Muscat · Oman
August
Peak humidity month — the most challenging conditions of the year, but still very cheap.
Avoid
#11 of 12 months
There are better months for Muscat — see the full ranking below.
See when to go instead →Climate
High
38.5°C
Low
30.1°C
Rain
2mm
Sun
9.2hrs/day
30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5
How August scores in Muscat
Weather
Low
Value
Perfect
Crowds
Perfect
Events
Below average
Atmosphere
Average
What you gain in August
- ↑August represents the single cheapest month to visit Muscat — hotel rates are at their annual minimum, and the combination of summer discounts across restaurants, tour operators, and shopping malls means the overall cost of an Omani holiday in August is 50–60% below winter equivalents. For visitors whose trip is primarily structured around indoor luxury and brief outdoor excursions, August offers excellent return on investment.
- ↑The sea in August, despite the heat, is very warm (31°C) and the underwater visibility from diving is good. The Daymaniyat Islands (protected marine area) and the waters off Bandar Jissah (adjacent to the Shangri-La private bay) offer turtle encounters that are effectively guaranteed in August as green turtles are at peak nesting activity on Oman's beaches.
- ↑Turtle nesting season peaks in August at Ras al Jinz Turtle Reserve (320km southeast of Muscat) — the only place in the world where Arabian green turtles nest, with night tours running year-round but peak activity in July–August. The 4-hour drive from Muscat makes it an overnight trip.
What you sacrifice
- ↓August humidity (62% average, peaking at 75–80% on the most uncomfortable days) combined with 38°C temperatures creates a heat index that makes even brief outdoor exposure exhausting. The Gulf Coast humidity is qualitatively different from the dry desert heat of May and June — visitors acclimated to one should not assume they will manage the other equally well.
- ↓The city's expatriate population (roughly 40% of Muscat's workforce) takes significant summer leave in August, reducing the customer base for restaurants and cafés outside the major malls. Some independent restaurants operate reduced menus or hours.
How August compares to January (best month)
| Factor | August | January ★ |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 2 | 10 |
| Value | 10 | 5 |
| Crowds | 10 | 5 |
August in other destinations
Lisbon (26.5°C)Barcelona (28.6°C)Tokyo (32.1°C)Bali (29.9°C)Santorini (26°C)Paris (24.3°C)New York (27.7°C)Marrakech (35.8°C)Amsterdam (21.4°C)Maldives (30.3°C)Rome (30.4°C)Bangkok (31.5°C)Istanbul (28°C)Vienna (25.9°C)Seoul (29°C)Dubrovnik (28.5°C)Rio de Janeiro (25.9°C)Kyoto (33.7°C)Phuket (31.3°C)Cape Town (17.2°C)Prague (26°C)Amalfi Coast (31°C)Mexico City (23°C)Medellín (29°C)Fiji (26°C)London (24°C)Sydney (18°C)Iceland (14°C)Tulum (33°C)Dubai (42°C)Singapore (32°C)Hoi An (33°C)Chiang Mai (31°C)Miami (33.3°C)Florence (31.8°C)Queenstown (9°C)Madrid (35.2°C)Porto (27°C)Edinburgh (19°C)Copenhagen (22°C)Budapest (28°C)Kraków (24°C)Tbilisi (31°C)Palawan (30°C)Hanoi (32°C)Osaka (34°C)Goa (30°C)Cusco (20°C)Buenos Aires (15°C)Mykonos (30°C)Zanzibar (26°C)Sri Lanka (30°C)Costa Rica (25°C)Cancun (32°C)Krabi (32°C)Athens (33°C)Seville (36°C)Cartagena (31°C)Siem Reap (31°C)Havana (32°C)Split (30°C)Taipei (34°C)Kuala Lumpur (32°C)Valletta (32°C)Ho Chi Minh City (32°C)Hawaii (31°C)Cappadocia (32°C)Dominican Republic (32°C)Jamaica (33°C)Tanzania (23°C)Seychelles (26°C)Nepal (27°C)Jordan (36°C)Azores (27°C)Bora Bora (26°C)Los Angeles (28.5°C)Cairo (38.2°C)Kenya (24°C)Jaipur (32.8°C)Las Vegas (40.1°C)San Francisco (18°C)Madeira (28°C)Vancouver (23.3°C)Lima (17.2°C)Cinque Terre (29°C)Kotor (32°C)Tel Aviv (32°C)Santiago (15°C)Bogotá (19°C)Bruges (22.4°C)Penang (32.3°C)Lombok (30.4°C)Cape Verde (29.5°C)Fez (37.2°C)Kerala (29°C)Kigali (26°C)Hong Kong (31°C)Oslo (23°C)Auckland (14°C)
Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within Muscat, not across destinations. Methodology →