November is the month savvy travellers look forward to: airfares hit their annual low, crowds have vanished, and while France turns on the heating, half the globe enters the dry season. The real question remains: where to go in November to find sunshine without breaking the bank? If your departure is sooner, our guide where to go in October covers the previous month.
Here are our 10 November destinations, ranked by flight time: sunshine within 6 hours, long-haul flights entering their best season, and Europe with its mild weather and public holidays. For each: real weather, sea temperature, and what makes this month special.
Travel Gear for November
A word on gear before you board, because November widens the gap between departure and arrival: 8°C at take-off, sometimes 30°C upon landing, and in the tropics, a local pharmacy that might not have your medication equivalents. A compartmentalised first aid kit saves you from rummaging through three bags for an antihistamine; a hanging wash bag adapts to hotel and riad bathrooms alike; and a travel bag that withstands tropical downpours and Roman drizzle protects your documents and camera. Our trio for this month:
The 10 November Destinations at a Glance
Average air and sea temperatures in November, flight times from Paris, and each destination's highlight — enough to compare at a glance before diving into the details.
| Destination | Air | Sea | Flight from Paris | Ideal for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Sea (Egypt) | 27 °C | 26 °C | 4 h 45 direct | diving + guaranteed sunshine |
| Madeira (Portugal) | 22 °C | 21 °C | 4 h direct | hiking + eternal spring |
| Malta | 21 °C | 21 °C | 2 h 50 direct | city break + warm sea |
| Cape Verde | 27 °C | 25 °C | 6 h direct | beaches + trade winds |
| Thailand | 32 °C | 29 °C | 11 h direct | start of dry season |
| Mexico (Oaxaca, Yucatán) | 28 °C | 27 °C | 11 h direct | festivals + beaches |
| Mauritius | 27 °C | 26 °C | 11 h direct | lagoon + southern summer |
| Vietnam (north and centre) | 24 °C | 25 °C in Da Nang | 11 h 30 layover | Halong Bay + culture |
| Seville and Andalusia | 20 °C | — | 2 h 20 direct | gentle weather + tapas without crowds |
| Rome | 17 °C | — | 2 h 10 direct | eternal city returned to the Romans |
Fancy a visual preview before the destination-by-destination details? This video selection sweeps through the month's must-sees:
Sunshine Within 6 Hours of Flight
The Red Sea, Sun Guaranteed
Hurghada, Marsa Alam, or Sharm el-Sheikh offer in November 27°C in the air, 26°C in the water, and an almost guaranteed clear sky — all within less than 5 hours from Paris. It's one of the best sun-to-flight-time ratios of autumn, and the peak diving season: visibility on the reefs is at its best, and a Luxor–Red Sea combo adds the Valley of the Kings without the summer furnace.
Madeira, the Eternal Spring
The Portuguese island never really drops below 20°C: in November, expect 22°C, a sea at 21°C, and levadas — these irrigation channels turned trails — to be explored in superb autumn light. Funchal is gently preparing its illuminations, prices are at rock bottom, and the island remains one of the few places in Europe where you can still hike and swim on the same day.
Malta, the City Break That Kept Summer
Less than 3 hours of flight, the Maltese archipelago maintains in November 21°C in the air and water alike. Valletta can finally be visited without the crowds, Gozo's coves regain their calm, and the seabed remains accessible for those who don't mind the chill. An excellent choice for the 11 November holiday: Mediterranean escape, budget-friendly, direct flights from most French cities.
Cape Verde, the Trade Winds 6 Hours from Paris
Off the coast of Senegal, the Cape Verde archipelago begins its best season in November: the short wet season ends, Sal and Boa Vista islands offer 27°C, a sea at 25°C, and winds that delight kitesurfers. No significant time difference (just one hour), no long-haul flight: it's the taste of the tropics without the fatigue of the far end of the world.
Long-Haul: Heading into the Dry Season
November marks the great shift in the tropics: the monsoon retreats from Southeast Asia, the southern summer settles in the Indian Ocean, and the Caribbean emerges from hurricane season. Before booking, check your passport's validity — six months after the return date for Thailand and most distant destinations — and protect it from airport handling:
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Thailand, the Return of the Prime Season
The monsoon ends, the dry season sets in: 32°C, an Andaman Sea at 29°C, and islands — Phuket, Krabi, Koh Lanta — reopening their boat connections. November is the ideal month to get ahead of Thailand, just before December's high season and its doubled prices. To budget your stay item by item, our guide detailed budget for a trip to Thailand provides real ranges, from guesthouses to resorts.
Mexico's Festivities and Beaches
Early November, the country celebrates Día de los Muertos: altars adorned with cempasúchil flowers, candlelit vigils in Oaxaca or on Lake Pátzcuaro — festivities inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The rest of the month, the dry season sets in: 28°C, a Caribbean Sea at 27°C, and still gentle prices before December on the Yucatán coast.
Mauritius, the Start of the Southern Summer
The southern winter is over: 27°C in the air, a lagoon at 26°C, and flamboyant trees in bloom. November is one of the driest and brightest months on the island — perfect for combining relaxation, snorkeling, and inland hikes, before the southern summer rains arrive in January. Hotel rates climb mid-December: November is the smart window.
Northern and Central Vietnam
It's the best window of the year for Hanoi and Halong Bay: 24°C, dry air, and soft light on the karst sugar loaves. The centre — Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang — emerges from its rainy season with a sea still at 25°C. Only the south (Mekong Delta) remains to be watched in early month; everywhere else, November is the photographers' month.
A reflex for all these distant destinations: showers remain possible and brief — a waterproof backpack protects your camera and documents while they pass. And to fit eleven days of light clothing into a carry-on, compression changes everything:
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Europe's Mild Weather and Public Holidays
Seville and Andalusia
Twenty degrees in November, orange trees laden with fruit, and terraces still lively: Andalusia offers the continent's last true respite of mildness. Seville, Cordoba, and Granada can finally be visited without queues — the Alhambra in November means easy reservations and the low light transforming the patios. The 11 November holiday is more than enough.
Rome Returned to the Romans
Seventeen degrees, a few quick showers, and a city that finally breathes: November is when Rome becomes Italian again. The Colosseum and Vatican Museums can be explored without jostling, trattorias welcome back their regulars, and hotel rates drop by a third compared to October. The cultural city break par excellence — just remember the umbrella and shoes that can handle wet cobblestones.
Where to Go for 3-4 Days in November (Long Weekend)
No need to take a week off to catch November's sun: as long as you aim for less than four hours of flight, a long weekend is enough to change seasons. The sure bets can be counted on one hand. Seville and Andalusia for the mildness at 20-22°C, tapas on the terrace, and a possible round trip from Thursday to Sunday. Malta, which still has a swimmable sea and concentrates Valletta, Mdina, and the cliffs in a small area — ideal in three full days. Marrakech, three hours of flight, for maximum exoticism per kilometre: 25°C in the afternoon, the souks, and a riad with a patio to relax. Finally, the Canaries, just over four hours, if the goal is the beach above all. The smart move for a short stay: travel with carry-on luggage only — for two to four nights, there's no need for checked baggage, and it's time saved at the airport both ways.
Packing for November
The month's trap is well-known: leaving France in a coat to land in a t-shirt — or the reverse on return. The solution lies in three habits: layering instead of piling (t-shirts + fleece + windbreaker cover 90% of situations), rolling clothes by outfit, and compartmentalising to separate summer from mid-season. A compressible organiser saves a third of space — enough to stay in carry-on luggage even with two climates in the same bag:
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Complete with a wash bag in travel size if you're packing light: bottles under 100 ml gathered in a transparent pouch, and security takes only a few seconds. On flights with layovers, always keep a change of clothes in your hand luggage — suitcases sometimes miss the connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is the hottest in November? Among destinations accessible from France, Thailand leads (32°C, sea at 29°C), followed by Mexico and Mauritius (27-28°C). Within 6 hours of flight, the Egyptian Red Sea and Cape Verde hold 27°C with almost guaranteed sunshine.
Where to go for sunshine in November without breaking the bank? The Red Sea offers the best sun-to-price ratio of the month (direct flights + discounted hotels outside school holidays). Malta and Madeira combine low-cost flights and off-season accommodation. For long-haul, Thailand in November remains 30 to 40% cheaper than in December.
Where to spend the 1st and 11th November holidays? For 3-4 days, aim short: Seville or Rome for culture, Malta for the sea, Marrakech for exoticism. The Mexican Día de los Muertos (1st-2nd November) deserves a proper ten-day stay.
Where to go for warmth within 6 hours of France? Four safe bets: the Red Sea (27°C, 4h45), Cape Verde (27°C, 6h), Madeira (22°C, 4h), and Malta (21°C, 2h50). All maintain a sea at 21°C or more — enough to swim in November without long-haul flights.
Where is the warmest place in November in Europe? The Canary Islands, which remain the warmest place in Europe in November: 24 to 26°C in the afternoon, a sea around 22°C, and seven to eight hours of sunshine per day. On the continent, southern Andalusia, Malta, and Cyprus lead with 20 to 23°C — plenty for terrace dining, not quite enough to guarantee swimming.
Where to go swimming in November? Without leaving the European time zone, the Red Sea is the safest answer: 26 to 27°C in the water and a cloudless sky. The Canaries and Cape Verde offer a fresh but real swim (22-24°C). For long-haul, November reopens the prime season everywhere: Thailand, Maldives, Mauritius, and Mexican Caribbean boast water at 27-29°C.
