Prep yourself for the inevitable chaos of the holiday season by planning a vacation in November and ending 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. Take a road trip on New Zealand’s North Island, eat your way across South Korea ⁠or climb the Himalayas in Nepal – it’s time to choose your own adventure this November and end 2025 on a high.

1. Ghana

Best for culture and wildlife

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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 teaming 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. November is also a good time to meet the people of Ghana: head to the fishing settlements in the south, the Lobi villages of the north and the many communities in between.

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/ 30°F and -15°C/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, hosting nesting turtles (June to September) and dugongs (commonly known as sea cows), as well as peaceful resorts on breathtaking beaches.

4. Panama

Best for birdwatching

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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.

Soberíana 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. Nepal 

Best for outdoor adventure 

With crisp air and cloud-free skies, November is perfect for exploring all of Nepal – from its mountain highs to its jungly lows and the culture-rich ripples in between. In two weeks, you can link the Kathmandu Valley, Chitwan and lakeside Pokhara, incorporating short walks. Multiday treks may require longer stays.

In the Kathmandu Valley, 22°C (72°F) days are comfortable for temple touring in Patan and Bhaktapur. Down on the steamy terai (plain), it’s 27°C (81°F) and mud-free, so it’s easier to search for rhinos, tigers and other creatures that lurk therein. The main trekking routes – such as the Annapurna Sanctuary – will be busy, but choose one of Nepal’s more offbeat routes (perhaps Kanchenjunga Base Camp in the Upper Dolpo) if you’d prefer to hike away from the crowds.

6. North Island, New Zealand

Best for a road trip

Quiet, scenic roads; sleeping in out-of-the-way places; the chance to go wherever the mood takes you…there are few better ways to explore New Zealand than by camper. High summer seems best for a road trip, but it’s also more expensive, whereas hiring a camper outside peak season can be up to 50% cheaper. End-of-spring November is a smart choice: lower prices and fewer tourists, but warming up nicely and rampant with wildflowers.

The North Island will be a bit warmer than the South – Auckland highs average 20°C (68°F) in November. It’s also bubbling with geothermal activity, so if it does get a little chilly you can warm up at Rotorua and Lake Taupo’s hot-spring complexes, or find wild-and-free thermal pools such as Kerosene Creek (near Rotorua), which has a hot waterfall. There’s also plenty of warm-weather fun: blackwater raft through Waitomo’s glowworm caves, shelter amid the Hobbiton film set or walk beneath Waipoua Forest’s towering kauri trees.

7. Valletta, Malta

Best for winter sunshine

Little Malta is a big draw during November. The mild, Mediterranean climate means it stays almost summery through November, with temperatures around 21°C (70°F) and the sea still warm enough for a dip. And there’s plenty of interest away from the beach. Valletta, the harbor-hugging capital, makes for a super off-season city break. European Capital of Culture in 2018, and UNESCO-listed in its entirety, it was founded by the Knights of Malta in the 16th century – and hasn’t changed a lot since.

Wander Malta’s maze of medieval alleyways and piazzas, nose into the baroque palaces and fine churches, trace the well-preserved fortifications and dip into the National Museum of Archaeology and modern MUŻA art museum. To appreciate Valletta from water level, sail across the Grand Harbor in a traditional dgħajsa (open boat). Then disembark at Vittoriosa, one of the three cities facing Valletta, and get lost in its sinuous backstreets.

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 three 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.