Where to go in Asia in October

October is one of the strongest months in Asia. The rains end in India, Nepal and Bhutan, and the mountain views are at their clearest. Japan, Korea and China are dry and crisp, with the first autumn colour. Taiwan and northern Vietnam are comfortable, and Ha Long Bay is at its best. Cambodia, Laos and Thailand are drying out, and Indonesia is still in its dry season.

The festivals make it crowded. Nepal's Dashain, India's Dussehra and Diwali, and China's Golden Week fill transport and hotels. Book the main places months ahead. Mongolia is closing for the winter, and the Philippines and central Vietnam are in their typhoon season, so avoid those. For most other places, October needs little persuasion.

At a glance

Best time

Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, India, Nepal and Bhutan

Good

Cambodia and Laos, Bali and Indonesia

Hard going

Sri Lanka

Region by region

Japan

Kyoto, Tokyo, Hokkaido

Best time

Clear, dry and comfortable, with the first autumn colour in Hokkaido and the high mountains. Tokyo and Kyoto are still green. A good month for walking trails, Nikko and the Kumano Kodo, and one of the best for photography.

Japan in Autumn, 10 days

South Korea

Seoul, Gyeongju, Jeju

Best time

Dry, clear and crisp, with autumn colour starting in the mountains. Seoraksan is at its best in the middle of the month, and Seoul's palaces glow in the second half. Everything is busy, so book early.

Seoul, Gyeongju & Jeju, 7 days

Taiwan

Taipei, Taroko, Tainan

Best time

The heat breaks and the skies clear. Dry, warm days suit Taroko, Alishan and the cities. Typhoon risk drops. Early October has a national holiday on the 10th, which fills trains and hotels around it.

Taiwan: Taipei and Taroko Gorge, 7 days

China

Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai

Best time

Crisp, clear and dry, with golden leaves in Beijing's parks. The first week is the National Day Golden Week, when the whole country travels and every sight is packed. After the 8th, it is one of the best months of the year.

China's Three Great Cities, 9 days

Vietnam

Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Saigon

Best time

A good month in the north, with cooler, clearer weather and rice harvests around Sapa. Ha Long Bay is at its best. The central coast turns wet and Hoi An can flood, so pair the north with the south for the best weather.

Northern Vietnam in Five Days, 5 days

India

Rajasthan, Kerala, Delhi

Best time

The rains have gone and the air is clear. Rajasthan is warm by day and getting cooler. Kerala is drier. Festivals fill the calendar: Dussehra, and in some years Diwali, in October or November, with crowds and higher prices.

Palaces of Rajasthan, Waters of Kerala, 10 days

Nepal and Bhutan

Kathmandu, Pokhara, Paro, Thimphu

Best time

Clear skies, dry weather and the best mountain views of the year. Nepal's trekking season peaks, and Dashain, the longest national festival, closes offices and fills buses. Bhutan is busy and beautiful.

Nepal: Kathmandu and Pokhara, 9 days Bhutan: Dzongs, Valleys & Tiger's Nest, 8 days

Cambodia and Laos

Angkor, Luang Prabang

Good

The rains ease and the countryside is still green. The Pchum Ben festival in Cambodia can close businesses for a few days. Toward the end of the month the weather turns dry, and the first of the good-weather crowds arrive.

Bali and Indonesia

Bali, Komodo, Lombok

Good

The dry season winds down. The first rains arrive late in the month and are brief. Komodo is still good. Bali is calm and cheaper. A sensible shoulder month, with a risk of showers that grows through it.

Bali: Ceremony, Rice Terraces & the Bukit Cliffs, 9 days Komodo, by Private Boat, 6 days

Thailand

Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui

Mixed

The rains retreat from the north. Bangkok can still flood. The Andaman coast is wet, and the Gulf starts its heaviest rain toward the end of the month. Tourism picks up again in the second half.

The Philippines

Manila, El Nido, Cebu, Bohol

Mixed

Typhoon risk remains, easing toward the end of the month. Rain is still frequent in Manila and Palawan. The seas calm late in the month. Prices stay low, and the first dry-season visitors return.

Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Borneo

Mixed

Wet on the west coast, and the east coast monsoon starts to build late in the month. Borneo's rain returns. Kuala Lumpur and Penang are workable with indoor plans, and prices fall.

Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar, the Gobi, the steppe

Mixed

Cold nights and increasing risk of snow. Camps close in the middle of the month. The eagle festivals in the far west, held in early October, are a draw for hardy visitors. The Gobi is clear but cold.

Sri Lanka

Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella, Galle

Hard going

The second monsoon, from the north-east, is on its way and brings the wettest weather to much of the island. Storms and floods can disrupt travel. Fewer visitors, and low prices, but the weather works against you.

Building the trip

October is peak season for several regions at once, so book early and with a clear idea of what you want. Nepal and Bhutan need four to six months, and the Golden Week and Diwali periods double the demand for flights and rooms in China and India. Japan's colour begins in the north, so Hokkaido is the October choice and Kyoto belongs to November. A good plan is the Himalaya with a few days in India, or Taiwan with Japan's mountains. Avoid the Philippines and central Vietnam, which are in their storm season. Ten to fourteen days gives a good two-region trip.

Dates to plan around

China's Golden Week runs from 1 to 7 October. Nepal's Dashain and Tihar, and India's Dussehra and Diwali, fall in October or November. Taiwan's National Day is on the 10th. Mongolia's eagle festivals in the far west are held in early October.

These are typical seasonal patterns, not forecasts. Rain, heat and the dates of blossoms and festivals move from year to year, so check a current forecast and your government's travel advice before you book.

Sample itineraries for October