The 31 best holiday destinations in November
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November means winter is fast-approaching the UK, which equals getting up and going home in the dark, usually in the pelting rain, no winter coat on earth a match for the season’s creeping damp. It’s almost NHS-prescribed that you pick a November holiday destination to survive until the sunlight finally peeps through again around March. Happily, the Caribbean is basking in a mellow, pre-Christmas glow, while the rainy season has dried up in East Africa and South-east Asia. And if you want to see how winter is really done, leave behind our soggy isles for epic white-outs in the extreme north and south. So, without further ado, these are the 31 best holiday destinations in November. For more, see our guide to where is hot in November.
31 best holiday destinations in November
Getty ImagesChiang Mai, Thailand
Temperature: 30°C high; 18°C low
Season: dry season/winter
Travel time from UK: 14 hours
Time difference: GMT+7Thailand is the dream destination all year round, but in November, the rocky North is lit up by thousands of floating lights. There are two annual festivals held in Chiang Mai to coincide with the full moon during this month, both lighting up the night but in slightly different ways. Loy Krathong is the larger one, a nationwide celebration where small, candle-lit boats made from banana stalks and leaves set sail on the rivers. The other, Yi Peng, is primarily celebrated in Chiang Mai, and involves the release of lanterns into the sky. Whether by water or air, these glittering festivals immerse visitors in a magical atmosphere straight out of Disneyland. Chiang Mai is also ideal in November for its climate, with the rainy season coming to a close while the hot temperatures remain. Tour the 300+ wats (Thai places of worship) scattered across the city or explore the Doi Inthanon National Park, home to several waterfalls and the country’s highest mountain.
Where to stay: Four Seasons Chiang Mai is one of our favourite hotels in Thailand, offering pool villas scattered across 31 acres of manicured gardens and rice paddies. For a wellness boost, Aleenta Retreat is a stylish newcomer to the hotel scene with one of the country’s best spas.
Getty ImagesLisbon, Portugal
Temperature: 20°C high; 12°C low
Season: autumn
Travel time from UK: 2 hours 45 minutes
Time difference: GMT +0As most of mainland Europe shivers, Portugal remains enviably mild: Lisbon’s average November temperature is 18°C. Of course, it’s not just the weather that makes this cobbled capital so alluring: now ranking among Europe’s coolest city breaks, it’s a hive of high-end but refreshingly affordable restaurants, raucous hole-in-the-wall bars and covetable concept stores (not to mention those cute, canary-yellow vintage trams). Lisbon was even named Europe's most budget-friendly city break for 2023. Make time to explore neighbourhood-of-the-moment Cais do Sodré, a formerly sketchy part of town that now has a spruced-up riverfront promenade, cool warehouse conversions and fab food stalls at Time Out-curated Mercado da Ribeira.
Where to stay: Tropical-themed The Ivens gets our pick for one of the best new hotels in the world for 2022. If you're after a view, try this rooftop Airbnb near Alfama or Memmo Alfama which has one of the best rooftop pools in the city. For more, see our edit of the best hotels in Lisbon.
Getty ImagesSayulita, Mexico
Temperature: 33°C high; 20°C low
Season: dry
Travel time from UK: 15 hours
Time difference: GMT -5Join the hippies in this Pacific coast surf town, where brightly painted design boutiques and vintage surfboard shops rub up against al pastor stands and street eats sold from wheelbarrows. Less glam than Tulum, but much hipper than resort-y Puerto Vallarta further south, it’s an easy-breezy scene, more catching waves and afternoon Margaritas than yoga and cold-pressed juice. An absence of major hotels, in favour of hippie-chic guesthouses (Casa Love and Petit Hotel Hafa are favourites), gives the impression of a best-kept secret – but, come Christmas, Sayulita is packed. Nip in just before peak season, though, and not only have the summer rain and humidity finally eased off, but it’s the best time for whale watching, too. Or consider staying in Sayulita’s quieter neighbour, San Pancho. The small hotels here are closely tied to the community. Tailwind Jungle Lodge, for example, hosts community events, donates to sustainable development in the area and promotes local businesses to guests – and it’s just a 30-minute drive to Sayulita for a day’s surfing.
Where to stay: Just 36 guests are given the run of green jungle, white beach and blue water across 250 acres at Imanta Resorts Punta de Mita.
Getty ImagesAthens, Greece
Temperature: 18°C high; 12°C low
Season: autumn
Flight time from UK: 3 hours 40 minutes
Time difference: GMT+2Athens makes a brilliant and warm weekend city break, where the new youth culture is breathing life into this historical city and hip young start-ups are booming in the face of austerity. Performances spaces, art galleries and quirky bars have sprung up in once-gritty neighbourhoods, and high-end shops have been reborn as restaurants. Go in November, when it's cool enough to wander around the Acropolis and the Parthenon and still have a crisp blue-sky backdrop to your Instagram shots. The fact that you'll also skip the crowds is the cherry on top.
Where to stay: Foodies won't want to miss xenodocheio Milos, a hotel by chef Costas Spiliadis. For something playful, check in to one of the compact but comfy rooms at Gatsby Athens. Design hotel NEW packs a punch, with upcycled furniture and a rooftop restaurant. For an eco-friendly trip, consider a stay at the Coco-Mat hotel, where the all-natural, locally handmade mattresses and linens are just the tip of their stay-natural philosophy. There are also wooden bikes for eco-friendly sightseeing, an onsite herb garden and homemade, seasonal food. For more, see our pick of the best hotels in Athens.
Getty ImagesAntigua and Barbuda
Temperature: 29°C high; 23°C low
Season: autumn
Flight time from UK: 8 hours 35 minutes
Time difference: GMT-5Friday nights in Antigua go something like this: rum punch and barbecued spiny-tailed lobster, dancing barefoot on the beach in the moonlight, and walking home sandy and dishevelled but happy the next morning. The island is as wild and wonderful as it is flashy - away from the five-star hotels and super yachts, you can still find empty white-sand beaches. Support conservation and biodiversity by booking an ecotour at Wallings Nature Reserve, the first-ever community-managed national park. Learn about the history and the wildlife as you hike this not-for-profit sanctuary. Antigua's little sister Barbuda is more go-slow, with a handful of low-key hotels.
Where to stay: We recommend Jumby Bay, a secluded 300-acre island off the north coast of Antigua.
Sophie KnightThe South Downs, England
Temperature: 11ºC high; 3ºC low
Season: autumn/winter
Time difference: noneFairweather walkers should probably stick to summer. But for blustery yomps along the beach or over Downs, followed by local ales fireside in some toasty, well-restored boozer – which the area has in spades – autumn is a treat of a time for a South Downs weekender. South Downs National Park spans 165 conservation areas, more than a dozen European wildlife sites, and thousands of listed buildings and monuments, with the South Downs Way stretching 100 miles. The walk is broken up into short sections and is nicely signposted for cyclists and walkers. Visit The Sustainability Centre, which hosts workshops for children and adults throughout the year. And on 5 November it hosts the most spectacular Guy Fawkes’ Night anywhere, when the market town of Lewes becomes the bonfire capital of the world, with processions, fireworks displays, flaming tar barrels and burning effigies illuminating its streets.
Where to stay: At The Pig in the South Downs, featured on our 2022 hot list of the best new hotels in the world. We also love The Star, a wonderful 15th-century inn given a fresh makeover in 2021 by Olga Polizzi.
Getty ImagesIceland
Temperature: 4°C high; -2°C low
Season: winter
Travel time from UK: 2 hours 50 minutes
Time difference: GMT +0November brings Iceland’s dark winter nights and, with them, the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights. Oh yes, you’ll be told to manage your expectations, that aurora-hunting is a tricky business, but in a country where it’s not unheard of to see the dance of the green veils as you exit the airport, you’d have to be rather luckless to miss out. Stack the odds in your favour by staying somewhere as deliciously remote as Eleven Deplar Farm. Iceland’s best hotel is a high-end hideout on the remote Troll Peninsula, with diversions ranging from sensory-deprivation pods to heli-skiing excursions.
Where to stay: Scandi-rustic Eleven Deplar Farm is the most extraordinary stay in the country. The newly opened Reykjavik Edition is a great central option, with a notable rooftop terrace for viewing the northern lights. For something private, rent this unique glass cabin on Airbnb. See our guide to the best hotels in Iceland for more recommendations.
Getty ImagesPhoenix, Arizona, USA
Temperature: 25°C high; 10°C low
Season: autumn
Flight time from UK: 11 hours
Time difference: GMT-8Frank Lloyd Wright said Arizona deserved its own architecture; that the state invited a distinctive, desert aesthetic. So he set about scattering that legacy across the barren landscape from his winter home and studio, Taliesin West in Scottsdale – just outside the state capital, Phoenix, and perhaps the ultimate manifestation of mid-century Arizona style. So it was only a matter of time until Phoenix dropped its decades-long reputation as an arid, old-school spa town and adopted that of an edgy, visual arts hub. Inevitably, the hip young things descended, bringing cool and culture, too. Taliesin West is now an art museum and architecture school; downtown, Bentley Gallery at Bentley Projects shows exciting mid-career artists under the exposed pipes of a restored warehouse and former laundry. Today’s Phoenix is the sort of place to drink cocktails in an Art Deco landmark (Bitter & Twisted), before retiring to a fabulously retro hotel designed by a Wright protégé, once frequented by Marilyn Monroe and Cary Grant (Hotel Valley Ho). For the best view of the city, though, you’ve got to hike up red-rock Camelback Mountain – an easier proposal in November’s mid-20s temperatures.
Where to stay: We love The Phoenician, set across 250-acres of the Sonoran Desert. Or choose a hotel that takes advantage of their place in the ‘Valley of the Sun’ and using solar power, including The Phoenician and the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale.
Essaouira, Morocco
Temperature: 22°C high; 15°C low
Season: autumn
Flight time from UK: 6 hours
Time difference: GMT+0For a blast of winter sun a short hop away, Morocco is ideal - even for a weekend break. Along the coast are windswept beaches and surf towns such as Taghazout and Tamraght, where it's all about chilling out in the sun. Essaouira is a feast for the senses: freshly-caught fish is grilled over smoking-hot coals in shacks right on the harbour, and shisha smoke rises from rooftop bars. Jimi Hendrix and Cat Stevens used to hang out here, and it's still a free-spirited place, with dozens of independent galleries and boutiques selling locally made pottery and crafts. Make time for a spot of ethical shopping. Mashi Mushki, which sells locally made art and crafts, donates a portion of profits to Project 91, which helps young people in Essaouira find employment. Swanky (and sustainable) boutique hotel Villa Maroc sells Argan oil made by a local cooperative.
Where to stay: At Didier Spindler's maximalist B&B Dar Adul. For something more romantically rustic try Villa Maroc or Auberge Tangaro.
Getty ImagesTenerife, Spain
Temperature: 23ºC high; 18ºC low
Season: autumn
Flight time from UK: 4 hours 30 minutes
Time difference: noneShort-hop year-round sunshine is what Tenerife is known for. Which is great – but beyond the beaches and the package holiday crowds, there’s another side to this Canary Island which delights the more curious traveller: architecture in the colonial towns of La Laguna and La Orotava, low-key restaurants in fishing villages such as Garachico, lunar landscapes to walk in its blackened interior, and contemporary art and architecture in the capital Santa Cruz. The waters around Tenerife are busy with whales, and with whale-watchers. Not all whale-watching trips are responsibly operated – check out their eco-certification first. Whale Wise Eco Tours use solar-powered electric boats to minimise noise and carbon footprint. Plus, 200 miles out in the Atlantic, the island is one of the best places in the world for stargazing.
Where to stay: Families love the pink palace that is The Ritz-Carlton Abama. For something more boutique, book a room with a terrace at La Laguna Gran Hotel.
Oman
Temperature: 30°C high; 21°C low
Season: autumn
Flight time from UK: 7 hours 25 minutes
Time difference: GMT+3If what you want is a hit of winter sun, somewhere remote with wide open spaces, and just a short flight away from the UK, then Oman may just be the place you were looking for. Muscat is where you'll find age-old traditions, elaborate mosques and scent-filled souks. On the west coast, the Musandam Peninsula has empty coves and always-warm green-blue water, hidden by the imposing Hajar mountains. For more dramatic scenery still, travel along the southern coast, camping among the dunes in goat's-hair Bedouin tents. Choose an overland camping adventure with Responsible Travel that spirits you across the desert from the capital, Muscat, to incongruously green Salalah in the south. As well as visiting traditional fishing villages and learning about Bedouin life from local guides, you’ll stop by Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve and the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary.
Where to stay: The Chedi in Muscat is made up of low-built villas set in gardens of oranges. At Six Senses Zighy Bay, the pool villas embrace traditional Omani style and are carved out of stone. For a grown-up mountain retreat, try Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, one of Oman’s most ambitious wilderness hotels.
Above: Zighy Bay, Oman
Getty ImagesNamibia, Africa
Temperature: 31ºC high; 16ºC low
Season: dry season/winter
Flight time from UK: 10 hours 30 minutes
Time difference: GMT+1The vast, remote landscapes of Namibia are some of the most magnificent on earth. Mountainous dunes, endless empty desert, untouched savannah where the big hitters of African wildlife roam: elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, hippos, rhinos, giraffes. In recent years, a crop of knock-out new camps is allowing wildlife lovers to discover the farthest stretches of this country. While November brings the start of the rains in Namibia, this is not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to wildlife variety and sheer drama.
“Across most of southern Africa, November is an interesting month. It is a time of transition – giving travellers an amazing experience of the end of the dry season and the spectacular breaking of the rains,” says Chris McIntyre, founder of specialist tour operator Expert Africa. At the tail end of the dry season, wildlife gathers at the waterholes in places such as Etosha National Park. Then as the rains roll in, when storm clouds gather over the mountains and plains, the landscapes begin to bloom again.
“Swiftly following the greening of the land is a flush of new life, as more insects, reptiles, amphibians and migrant birds appear on the scene,” says McIntyre. And as it’s low season, prices are appealing low, too.
Where to stay: Many of Namibia’s incredible new lodges are eco-friendly with a minimal footprint and work with local communities and conservation groups. In the Huab River valley, Damaraland Camp is a pioneer of community-based tourism – a partnership between Wilderness Safaris and the local Torra Conservancy. Hoanib Valley Camp works with the local community and Giraffe Conservation Foundation. Expert Africa can arrange bespoke itineraries to Namibia. We also love Habitas Namibia, a wellness-focused, people-driven safari camp.
Getty ImagesVerbier, Switzerland
Temperature: 3°C high; -6°C low
Season: autumn
Flight time from UK: 1 hour 40 minutes
Time difference: GMT+1In Switzerland’s Verbier, the emphasis is on fun. The smugly proficient can get their free-ride fix with the best back-country skiing in the Alps. The forever hopeless can just park their planks and whoop it up tobogganing instead. The apres scene is second-to-none: Farm Club has been a snooty institution for nearly half a century, with its haughty door policy and past guests including Diana Ross. And the hotels aren’t your average chalet set-up, belonging to the likes of Design Hotels and Small Luxury Hotels Group. Several lifts open in early November (weekends only), thanks to good snow cover at higher altitudes – your best chance to ski in and then ski the hell out before the high-season crush.
Where to stay: Paris-based cocktail crew The Experimental Group are behind speakeasy on the slopes Experimental Chalet.
New Zealand
Temperature: 22°C high; 12°C low
Season: spring
Flight time from UK: 24 hours
Time difference: GMT+11On New Zealand's South Island, you can ski in the morning and sunbathe in the afternoon. It's action-packed, with wild swimming, white-water rafting, glacier hiking, bungee-jumping, sky-diving, horse-riding… On the North Island, you'll find hot springs – pure bliss – and off the coast of Auckland, some of the most amazing beaches you'll ever see. Take a couple of weeks out to do a classic campervan trip when the islands are at their most Middle Earth-y. New Zealand has its own breed of super lodges in superlative settings, from remote bays to rugged mountaintops and beside lakes so enormous and awe-inspiring it's difficult to comprehend. Visit the small seaside town of Kaikoura, not far from Christchurch, is widely hailed NZ’s most sustainable spot. Known for its resident sperm whale population and regular blue whale sightings, the town has established a community trust, Whale Watch, owned by the local Maori people. Not only is this a multi-award-winning, responsible whale-watching operator, but it reinvests profits in community education and employment, and the local environment. Check out the brilliant Hapuku Tree Houses and Lodge too, with locally sourced food, composting and recycling programmes, salvaged interiors and a native tree-planting scheme.
Where to stay: Matakarui Lodge in Queenstown is the country’s favourite lodge.
Getty ImagesKerala, India
Temperature: 31ºC high; 24ºC low
Season: dry season/winter
Flight time from UK: 10 hours
Time difference: GMT+4.5November marks the beginning of Kerala's dry season and the end of the monsoons, which bring God’s Own Country bursting forth in verdant green, from its palm-lined lakes to the richly biodiverse slopes of the Western Ghats. This is India at its most chilled, its sandy shores quieter than those in Goa, and the scent of Ayurvedic oils in the air. Exploring is a hassle-free delight here – pootling around the backwaters by boat for an insight into local life, or hiring a motorbike to seek out new beaches, or putting up at homestays with families.
Where to stay: The quiet colonial streets of Fort Cochin – one of the most charming places on the entire planet – are home to many lovely places to stay. One of the loveliest is Malabar House, Cochin’s original boutique hotel, arranged riad-like around a courtyard pool. Now their properties include a houseboat on Lake Vembanad.
Getty ImagesValletta, Malta
Temperature: 20°C high; 13°C low
Season: autumn
Travel time from UK: 3 hours 10 minutes
Time difference: GMT +1Down in the southern Med, between Sicily and the North African coast, November does not mean gloomy dark afternoons and morning frosts. Even though you might spot the odd red telephone box, that’s as far as the British influence extends – sunny Malta gets eight hours of shimmering rays a day this month, while the mercury floats, or perhaps gloats, at around 20°C. Better still, this is a European autumn sun break with more going for it than beaches (though it has those, too). Capital Valletta’s honey-coloured forts are so cinematically good-looking, they starred in Game of Thrones as King’s Landing, and the old town’s palazzos are lately finding new life as high-design hotels, such as millionaire philanthropist Mark Weingard’s upcoming Iniala Malta.
Where to stay: 66 Saint Paul’s on balconied Ursula Street has a tiny rooftop pool. Another option is Domus Zamittello, a restored baroque masterpiece with painted coffered ceilings.
Getty ImagesNepal
Temperature: 23°C high; 8°C low
Season: autumn
Flight time from UK: 12 hours 10 minutes
Time difference: GMT+4:45November is the optimum time for trekking in the Himalayas: it's not too hot, the sky is clear enough to see where you're going, the peaks and high passes are clear enough for trekking, and it's the tail-end of high season. (Note: porters are a common feature of Himalayan trekking, and while this does provide much-needed employment to impoverished rural Nepalese people, you must ask tour operators about policies on porters’ rights, and check the weight of loads they’re expected to carry: 25kg is the recommended maximum). Whichever route you're taking – the Annapurna Circuit and Everest are breathtakingly beautiful at this time of year – you're likely to pass through Kathmandu. The gateway city is a remarkable place to spend a few days in before or after trekking: for the Buddhist monasteries and stupas, gardens, enchanting old buildings and colonial air, shopping and the insanely good street food.
Where to stay: Dwarika's Hotel in Kathmandu has become the stuff of legend among wellness-seekers.
Getty ImagesEgypt
Temperature: 26°C high; 13°C low
Season: autumn
Travel time from UK: 5 hours 30 minutes
Time difference: GMT +2November ushers in Egypt’s mild winter, more akin to a good summer in England: Cairo this time of year basks in an average temperature of 25°C. It’s ideal weather for exploring the Pyramids of Giza, just a half-hour drive from the chaos of Cairo’s downtown. Tempted to take a boat trip down the Nile? Resist the big cruises, which are notorious for pollution, and opt for a small group sailing excursion on a traditional felucca instead.
Where to stay: At one of Cairo’s most prestigious hotels; the Nile Ritz-Carlton or the The St. Regis Almasa.
Getty ImagesLas Vegas and the Grand Canyon, USA
Temperature: 21°C high; 2°C low
Season: autumn
Flight time from UK: 10 hours 45 minutes
Time difference: GMT-8There's nothing more dazzling than the firework-bright lights of The Strip at night. Nothing more tempting than the red and black flashes of a spinning roulette wheel. Nowhere more excessive, high-octane and brilliantly bonkers than here. And what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Then get the hell out of Vegas on a road trip from here down to New Mexico, through the canyons of Utah via the awesome Grand Canyon. Many national parks have Native American reservations nearby: an area allocated to indigenous people removed from their ancestral lands to make way for the park. If possible, visiting these reservations with a community guide is a great way to learn about the landscape’s history and support their economy. In the Grand Canyon, it’s possible to hike down from the rim into the remote Supai village, home to the Havasupai tribe for more than 1,000 years. Here there’s a campground, lodge, store and café – attempting to hike in and back within a day is not encouraged – but you must reserve in advance to enter.
Where to stay: At Resorts World Las Vegas, the first new resort to be built on the Las Vegas Strip in more than a decade.
Getty ImagesCuba
Temperature: 29°C high; 21°C low
Season: dry
Flight time from UK: 10 hours
Time difference: GMT-5Time’s running out to get to Cuba before it’s changed forever. The big resorts haven’t got to all the beaches yet, and Havana still has that rickety, time-warp romanticism going on – but for how long? Warm and sunny November is the ideal time to swing by before crowds fill out December to February. The silver lining? A fast-evolving boutique bar and hotel scene, catering to a more sophisticated traveller: in Havana, the colonial-cool of Twenties-era Casa Habana, or cocktails at 304 O’Reilly, a toy warehouse turned gin bar. Make time to escape to the Caribbean shores of Holguín, where you’ll find small, thatched, barefoot beach hotels with not a hint of a package deal.
Where to stay: Beach-front Villa Maguana is set in the Guantánamo Province of Cuba.
Getty ImagesPatagonia
Temperature: 18°C high; 5°C low
Season: dry
Flight time from UK: 22 hours
Time difference: GMT-4A wild frontier, Patagonia is the vast and empty tip of South America. For every photogenic massif and glacier, there’s about a million more miles of desolate, scrubby steppe. Finding the glimmering diamonds in the rough is half the satisfaction, though: Welsh tea shops, teal lakes and crackling glacial tongues in Argentine Patagonia; then puma-tracking safaris and unforgettable treks in Chilean Patagonia’s Torres del Paine National Park, accompanied by the unearthly trio of granite peaks that give this rugged wonder its name. Mid-September to early May is the established season; December to February bring hiking hordes. Nip in during November when mild temperatures are ideal for outdoor adventure and spring’s a-blooming. Torres del Paine rewards the effort with several polished overnight options: try the geodesic domes of EcoCamp, or lakeside five-star humdinger Explora, which has views you’ll struggle to believe However, due to a lack of rules around land sales, large swathes of Patagonia have been bought up and turned over to either heavy industry or unscrupulous developers. This isn’t just bad for the natural landscape, but also for the Indigenous peoples for whom this environment is sacred. Make sure to visit national parks and local communities so that your money goes towards the right people and projects. Tour operators such as BlueGreen Adventures employ regional guides and source from locally owned businesses.
Where to stay: The Lodge at Valle Chacabuco is the smartest stay in Parque Patagonia.
Getty ImagesYukon
Temperature: -20°C low; -4°C high
Season: autumn
Flight time from UK: 13 hours
Time difference: GMT-8“There are no guarantees in life but elk and taxes,” says the Yukon tourist board — but the chances of catching the Northern Lights in this Canadian hinterland are comfortably high. That’s because it’s such a stark wedge of territory — tundra and forests, lakes and mountains, the same size as Spain but home to just 40,000 hardy locals — creating ideally remote, unpolluted conditions for watching those elusive lights dance across the sky. November is considered the beginning of aurora season in most destinations, with some Scandinavian spots not fully open until December, but the Yukon’s nightly shows start as early as August. Still, with enough snow for days of dog-sledding, temperatures have yet to plunge to the fearsome depths of January and February (averaging -22C).
Where to stay: Tagish Wilderness Lodge is in a prime spot for viewing the northern lights. As are the glass chalets at the Yukon River Valley’s Northern Lights Resort & Spa.
Getty ImagesAntarctica
Temperature:-1°C high; -15°C low
Season: summer
Flight time from UK: 19 hours
Time difference: From GMT-3 to GMT+12, depending on the areaWhere better than the Great White South for a wintry getaway? Snowscapes don’t get more epic than Antarctica’s, a bright-white wilderness so pure, you’d swear it’s CGI. A trip to the end of the world is far from barren, though. Keep busy gaping at far-off, frosted summits and colossal, mint-blue icebergs; snapping breaching orcas and stumbling penguins; not to mention getting jelly-legged on homemade Ukrainian vodka at the world’s southernmost pub. Expedition boats visit the peninsula November to March, when the Antarctic summer makes penetrating pack ice possible (temperatures hover around a toasty 1C). Landings get progressively muddier and boot-blighted as the season wears on; find the freshest powder in November, the first time tourism touches the continent after a seven-month break. Just make sure your tour operator is registered with IAATO, the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators. Membership demands strict adherence to a code of conduct that is respectful of both the landscape and its wildlife.
Where to stay: At Whichaway Camp, on the edge of an ice lake – one of the most exclusive places to stay on the planet.
Getty ImagesColorado, USA
Temperature: 14°C high; -5°C low
Season: autumn
Flight time from UK: 10 hours
Time difference: GMT-7In the likes of California, Arizona and Texas, the dusty desert cities have gone hipster; in Colorado, its cute little mountain towns are wending the same way. Telluride’s Victorian streets are now packed with fancy tacos, craft cocktails and bespoke ski shops; Boulder has bicycle cafés with taprooms and espresso bars; Aspen is still Aspen, glamorous and pricey, and resolutely on-trend (farm-to-table restaurants, speakeasies). High up in the Rockies, ski season has started, the towns have recovered from summer madness, but the December masses are yet to invade.
Where to stay: Dunton Hot Springs is a former ghost town and natural hot spring that sets the bar for glamping.
Getty ImagesSeoul, South Korea
Temperature: 12°C high; 2°C low
Season: autumn
Flight time from UK: 11 hours
Time difference: GMT+8Seoul is an exciting city break with just the right mix of ease and exoticism: transport and general infrastructure are both exemplary, and there are also enough Confucian temples and dog cafés to keep a curious foreigner on their toes. South Korea’s flourishing economy has made its capital a hi-tech, high-design hub, positively pulsing with dynamic and fashionable youth culture. But the remnants of more austere and traditional times remain: cobbled streets and classic architecture, eccentric flea markets and scent-filled street-food alleys. November’s autumn colours make perfect portraits of Seoul’s many parks and hiking trails, while mild temperatures and low rainfall create a sweet spot for pavement-pounding (summer is wet and humid, the winter frigid).
Where to stay: The Shilla Seoul is a flawless blend of East and West.
Getty ImagesAndalucia, Spain
Temperature: 20°C high; 10°C low
Season: autumn
Flight time from UK: 2 hours 45 minutes
Time difference: GMT+1November is a wonderful month for a short break in southern Spain, when the summer crowds have gone home and it's still T-shirt weather. Cádiz is a charming place, hanging off the edge of Spain, bleached white and with the sound of flamenco in the air. A hip new hotel scene is putting Seville in the limelight but still both cities are quieter than touristy Granada and Córdoba. Beyond Marbella's beach clubs, head out to the Sierra de las Nieves national park to go swimming in natural rock pools and kayaking on the dam. Málaga has carved itself a new reputation, with an offshoot of Paris' Pompidou Centre, a glassy cube on the dockside, joining The Picasso, Carmen Thyssen and Contemporary Art museums.
Where to stay: Hacienda Finca Cortesin is one of Europe's smartest places to escape to. For more, see our guide to the best haciendas in Andalucia, Spain.
Getty ImagesBuenos Aires, Argentina
Temperature: 25°C high; 17°C low
Season: spring
Flight time from UK: 13 hours 45 minutes
Time difference: GMT-4STEAK! TANGO! WINE! FOOTBALL! SHOES! Yes, Buenos Aires is the indisputable heartland of red meat, and red wine (don't tell the French). It's a colourful place: leafy in the north, with faded townhouses fronting beautiful Italianate façades in the south and bright and bold houses in La Boca near the old port. In San Telmo, the rhythm of tango is unmistakable. And the barrio of Boca is so crazy about football even the houses are painted in home colours. But it's a little-known fact that the Argentine city also has some of the best shopping in the world now that creatives are setting up on their own and opening concept stores in Palermo's crumbling casonas.
Where to stay: At timeless, belle époque Palacio Duhau.
Getty ImagesHong Kong
Temperature: 24°C high; 19°C low
Season: autumn
Flight time from UK: 11 hours 55 minutes
Time difference: GMT+7November is a great month to go to Hong Kong. It's not too steamy for sundowners in one of the rooftop bars overlooking Victoria Harbour, which lights up at 8pm every night for a light show; or for moseying around Chinatown. Foodies are spoilt for choice here, but make like the locals at street-food stalls in Wan Chai. Shopping and art are big business too. What's surprising, though, is the choice of beautiful beaches and hiking trails on surrounding islands such as Lantau and Lamma.
Where to stay: At swish Rosewood Hong Kong, right on the city's harbour.
Getty ImagesDubai
Temperature: 31°C high; 20°C low
Season: winter
Flight time from UK: 7h
Time difference: GMT +3November is the start of proper winter in the UK, so you can’t be blamed for craving a dose of serious sunshine. Dubai is a clever contender – far enough away that the weather is almost guaranteed to be perfect but close enough to home that you won’t be struck down with jet lag for the entirety of your stay. Of course, there are glitzy hotels and beach clubs drawing in visitors. But there’s a lesser-known side to the city, too – some of our favourite things to do in Dubai include having supper in the desert at Sonara, where wood-fired pizzas and cocktails are served among the dunes and the opportunity to go on a desert safari, with Platinum Desert Safari.
Where to stay: Book into new opening Atlantis the Royal – a bells-and-whistles stay that bills itself as “the most ultra-luxury experiential resort in the world”.
Getty ImagesJapan
Temperature: 18°C high; 12°C low
Season: autumn
Flight time from UK: 14h 25m
Time difference: GMT +8Spring in Japan gets a lot of airtime. But for those in the know, autumn is every bit as beautiful as the trees flame into burnt orange and glorious red hues. In the capital, spend days hopping between Tokyo’s best restaurants and art galleries before catching one of the super-efficient trains to Kyoto, where the temples are surrounded by beautiful autumn foliage, or Osaka, where you can visit beautiful landscapes such as Minoo Falls. Just north of Tokyo, Nikko has World Heritage-listed temples and widescreen views of burnished gold and orange.
Where to stay: There are big hitters in Tokyo such as the Aman and the Mandarin Oriental. Try the Ace in Kyoto, or book the St Regis Osaka, which is spread across the top 16 floors of a skyscraper.
Getty ImagesStockholm, Sweden
Temperature: 6°C high; 2°C low
Season: winter
Flight time from UK: 2h 40m
Time difference: GMT +1This is not the destination for a blast of sunshine and heat. But it can't be denied that some cities are simply better in winter. Toward the end of the month, you might get snow – and the city looks especially lovely when dusted with a frosting of white. You can eat at some of the world's best restaurants, such as Frantzen if you're planning to splash the cash, and you'll also find some of the best bars in the world here, too. Lucy's Flower Shop is set in the basement of a centuries-old building and serves up some of the city's best cocktails.
Where to stay: Ett Hem is an ultra-stylish townhouse hotel that's been drawing discerning travellers since 2012.