Comparison
Where to travel in November — where to go and where to skip
November brings crisp autumn cities and the start of the dry season on some Southeast Asian coasts. Where fits November, and where rain is heaviest.
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How to choose a November trip
November offers a wide choice: North Asia is in crisp autumn, the dry season begins on parts of Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, and the southern hemisphere is in spring.
But some Southeast Asian places have their heaviest rain in November. This article groups cities using the 'best time to go' information in each city guide. Weather varies from year to year, so read it as 'usually' and check the forecast before you go.
Crisp autumn cities — Japan
Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya are usually at their best for walking in October-November, with the rainy and typhoon seasons behind them.
Kyoto's autumn colors peak from mid-November to early December, but it's very crowded and room rates rise. Book early for the foliage, or head out early in the morning for quieter streets. Kanazawa, Takamatsu and Hiroshima are also pleasant in October-November, and Hiroshima's oyster season begins.
- City walks and foliage → Tokyo, Kyoto, Kanazawa
- Food and day trips → Osaka, Fukuoka
- Islands and art → Takamatsu
Taiwan, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Hanoi — late autumn for walking
Taipei and Hong Kong are usually at their best in October-December, cooler and drier after the summer heat and typhoon season — good for night markets and walks.
Shanghai's autumn in October-November tends to be clear and mild. Hanoi in northern Vietnam is also pleasant in October-November, with completely different weather from the central beaches of Da Nang and Nha Trang.
The dry season begins — Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and southern Vietnam
Bangkok and Chiang Mai are usually coolest and driest from November to February. In Chiang Mai, rooms fill fast around the lantern festival at the November full moon, so book early.
On the Andaman side, Phuket, Krabi and Malaysia's Langkawi usually enjoy a dry season from November to April with calmer seas. Boracay in the Philippines is good from November to May, and Phu Quoc in Vietnam from November to April. As November is the start of the dry season, early in the month can still be rainy.
- City and night markets → Bangkok
- Cool mountains and festivals → Chiang Mai
- Island-hopping seas → Phuket, Krabi, Langkawi
- Sunsets and resorts → Boracay, Phu Quoc
Spring in the southern hemisphere, pleasant US West
November is spring in Australia. Sydney and Melbourne are usually mild in September-November, and the Gold Coast and Brisbane are warm and pleasant too. Pack lighter clothes, but bring a layer for Melbourne, where the weather changes often in a day.
In the US West, Las Vegas and Los Angeles are comfortable in September-November. Honolulu is warm all year, though big waves hit the north shore on many days from November.
Think twice in November — the rainy places
Central Vietnam's Da Nang and Nha Trang usually see frequent heavy rain and typhoons in October-November, and island trips and boats may be cancelled. Koh Samui on the Gulf of Thailand is usually wettest in October-December — a different rainy season from Phuket and Krabi.
Bali enters its rainy season in November. Cebu and Bohol in the Philippines, and Guam and Saipan, can still see showers and typhoons around November. Saipan is recovering from an April 2026 typhoon with reduced flights, so check official information first. If you go, keep boat and tour plans flexible and avoid boat trips on your last day.
At a glance — November weather by city
A quick summary of each city guide's 'best time to go' as it applies to November. Weather differs within a country, so look city by city.
- In season: Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Nagoya, Kanazawa, Hiroshima, Takamatsu; Taipei, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Hanoi; Bangkok, Chiang Mai; Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Brisbane; Las Vegas, Los Angeles
- Dry season just starting: Phuket, Krabi, Langkawi, Boracay, Phu Quoc (early November may still be rainy)
- Similar all year: Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Honolulu (Singapore has frequent afternoon thunderstorms in the November inter-monsoon, and the wetter northeast monsoon in December-January)
- Usually rainy: Da Nang, Nha Trang, Koh Samui, Bali; Cebu, Bohol, Guam, Saipan (typhoons possible)
- Grey and wet: San Francisco (rain November-March), Seattle (drizzle October-April)
November by the climate normals
Here are the numbers behind the groupings above: November average high, low and rainfall normals for the cities in this article. Each line names its source and normals period. Cebu is high 31° / low 25° · rain 131mm (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) submission · WMO normals collection (NOAA NCEI), 1991–2020, Mactan-Cebu International Airport station).
Bali uses the older WMO period 1961–1990, so comparing it with 1991–2020 values is only rough. Even so, the Japanese cities sit around 16-18° for highs, and Da Nang's 486mm of November rain stands far above the rest.
- Tokyo high 16.7° / low 8.8° · rain 96.3mm (Japan Meteorological Agency, 1991–2020)
- Osaka high 17.8° / low 10.2° · rain 72.5mm (Japan Meteorological Agency, 1991–2020)
- Fukuoka high 18.2° / low 10.6° · rain 91.4mm (Japan Meteorological Agency, 1991–2020)
- Nagoya high 17.3° / low 8.6° · rain 79.1mm (Japan Meteorological Agency, 1991–2020)
- Kyoto high 17.3° / low 8.4° · rain 73.9mm (Japan Meteorological Agency, 1991–2020)
- Taipei high 24.8° / low 19.7° · rain 83.2mm (Central Weather Administration (CWA), Taiwan, 1991–2020)
- Hong Kong high 24.5° / low 20.3° · rain 39.3mm (WMO World Weather Information Service — Hong Kong Observatory, 1991–2020)
- Hanoi high 26.3° / low 19.2° · rain 48mm (WMO World Weather Information Service — Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration, 1991–2020)
- Bangkok high 33.1° / low 24.7° · rain 44.6mm (Thai Meteorological Department submission · WMO normals collection (NOAA NCEI), 1991–2020)
- Phuket high 32.1° / low 25.2° · rain 178.2mm (Thai Meteorological Department submission · WMO normals collection (NOAA NCEI), 1991–2020)
- Da Nang high 27.7° / low 22.5° · rain 486mm (WMO World Weather Information Service — Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration, 1991–2020)
- Sydney high 24.9° / low 16.6° · rain 90.6mm (Australian Bureau of Meteorology submission · WMO normals collection (NOAA NCEI), 1991–2020)
- Bali (Denpasar) high 32.7° / low 23.5° · rain 179mm (WMO World Weather Information Service — Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG), 1961–1990)
November trip tips
November is relatively quiet, but some cities and dates — Kyoto's foliage season, Chiang Mai's lantern festival — get crowded and pricier. If your dates are set, compare flights and stays early.
Temperatures vary widely between destinations; it may be cold where you start but midsummer in Southeast Asia, so pack a travel-day layer separately. Check entry procedures and public holiday dates with each country's official sources and calendars before you go.
FAQ
Where's good for warm seas in November?
Phuket, Krabi, Langkawi, Boracay and Phu Quoc, where the dry season usually starts in November. Early November can still be rainy, so check the forecast.
What about Da Nang in November?
Da Nang and Nha Trang usually see frequent heavy rain and typhoons in October-November. For a beach trip, consider February onward or compare other cities.
Where in Japan is best for autumn colors?
Kyoto peaks from mid-November to early December but is crowded and pricey. Tokyo, Osaka, Kanazawa and Hiroshima also have lovely autumn scenery in October-November.
Is Australia hot in November?
It's spring, so Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast are generally mild. Melbourne's weather changes often in a day, so bring a layer.
Where in the US is good in November?
Las Vegas and Los Angeles are usually comfortable in September-November. San Francisco sees more rainy days from November, and Seattle tends to be drizzly.
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ⓘ Photo credits
- Small island on a coral reef, Maldives · Dr. Ondřej Havelka (cestovatel) / CC BY-SA 4.0
- Jungfraujoch (Top of Europe) · Rosser1954 / CC BY-SA 4.0