAN neighbours such as Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore admit Thai passport holders visa-free for short tourist stays; the permitted length differs by country, so check before a long trip, for example https://www.ica.gov.sg/enter-transit-depart/entering-singapore/visa_requirements or https://evisa.gov.vn.
- Schengen countries (most of the EU plus Norway, Iceland and Switzerland): Thai passport holders need a Schengen visa, and since the Entry/Exit System started, fingerprints and a face photo are taken at the first border crossing. https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees_en
- Canada: Thai passport holders need a visitor visa; apply only through the Government of Canada's immigration site (canada.ca) and allow several weeks.
- Anywhere else on this page: check the country's embassy in Bangkok or its official e-visa portal, starting from the Thai Department of Consular Affairs. https://consular.mfa.go.th
Weather and crowds at a glance in August
| Destination | Typical conditions | Crowds and prices | Official forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyrgyzstan | Warm valleys, cold high camps | Moderate | Kyrgyz hydrometeorological agency |
| Slovenia | Warm, mountain storms possible | Busy at Bled and Bohinj | Slovenian Environment Agency |
| Indonesia, Bali | Dry, breezy | Peak, prices high | BMKG |
| Botswana | Dry, cold nights | High season at the delta | Botswana's meteorological service |
| Poland | Warm | Moderate, cheaper than western Europe | Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management |
| Canada | Warm; wildfire smoke possible in the west | Peak in the parks | Environment and Climate Change Canada |
| South Korea, Jeju | Hot, humid, typhoon risk | Local summer peak | KMA |
| Argentina | Winter; snow in the Andes | Ski resorts busy in July school holidays, easing in August | Argentina's national weather service |
Conditions are typical patterns, not a forecast. Check the national weather service listed for the week you travel.
When to book for August
- Book the Mother's Day weekend two to three months ahead for Asian routes. Avoid planning a tight Japan connection that week; Obon traffic makes trains and roads slow.
- Typhoons can cancel East Asian flights at a day's notice in August. Buy fares that can be changed, add a buffer day before any long-haul connection, and keep the airline app installed so rebooking messages reach you.
- Buy and install the eSIM at home in the days before departure; most plans in our catalogue only start counting days on first connection at the destination, which the plan page states.
Data needs in August
Storm days are when data matters most: the Japan Meteorological Agency and the Korea Meteorological Administration publish typhoon tracks, and airlines push rebooking options to their apps. Keep enough allowance for a stranded day of video calls and rebooking. For a Bali or Jeju beach week, 1 GB a day is usually enough; Kyrgyz and Botswana camps need offline preparation more than a bigger plan.
Where to go in August
Do many European shops really close?+
In some big cities, small owner-run places close for a week or the whole month, while larger businesses and the sights stay open. Check opening hours before you make the trip across town.
What should I do if a typhoon hits?+
Follow the airline's and the hotel's notices in their apps, do not set off for the airport before you have confirmation, and build a spare day in at the planning stage.
What is the best value this month?+
Destinations outside the European holiday calendar — Central Asia, eastern Europe and the southern hemisphere — where the weather is good and prices are not pushed up by the season.
When is the Mother's Day long weekend in 2027?+
Mother's Day is Thursday 12 August 2027. With Friday 13 August as leave, the break runs Thursday to Sunday 15 August.
Is Obon a public holiday in Japan?+
No, it is not on Japan's national holiday list, but many companies close for several days in mid-August and domestic travel peaks.
Where can I follow typhoon warnings?+
The national agencies: JMA for Japan, KMA for Korea, the Hong Kong Observatory, and Taiwan's Central Weather Administration. Their sites are more reliable than social media reposts.
Do I need a bigger plan for typhoon season?+
Not bigger so much as one you can top up. A stranded day indoors uses more data than a sightseeing day, so a plan with top-up avoids running dry.