Best places to visit in August

Posted by TripMapper | 8th August 2022

Uncover the best destinations to travel to in August! Round off your summer in style!

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CITY SIGHTS

Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Dutch capital is the one of Europe's most sought after city break destinations. Amsterdam's unbelievably pretty canal woven centre is laced by atmospheric lanes full of exceptional hotels, niche restaurants, craft breweries, art galleries, vibrant markets and stunning architecture.

The city’s maze of canals is the quintessential postcard-perfect vision of Amsterdam. Floating along the waterways under the flower peppered bridges is a great way to see the city from a different perspective. Meanwhile on land, exploring the city’s labyrinth of quaint lanes on two wheels is unbeatable. Join this cycling nation by gearing up and discovering all that Amsterdam has to offer!

Be sure to pedal to Jordaan, arguably Amsterdam’s most charming and fashionable neighbourhoods. Dotted with independent art galleries, cute cafes, courtyard gardens and patio restaurants, you’ll soon understand why Jordaan is worth a pitstop!

Jordaan is also the location of the Anne Frank House, where Anne Frank and her family hid in order to escape persecution from the Nazis. They are an independent non-profit organisation that runs a museum in the house to try to increase awareness of Anne’s life story.

Make your way to the Museumplein, the cultural beating heart of Amsterdam to admire Dutch masters. Here you can marvel at the treasures of the Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands; the Van Gogh Museum, where you can discover the life and work of Vincent Van Gogh; and the Stedelijk Museum, the must see museum for modern and contemporary art and design lovers.

After getting your fill of art, head to ‘The Nine Streets’, a picturesque warren of delightful little streets where you’ll find a super selection of quirky independent boutiques and even more wonderful eateries.

Creative types should include a visit to De Hallen on their Amsterdam travel itinerary. This hotspot for food, film and fashion is housed in a converted industrial building. De Hallen also boasts the Foodhallen, a trendy indoor food market offering a wealth of delicious food from all over the world.

From Amsterdam it’s alsoeasy to visit smaller cities like Edam and Utrecht, or even Zaanse Schans, a historical district dedicated to preserving old windmills and wooden houses.

Best time to visit Amsterdam (weather): Year round but June to August is best for great weather and festivals.

Find out more: I amsterdam website, Visit Holland website, Lonely Planet's Amsterdam Travel and Time Out's Best things to do in Amsterdam.

Get your itinerary started! If you need a little inspiration, or just a helping hand to get your Amsterdam itinerary started, check out TripMapper's interactive itinerary below. Simply click the 'Copy this Itinerary' button to take it into your TripMapper account and then customise it to make your own!

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RELAX / ADVENTURE / NATURE

Borneo, Malaysia

The island of Borneo is shared between Indonesia, the Nation of Brunei and Malaysia. For nature lovers and adventurers the Malaysian state of Sabah is a destination you must add to your travel wish list!

Cruise down the majestic Kinabatangan River to the wilds of the Sukau Rainforest. With hornbills flying overhead, proboscis monkeys swinging from branch to branch and crocodiles stealthily gliding past you’ll feel completely immersed in the magic of the rainforest. If you are lucky enough, you may capture a glimpse of a wild orangutan foraging for food or a family of pygmy elephants on the banks of the river.

For the adventurous amongst us (including the great Sir David Attenborough!), a visit to Gomantong Cave is a must. With cockroaches scuttling past your feet, millions of bats high above and the stench of guano filling your nostrils, it is certainly not a place for the faint hearted! As dusk approaches, you’ll witness the bat exodus, a spectacular display when over two million bats head out of the cave to hunt.

Sabah is also a state in which you can witness turtle hatchlings taking their first steps towards the sea. Turtle Island park is a safe haven for the endangered green and hawksbill turtles and the park gives a limited number of visitors the rare opportunity to observe the collection of eggs, tagging of mother turtles and releasing of baby turtles to the sea.

Because Sabah lies within the Coral Triangle, its seas are host to a rich assortment of marine life - from healthy coral reefs and amazing macro critters, to bumphead parrotfish and whale sharks. Sabah’s marine environments are considered amongst the richest on the planet and has several dive sites rated to be amongst the best in the world.

The perfect challenge for adventurers lies on Sabah’s west coast. Nested in the Kinabalu National Park, the iconic Mount Kinabalu stands at 4,095 meters above sea level. Climbing to the summit includes an overnight stay, rising early to reach the top in time for sunrise and jaw dropping views.

This enchanting trip is more than just spotting incredible but sadly endangered, wildlife and marine life, it is an opportunity to learn about the ecosystem, the local communities and conservation projects. To travel more responsibly in such an incredibly special destination, we would strongly encourage you to choose sustainable accommodations and sustainable travel providers.

Best time to visit Borneo (weather): Between March and October, when the island is hot and at its driest.

Find out more: Sabah Tourism Board

RELAX

Oslo, Norway.

Fancy a visit to a fun, creative city which is rich in culture, design and surprisingly close to the wilderness? Then get planning a trip to Norway’s capital!

Filled with sustainable neighbourhoods, car-free streets, eco-friendly gourmet restaurants and green spaces, Oslo is one of the world’s most green cities and a super city to explore in both the summer and winter months.

During the summer, the enchanting Oslo Fjord comes alive. Go island hopping or kayaking in the inner Oslo Fjord, hiking in the Nordmarka wilderness or sun bathing at Operastranda, a 100 metre long beach in Oslo's city centre. Spend the warm summer evenings in one of the many eateries along the water’s edge in the Aker Brygge wharf area, followed by a drink or two at one of the city's rooftop terraces.

In the winter season, swap your hiking boots for skis and have fun at one of Norway's top ski resorts or perhaps tackle some cross-country ski routes in a truly stunning setting!

Strolling through Oslo’s trendy neighbourhoods and beautiful city parks is the best way to soak up the city’s sights, whatever the time of year. The best-known and largest of Oslo’s parks is Vigeland Sculpture Park which contains more than 200 bronze, granite and cast iron sculptures by the Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland. Ekeberg Scultpure Park is another beautiful park known for its stunning views and sculptures by internationally renowned artists such as Louise Bourgeois, James Turrell, Sarah Lucas and Damien Hirst. Whilst exploring you'll also spot some adventurous architecture. From the Oslo Opera House to Bjørvika Barcode and the Munch museum to the National Museum there are many eye-catching architectural gems to discover.

Oslo has some exceptional museums and galleries to explore. The National Museum is not only an architectural beauty, it is the largest art museum in the Nordic countries. Some of the most famous paintings by Edvard Munch, including The Scream and Madonna and works by Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso are located in the museum. For those with an interest in Norwegian culture a visit to The Norwegian Museum of Cultural History which shows how people have been living in Norway since the 16th century until the modern day, is a must.

Oslo has become a culinary destination in its own right over the past years, offering everything from traditional Scandinavian dishes to innovative Norwegian fare and Michelin-starred gastronomy to uber trendy food markets where you can enjoy anything from a quick lunch to an evening out.

Your TripMapper travel planner will help you plan for and budget for this Norwegian getaway!

Best time to visit Oslo (weather): Summer (June–August) or winter (November–March) - it depends if you're looking for kayaking, park picnics and island excursions, or skiing, and a little snow!

Find out more: Visit Norway's Plan your trip to Oslo, Visit Oslo website and Time Out's Best things to do in Oslo.

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Editor's note: There are still some restrictions on travel due to COVID-19. Please check the latest guidance before booking and departing and always follow local health guidance. TripMapper is not affiliated to any third party mentioned or linked to in this blog. Linked third party websites are not under TripMapper’s control, and TripMapper is not responsible for their content.

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