The best places to go in August 2024

22.06.2024 - 08:19 / lonelyplanet.com

Jun 21, 2024 • 9 min read

Want an adrenaline-fueled adventure? Would you prefer to relax by the sea? Or maybe you’re keen to absorb some culture at a festival?

August is prime time for an epic escape. So check out some of our recommendations for where to travel this August and start planning your next adventure. 

Why now? Loll or surf at Indian Ocean beaches under the sun. 

There’s a triple whammy of good news about Sri Lanka’s northeast in August: the weather is great, prices are low and beaches are quiet. Unlike the southwest, which catches the rain now, the northeast coast this month has blue skies, warm waters and – at Arugam Bay particularly – good surf. Civil war ensured this region was largely off-limits until recently, so the coast is little-developed – you can still find an empty patch of sand at spots such as Nilaveli, Uppuveli and Passekudah. The center is also pretty dry in August, good for visiting the rock fortress of Sigiriya and spiritual hub Kandy, which bursts into noisy, colorful life during the Esala Perahera celebrations honoring the Sacred Tooth relic of Buddha each summer. 

Find everything you need to know to plan a trip on our Sri Lanka hub. 

Why now? To swim between offbeat isles. 

Okay, we won’t lie: August across this magnificent Mediterranean archipelago is hardly castaway-quiet. The weather is too alluringly hot and sunny, and popular islands like party-central Mykonos and dreamy Santorini heave. However, smaller outposts – such as Schinousa, uninhabited Fidousa and craggy-coasted Iraklia – will be far less crowded. Plus, there’s a way to get away from everyone: jump in that crystal-clear blue sea. Book an open-water swimming holiday to hop between bays, coves and beaches under your own steam – rather than hordes of tourists, you’ll see sea caves, rock arches, towering cliffs, and colorful fish. 

Find everything you need to know to plan a trip on our Greece hub. 

Why now? For a free foraging adventure.

Allemansrätt is an amazing thing. This “Right of Public Access,” written into Swedish law, means everyone has the right to freely roam the countryside – that is, to visit any beach, swim in any lake, fish anywhere off the coast, put up a tent on (almost) any patch of ground and forage all over. And in a country with as much wonderful wilderness as Sweden, the possibilities are endless – and even in peak-season August, there’s plenty enough space for everyone. Plus, it’s a great month for foraging: look out for wild mushrooms plus bushes heavy with blueberries, raspberries, lingonberries and cloudberries. But where to go? Perhaps a wild camp kayaking expedition around the islands of the Stockholm Archipelago? Or a hike along the Kungsleden (King’s Trail) in remote Swedish