Best Countries to Visit in October
Where the weather, the crowds and the Dussehra holidays line up
Here is the list of 33 Best Countries to Visit in October
1. Thailand
The monsoon lifts over Bangkok and the Andaman coast during October, so Phuket, Krabi and the Phi Phi boats are running again just as the Dussehra holidays start. Flights are short and among the cheapest out of India, and the islands have not yet filled with the December crowd, so beach rates stay soft. Chiang Mai is green and cool enough to walk all day. Packages average around Rs 35,000 per person.
Top Places: Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Bangkok
2. Vietnam
Hanoi and Ha Long Bay are at their best in October. The northern rains have finished, the air turns dry and cool, and the limestone islands stand out clearly instead of sitting in haze. Sapa's rice terraces are gold before the harvest. One caution: the central coast around Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An is in its wettest weeks now and can get typhoon warnings, so keep that stretch short or save it for spring. Packages average around Rs 60,000 per person.
Top Places: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Sapa, Ninh Binh
3. Nepal
If you take one trip this October, Nepal has the strongest case for it. The monsoon clears early in the month and the Himalaya stay sharp and cloud-free for the only long spell of the year, which is why Annapurna and Everest Base Camp fill up now. Kathmandu and Pokhara are deep in Dashain and Tihar, so there is family celebration on every street. Flights from Delhi and Kolkata are short and cheap. Packages average around Rs 22,000 per person.
Top Places: Kathmandu, Pokhara, Annapurna, Chitwan
4. Bhutan
October is Bhutan at its clearest. The rains stop, Jomolhari and Jichu Drake stand out above the Paro valley, and the Druk Path and Jomolhari treks open on dry ground. It is tshechu season too, when monasteries hold masked dance festivals that whole villages travel to reach. Days run about 10 to 20 degrees and the nights are cold, so carry a proper jacket. Packages average around Rs 36,000 per person.
Top Places: Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Bumthang
5. Indonesia
Indonesia is running out its dry season in October. Bali stays mostly sunny through the month before the rains build in November, so this is the last dependable stretch for Ubud's rice terraces, the boats across to Nusa Penida and long evenings on the sand at Seminyak. Java adds Borobudur at first light and the walk up to the crater rim at Bromo. Rates sit between the August European rush and the December peak. Packages average around Rs 42,000 per person.
Top Places: Bali, Ubud, Yogyakarta, Nusa Penida
6. Singapore
Known For : Gardens by the Bay Universal Studios Singapore Marina Bay Sands
Singapore works best as a short trip, and October is a fair time to take one. The showers never really stop here, but they come in heavy afternoon bursts and pass, and the month is drier than the November to January stretch. Packages average around Rs 57,000 per person. Four days covers Gardens by the Bay, the Night Safari, Sentosa and the hawker centres, the flight is short from most Indian cities, and there is plenty indoors for children when it does rain.
Top Places: Marina Bay, Sentosa, Gardens by the Bay, Chinatown
Best Time: January to November
7. Japan
October is when Japan's autumn starts, and it starts in the north. Daisetsuzan in Hokkaido and the valleys of Tohoku turn red and gold through the month, while Kyoto and Tokyo stay green until late November, so plan north if colour is the point. Everywhere else the summer heat and humidity have gone, which makes Tokyo and Osaka far easier to walk, and the crowds are thinner than in cherry blossom season. Packages average around Rs 1,41,000 per person.
Top Places: Hokkaido, Nikko, Tokyo, Osaka
8. Turkey
Turkey is at its easiest in October. Istanbul is mild enough to walk from Sultanahmet to Karakoy without wilting, the queues at Hagia Sophia are shorter, and the Aegean and Mediterranean stay warm enough to swim well into the month. Cappadocia's balloons go up on clear, cool mornings, which is the whole reason to be there. Hotel rates drop once the European summer ends.
Top Places: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Antalya, Pamukkale
9. Egypt
Egypt becomes comfortable again in October. Cairo comes off its summer highs to around 31 degrees, and Luxor and Aswan, punishing in August, turn manageable for a full day among the tombs. Nile cruises restart in earnest and the Red Sea at Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh is warm for diving. Come now rather than in December, when both prices and the queues at Giza climb.
Top Places: Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada
10. Cambodia
The rains end across Cambodia in early October and leave the country green. Angkor's moats and barays are full, which is the one time of year the temples have water to reflect in, and the tour crowds have not arrived. Tonle Sap is at its largest now, so the stilt villages around it are reached by boat rather than on foot. Siem Reap pairs easily with Bangkok on the same trip.
Top Places: Siem Reap, Angkor Wat, Phnom Penh, Tonle Sap
11. South Korea
South Korea has no better month than October. The summer rains and typhoons are done, the air is dry and clear, days sit in the high teens, and the first autumn colour reaches Seoraksan late in the month before moving south. Seoul's palaces and the Bukhansan trails are made for this weather, and Jeju is mild without the summer humidity. Many Indian travellers pair it with Japan on one long-haul trip.
Top Places: Seoul, Seoraksan, Busan, Jeju
12. Oman
The heat breaks in Oman in October, which is what makes the country usable again. Muscat drops out of the forties, so the Grand Mosque, the Mutrah souk and the drive up Jebel Akhdar become daytime activities rather than endurance tests. Desert camps in Wahiba Sands reopen for the season and the nights out there turn cool. It is a short flight from Mumbai or Kochi.
Top Places: Muscat, Wahiba Sands, Jebel Akhdar, Nizwa
13. Jordan
October suits Jordan better than any summer month. Petra at 15 to 25 degrees means you can walk the Siq and climb up to the Monastery without losing the whole afternoon, and the camps in Wadi Rum are pleasant instead of baking. Floating in the Dead Sea is comfortable now, and the Wadi Mujib canyon trail is usually still open before it shuts for winter. Trips here are usually built to order rather than sold as fixed packages.
Top Places: Petra, Wadi Rum, Dead Sea, Amman
14. Georgia
Georgia is a harvest country in October. Rtveli, the grape picking, runs through the autumn across Kakheti and later in the west, and small family wineries open their doors and their tables to visitors. Tbilisi is 10 to 18 degrees, right for the old town and the sulphur baths. The road up to Kazbegi is still clear, and the Caucasus behind Gergeti church have their first snow. Wine, food and local transport are all cheap by European standards.
Top Places: Tbilisi, Kazbegi, Kakheti, Batumi
15. Uzbekistan
Samarkand and Bukhara are unbearable in summer and cold by December, which leaves October. At 15 to 25 degrees you can stand in the Registan at midday, and the low autumn light on the blue tilework is the best of the year. Melons and pomegranates fill the bazaars. Khiva's walled old town is quiet, and the fast train between the cities is easy to book.
Top Places: Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Tashkent
16. Greece
Greece in October is shoulder season, and that is the appeal. Athens sits around 24 degrees by day, so the Acropolis is bearable at noon, and the Aegean holds its summer warmth into the month, which keeps Santorini and Naxos swimming islands. Ferries thin out after mid-October and some island hotels close for winter, so fix the schedule before you book. Prices are well below August.
Top Places: Athens, Santorini, Naxos, Delphi
17. Italy
Rome and Florence are worth far more in October than in August. Highs of about 21 degrees mean the queues at the Colosseum and the Uffizi are survivable, and the summer coach crowds have gone home. It is truffle and grape harvest season in Tuscany and Piedmont, so the hill towns run food fairs most weekends. Venice can flood on a high tide this month, so pack boots.
Top Places: Rome, Florence, Tuscany, Venice
18. Spain
Spain holds its warmth longer than the rest of Europe, which is what makes October a good bet. Barcelona and Seville sit near 21 degrees, Andalucia is still shirt-sleeve weather, and the Costa del Sol beaches are usable in the first half of the month. Madrid's galleries are quiet on weekdays. It is olive and grape harvest season, so the countryside is at work rather than asleep.
Top Places: Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Granada
19. Portugal
Portugal's summer stretches into October. The Algarve is warm enough for the beach in the first half of the month, Lisbon and Porto sit around 12 to 19 degrees for walking, and the Douro valley is finishing its grape harvest, which is the best time to see the terraces working. Rain arrives later in the month, so keep a museum day in reserve.
Top Places: Lisbon, Porto, Douro Valley, Algarve
20. United Arab Emirates
Dubai and Abu Dhabi come back to life in October. The summer heat drops far enough that the beaches, the desert safaris and the Marina walk work again, and outdoor dining reopens across both cities. For a family with a week over the Dussehra break it is one of the cheapest short-haul options on this list, with flights from more than a dozen Indian cities and theme parks the children will not want to leave. Packages average around Rs 44,000 per person.
Top Places: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah
21. Morocco
October is one of the few windows when all of Morocco works at once. Marrakech and Fes come down to the high twenties, so the medinas are walkable in the afternoon, and the Sahara camps at Merzouga are open with cool nights and clear skies. The Atlas passes are dry for the drive out to Ait Benhaddou, and Essaouira stays breezy on the coast.
Top Places: Marrakech, Fes, Merzouga, Chefchaouen
22. Azerbaijan
Baku is at its most agreeable in October, around 15 to 20 degrees, with the Caspian promenade good for an evening walk and the walled old city free of summer heat. Gobustan's rock carvings and the mud volcanoes make a comfortable half-day. Sheki and Gabala give you autumn in the Caucasus foothills, with walnut orchards and old caravanserais to stop at.
Top Places: Baku, Gobustan, Sheki, Gabala
23. Mauritius
Known For : Black River Gorges National Park Underwater Waterfall Seven Coloured Earth of Chamarel
Mauritius sits in a useful gap in October. The cool dry winter has ended and the cyclone months of January to March are still far off, so you get warm days near 25 degrees, calm water and very little rain. That means good snorkelling at Blue Bay, an easy catamaran across to Ile aux Cerfs, and the Black River Gorges walks without mud underfoot. Rates are below the December peak.
Top Places: Grand Baie, Blue Bay, Chamarel, Port Louis
Best Time: April to June and September to December
24. Kenya
October is the closing stretch of the Great Migration in the Maasai Mara. The wildebeest herds are still on the Kenyan side of the Mara river for much of the month before they move back south, and the grass is short enough to watch predators working. Go in the first two or three weeks, because the short rains usually set in late in October and bring afternoon storms. Amboseli adds elephants with Kilimanjaro behind them. Packages average around Rs 2,37,000 per person, which makes this one of the bigger trips here.
Top Places: Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Nairobi
25. South Africa
Spring arrives in South Africa in October. Southern right whales are still off Hermanus before they head back to sea, and the last of the West Coast wildflowers are out. In Kruger the bush has thinned and animals gather at the waterholes, which makes for strong safari viewing before the summer rains break. Cape Town runs about 18 to 26 degrees, good for Table Mountain and the Cape Point drive. It is a long flight and safari lodges are the big line in the budget.
Top Places: Cape Town, Kruger, Hermanus, Stellenbosch
26. Kazakhstan
Almaty gets a short, bright autumn in October, roughly 10 to 15 degrees, and the poplars along the city streets turn yellow. It is the last comfortable month for the Charyn Canyon drive and the Big Almaty Lake road before snow closes them, and the Tian Shan foothills are good walking. Go in the first half of the month rather than the second. Kolsai and Kaindy lakes are quiet now.
Top Places: Almaty, Charyn Canyon, Kolsai Lakes, Turkistan
27. Australia
Australia's spring falls in October, which matters most if the Great Barrier Reef is the reason you are going. Cairns is still ahead of the stinger season, so reef swimming is unrestricted and visibility is good. Sydney and Melbourne run 18 to 22 degrees, and the Red Centre around Uluru is warm without the January furnace. It is a long flight, so give it ten days rather than five.
Top Places: Sydney, Cairns, Melbourne, Uluru
28. New Zealand
October is early spring in New Zealand, and the country is cheaper and emptier than it will be in December. Lambs are in the fields, the Southern Alps still hold snow so Queenstown works for skiing early in the month and walking later, and the Milford road is open. Days run 17 to 21 degrees in the north and colder in the south. Book flights well ahead if you are travelling in the Dussehra window.
Top Places: Queenstown, Rotorua, Auckland, Milford Sound
29. Canada
October is when eastern Canada turns colour. The maples through Quebec, the Laurentians and Algonquin peak in the first half of the month, and the drive between Montreal, Quebec City and Mont Tremblant is the reason to come now rather than later. Days sit around 16 degrees and nights drop close to freezing, so pack layers. By November the leaves are down and the snow is not far behind.
Top Places: Quebec City, Montreal, Mont Tremblant, Ottawa
30. United States of America
New England is the case for the USA in October. Vermont, New Hampshire and upstate New York reach peak foliage in the first two weeks, and the small back roads through them are the trip. Further south, Florida and California stay warm and the theme parks are quieter than in summer. Temperatures swing enormously between states, so build the trip around one region instead of three. Flights are long and costly, so book them well ahead.
Top Places: Vermont, New York, Florida, California
31. Peru
October is the end of Peru's dry season and a sensible time to go before the rains set in. The Inca Trail and the Salkantay route are still dry, Machu Picchu is clear most mornings, and the permit crush of June and July has passed. Cusco is around 20 degrees by day and genuinely cold at night. On the coast Lima is fogging over, so give your days to the Andes and Arequipa instead.
Top Places: Cusco, Machu Picchu, Arequipa, Sacred Valley
32. Sri Lanka
Be careful with Sri Lanka in October. This is the second inter-monsoon, when squalls and the occasional cyclone bring rain to the southwest, east and north at the same time, so there is no reliably dry coast anywhere on the island. The hill country around Ella and Nuwara Eliya holds up better, and the cultural triangle at Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa works between showers. If the beach is the point, come between December and March instead. Packages average around Rs 32,000 per person.
Top Places: Ella, Nuwara Eliya, Sigiriya, Kandy
33. Maldives
Known For : Stay in an Overwater Bungalow Ithaa Undersea Restaurant Scuba Diving in Maldives
The Maldives is at the tail of its wet southwest monsoon in October, and the dry northeast season does not begin until December. Expect grey afternoons, short heavy showers, choppier water and less visibility for diving. What you get back is the lowest resort rates of the year, which is a fair trade if you mainly want a quiet villa, a spa and a book. For flat seas and clear water, come between December and April. Packages average around Rs 89,000 per person.
Top Places: Male, Maafushi, Ari Atoll
Best Time: December to April
October rewards a bit of planning. The festival fortnight sells out first, so if your dates are fixed to the Dussehra and Durga Puja break, book early and keep one flexible day at each end. Which of these countries have you visited in October? Share your experience in the comments below.
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