Happy Layover

Where to go in October

28 of the 57 places we track are at their best in October. The cheapest of them to fly to right now: Hanoi from ₹13,351, Kathmandu from ₹15,548 and Istanbul from ₹15,807. Busy times to fly out of India that month: Durga Puja and Dussehra.

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At their best in October

Places with their best weather in October, cheapest first where our scanner has a fare from India that month.

HanoiVietnam 28° / 22° wetPeak Autumn: dry, clear and mild (25-28°C). The best time for Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Sapa. From ₹13,351 from Hyderabad, one-way KathmanduNepal 24° / 15° rainy spellsPeak Post-monsoon: crystal-clear mountain views and dry trails. Peak trekking season; teahouses and Lukla flights book up. From ₹15,548 from Bangalore, one-way IstanbulTürkiye 20° / 13° some rainShoulder Spring and autumn: 17-25°C, ideal for walking the old city and Bosphorus cruises. From ₹15,807 from Delhi, one-way TaipeiTaiwan 27° / 23° rainy spellsPeak Autumn: warm, drier and less humid; the best months. From ₹29,992 from Chennai, return NairobiKenya 27° / 15° rainy spellsPeak The Great Migration: wildebeest river crossings in the Maasai Mara, usually July to October. Peak safari season;... From ₹40,515 from Mumbai, return Hong KongHong Kong 28° / 23° wetPeak Autumn: sunny, dry and 20-27°C, the best time for hiking and harbour views. From ₹41,504 from Delhi, return PerthAustralia 22° / 12° mostly dryShoulder Wildflower season across Western Australia, August to October; the Kings Park festival is in September. From ₹46,284 from Chennai, return RomeItaly 22° / 15° rainy spellsPeak Spring and autumn: 20-27°C, the best weather for walking the city. From ₹47,559 from Bangalore, return AthensGreece 23° / 14° mostly dryShoulder Spring and autumn: 20-28°C, the best time for the Acropolis and the islands (the sea is warm from June to October). From ₹50,095 from Mumbai, return ParisFrance 17° / 9° some rainShoulder Paris Fashion Week (late February to early March, and late September to early October): hotel prices jump. From ₹50,868 from Mumbai, return SeychellesSeychelles 27° / 25° rainy spellsPeak Between the trade winds: calm, clear seas and the best months for snorkelling, diving and island-hopping. From ₹52,371 from Mumbai, return ViennaAustria 16° / 8° mostly dryShoulder From ₹52,545 from Bangalore, return MauritiusMauritius 25° / 20° some rainPeak Spring and early summer: warm, sunny and calm, the best beach months before cyclone season. From ₹53,952 from Bangalore, return MadridSpain 22° / 10° some rainPeak Spring and autumn: 18-25°C and sunny, the best months. From ₹54,171 from Bangalore, return BarcelonaSpain 22° / 16° rainy spellsShoulder Late spring and early autumn: warm (22-27°C), and the sea is warm enough to swim from June. From ₹57,007 from Bangalore, return SeoulSouth Korea 18° / 13° some rainPeak Spring and autumn: mild and dry, the most comfortable months. From ₹58,953 from Bangalore, return TokyoJapan 22° / 15° wetShoulder From ₹65,088 from Delhi, return OsakaJapan 22° / 17° wetShoulder From ₹68,914 from Bangalore, return New YorkUnited States 19° / 11° rainy spellsPeak Spring and autumn: 15-24°C, the most pleasant months for walking the city. From ₹69,286 from Bangalore, return BostonUnited States 17° / 10° rainy spellsPeak New England autumn colours peak in October; hotels in Vermont and New Hampshire book out. From ₹72,106 from Delhi, return Washington, D.C.United States 20° / 11° some rainShoulder Autumn: mild and clear, good for the museums and memorials. From ₹73,620 from Bangalore, return ChicagoUnited States 17° / 8° rainy spellsShoulder Late spring and early autumn: mild and comfortable. From ₹79,675 from Bangalore, return SydneyAustralia 23° / 13° some rainShoulder Spring: jacarandas turn the city purple in late October and November. From ₹85,268 from Delhi, return DallasUnited States 26° / 16° rainy spellsShoulder State Fair of Texas (late September to mid-October). From ₹88,567 from Bangalore, return San FranciscoUnited States 22° / 12° mostly dryPeak September and October are the city's warmest, sunniest months, its real summer. From ₹95,790 from Delhi, return Los AngelesUnited States 24° / 15° dryShoulder From ₹1,07,516 from Bangalore, return BakuAzerbaijan 19° / 16° dryShoulder Late spring and early autumn: 20-27°C, the best time for the old city, the boulevard and day trips to Gobustan. See the month-by-month guide TbilisiGeorgia 20° / 8° mostly dryPeak Late spring and autumn: 20-27°C, the best time for the old town and trips to Kazbegi and Kakheti. See the month-by-month guide

Think twice in October

Rain, storms, heat or closures that month. Often cheaper, but pack for it.

  • Bangkok 31° / 24°, very wetRainy season: short, heavy afternoon downpours. September and October are the wettest and some streets flood.
  • Phuket 29° / 25°, very wetSouthwest monsoon: rough seas, red-flag days on west-coast beaches (rip currents are dangerous) and some boat trips cancelled. Hotels are much cheaper.
  • Singapore 30° / 25°, wetIn some years, haze from forest fires in Sumatra and Borneo drifts over between August and October.
  • Kuala Lumpur 30° / 24°, very wetThe inter-monsoon months are KL's wettest: heavy late-afternoon thunderstorms, usually short.
  • Ho Chi Minh City 30° / 24°, very wetRainy season: short, heavy afternoon storms that can flood streets for an hour. Fine for travel with an umbrella, and the Mekong Delta is lush.
  • Colombo 29° / 24°, very wetInter-monsoon: the wettest spell across the island, with heavy afternoon storms.
  • Maldives 28° / 26°, wetSouthwest monsoon: more rain, wind and choppy seas, but still warm with sunny spells. Resort prices drop sharply.
  • Dubai 35° / 25°, dryWarm shoulder months: around 33-36°C, still fine for beaches and pools, with lower hotel prices.
  • Chiang Mai 26° / 19°, rainy spellsRainy season: afternoon storms and green hills; waterfalls are at their best and prices are low.
  • Krabi 28° / 26°, very wetSouthwest monsoon: rough seas, some boat trips and island tours cancelled, and red-flag days on the beaches. Hotels are much cheaper.
  • Da Nang 28° / 24°, very wetRainy season: October and November are the wettest, and Hoi An's old town often floods.
  • Phu Quoc 28° / 27°, wetSouthwest monsoon: rain showers and rough seas on the west coast; some island boat trips stop running. Resort prices drop.
  • Amsterdam 15° / 10°, rainy spellsAutumn and winter: grey, windy and drizzly, around 3-10°C.
  • Seattle 15° / 8°, rainy spellsGrey, drizzly season from October to April, with short days. The rain is rarely heavy but comes often.
  • Vancouver 13° / 8°, wetRainy season: grey and wet from October to March, but mild (5-10°C).

Busy times to fly out of India in October

  • 18–21 OctDurga PujaKolkata's biggest festival (Saptami to Bijoya Dashami): flights out of Kolkata fill up around it.
  • 20 OctDussehraDussehra falls on Tuesday 20 Oct: many take the Monday off for a four-day weekend, so short trips abroad cost more that week.

Festivals and holidays abroad

  • 19 Sep – 4 OctOktoberfestMunich's beer festival: hotels charge two to three times their usual rates, so book early or stay outside the city.
  • 1–7 OctChina Golden WeekChina's National Day holiday: mainland travellers pack Hong Kong, Macau and the big Asian hotspots, and hotel prices rise.
  • 7–11 OctFrankfurt Book FairThe world's biggest book fair: hotels across the city triple their rates.
  • 9–11 OctSingapore Grand PrixFormula 1's night race around Marina Bay: hotel prices jump and roads close downtown.
  • 11–21 OctDashainNepal's biggest festival: offices and many shops close around the main days (17-21 Oct), and buses and domestic flights are packed.
  • 31 Oct – 7 NovMelbourne Cup CarnivalSpring racing carnival; Cup Day (Tuesday 3 Nov) is a public holiday in Melbourne.