As summer fades, autumn opens the door to a quieter, more rewarding kind of travel.
Cooler temperatures, fewer crowds, and the beauty of seasonal change bring a renewed sense of space and authenticity. Across the globe, landscapes change hue, harvests begin, and the world’s most sought-after places breathe again after peak season. From vineyard-covered valleys to island hideaways and wildlife-rich plains, these destinations are at their most inviting in the months ahead.
- 01. For the Wine Lover: Portugal
- 02. For the Island Stylist: Greece
- 03. For the Sun-Seeking Historian: Cyprus
- 04. For the Country House Connoisseur: Ireland
- 05. For the Atoll Dreamer: Maldives
- 06. For the Caribbean Castaway: Bequia, Antigua & the Bahamas
- 07. For the Cultural Wanderer: Northern Vietnam
- 08. For the Bush Adventurer: Zambia’s Walking Safaris
- 9. For the Nature & Design Enthusiast: Japan
- 10. For the Rainforest Explorer: Malaysian Borneo
- 11. For the Migration Watcher: Serengeti, Tanzania
- 12. For the Coastal Connoisseur: Mozambique’s Quirimbas Archipelago
- 13. For the Safari Aficionado: Botswana’s Okavango Delta
- 14. For the Island Escape Artist: Seychelles
Autumn in Portugal brings crisp vineyard air, golden light, and fewer crowds. In the Douro and Alentejo, harvest season is in full swing, with cellar tastings, grape stomping, and scenic walks among the vines. Comporta offers a coastal counterpoint, where Atlantic breezes roll in over deserted beaches and the pace is blissfully slow.
Lightfoot Highlight: Join a private harvest in the Douro Valley, then enjoy a sommelier-led tasting at a boutique Alentejo estate.
For the Wine Lover: Portugal
For the Island Stylist: Greece
Where to Stay: Canaves Oia Suites (Santorini), Amanzoe (Peloponnese), Daios Cove (Crete)
October in Greece brings post-summer serenity: warm seas, honeyed sunsets, and a slower rhythm in charming harbours. Santorini’s whitewashed terraces glow under softer light, while Crete’s mountains beckon for hikes, and the Peloponnese’s archaeological treasures are blissfully uncrowded.
Lightfoot Highlight: Charter a private yacht to hidden coves, stopping for a swim and a fisherman’s lunch in a tiny, family-run taverna.
Where to Stay: Anassa, Almyra, Cap St George
Autumn in Cyprus blends ancient wonder with sun-drenched calm. With October days averaging 26°C and the sea still warm, mornings can be spent wandering Roman mosaics and Crusader castles, afternoons stretched out on quiet beaches, and evenings dining al fresco under starry skies.
Lightfoot Highlight: Explore UNESCO-listed ruins with a private archaeologist, then feast on traditional mezze at a clifftop village tavern.
For the Sun-Seeking Historian: Cyprus
For the Country House Connoisseur: Ireland
Where to Stay: Adare Manor, Ashford Castle, Ballyfin
Ireland’s countryside comes into its own in autumn. The air is crisp, woodlands glow gold, and evenings invite roaring fires and slow suppers in manor house splendour. Between drives along winding country lanes, discover local artisans, historic gardens, and centuries-old pubs.
Lightfoot Highlight: Try your hand at falconry on Adare’s grounds, then enjoy a Michelin-starred tasting menu in the castle’s candlelit dining room.
Where to Stay: Patina Maldives, Heritance Aarah, Soneva Jani
October and November offer a quiet window before peak season in the Maldives, when atolls are calm, marine life abundant, and the days long and bright. It’s an ideal time for slow, immersive barefoot living surrounded by turquoise seas.
Lightfoot Highlight: Snorkel with manta rays alongside a marine biologist, then drift back to your villa for an oceanfront spa ritual.
For the Atoll Dreamer: Maldives
For the Caribbean Castaway: Bequia, Antigua & the Bahamas
Where to Stay: Bequia Beach Hotel, Jumby Bay, Rosewood Baha Mar
October and November mark the gentle start of the Caribbean’s dry season. Days are warm and breezy, waters calm and clear, and the beaches blissfully quiet before the festive season rush. It’s the perfect moment for slow island-hopping and barefoot luxury.
Lightfoot Highlight: Spend the day cruising between secluded bays with a private skipper, snorkelling off sandbars and sharing grilled lobster on deck.
Where to Stay: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, Capella Hanoi, Bhaya Cruise
Autumn in northern Vietnam means dry, clear days and cooler evenings. It’s the best time to wander Hanoi’s Old Quarter, sail among Halong Bay’s limestone karsts, or trek through Sapa’s golden rice terraces. The pace is gentle, the air fresh, and the colours vivid.
Lightfoot Highlight: Discover Hanoi’s markets and street food with a private guide, then spend the night on a traditional junk boat in Halong Bay.
For the Cultural Wanderer: Northern Vietnam
For the Bush Adventurer: Zambia’s Walking Safaris
Where to Stay: Luwi Bush Camp, Nsolo Bush Camp, Kakuli Bush Camp
Zambia’s dry season is perfect for walking safaris, with open landscapes and golden light setting the scene for close wildlife encounters. South Luangwa, the birthplace of the walking safari, offers a raw, intimate connection to the bush.
Lightfoot Highlight: Track wildlife on foot by day, then sleep out in a remote fly camp with nothing between you and the African night sky.
Where to Stay: Amanemu, Hoshinoya Kyoto, Floating Inn Guntû
October and November transform Japan into a living canvas of red and gold. From Kyoto’s temple gardens to Shima’s forested coastline and Setouchi’s island-dotted seas, this is a season made for stillness, beauty, and design-led retreats.
Lightfoot Highlight: Enjoy a private guided walk through Kyoto’s gardens at peak colour, then savour a multi-course kaiseki in a historic machiya.
For the Nature & Design Enthusiast: Japan
For the Rainforest Explorer: Malaysian Borneo
Where to Stay: Borneo Rainforest Lodge, Kinabatangan Wetlands Resort, Sepilok Nature Resort
Autumn in Borneo’s jungles is a season of abundance – rivers run full, the forest is lush, and wildlife sightings are superb. Mornings are alive with bird calls, afternoons rich with tropical scent, and evenings lit by fireflies along the waterways.
Lightfoot Highlight: Trek through Danum Valley with a naturalist, glide along the Kinabatangan by riverboat, and spot wild orangutans at dawn.
Where to Stay: Dunia Camp, Sayari Camp, Lamai Serengeti
In October, the herds gather in the Lamai Wedge and Lobo region in Tanzania, offering quieter, more intimate migration encounters from one of the Serengeti’s most scenic vantage points. By November, they begin their journey south, moving under vast skies and dramatic light.
Lightfoot Highlight: Float above the plains in a hot air balloon at sunrise, landing for a champagne breakfast in the bush.
For the Migration Watcher: Serengeti, Tanzania
For the Coastal Connoisseur: Mozambique’s Quirimbas Archipelago
Where to Stay: Kisawa Sanctuary, Azura Quilalea, Ibo Island Lodge
October offers calm seas and rich marine life in Mozambique's picture postcard setting of white-sand beaches and coral reefs. It’s still whale season – often with humpbacks breaching offshore – while traditional dhows glide between islands.
Lightfoot Highlight: Spend the morning spotting humpback whales from a private dhow, then snorkel untouched reefs and relax with a beach picnic on a deserted islet.
Where to Stay: Vumbura Plains, Mombo Camp, Xigera Safari Lodge
October is the height of Botswana’s dry season, when wildlife crowds the waterways of the Okavango Delta. The bush is golden and sparse, offering unmatched visibility for game viewing both on land and by water.
Lightfoot Highlight: Glide through papyrus-lined channels in a mokoro canoe, learning the delta’s secrets from your poler.
For the Safari Aficionado: Botswana’s Okavango Delta
For the Island Escape Artist: Seychelles
Where to Stay: North Island, Six Senses Zil Pasyon, Cheval Blanc Seychelles
October ushers in calm seas and exceptional underwater visibility in the Seychelles. With gentle trade winds and balmy days, it’s the perfect time for inter-island cruising and diving remote reefs in the Seychelles’ marine parks.
Lightfoot Highlight: Cruise by private boat to untouched reefs around Félicité and Silhouette, spotting hawksbill turtles before a bespoke beach barbecue.
Speak to our experts to start planning your perfect autumn escape, tailored to your needs and designed around the season’s best experiences.
Photography credits: Unsplash, Canva, Hotels' own
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