15 Best Places To Visit In August For A Heavenly Escape

Often nicknamed as the Kashmir of South India, Munnar is the place for you if you're looking to take a break from the fast-paced life and connect with nature. It's famous for its tea plantations, so you'll find extremely scenic, lush green hills. Witness the magnificence of Atukkad waterfalls. You can trek, camp and even paraglide here. Go to Echo Point, where you can shout your heart out and experience the mountains echoing back your voice.

Places To Visit: Mattupetty Dam, Eravikulam National Park, Kalari Kshethra and Lockhart Tea Park

How To Reach: The best way to reach Munnar is by flight; the nearest airport is Cochin International Airport, which is about a 3.5-hour drive

Where To Stay: Flower Valley Airbnb, Wilderness Experience Airbnb, Windemere Estate and The Tall Trees Resort

Pro-Tip: Best Things To See In Munnar

This is the place you go to for that pleasant, not too cold and not too hot weather, this time of the year. Go to Mannavanur Lake, on your way, you'll find yourself in a pine forest where you can stop and take a walk, it's supposed to be extremely quiet and peaceful. Another thing to do is a trek to Dolphin's nose (a rock formation shaped like a dolphin's nose), which is only about 3 km!

Places To Visit: Kodaikanal Lake, Kodaikanal Lake, Guna And Kookal Caves and Coaker's Walk

How To Reach: To reach Kodaikanal, you can either take a train, the duration of which will depend on the city you're from or take a flight and reach Madurai Airport, which is a 3-hour car ride to Kodaikanal.

Where To Stay: Villa Retreat, Zostel, Green Pastures Hill Resort and Whispering Waters - Mountain Farm Cottage Airbnb.

Pro-Tip: Best Places To Visit In Kodaikanal

Spiti, a cold desert mountain valley, is a love of many travellers, and it's beautiful to visit in August. The temperature ranges from 4°C to 15°C, which means it's moderately cold. When travelling by road, ensure you're careful as there may be slush and water crossings. Besides that, the place is sure to captivate your heart, with a beautiful sky full of stars, treks connecting you to nature, and rivers that remind you of the flow of life.

Places To Visit: Monasteries like Key Monastery, Kungri Monastery, Kardang Monastery, Gue Mummy Stupa, Tabo Gompa, along with Chandratal Lake, Kaza Market and Kunzum La

How To Reach: The nearest airport to Spiti is Kullu Airport, and the nearest railway station is Joginder Nagar Railway Station (360 km away). After that, the best way would be to rent a bike and reach by road.

Where To Stay: Zostel, Hotel Kunphen (pet-friendly) and Hotel Spiti Heritage. For more options, check out our list here.

Only about 15 km from Kottayam, you'll find Kumarakom, which is a cluster of islands on the Vembanad lake. If you're a water baby, then you ought to visit this place at least once. In August, the weather will be pleasant, ranging between 24°C to 27°C, so you can enjoy the place in all its glory.

Places To Visit: Ettumanoor Shri Mahadeva Temple, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, Bay Island Driftwood Museum and Thanneermukkom Bund

How To Reach: The best way to reach this place from major cities would be to take a flight to Kochi (Cochin) airport, which is about 77 km away (a 1.5-hour car ride).

Where To Stay: Houseboats, Lakeside Cottage Airbnb and Coconut Lagoon.

Mawlynnong is also referred to as the cleanest village in India and often goes by the name 'God's Own Garden'. It's located in Meghalaya. You can visit this place all around the year, but it's especially beautiful during and just after monsoons. You'll witness rushing streams, evergreen surroundings and a sense of calm. About one hour away, you can boat in the Umngot River, which is said to have crystal clear water and beautiful landscapes.

Places To Visit: Nohwet Living Root Bridge, Borhill Falls, Umngot River and Bisnakandi

How To Reach: Shillong Airport is the nearest one, which is about 3 3-hour drive from Mawlynnong.

Where To Stay: Roberts homestay Airbnb and Marvels Camps 

Jodhpur is known as the Blue City of Rajasthan, and monsoons are pretty short-lived here. The rains bring down the temperature a little bit, but humidity becomes a rigid part of the weather this time around. Visit the many forts here, like Mehrangarh Fort and Khejarla Fort, zipline across forts or take a Bishnoi Village Safari to know the rich cultural life of the state of Marwa. 

Places To Visit: Mehrangarh Fort, Toorji Ka Jhalra, Ghanta Ghar and Bhati Tea Stall

How To Reach: Jodhpur is easily accessible with trains, buses and flights as it has its own railway stations and airports. So, you can choose what best suits you. 

Where To Stay: Umaid Bhawan Palace, RAAS Hotel and Bijolai Palace

With a total of about 88 ghats, out of which Dashashwamedh Ghat is one of the most famous. It can get a little hot and humid at this time of the year, but nothing a dip in the river Ganga can't solve. Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple is a famous temple that you must visit to connect with your spiritual self. Ramnagar Fort is a Mughal-style sandstone structure that houses a museum with vintage automobiles and antique weapons.

Places To Visit: Assi Ghat, Ramnagar Fort, Sarnath, Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Godowlia Market

How To Reach: You could opt to take a bus, train travel by your own car, or take a flight to Varanasi. The nearest airport is Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport.

Where To Stay: Taj Ganges, Wander Station Hostel and Ram Bhawan Residency

Pro-Tip: The Ultimate Varanasi Travel Guide

Cherrapunji is synonymous with rain, also known as the wettest place on Earth! You can visit the Nohkalikai Falls — the tallest plunge waterfall in India. You can trek to one of the most loved attractions, the Living Root Bridge, which has been documented as far back as 1844! If that's not all, you can let your explorer out in the many caves that exist here.

Places To Visit: Thangkarang Park, Krem Mawsmai, Krem Mamluh and Krem Umshyrpi caves

How To Reach: Shillong airport is the nearest to Cherrapunji (about 80kms which is roughly a 2-hour drive). The nearest railway station would be Guwahati Railway Station (180 km away)

Where To Stay: Hesed House Airbnb and Polo Orchid Resort

All the Mumbaikars, if you're looking for a weekend getaway, then this hill station south-east of Bombay is probably the place to go! The major attractions here are Rajpuri Caves, Sydney Point, Lingmala Falls, Table Land, Rajpuri Caves, and Dhom Dam, where you can find picturesque views. You can even opt for activities like paragliding and trekking here.

Places To Visit: Tableland, Sydney Point, Rajpuri Caves and Parsi Point

How To Reach: Pune's airport is the nearest, only about 100 km away from Panchgani. If you choose to travel by train, it's suggested to reach Pune only as it is well-connected with most cities. Mumbaikars can take this as a road trip opportunity as it'll be only a 5-hour ride by var for them!

Where To Stay: Hill-top Treehouse Airbnb, Devrai Home Stay Airbnb and Mount View Heritage Hotel

Pro-Tip: The Ultimate Panchgani Travel Guide

Located in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is the country's largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples. It's famous for its erotic sculptures, but you'll be shocked to know that that only accounts for 10% of the total sculptures. Initially, this place had about 85 temples, of which only 20 have survived through the years. 

Places To Visit: Lakshmana Temple, Kandariya Mahadev Temple, Old Village, Lakshmi Temple, Matangeshwar Mahadev Temple, Parshwanath Temple, Lord Mahavira Temple and Adinath Temple

How To Reach: Easily reach Khajuraho by air as it has its own domestic airport. There's also a railway station, but few trains halt here. You can easily find buses that regularly go here if you choose to go by road.

Where To Stay: The Lalit, Tigers & Temples Airbnb and Syna Heritage Hotel

Mount Abu is a hill station located in the Aravali range in Rajasthan. The skies are usually clear and the weather is quite pleasant this time of the year, with a maximum temperature of 28°C. There might be some rainfall, but nothing beats the lush green you'll be able to experience in the monsoon season.

Places To Visit: Dilwara Temple, Toad Rock, Nakki Lake and Gurushikhar

How To Reach: The nearest airport is Maharana Pratap Airport in Udaipur, from there the drive to Mount Abu is about three hours. If you're planning to do a 100% road trip, it'll take about 13 hours from Delhi, 13.5 hours. The nearest train station is Abu Road Railway Station.

Where To Stay: WelcomHeritage and Hotel Hilltone

Goa in the monsoon is blissfully quiet. With the usual crowds out of sight, it’s the perfect time to soak in the raw, scenic views the state has to offer. Sure, the water sports and beach raves take a back seat, but what you get instead is lush greenery, and a slower (and soulful) feel. While July’s high sea levels can keep you off the shore, by mid to late August, things usually settle down, giving you the best of both worlds.

Places To Visit: Candolim Beach, Chapora Fort, and Cabo de Rama

How To Reach: The nearest airport to North Goa is Manohar International Airport (GOX), and South Goa is Dabolim Airport (GOI). The nearest railway stations are Madgaon and Vasco-da-Gama.

Where To Stay: Leen Stays, Privy by AlohaGoa, and Hakuna Matata

Pro-Tip: Best Places To Stay At, Eat, Visit In Goa

Coorg is one of those places where even heavy downpours won’t ruin your trip — if anything, they make it all the more magical. The greenery circled in layers of mist (too poetic?) makes the entire landscape dreamy, especially for nature lovers. While you're there, don't miss out on visiting the gushing waterfalls and dams — this is when they’re at their most powerful and breathtaking!

Places To Visit: Abbey Falls, Raja's Seat, Honnamana Kere Lake

How To Reach: The nearest airport to Coorg is Mangalore International Airport (IXE). The nearest railway stations are Mysore and Mangalore.

Where To Stay: Club Mahindra Resort, Gowri Nivas, and Lastvilla 

Pro-Tip: 12 Best Places To Visit In Coorg

Darjeeling is called the Queen of the Hills for a reason. Once a summer retreat for the British Raj elite, this little town in West Bengal looks just as magical during the monsoon. While heavy rains might put a pause on trekking and other outdoor adventures, it's the perfect setting for a slow, scenic staycation amidst misty hills, tea plantations, and uninterrupted views. If you're craving calm, this one deserves a top spot on your bucket list.

Places To Visit: Bengal Natural History Museum, Monasteries, Japanese Temple

How To Reach: The nearest airport to Darjeeling is Bagdogra Airport (IXB). The nearest railway station is New Jalpaiguri.

Where To Stay: MAYFAIR Hill Resort, Taj Chia Kutir Resort, and Golden Peko

Pro-Tip: Top Places To See In Darjeeling

The Valley of Flowers National Park is finally open, and August is hands down the best time to visit — it’s when the blooms are at their most vibrant. While the region does experience heavy rainfall and has a potential risk of landslides, a little preparation goes a long way. Do your research, monitor weather conditions, and pack smart. Since it’s a popular trekking route, make sure you’re equipped with waterproof backpacks, solid hiking shoes, and a sturdy trekking pole.

Places To Visit: Hemkund Sahib, Govindghat, Mana

How To Reach: The nearest airport to Jolly Grant Airport (DED). The nearest railway station is Rishikesh.

Where To Stay: Amritara The Avadh, Tathastu Maitri Ski Resort, and Ganga Resort

Pro-Tip: Your Guide To The Valley Of Flowers National Park