Best places to visit in Asia in October

Asia

Indonesia · 32°C (90°F) · 7 rainy days

Bali

Hindu temples, rice terraces, surf beaches and volcano sunrises. Warm and mostly dry, with the first humid build-ups late in the month.

Japan · 24°C (75°F) · 8 rainy days

Osaka

Japan's street-food capital, neon canals and an easy base for Kansai. Comfortable, mostly dry weather — one of the best months for walking and day trips.

Vietnam · 29°C (84°F) · 9 rainy days

Hanoi

Guild streets, lakeside temples and street food on plastic stools. Many consider this Hanoi's loveliest month: warm, drier days, clear skies and the scent of milk-flower trees in the evenings.

China · 28°C (82°F) · 7 rainy days

Hong Kong

Harbour skyline, dim sum and mountain trails minutes from the towers. The start of the best season: drier, clearer air and comfortable hiking, though early October's mainland Golden Week brings crowds.

Japan · 23°C (73°F) · 8 rainy days

Kyoto

Temples, Zen gardens, geisha districts and Japan's finest traditional food. Dry, sunny and comfortable — excellent walking weather before the foliage crowds of November.

Taiwan · 28°C (82°F) · 12 rainy days

Taipei

Night markets, temple incense, hot springs and mountain trails by MRT. One of the best months: warm, less humid and generally settled, though late typhoons are possible early in the month.

Japan · 22°C (72°F) · 10 rainy days

Tokyo

Neon districts, historic shrines, outstanding food and punctual trains. Comfortable, often clear days as the humidity breaks; one of the best months for walking.

South Korea · 20°C (68°F) · 6 rainy days

Seoul

Joseon palaces, market food and late nights in a 24-hour capital. Crisp, sunny and colourful as autumn foliage spreads from the mountains into the palaces late in the month.

Azerbaijan · 20°C (68°F) · 6 rainy days

Baku

A walled medieval Old City, flame-shaped towers and a long Caspian promenade. Mild, with pomegranate season and comfortable sightseeing weather.

Japan · 24°C (75°F) · 6 rainy days

Fukuoka

Tonkotsu ramen, riverside yatai stalls and an airport five minutes from downtown. Dry, comfortable and one of the best months for walking and yatai evenings.

Japan · 28°C (82°F) · 8 rainy days

Okinawa

Subtropical beaches, Ryukyu castles, coral reefs and island cooking. Humidity eases and the sea is still warm enough to swim; typhoons are less frequent but possible.

Armenia · 21°C (70°F) · 5 rainy days

Yerevan

Pink-stone boulevards, ancient manuscripts and views of Mount Ararat. Mild days and autumn colours; harvest festivals and clearer views of Ararat.

India · 33°C (91°F) · 1 rainy days

Agra

The Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Mughal tombs along the Yamuna. Dry and warm with cooler evenings; the start of the main season.

China · 19°C (66°F) · 5 rainy days

Beijing

Imperial palaces, hutong lanes and the Great Wall within a day's reach. Crisp, sunny and colourful, but the first-week Golden Week brings enormous crowds to every major sight.

South Korea · 23°C (73°F) · 5 rainy days

Busan

City beaches, seaside temples and Korea's biggest fish market. Clear, dry and comfortable; the film festival and fireworks festival make it the city's busiest cultural month.

India · 33°C (91°F) · 1 rainy days

Delhi

Mughal tombs, Old Delhi bazaars, street food and the gateway to the Taj Mahal. Dry, warm days and cooler nights; Ramlila performances and Dussehra celebrations fill the city.

Japan · 24°C (75°F) · 7 rainy days

Hiroshima

Peace memorials, Miyajima's floating torii and layered okonomiyaki. Clear, dry and comfortable — an excellent month for walking the city and Miyajima.

India · 33°C (91°F) · 1 rainy days

Jaipur

Pink City bazaars, hilltop forts and Rajput palaces in Rajasthan's capital. Dry and warm with cooler evenings; bazaars fill with lights and shoppers in the run-up to Diwali.

South Korea · 22°C (72°F) · 7 rainy days

Jeju

Volcanic craters, lava tubes, haenyeo divers and black-pork barbecue. Dry, clear and comfortable; silver grass (eulsae) turns the oreum hills silver and Hallasan's upper slopes change colour late in the month.

Japan · 23°C (73°F) · 8 rainy days

Nara

Japan's first permanent capital, the Great Buddha and a park of bowing deer. Comfortable and dry; deer antlers are cut in a traditional ceremony, and the Shoso-in Exhibition opens late in the month.

China · 23°C (73°F) · 6 rainy days

Shanghai

Art Deco riverfront, plane-tree lanes and a skyline across the Huangpu. Dry, sunny and comfortable, but the National Day Golden Week in the first week makes the Bund and Yu Garden extremely crowded.

Georgia · 20°C (68°F) · 6 rainy days

Tbilisi

Sulphur baths, balconied old streets, qvevri wine and a fortress above the river. Mild days and autumn colours; harvest festivities and city celebrations.

Nepal · 26°C (79°F) · 4 rainy days

Kathmandu

Stupas, Newar temple squares and the gateway to the Himalaya. Clear, crisp air and peak trekking season; Dashain closes many offices and fills buses and flights.

China · 28°C (82°F) · 6 rainy days

Macau

Portuguese squares, Macanese cooking and the resorts of the Cotai Strip. Drier and more comfortable, but the National Day Golden Week in the first week brings very heavy crowds.

Beach, city or budget: October picks by trip type

What's on in October

Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.

• Bali: Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (usually October)
• Hanoi: Liberation of the Capital Day (10 October)
• Hong Kong: Mainland China Golden Week holiday crowds (early October)
• Kyoto: Jidai Matsuri — historical costume parade (22 October)
• Taipei: National Day celebrations (10 October)
• Tokyo: Tokyo International Film Festival (usually late October to early November)
• Seoul: Seoul International Fireworks Festival over the Han River at Yeouido (usually early October)
• Baku: Goychay Pomegranate Festival, about 220 km west (usually late October or early November)
• Fukuoka: Hakata Okunchi autumn festival at Kushida Shrine (usually 23–24 October)
• Okinawa: Naha Great Tug-of-War — one of the world's largest rice-straw ropes (usually October)
• Yerevan: Areni Wine Festival (usually early October)
• Agra: Dussehra (usually October)

Daylight in October

Day length on these trips ranges from about 11 hours in Tbilisi to 12.3 hours in Bali (sunrise to sunset on 15 October). Longer days mean more sightseeing time; shorter ones favour museums, food and evenings.

October weather compared

Questions travellers ask