Where to go in September
The month frequent travellers pick first: the weather is still good and the crowds have gone.
September benefits from the season's inertia: the sea is still warm from summer, daytime temperatures drop to all-day walking weather, and children are back at school, so prices and crowds fall together. The caution is that it is typhoon season in East Asia and storm season in the Caribbean — build in a spare day.
8 places this month suits
Italy
The sea is still warm from summer while the cities cool to all-day walking weather. Prices drop clearly from August and queues shorten a lot.
Italy plansGreece
The islands are still in full season with far fewer people, and the sea is at its warmest of the year — which surprises most visitors.
Greece plansPortugal
Warm and dry carrying on from summer: the coast is still swimmable, the cities comfortable again, and prices down on the month before.
Portugal plansJapan
Late in the month the air turns dry and noticeably cooler. It is still typhoon season, so keep a spare day in the schedule.
Japan plansHanoi
The north is at its driest with the best visibility and the terraces near harvest, while the centre is still in its storm window.
Vietnam plansTurkey
The coast stays warm and Istanbul returns to good weather: both the city and the sea work at once, without summer's crowds.
Turkey plansMorocco
Summer heat eases and the inland cities become walkable again, with the desert edge comfortable in the mornings and evenings.
Morocco plansNepal
The monsoon ends, skies begin to clear and the autumn trekking season is about to open; visibility improves fast late in the month.
Nepal plansWhat this month does to a data plan
More schedules change from storms this month than in any other, in East Asia and the Caribbean alike. What actually helps is having data from the moment you land, so notices reach you and bookings can be changed at once, rather than hunting for Wi-Fi in a terminal that is already busy.
What to skip this month
Central Vietnam and parts of the Caribbean are in the clearest storm window of their year. If the trip depends on tight connecting flights, avoid them or leave far more margin than usual.
Where to go in September
Why is September recommended so often?+
Because you get summer's weather without summer's prices or crowds: the sea is still warm, the cities have cooled, and school is back so families are not travelling at once.
Is the sea still warm enough to swim?+
In the Mediterranean it is at its warmest of the year, because water heats more slowly than air. In northern Europe it is too cold for most people.
How many spare days should I keep?+
One for a week-long trip in a storm-prone region, and do not book a connecting flight on the same day as a long-haul one if you are travelling in East Asia now.