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Português (PT)Where to go in October
East Asia's steadiest weather, and the month autumn colour starts working its way south.
October is the month people who know East Asia well call its best: typhoon season is over, the air is dry and steady, and autumn colour starts in the north. In Europe prices have come well down while there is still light enough to walk the cities. Southeast Asia is at the tail of its rains, with prices still low and the weather turning good again in places.
8 places this month suits
Japan
The driest, steadiest air of the year with little rain, and autumn colour beginning in the north. You can walk all day without flagging.
Japan plansSouth Korea
Clear skies and the right temperature, with autumn colour running north to south through the month — the best time of year both for cities and for hills.
South Korea plansNepal
The main autumn trekking season: the year's best visibility once the monsoon has gone, with dry trails and clear skies.
Nepal plansJordan
Autumn gives the right air for walking archaeological sites all day: summer's heat has gone and the nights are not yet cold.
Jordan plansGreece
Early in the month the islands are still open and the sea still warm, with far fewer people and prices clearly down on September.
Greece plansThailand
The end of the rains: showers ease while room rates are still at off-season levels, and the north begins to cool ahead of the dry season.
Thailand plansUzbekistan
Autumn is the right weather for the desert cities — neither summer's heat nor winter's cold — and the routes between them run easily.
Uzbekistan plansAustralia
Southern spring: the east coast is good and the north has not yet entered its wet season, making it the month that covers the most of the country.
Australia plansWhat this month does to a data plan
People photograph far more this month because of the colour, and uploading full-resolution images through the day is the single thing that most often blows past the estimate. On a photography trip, allow more data or leave the uploads until you are back at the room.
What to skip this month
Central Vietnam is still in its storm season and Thailand's Gulf coast starts its rains late in the month. If your plans depend on boats, match the coast to the month before booking.
Thai holidays in October and what they do to fares
October is the second big Thai travel month, because schools break for their mid-year holiday. In 2027 the Bank of Thailand list has King Bhumibol the Great Memorial Day on Wednesday 13 October and a substitute for King Chulalongkorn the Great Memorial Day on Monday 25 October, giving Saturday 23 to Monday 25 October off.
Japan and Korea are the top October choice for Thai families, and both are in autumn colour season. China's National Day holiday in the first week of October fills Chinese trains and Hong Kong, so treat 1 to 7 October as peak for any trip to China.
Visa notes for Thai passport holders in October
These are the entry rules for the places this page recommends. Rules change, so confirm on the official page before you pay for flights.
- Japan: Thai ordinary passports are visa-exempt for short stays of up to 15 days; a longer trip needs a visa from the Embassy of Japan. Immigration rules: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/index.html
- South Korea: short visits are visa-free, but Thai passport holders must hold an approved K-ETA before boarding unless an exemption is announced. Apply only on the official site: https://www.k-eta.go.kr
- China: Thailand and China have exempted each other's ordinary passport holders from visas since March 2024, for stays of up to 30 days per entry. Confirm the current terms with the Chinese embassy in Bangkok: https://th.china-embassy.gov.cn
- Australia: Thai passport holders need a Visitor visa (subclass 600) before travel. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/visitor-600
- Anywhere else on this page: check the country's embassy in Bangkok or its official e-visa portal, starting from the Thai Department of Consular Affairs. https://consular.mfa.go.th
Weather and crowds at a glance in October
| Destination | Typical conditions | Crowds and prices | Official forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | Dry, mild; colour starting in the north | Busy on holiday weekends | JMA |
| South Korea | Clear and cool | Peak hiking season | KMA |
| Nepal | Clear, best visibility | Peak trekking season | Nepal's Department of Hydrology and Meteorology |
| Jordan | Warm days, mild nights | High season | Jordan Meteorological Department |
| Greece | Warm early, rain later | Islands closing late in the month | Hellenic National Meteorological Service |
| Thailand, north | Rains easing, cooling | Rising late in the month | Thai Meteorological Department |
| Uzbekistan | Mild, dry | Moderate | Uzhydromet |
| Australia | Spring; north still dry | Moderate | Bureau of Meteorology |
Conditions are typical patterns, not a forecast. Check the national weather service listed for the week you travel.
When to book for October
- Thai school-break trips to Japan and Korea are commonly booked three to five months ahead; the 23 to 25 October weekend and the Friday before it sell first.
- Autumn colour moves south through Japan and Korea, so a late-October trip can target Kyoto and Seoul's hills at their start rather than the busier mid-November peak.
- Avoid China and Hong Kong in the first week of October unless you want the holiday atmosphere.
- Buy and install the eSIM at home in the days before departure; most plans in our catalogue only start counting days on first connection at the destination, which the plan page states.
Data needs in October
Family trips change the maths: one parent sharing a hotspot with children's tablets uses more than each person on their own plan would expect. Either buy a plan that allows hotspot with room to spare, or give each phone its own smaller plan. For a ten-day Japan or Korea family trip, compare a 2 GB daily plan on one phone against separate plans on the plan pages. A photo-heavy autumn trip usually needs a size up.
Where to go in October
Where is autumn colour in October?+
It starts in northern Japan and South Korea and moves south through the month; the big southern cities usually peak in November.
Is Europe still walkable?+
Yes, especially in the south, which stays warm and dry. In the north daylight shortens fast, so put the outdoor parts between morning and mid-afternoon.
How much data for a photo trip?+
It depends on whether you upload during the day. If you send full-resolution images daily, take one size up from a normal trip, or run the numbers in the data estimator first.
Which October 2027 days are Thai holidays?+
Wednesday 13 October (King Bhumibol the Great Memorial Day) and Monday 25 October (substitute for King Chulalongkorn the Great Memorial Day on Saturday 23 October), on the Bank of Thailand list.
Is a China trip in October visa-free for Thais?+
Under the Thailand and China mutual exemption in force since March 2024, ordinary passport holders can stay up to 30 days per entry. Confirm with the Chinese embassy in Bangkok before going.
Does mobile data work on Nepal treks?+
On popular routes there is signal in many villages, but it drops between them and at high camps. Download maps before leaving Kathmandu or Pokhara.
Is Australia a good October trip for Thais?+
Weather-wise yes, as spring covers most of the country. Thai passport holders need a Visitor visa (subclass 600), so apply well before the school break.