Where to Travel in September

As the peak summer holiday season comes to an end, September offers lots of opportunities for crowd-free and budget-friendly travel. Harvest season is in full swing, from Italy’s Dolomites to the vineyards of Portugal’s Douro Valley, while Kyrgyzstan’s expansive mountain ranges offer an evocative backdrop to the World Nomad Games. Those after a tropical escape will be lured by destinations such as Aruba and Malaysia, while the rhythms of the North Sea Jazz Festival in Curaçao or seductive fado at Lisbon’s Santa Casa Alfama are the soundtrack of the month. Here’s where to travel before the seasons start to change.

1. Dolomites, Italy

Temperature: 18-25C / 64-77F
Best for: Alpine hiking and cheese

As the summer crowds thin out, Italy’s Dolomites are ripe for exploring. Its rifugios (simple hiking shelters) are easier to get into and trails beckon for slow exploration of the range’s emerald-green forests and lofty wildflower meadows. Follow the sound of cowbells to hyper-seasonal dairy farms and try fresh ricotta or peppery alpine cheese slices with dramatic views over mountain valleys. Towards the end of September, cattle on high-altitude summer pastures slowly start their descent back to the villages. Here, they’re adorned with flower crowns and welcomed with grand parades, lively fairs and late-night concerts. Dates vary per village so it’s best to check the schedules in advance.

Like a local: Try the pasture-fresh buttermilk and homemade ricotta strudel at Malga Sella Alm in Val Gardena. It's been operating as a dairy farm and kitchen for over 200 years.

(Learn the Secrets of Nature’s Larder on a Foraging Trip to Italy’s Brenta Dolomites.)

2. Malaysia

Temperature: 24-32C / 75-90F
Best for: Wildlife and national holidays

From Malaysia Day (16 September), commemorating the formation of Malaysian Federation, to the Mooncake Festival (25 September), honouring a fruitful harvest and full moon, festivities in this Southeast Asian country abound this month. Expect nationwide parades, flag-raising ceremonies and cultural fairs against a backdrop of lantern-hung alleys and illuminated temples. This is also a good month to visit the Cameron Highlands. While there, try afternoon tea at BOH Tea Garden with locally grown and freshly harvested produce, or pick sun-ripened strawberries at the Raaju Hills Strawberry Farm. Plus, adventurers are spoilt for choice. Head to Redang and Tioman islands for perfect snorkelling conditions, or enter Borneo's rainforests to spot wild orangutans and saltwater crocodiles.

Like a local: Monsoon season has been inconsistent in recent years due to climate change. Monitoring rainfall for a couple of days pre-arrival can be helpful in predicting the weather and for planning ahead.

(The Inside Guide to Malaysia's Ultimate Food City.)

3. Portugal

Temperature: 25-28C / 77-82F
Best for: Wine and coastal adventures

In September, balmy temperatures across Portugal still provide the ideal conditions for sunbathing on the golden beaches of Alentejo or along the Algarve’s coastline. Traditional fado music echoes through the streets of Lisbon during the annual Santa Casa Alfama festival (11-12 September), while lesser-known towns like Tavira and Ferragudo remain favourites for coastal culture and seafood. Whether it’s hiking through dense forests in the Serra de Monchique mountain range or surfing autumnal groundswells along Costa Vincentina, the country’s southern tip makes for the perfect action-packed escape. Up north, harvesting of the famous vindima grape unfolds in the Douro Valley, where many historic wine estates open their doors for traditional grape stomping experiences and harvest dinners.

Like a local: Book a stay at the 18^th-century Quinta de Pacheca, a popular wine estate during the harvest season, which offers rooms created from giant wine barrels.

(How to Spend a Weekend in Portugal’s Unsung Region of Alentejo.)

4. Kyrgyzstan

Temperature: 13-27C / 55-81F
Best for: Nomad culture

Kyrgyzstan’s nomad lifestyle is best experienced in September. The bi-annual World Nomad Games (31 August to 6 September) return to the Central Asian country this year for a week of ancient festivities and adrenaline-fuelled contests, including horseback archery, wrestling, falconry displays and races. Meanwhile, the scent of freshly harvested mountain honey, apples and fermented horse milk — a local delicacy — permeates the air at markets in the capital, Bishkek. It’s also your last chance to stay in a 15^th-century yurt in high-altitude summer pasture camps before herders pack up and move their livestock down from Song-Kul’s plateau in what can be described as Kyrgyzstan’s Great Migration.

Like a local: Bring a lot of layers on multi-day treks as temperatures can change dramatically during the day.

(How to Plan the Ultimate Silk Road Adventure Through Central Asia.)

5. Aruba and Curaçao, Caribbean

Temperature: 29-33C / 84-91F
Best for: Tropical island life

Both Aruba and Curaçao sit safely outside the hurricane belt, offering affordable prices and sunny beaches with dependable weather in September. Curaçao is ideal for active travellers, as snorkelling trips offer the chance to spot sea turtles, shoals of tropical fish and marble-shelled crabs. Simultaneously, the North Sea Jazz Festival (3 to 5 September) will take over the island’s Piscadera Bay as world-famous musicians like Jon Batiste, Sean Paul, The Jacksons and more perform on the sea-front stage. Aruba, on the other hand, tempts with relaxed beach days and excellent paddleboarding. Make time for a walking tour of its capital, Oranjestad, and trace the island’s Dutch-Portuguese heritage through the town’s colourful architecture and rich culinary offering.

Like a local: Download an offline map for easy navigation by car as street signs can be scarce.

(What to Eat in Aruba, the Caribbean Island Where Wahoo is King.)