Where to go in November: autumn colour in Kyoto and late-season sun

November suits travellers who plan around what they want to do rather than where they want to lie down. The Himalayan skies are at their clearest for trekking, the Red Sea is still warm enough for long dives, and the heat has left Jordan's deserts.

Kyoto's maples turn red in the second half of the month, and food cities from Hong Kong to Marrakech are comfortable to explore on foot again. The sections below are arranged by activity, with the places to skip for each one, and the practical planning at the end.

November at a glance

The averages below are long-term climate normals, so treat them as a guide to what is typical rather than a forecast.

Trekking and mountain walking

Nepal, in the clearest weeks of the year

The monsoon washes the dust out of the Himalayan air, and by November the mountains stand out sharply against a dry blue sky most mornings. October and November are the two classic trekking months in Nepal.

November tends to be slightly quieter on the trails than October, and colder at night. Kathmandu itself drops to around 8°C, and teahouses above 4,000 metres sit well below freezing after dark.

Three routes cover most first visits:

• Everest Base Camp: about two weeks from Lukla, including the rest days the body needs to adjust to altitude.
• Annapurna Circuit: longer, and crosses the Thorong La pass.
• Poon Hill: a loop near Pokhara with big mountain views in four or five days, and the usual choice for first-timers.

Under a rule introduced by the Nepal Tourism Board in April 2023, foreign trekkers in the national parks and conservation areas must walk with a licensed guide. The trek is arranged through a registered agency rather than improvised. Our guide to easy treks and permits covers the shorter routes.

Flights to Lukla are often moved to Ramechhap (Manthali) in the busy autumn season, which means a long pre-dawn drive from Kathmandu. Cloud can ground those small aircraft for days at a time, so experienced trekkers leave two or three spare days before their international flight home.

Back in the valley, the Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur are pleasant to explore in the dry autumn air. Each was a royal city in its own right, and walking between their temple courtyards fills a rest day well.

Tenerife, for walking in winter sun

For walkers in Europe who cannot fit in a long-haul trip, Tenerife offers serious hiking four hours or so from most northern European cities. The Anaga mountains in the northeast are covered in laurel forest and cut by steep paths down to black-sand coves.

Teide National Park, in the centre of the island, has volcanic trails above the clouds and a cable car that climbs to over 3,500 metres. The final section to the summit of Teide, Spain's highest peak, needs a free permit from the national park, booked online, and November slots run out well ahead.

The north of the island is greener and cloudier, and it sees most of the light rain that falls on about nine days in a typical November. The south, around Costa Adeje and Los Cristianos, is drier and is where most visitors stay.

A hire car makes it easy to combine a morning walk with an afternoon on the beach. Wind can close the Teide cable car at short notice, so check its status before driving up.

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Diving and snorkelling

Hurghada and the Red Sea

The Red Sea is the obvious choice this month. The water off Hurghada holds on to much of its summer warmth while the air has cooled to a pleasant 28°C, and there is almost no rain.

The Giftun Islands, a short boat ride offshore, have shallow reefs that suit snorkellers, and the wrecks and coral walls further out keep divers busy for a week. Northerly winds can make the crossing choppy, which is why many operators run their longer trips early in the morning.

Hotels south of town, towards Makadi Bay and Soma Bay, have house reefs you can reach from the shore. Divers who feel the cold on second and third dives of the day usually swap to a thicker wetsuit than they would wear in summer.

Aqaba

Across the gulf in Jordan, Aqaba has coral starting a few metres from the beaches south of town, and the sea there is a degree or so cooler than at Hurghada. It works best as part of a wider Jordan trip rather than a pure dive holiday.

Where not to dive this month

Two well-known Asian dive areas are best left for later in the season.

The northeast monsoon reaches Malaysia's east coast in November, and most resorts and dive centres on the Perhentian and Redang islands close until February or March, with boat services cut back. A few Perhentian resorts stay open, but anyone tempted should confirm in writing that both the resort and the boat transfer are running.

In the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Tao, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan take their heaviest rain of the year in November. Ferry crossings are often rough, and visibility around Koh Tao drops.

Food cities

Hong Kong

Summer in Hong Kong is hot, sticky and interrupted by typhoon warnings. November is one of the driest months of the year, the humidity drops, and walking between dim sum restaurants, roast-goose shops and dai pai dong street stalls becomes a pleasure again.

The city's Wine and Dine Festival ran in late October this year, and many restaurants keep offering special menus through November.

The hills are part of the appeal. The Dragon's Back ridge above Shek O can be walked in a morning, followed by lunch in the village. The Peak Tram up to Victoria Peak has long queues in the late afternoon, so ride it at opening time, or take the bus up and the tram down.

The Star Ferry across the harbour costs little and gives the best view of the skyline. Many visitors add a day or two in Macau for Macanese cooking and Portuguese egg tarts; our things to do in Hong Kong guide covers the neighbourhoods.

Marrakech

The best way to eat in Marrakech is at the food stalls that set up on Jemaa el-Fna square every evening, followed by mint tea on a rooftop. In November the afternoons are warm, around 23°C, and the summer heat that makes the medina tiring has gone.

Evenings are cool enough for a jacket, and many riads, built around open courtyards, are chilly at night. Ask whether rooms are heated before booking.

The Jardin Majorelle and the Bahia Palace are the main daytime sights, and Majorelle tickets are sold online for a fixed time slot. Day trips into the High Atlas, to the Ourika Valley or the village of Imlil below Toubkal, are still straightforward before the deep winter snow.

Morocco also hosts the Marrakech International Film Festival from 20 to 28 November 2026, when the city is busier and riads book up.

Goa

Goa has its own cooking, shaped by four centuries of Portuguese rule: pork vindaloo, xacuti curries, fish-curry rice and bebinca, a layered coconut dessert. The beach shacks are rebuilt after the monsoon and reopen around this time, and the sea calms down after months of red-flag warnings.

Panaji's Fontainhas quarter, with its painted houses, is good for an evening walk and a meal. The Portuguese-era churches of Old Goa, including the Basilica of Bom Jesus, which holds the remains of St Francis Xavier, are a short drive away.

North Goa around Baga and Calangute is busy and built up, while Agonda and Palolem in the south are slower, with beach huts and fewer bars. Scooters are the usual way to get around, but roads are narrow and traffic unpredictable, so taxis or a driver make more sense for visitors who have not ridden in India.

The food trip to postpone

November is usually the month with the worst air in Delhi. Smoke from crop burning in neighbouring states peaks from late October into mid-November and combines with still, cool air.

Pollution reaches the "severe" band on many days, which makes long days of street-food walking in Old Delhi unpleasant and, for people with asthma or heart conditions, a health risk.

Autumn colour in Kyoto

The maple leaves in Kyoto usually turn red from mid-November into early December, and the second half of November gives the best odds at the famous temple gardens.

Hill areas such as Kurama and Ohara change colour first, while Tofuku-ji, with its Tsutenkyo bridge over a valley of maples, and Eikando tend to peak later. Several temples, including Eikando, open in the evening for illuminations during the season, and the lit gardens are worth a second visit after dark.

Handling the crowds

This is one of the busiest periods of the year in Japan's old capital, comparable to cherry-blossom season. Getting to the best-known gardens at opening time, then spending the middle of the day in quieter areas such as the Philosopher's Path or a day trip to Nara, keeps the crowds manageable.

Leaf reports from local media and temple websites give a good sense of progress a week or two ahead. Three or four nights in Kyoto, as part of a longer trip, is enough for most visitors.

Venice, the autumn break to rethink

Europe's best-known autumn city break has the opposite problem in November. Venice sees acqua alta, the high tides that flood St Mark's Square and low-lying streets, more often in November than in any other month. The record flood, in November 1966, reached 1.94 metres.

The MOSE barrier now holds back the highest tides, but lower floods still reach the square, and waterproof boots become part of the kit.

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Desert safari in Jordan

Jordan's desert is the safari of this list: jeep trips across the red sand and sandstone towers of Wadi Rum, with a night at a Bedouin-style camp. In November the days are warm and the nights cool rather than freezing, which makes sleeping out comfortable.

Camps usually include an afternoon jeep tour with stops at rock bridges and old inscriptions, and the sunset from a dune.

Petra in two days

Most visitors combine Wadi Rum with Petra, which sits much higher than the coast and is noticeably cooler. Petra rewards two days: the first for the Siq, the Treasury and the main valley, the second for the climb to the Monastery with fresh legs.

Tour groups are heaviest in the late morning, so the first hours after opening are the calmest. Visitors with limited mobility should know that Petra involves long walks and many steps.

A hire car gives the most freedom, as the main sites sit along two well-signposted highways running north to south.

Festivals worth planning around

Diwali falls on 8 November 2026, so the festival of lights is under way as this guide goes out, and trains and flights across India are heavily booked around it.

In Nepal, the five days of Tihar fall around the same time and end with Bhai Tika, which calendars put on 10 or 11 November. Guru Nanak Jayanti, the Sikh festival marking the founder's birth, is on 24 November, when the Golden Temple in Amritsar is lit up.

Thailand's Loy Krathong falls on the full moon of the 12th Thai lunar month. Secondary sources give 24 or 25 November 2026, and we could not find an official date yet.

In Chiang Mai it coincides with Yi Peng, the lantern festival, and visitors should check local rules on lantern releases.

Two more dates for the diary:

• The Macau Grand Prix, a street race, is provisionally set for 19 to 22 November, when Macau hotels fill up.
• In Cambodia, Bon Om Touk, the Water Festival, is a public holiday from 23 to 25 November, though the boat races in Phnom Penh have been reported as cancelled for 2026.

A week in Jordan, day by day

1. Amman. Land at Queen Alia airport, about 40 minutes from the city, and spend the afternoon at the Citadel and the Roman Theatre. Sleep downtown or in Jabal Amman so dinner is a walk away.
2. The King's Highway. Take the slow road south through Madaba and Mount Nebo. With stops it fills the day, against about three hours on the faster Desert Highway, and ends in Wadi Musa, the town at Petra's gate. Book hotels for November weekends well ahead.
3. Petra, first day. Enter at opening time.
4. Petra, second day. Enter at opening time again and save the Monastery for fresh legs.
5. Wadi Rum. Roughly an hour and a half to two hours by road. Book a camp that includes the jeep tour and sunset.
6. Aqaba. About an hour further, and the base for a morning of snorkelling.
7. The Dead Sea. Allow three hours or more for the drive north along the Dead Sea road, float in the afternoon and stay at one of the resorts, about an hour from the airport.

Our five-day Jordan itinerary covers a shorter version.

A beach and culture week instead

Spend four nights in Hurghada with a boat day to the Giftun Islands and an easy reef dive. Then transfer by road to Luxor, which takes four hours or more.

Sleep on Luxor's quieter west bank, see the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut's temple first thing, and keep the evening for Luxor Temple under lights. A week split this way gives Egypt both its reefs and its tombs.

Planning the trip

Clothes for each climate

The spread of climates this month is wide, from near-tropical heat to nights below freezing, so pack by destination:

• Goa: with afternoons near 34°C, loose cotton or linen, a wide-brimmed hat, and a light layer that covers shoulders and knees for the churches.
• Red Sea: a few degrees cooler and windier, so add a windproof top for boat days.
• Tenerife: a fleece and a light down jacket earn their place even in a beach bag, because Teide's upper cable car station is close to freezing while the coast is warm.
• Kyoto: about 8°C at night and temples are entered in socks, so pack warm socks without holes, shoes you can slip off quickly and a coat for the evening illuminations.
• Marrakech and Amman: both fall to around 10°C after dark. Bring a warm jumper and, for women, a scarf that doubles as a head covering.
• Petra: the paths are uneven sandstone, and trainers with good grip are safer than sandals.
• Nepal: a down jacket, a sleeping bag rated well below freezing, trekking boots already broken in and a headtorch. Rental gear in Kathmandu's Thamel district fills the gaps.

Visas and entry rules

India issues e-Tourist visas through its official e-Visa site, valid for arrival through the airports and seaports listed there, which include Goa.

Egypt sells e-visas through visa2egypt.gov.eg and offers a visa on arrival to some nationalities.

Nepal gives most visitors a visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport. Completing the online arrival form on the Department of Immigration site beforehand shortens the queue; see our Nepal visa guide.

Jordan waives its visa fee for holders of the Jordan Pass who stay at least three nights, and the pass also covers entry to Petra and many other sites.

Japan and Hong Kong admit many nationalities without a visa for short stays. Check the lists published by Japan's foreign ministry and, separately, by the Hong Kong Immigration Department.

Tenerife is in the Schengen area, where the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU travellers' fingerprints and photos at the border. It began in October 2025 and has been fully in place since April 2026; the separate ETIAS authorisation is not yet in operation. The site's visa section covers other countries.

How far ahead to book

Kyoto comes first. Hotels for the second half of November, when the maples peak, often fill months ahead, so reserve as soon as your dates are fixed, on a free-cancellation rate.

Nepal treks and the domestic flights to Lukla or Pokhara should be arranged at least two to three months before you go, since autumn is the busiest trekking season and seats on small aircraft are limited.

Goa needs about six to eight weeks' notice for the second half of the month, as Indian holidaymakers travel around Diwali and ahead of Christmas. Petra hotels and Wadi Rum camps are worth fixing a month or two ahead for weekend dates.

Tenerife and Hurghada are the most flexible: outside the European half-term weeks at the start of the month, packages and flights can still be found a few weeks out. The United States celebrates Thanksgiving on 26 November 2026, which pushes up transatlantic fares around that weekend.

Health and safety

Altitude is the serious risk in Nepal. The CDC's guidance is that above 3,000 metres you should not raise your sleeping altitude by more than 500 metres a day, and should take a rest day every three to four days.

Descend if headache, nausea or breathlessness get worse. Insurance should cover trekking at the altitude you plan, since many standard policies exclude it.

The CDC lists dengue as a risk in India, Nepal and Egypt, and the mosquitoes that carry it bite in daytime, so repellent is for mornings as well as evenings.

Goa's beaches have lifeguard towers and red flags marking unsafe water; swim only where lifeguards are posted, and never after drinking. On the Red Sea, do not touch or stand on the coral, which is protected and causes cuts that heal slowly.

Drink bottled or treated water in India, Nepal, Egypt, Morocco and Jordan. Hong Kong's tap water meets WHO standards according to its Water Supplies Department, and Japan's is safe too.

In Marrakech, the UK's travel advice warns about unofficial guides who offer to show the way through the medina and then demand payment. Agree taxi fares before you set off.

Keeping costs down

In Jordan, compare the Jordan Pass with paying the visa fee and Petra tickets separately. For most visitors who stay three nights or more and visit Petra, the pass works out cheaper; choose the version that matches the days you plan inside Petra.

In Kyoto, the bus-only day pass was withdrawn in 2023, but the Subway and Bus One-Day Pass covers both networks and pays off after a few rides.

Staying in Osaka, under 30 minutes away by the fastest trains, is often easier and cheaper than Kyoto in maple season. In Hong Kong, an Octopus card covers the MTR, buses and ferries and saves queuing for single tickets.

In Nepal, trekking permits are separate for each region: the Annapurna Conservation Area permit for the Annapurna treks, and the Sagarmatha National Park permit plus the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu rural municipality fee for Everest. Agencies normally arrange them, but check that they are included in the quote.

In Goa, the first half of November comes before the Christmas rates.

How we checked this

Climate averages are long-term normals from national weather services, mostly for 1991 to 2020, with Amman on the Jordan Meteorological Department's 1989 to 2018 record. Festival and event dates come from organisers and official calendars, and travel times, entry rules and prices were checked in November 2026. You can read more about how we research our guides.