Where is hot in October?

October in brief

Dubai leads the table with 36°C by day and 23°C at night, a 31°C sea and 0 rainy days (7 h 36 min from London). Abu Dhabi leads with 35°C by day and 25°C at night, a 31°C sea and 0 rainy days (7 h 36 min from London). Sharm El Sheikh leads with 33°C by day and 22°C at night, a 27°C sea and 0 rainy days (5 h 36 min from London). Bangkok leads with 31°C by day and 24°C at night, a 29°C sea and 21 rainy days (12 h 42 min from London). Puerto Vallarta leads with 30°C by day and 24°C at night, a 30°C sea and 19 rainy days (12 h 18 min from London).

Warm rather than hot (20-25°C): Paphos 25°C, Antalya 25°C, Marmaris 25°C, Bermuda 25°C, Tenerife 25°C, Hammamet 24°C and 51 more. Hot but wet - over 25°C with more than eight rainy days: Bangkok (21 days), Puerto Vallarta (19 days), Ho Chi Minh City (27 days), Montego Bay (25 days), Kololi (8 days). Over 30°C by day: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharm El Sheikh, Bangkok, Puerto Vallarta, Ho Chi Minh City and 1 more. For scale, London averages 15°C in October.

Short, mid and long-haul in October

• Short-haul (up to 4.5 h): Marrakech 27°C, Agadir 27°C, Sousse 27°C, Gran Canaria 26°C, Fethiye 25°C, Seville 25°C and 72 more - see the short-haul list
• Mid-haul (4.5-7 h): Sharm El Sheikh 33°C, Kololi 30°C, Hurghada 30°C, Boa Vista 29°C, Limassol 27°C, Sal 27°C and 3 more
• Long-haul (7 h+): Dubai 36°C, Abu Dhabi 35°C, Bangkok 31°C, Puerto Vallarta 30°C, Ho Chi Minh City 30°C, Montego Bay 30°C and 41 more

By region

• Europe: 78 destinations, warmest Limassol (27°C)
• Asia: 14 destinations, warmest Bangkok (31°C)
• Caribbean & Mexico: 14 destinations, warmest Puerto Vallarta (30°C)
• Africa: 12 destinations, warmest Sharm El Sheikh (33°C)
• Indian Ocean: 6 destinations, warmest Goa (30°C)
• The Americas: 6 destinations, warmest Guanacaste (28°C)
• Middle East: 2 destinations, warmest Dubai (36°C)
• Oceania & Pacific: 2 destinations, warmest Hawaii (27°C)

Choose Egypt for balance, or the Gulf for stronger heat

Hurghada combines 30°C days, a 27°C sea and 0 rainy days with a flight of 5 h 36 min, making it a strong fit for travellers who put swimming and dry weather first. Sharm El Sheikh has the same flight time and sea temperature but hotter days at 33°C. Dubai and Abu Dhabi push daytime heat to 36°C and 35°C, with a longer flight of 7 h 36 min. Their 31°C sea suits anyone who dislikes cool water, but offers less relief from the heat. Choose the Gulf if strong heat is the point of the trip; choose Egypt for a shorter journey. In either, plan shade and quieter time around midday.

Treat tropical heat and rain as a package

Kololi is a useful compromise if you want tropical warmth without the longest journey: days reach 30°C, the sea is 29°C and the flight takes 6 h 18 min. The catch is 8 rainy days, so it is not a substitute for Egypt's dry conditions. Zanzibar offers 29°C days and a 27°C sea, but involves a 10 h flight and 11 rainy days. Farther afield, Bangkok has 21 rainy days and a flight of 12 h 42 min; Montego Bay has 25 rainy days despite its inviting 29°C sea. These suit travellers willing to keep outdoor plans flexible, rather than those whose holiday depends on dry beach weather. Warm water alone is not a good reason to overlook the rain.

Go gentler if you want to walk as well as sunbathe

If the Gulf sounds too hot, aim for warmth rather than chasing the highest temperature. Paphos, Antalya and Marmaris reach 25°C by day, while Tenerife, Crete and Fuerteventura reach 24°C. That makes them better suited to travellers who want time outdoors without the intensity of Egypt or the Gulf. Lanzarote, Sicily and the Algarve sit at 23°C; Madeira is milder again at 22°C. The trade-off is less heat for a holiday centred on sunbathing. Pack a light layer rather than assuming beach clothes will cover every part of the day, and do not treat daytime air temperature as a guide to sea warmth.