10 of the Best Places to Visit in November

Prep yourself for the inevitable chaos of the holiday season by planning a vacation in November and winding down to the final month of the year feeling inspired and refreshed. All you need to know are the best places to go, and that's where our team of travel experts can help.

Whether you want to relax on the beach in Southern Vietnam or chase the northern lights in Canada, the world is waiting for you. Sail down Egypt’s River Nile, eat your way across South Korea or go bird-watching in Panama – it's time to choose your own adventure this November and end 2026 on a high.

1. Ghana

Best for culture and wildlife

Ghana has a wonderful mix of attractions. In this diverse wedge of West Africa, you’ll find lush rainforests, soft-sand beaches, rich history, vibrant villages and parks teeming with life. Located just above the equator, the temperature remains consistent year-round (expect 27–30°C/80–86°F), but November marks the start of the drier months when travel is easier, the countryside is abundantly green and the harsh harmattan wind hasn’t yet started blowing from the Sahara.

It’s a good time to visit the UNESCO-listed shrines of the great Ashanti civilization, safari in spots such as Mole National Park (where you can walk amid elephants and vervet monkeys) and retrace the coast’s haunting past. Some 40 fortresses were built here to imprison enslaved people before facing the horrors of the Middle Passage; Cape Coast and Elmina castles are especially moving.

2. Yukon, Canada

Best for a winter wonderland and northern lights

The onset of winter isn’t seen as a hardship in the Yukon; it’s an opportunity. As the temperatures fall between -1°C and -15°C (30°F and 5°F), the snow fun begins: downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and ice fishing.

However, perhaps no activity is more "Yukon" than dogsledding. Head out for half a day with a guide, or – for a real taste of Yukon life – plan a multiday mushing adventure. Learn how to care for your own team of huskies and drive them over frozen lakes and glistening tundra. Sleep out in rustic cabins and warm up in hot springs and saunas. November is the prime season for viewing the aurora borealis, so keep an eye on those dark night skies for the magical northern lights.

3. Southern Vietnam

Best for snorkeling and quiet beaches

Vietnam’s southern tip is a lucky dip of the region’s best bits: the heady rush of Ho Chi Minh City, moving relics of war, the Mekong Delta’s paddies and villages, and beautiful, beach-lined Phu Quoc and Con Dao Islands. Both hosted colonial French prisons – you can visit the haunting remains – but are now better known as chill-out getaways, perfect in November after the rain and humidity have eased. Closer to Cambodia than Vietnam, Phu Quoc has varied accommodations, great snorkeling and quiet beaches. Con Dao is more remote and rugged, with peaceful resorts on breathtaking beaches.

4. Panama

Best for bird-watching

Panama boasts some of the best birding in Central America. Almost 1000 species have been recorded on this narrow isthmus – from big-billed toucans and bright-plumed trogons to motmots, manakins, puffbirds and jacamars. And in October and November, the numbers swell, as almost 2 million broad-winged hawks, Swainson’s hawks and turkey vultures migrate south via Panama’s jungle, joining an assemblage of sloths, howler monkeys and colorful frogs too.

Soberanía National Park is a superb place to try to spot them. Easily accessible from Panama City and sitting astride the Panama Canal, the park has a range of self-guided walking routes. (The 17km/10.5-mile Pipeline trail is renowned for its brilliant bird sightings.) It’s also possible to arrange guided strolls, night excursions and boat trips, and to stay in a lodge perched up in the canopy.

5. Manchester, England

Best for culture and festive spirit

Whatever time of year you visit, Manchester is always cool. This northern English city has a swagger and self-assurance entirely unrelated to the season, born of its past industrial prowess, history of radical thinking and cultural heft. It may be gray, but that shouldn’t stop you from visiting.

Clock in at the People’s History Museum, which charts Britain’s 200-year pathway to democracy. Browse Chetham’s Library, the oldest public library in the English-speaking world, where Marx and Engels once studied. Worship the beautiful game at the National Football Museum, even if you’re not a fan of local mega-clubs United and City. And join a music pilgrimage to the places that brought forth The Smiths, Oasis and Joy Division. Plus, from the middle of the month to late December, Christmas markets add extra sparkle, should you need it.

6. Grampians, Australia

Best for hiking and Aboriginal culture

As far as the traditional owners of Gariwerd (the Grampians) are concerned, November is when Petyan, the season of regrowth and wildflowers, turns into butterfly-filled Ballambar, the onset of summer. It’s a lovely time to get out amid the escarpments, outcrops and stringybark forests of these sandstone ranges – waterfalls are full, bushfire risk is low and temperatures are ideal (23°C/73°F).

One of the finest ways to explore is via the Grampians Peaks Trail, a 160km (100-mile), 13-day hiking route completed in 2021. Stretching from the township of Dunkeld to the flanks of Mt Zero, it passes rugged peaks, panoramic lookouts and cool cascades, and offers a deep immersion in the landscapes that the Jardwadjali and Djab Wurrung people have called home for millennia. For a taster, try a 3-day, 36km (22-mile) return loop to and from Halls Gap via park icons such as Venus Baths, the Grand Canyon and the Pinnacle Lookout. The Grampians are also home to 80% of Victoria’s rock art sites – learn more about Aboriginal culture at the Brambuk Cultural Centre in Halls Gap.

7. River Nile, Egypt

Best for a river cruise

The Nile is the lifeblood of Egypt. Along this river, ancient civilizations have thrived and modern Egyptians still live in traditional ways. A cruise, dropping anchor at temples, tombs and palm-lined villages, provides a window into what makes the country tick. And November, when summer’s intense heat finally dips (expect 25–30°C/77–86°F), means warm days on deck but manageable temperatures for wandering sites that span millennia of history.

Must-stops include Luxor, for the colossal columns of Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings; Elephantine Island and the Tombs of the Nobles; the crocodile mummies at Kom Ombo; the relocated temple of Abu Simbel; and Aswan’s grand Old Cataract Hotel, where you can sip cocktails on the veranda. Most cruises ply the temple-lined stretch between Aswan and Luxor, taking 3 to 5 days; sailing northward, with the current, is quicker, especially if you travel by wind-powered felucca (a basic sailing boat). Factor in time in Cairo for the Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum.

8. Seville and Jeréz, Spain

Best for sherry sampling in the sun

Let’s all raise a glass to November in southern Andalucía. While most of Europe starts to feel the chill, it’s still T-shirt weather here (expect highs of 20°C/68°F), perfect for sightseeing without the crowds...and for enjoying a tipple or two. The top choice hereabouts is sherry, particularly in and around the fine city of Jeréz de la Frontera. Many historic bodegas – such as the vast González-Byass and the cathedral-like cellars of Bodegas Lustau – offer tours and tastings, while characterful drinking holes pack the old center, serving dry and smoky-sweet sherries accompanied by authentic flamenco (the passionate music is said to originate here).

Combine Jeréz with Seville, also jam-packed with tapas bars as well as world-class sights: visit the magnificent Mudéjar-style Real Alcázar palace, enter the world’s largest Gothic cathedral and stroll along the Guadalquivir River. Be sure to wander the atmospheric Triana district, home of flamenco, bullfighting and exquisite ceramic tiles.

9. Seoul, South Korea

Best for fall foliage

November is peak leaf-peeping time in South Korea, when the country’s trees reach full flaming glory and provide a beautiful natural backdrop to Seoul’s modern urban skyline. Take a walk along the city’s Cheong-gye-cheon Stream at this time and you’ll find it bright with both autumn colors and the illuminations of the Seoul Lantern Festival.

But maybe even more important than autumn, it’s kimjang season, when friends and family gather to make massive batches of kimchi to last through the winter. Seoul holds a Kimchi Festival (usually the first week of November) and you might get to make the famed fermented cabbage with hundreds of locals. Still peckish? Go to Gwangjang Market, a great place to try Korean street food such as mayak gimbap (rice rolls), sundae (blood sausage) and bindaetteok (mung-bean pancakes). Move on to the stalls of Namdaemun Market, which dates back to the 15th century, and visit Noryangjin Fish Market to sample fresh seafood 24/7.

10. Oaxaca, Mexico

Best for cultural celebrations

Día de Muertos – the Day of the Dead – is celebrated over 3 nights, from October 31 to November 2. According to Mexican tradition, it’s when the deceased may briefly cross into the world of the living. Families construct graveside altars, adorned with photos, candles, marigolds and sweets; skull masks are worn, marching bands play and everyone feasts.

While celebrations happen all over Mexico, the state of Oaxaca – known for its strong Indigenous culture, unique cuisine and flourishing arts and crafts – is an excellent choice to experience it all as a visitor. Oaxaca City is a riot of artisan workshops, baroque plazas and busy markets (where you can buy sugar skulls and pan de muerto, bread of the dead); the Museum of Oaxacan Culturas is also worth a look. Then explore further afield: visit the weaving town of Teotitlán, the historic Tlacolula market and Soledad Etla’s flamboyant Comparsa Parade. By night, head to one of the region’s many cemeteries for the festivities.