Where to go in August: 9 places at their best

August is the peak of the northern summer and the busiest month of the travel year. Schools are out, much of Europe is on holiday, and the beaches, ferries and mountain huts reach their limit. Prices are at their highest, and the most popular places can feel full by mid-morning. Many cities, on the other hand, are quieter than at any other time, because the locals have gone to the coast.

So the best August trips use the month. They go where the sea is at its warmest, the mountains are fully open, the big wildlife migration is under way or a festival takes over a city. Avoid the places that are simply too hot in August, such as the deserts and the southern Mediterranean cities at midday. Here are nine places that are good now.

The middle fortnight is the crowded one. If you can, travel in the first days or the last days of the month, when the prices ease and the queues shorten, and book the places that sell out before anything else.

Croatia

The sea is at its warmest and the coast is hot, sunny and full. Dubrovnik, Hvar and Split are packed, ferries to the islands sell out and car parks fill early. The middle of the month, around the Assumption holiday on 15 August, is the busiest stretch of the year for Croatians too. Book ferries and rooms months ahead, and look at smaller islands for room to breathe. The Croatia travel guide lists them. Early mornings and evenings are the best hours for old towns and beaches, and the middle of the day is for the water. A week split between two bases is more relaxing than moving daily.

Tanzania

August is one of the best months for the Serengeti. The long dry season has shortened the grass and the herds gather around the Mara River in the north, where the crossings are. It is the most expensive season, and camps book far ahead, so decide early. Zanzibar is also at its best from June to October. The Tanzania travel guide explains how to combine the parks and the coast. Pair the Serengeti with a few days on Zanzibar, which is also good from June to October, to finish the trip with a swim.

Kenya

River crossings in the Maasai Mara are most likely in August and September, which makes this the headline month of the Kenyan safari year. Roads are good and wildlife is easy to see, though the vehicles at the best sightings are many. Kenyan school holidays in August also bring domestic travellers to the coast and the lakes. Camps book many months ahead; start with the Kenya travel guide. Pick camps for the area rather than the name, and allow at least three nights in the Mara. Early game drives are the best of the day.

United Kingdom

Edinburgh hosts the Fringe and other festivals through August, and rooms there cost the most all year, so book the city first and plan the rest of Scotland around it. The days are long and the walking is good in the Highlands, though midges bite on still, damp evenings. Heatwaves are rare but happen. Use the Edinburgh itinerary for the city and the United Kingdom travel guide for the rest. Outside the festival city, the Highlands, the Lake District and the Welsh coast are all at their longest daylight. Pack a waterproof anyway, since the forecast is only a suggestion.

Switzerland

Every lift, train and boat is running and the high trails are clear. It is among the busiest and dearest months, especially around Interlaken, Lucerne and Zermatt, but quieter valleys are close by. The national day on 1 August brings bonfires and fireworks across the country. Afternoon thunderstorms are common, so start walks early. The Switzerland travel guide covers the regions. For fewer people, stay in a valley away from the headline resorts and take the early lift, before the day trippers arrive.

Poland

Inland cities such as Kraków and Warsaw are quieter in August, when locals head for the Baltic coast, the Masurian lakes and the mountains, which are busy and dear. The cities are warm, with long evenings and terraces in every square. Thunderstorms are common in the afternoon. It is a good month for a city break with a day on the coast, as described in the Poland travel guide. Kraków is the usual first stop, with Warsaw and Gdańsk as the next ones. Public holidays and often Sundays mean shops are shut, so buy what you need the day before.

Hungary

Budapest is hot, sometimes above 35 °C, so the city quietens by day and wakes at night, when the ruin bars and riverside terraces fill. Lake Balaton is where Hungarians swim. On 20 August, St Stephen's Day, there are usually fireworks over the Danube and the waterfront is packed. Large music festivals fill hotels, so book early. See the Budapest itinerary and the Hungary travel guide. Spend the hot afternoons in the thermal baths or in the shade, and save the long walks for the evenings along the Danube.

Colombia

August is a second dry spell in the Andes, shorter than the main one, and a good choice for trekking and the coffee region. Medellín's flower festival, the Feria de las Flores, is usually held in early August. It is also a popular time for Colombians to travel, so book the coffee region and flights ahead. Bogotá stays cool and often wet, so pack a jacket. The Colombia travel guide helps you plan the route. Bogotá, Medellín and the coffee region make a natural loop, with short domestic flights between them. The coast is wetter at this time of year.

Norway

August is a little quieter than July and still excellent. Waterfalls keep flowing, the boats and mountain roads run in full, and the light starts to soften. Prices come down from July's peak, though the famous hikes still need an early start. The Norway travel guide has the routes. The long light of the late summer evenings gives you time for a hike after dinner. Check that the ferries and tours you want still run to their summer timetable.

Planning a trip for August

August is the month to book early, and then to build slack in. Ferries, safari camps and Edinburgh rooms go first, and everything else is dearer the nearer you leave it. Our advice on how far in advance to book gives an order for it. Heat is the other thing to plan around: sightsee at the start and end of the day in the south of Europe and keep the middle for the water.

If your dates are flexible, the first days of September keep the sea warm and take out many of the crowds, as we describe in shoulder-season travel. If you are going with a group, agree the dates and the budget before anything is booked.

Finally, keep some money and time free for what you did not plan. The best days in August are often the ones when you stay longer at a quiet beach or a small town than you meant to.