18 of the best places to visit in November 2024

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2. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Why go in November? For warmth without the humidity
Normally hot and humid, the southern provinces of Vietnam transition to a cooler and drier season from November. In Ho Chi Minh City, where average daytime highs are generally in the high 30s, this drops to a more comfortable average between the high 20s and low 30s. Perfect, then, if you plan to sightsee during the day. Among the essential stops in the city are the Independence Palace and the War Remnants Museum, where you can learn about the country’s tumultuous recent history. Popular day trips include visits to Cu Chi Tunnels, which were used for guerilla fighting during the Vietnam War, and the Mekong Delta. Hilton Saigon is one of the newest hotels in District 1 with a rooftop bar and views across the Saigon River.

3. Vatnajokull, Iceland

Why go in November? For a glacial escape
Iceland’s name becomes increasingly accurate in November, as sub-zero temperatures arrive more frequently. This is the time of year for tours into the ethereal world of ice caves — more accurately, glacier caves — as these changing hollows need to be safely frozen before they can be explored. The most accessible caves are in the south of Iceland, especially at the edge of the vast Vatnajokull ice cap. The year-round wonder of Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon is also here, and with early-winter nights come increased chances of seeing the northern lights. Near the southern point of Vatnajokull, the stark architecture of the 125-room Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon vies with the surrounding landscape.

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4. Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Why go in November? For peace and quiet
For anyone in search of an escape from grey skies in northern Europe, Lanzarote provides a startling break. The closest of the Canary Islands is also the driest — together with its neighbour Fuerteventura — and in Timanfaya National Park you’ll feel like you’re on a Martian expedition. In November, temperatures are likely to be in the low 20s, and the three or so rainy days this month bring green growth to the valleys around Haria. First week aside, there are few school holidays this month — a bonus for peace-seekers. With gardens designed by the famous Lanzarote architect Cesar Manrique, Paradisus by Melia Salinas is a big-name resort with local flavour, set between two beaches.

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5. Oaxaca, Mexico

Why go in November? For festivities in balmy climes
Dia de los Muertos — the Day of the Dead — is one of Mexico’s liveliest annual events, with colourful ofrendas (altars), costumed parades and candlelit cemetery vigils. Held on and around November 2, the festival is most strongly marked in the centre and south of the country. The celebrations in Michoacan state are famous, but Oaxaca is also a culturally rich place to experience them, with a beautiful and little-developed coast to enjoy as well. The rainy season should be over by this time of year, with temperatures pleasantly warm. The Hotel Parador de Alcala is a hotel in an 18th-century mansion in the historic centre of Oaxaca city, with a colonnaded central courtyard and a rooftop pool.

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6. Kyoto, Japan

Why go in November? For autumnal colours in traditional temples
Though Japan’s momiji (autumn leaf) season is less of a quick-burn affair than its famous cherry blossoms, it can also be tricky to predict the ideal time to catch the wave of colour: early October in some northern or mountain areas, or as late as December in Tokyo. Japan’s historic capital, Kyoto, skews late like its modern one. Aim for the latter half of November to see crimson-coloured maple leaves dropping in the gardens of Zen temples. Book ahead to stay in Higashiyama, Kyoto’s eastern hills. In the east of the city, the Hyatt Regency Kyoto brings a contemporary take on Kyoto’s thousand-plus years of artisan traditions.

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7. Florence, Italy

Why go in November? For hearty food with a dose of culture
Tuscany in late autumn may not have quite the same golden kiss of sun on the villa-crowned hills, but the season suits the region in other ways. Chillier weather calls for a cuisine that is among Italy’s heartiest, with the flavours of game and — especially now — the prized white truffle. November can be a tough month for European city breaks, but in Florence at least there is a whole art history degree’s worth of indoor attractions if rainy weather sets in. With decor partly inspired by the world of watchmaking, Hotel L’Orologio overlooks Florence’s Piazza di Santa Maria Novella with a splendid fourth-floor loggia.

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8. Boa Vista, Cape Verde

Why go in November? For guaranteed winter sun
Off the western tip of Africa, the nine inhabited islands of Cape Verde are now emerging from their (rather modest) rainy season. Further from the UK than the Canary Islands but a shorter flight than Dubai or the Caribbean, the archipelago has bankable winter sun. The island of Boa Vista is second only to Sal in its choice of hotels — both are very dry, with dazzling white-sand beaches, though Boa Vista has a wilder feel. For greener mountain scenery and African-Portuguese culture, hop to neighbouring islands with simpler accommodation. On the south side of Boa Vista, Hotel Riu Touareg is an all-inclusive resort with kasbah-style architecture on an otherwise deserted stretch of beach.

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9. Saint John’s, Antigua and Barbuda

Why go in November? For tropical beaches before the high season
The Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda throws a party for its independence day on November 1, as it gears up to go into the tourism high season in December. In the intervening month, rain showers may come but should clear quickly, the threat of hurricanes is almost gone and there are good hotel deals to be had. Antiguans claim the main island has 365 beaches, so there’s no lack of choice, but if you’re after sunsets over the Caribbean, head to the west coast near the capital Saint John’s. Galley Bay Resort & Spa has rooms in villas lined up along a dreamy beach, or more private suites with plunge pools in a tropical garden next to a lagoon.

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10. New York City, USA

Why go in November? For early Christmas shopping
November is generally a cheaper time to visit the Big Apple than the months just before and after: great for early Christmas shopping and the likelihood of autumn colours in Central Park — later than in surrounding areas thanks to Manhattan’s urban warmth. The first Sunday of the month is when the New York City Marathon takes place, and the fourth Thursday marks Thanksgiving, celebrated here with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and its giant balloons. Staying in Midtown puts you at the heart of the New York action, and competition between the many hotels can mean good prices for the location. The Arlo Midtown, in the Garment District, has calming decor with tropical plants and mid-century furniture.

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11. Buenos Aires, Argentina

Why go in November? For southern hemisphere spring
One of the most splendid symbols of southern hemisphere spring is the jacaranda tree, and in its native Argentina, the streets of Buenos Aires are festooned in purple blossoms from November (there may be a smaller second flowering in February, too). Citizens of the capital have already been shaking off the winter blues for a good month, but November is a great time for events such as the Buenos Aires Jazz Festival and Argentine Open Polo Tournament, before the busy period around Christmas. The leafy Palermo district is a centre for dining and nightlife, where the Vain Boutique Hotel has much to preen about: a century-old townhouse with stylish yet unfussy rooms, and discreet courtyard spaces.

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12. Chiang Mai, Thailand

Why go in November? For Thailand at its most temperate
Thailand goes through one of its three main seasonal changes in November, marked by the country’s king changing the decorative attire on the statue of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok. The rainy season officially ends (except for east-coast locations in the south such as Koh Samui, where it peaks), to be replaced by a drier and cooler winter. As tempting as it is to make a beeline for southwestern beaches, the rains clear earliest in the north of the country. Chiang Mai is Thailand’s second city in cultural terms, and a starting point for trekking in the hills. Traditional teak houses and vibrant tropical plants create an idyllic village-like ambience at Villa Mahabhirom, at the foot of Chiang Mai’s western hills.

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13. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Why go in November? For a slice of history without the rains
The Dominican Republic has the second-largest area of any Caribbean island nation, with long beaches screened by coconut palms, and mountains that reach 3,000m (9,840ft). Its climate is quite location-dependent, and in November the heaviest rains move from the south coast to the north. Tourist high season is still a month away. Punta Cana in the east receives the most international flights, but you should explore beyond its resorts to discover the diversity of the country in south-coast national parks and the capital Santo Domingo, the earliest European-built city in the Americas. Seven historic homes, some dating back to the 16th century, make up Casas del XVI — a diffuse hotel filled with antiques and modern art in Santo Domingo’s Colonial City.

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14. Athens, Greece

Why go in November? For a city break without the crowds
By November, tourism in the Greek islands has mostly shut down for the winter, but life in the capital, Athens, goes on. Average temperatures this month are in the mid-teens: not geared for a beach break, but good for the runners in the Athens Marathon, which begins 26.2 miles away in the town of Marathon itself. This cooler time nevertheless makes Athens among the warmest of European capitals, and if you visit in November, you won’t find phalanxes of visitors at the Acropolis and other major attractions. Stay at the Herodion hotel, just next to the Acropolis Museum, and you can take in rooftop views of the city’s prime monument from the warmth of a hot tub.

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15. Patagonia, Chile

Why go in November? For the summer season without the summer prices
It rarely gets hot at the southern end of South America, but at this time of the year you can start to expect temperatures at least in the double digits. Chilean Patagonia is one of the most impressively rugged corners of the planet, with the emblematic peaks of Torres del Paine as its biggest draw. High season in the national park begins in December — the main holiday period for Chileans — so in this local equivalent of early summer you’ll find hotel prices in and around the gateway town of Puerto Natales a tad cheaper. “Dramatic” doesn’t begin to convey the ambience of the Singular Patagonia, a waterside former cold-storage warehouse turned luxury hotel, en route from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine.

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16. Muscat, Oman

Why go in November? For exploring the desert without the heat
At the easternmost end of the Arabian Peninsula, Oman has a desert climate, whether you’re in the rippling dunes of the Wahiba Sands or mountain villages with plantations of date palms. By November, though, temperatures should largely be in the 20s, making it a great time to explore away from air-conditioned spaces. There is plenty to see even on day trips from the capital Muscat (Oman’s historic forts are a national point of pride). The city itself is quite spread out, and split by mountain ranges. Against a mountain backdrop east of Muscat’s centre, the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah is part of a complex of three luxury beach hotels, including family-focused Al Waha, and the more exclusive Shangri-La Al Husn.

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17. Victoria, Australia

Why go in November? For the start of the Melburnian season
On the first Tuesday in November, Melburnians get a special public holiday to mark the Melbourne Cup: the most prestigious horse race in Australia. Despite the city’s “four seasons in a day” reputation, this is late spring in the state of Victoria, and with the Australian summer school holidays still a month away, it’s a less busy time to see favourite destinations west along the Great Ocean Road. Alternatively, head east to the winelands of the Yarra Valley and several national parks beyond, home to the superbly tall mountain ash, and icons of Australian wildlife. Laneways by Ovolo is full of urban verve, and its super-central Melbourne location places it between landmark buildings and the city’s namesake street-art-covered laneways.

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18. Berlin, Germany

Why go in November? For getting into the festive spirit
Berlin is a city that loves its Christmas markets — more than a hundred pop up around the German capital each winter, some from as early as mid-November, and almost all of them by the end of the month. This is the best time to visit if you want to get into the festive spirit but don’t want to be pushing past crowds of people only to get into a long queue for the glühwein. Among the early openers are Christmas Avenue on Nollendorfplatz, Family Wonderland in Spandau and the Medieval Christmas Market at the RAW Compound. Once you’ve had your fill of the festivities, head to Berlin’s many cosy bars and restaurants, or view poignant displays at museums such as the Jewish Museum Berlin. Wilde Aparthotels Berlin is just a short stroll from Checkpoint Charlie and has family-friendly rooms with kitchenettes.

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