Where to travel in September: the month seasoned travellers wait for

South Africa: spring, three ways

Spring arrives in South Africa in September, and it shows up in several ways at once. On the West Coast and in Namaqualand, if the winter brought enough rain, the dry land is briefly carpeted in orange, white and purple flowers – usually around August and September, though differently every year. Off Hermanus and the southern coast, southern right whales that come here to calve are often seen at this time.

Meanwhile in the north-east, around Kruger, the dry season is ending: vegetation is sparse and animals stay close to water, which generally makes them easier to find. Cape weather in spring is changeable – one day summery, the next windy and cool – so a flexible plan helps.

Slovenia: mountains without queues, valleys at harvest

September in the Julian Alps often brings the most settled weather of the season, and the summer jams around lakes Bled and Bohinj have gone. The Soča is as turquoise and cold as ever, the trails into the valleys of Triglav National Park are quieter, and mountain huts usually stay open until the end of the month – if you're planning a hut-to-hut walk, check when they close.

Lower down, in the Brda hills and the Vipava valley, it's harvest time, and in the Karst villages the season for long lunches of pršut and teran. Slovenia is easy to reach with a single connection, so it suits a week or ten days without a big time difference.

Spain: the south finally cools

In summer, Seville and Córdoba are so hot that the day has to be arranged around shade. Early September can still be hot, but by the end of the month Andalusia is usually ready for long walks through the old towns, the Alhambra in Granada and a drive through the white villages. If Andalusia is the goal, we'd suggest the second half of the month.

The north is another Spain. In San Sebastián the sea is still warm in September, the Picos de Europa are good for walking, and the grape harvest begins in La Rioja and Galicia. It's a journey of food and green mountains – not what many people first picture when they think of Spain.

South Korea: between summer and autumn

Korea's summer is humid and sticky; its autumn is one of the loveliest seasons of the year. September sits in between: the start can still be warm and humid and late typhoons do happen, but as the month goes on the skies clear and cool. It's a good time for Seoul, the temples and royal tombs of Gyeongju, and Jeju while the sea is still swimmable.

It's worth knowing about Chuseok, the autumn harvest festival, whose date moves with the lunar calendar and often falls in September. Over those days the whole country travels to see family, trains fill up, and some shops and restaurants close. Check the dates before you plan.

Ecuador: clear volcanoes and a cool ocean

In the Ecuadorian Andes, June to September is usually drier, so there's a better chance of seeing Cotopaxi and the other volcanoes without cloud. In the Galápagos it's the cooler garúa season: skies are often greyer, the water colder and the sea sometimes rougher, but that's also when the ocean is richest in food, and sea lions, seabirds and other wildlife are very active.

If you're prone to seasickness, a larger vessel or an island-based stay with day trips is worth considering. And you won't regret a wetsuit for snorkelling.

If you can travel outside the school holidays, September deserves serious thought. First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.