Where’s Hot in November from the UK: Best Holiday Destinations

By November, almost every beach destination in Europe has closed for the season or gone distinctly cold. The options that remain open with real warmth are fewer but more interesting. These four all offer reliable temperatures above 20 degrees, direct flights from the UK and good reasons to go beyond the beach. Two of them, Egypt and Dubai, are arguably at their absolute best in November, when the summer heat has finally dropped to comfortable levels.

For a full overview of where works each month, see our guide to where’s hot from the UK.

Canary Islands

The Canary Islands are the default answer to the November sun question for good reason. Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote all sit off the West African coast, insulated from European winter by the Atlantic trade winds and the proximity to the tropics. Average temperatures in November hover around 22 degrees with very low rainfall and consistent sunshine. There is nowhere else you can fly direct from most UK regional airports in under five hours and be confident of wearing a T-shirt and sitting by a pool.

Tenerife is the busiest and has the widest range of accommodation and activities. The south, around Playa de las Américas and Costa Adeje, has the resort infrastructure; the north has Teide, Spain’s highest mountain, and the ancient Anaga forest. Gran Canaria offers Maspalomas, a vast dunefield that gives the island an almost Saharan quality in the south, while Las Palmas in the north has a proper city feel with good restaurants and a long city beach. Lanzarote is the most distinct, with extraordinary volcanic landscapes shaped by 18th-century eruptions and the art and architecture of César Manrique woven throughout.

Flights from the UK to all three islands run year-round with Jet2, TUI, easyJet, Ryanair, Vueling and British Airways. November prices are considerably lower than October half-term. The Canaries use the euro and UK passport holders travel visa-free.

Marrakech, Morocco

November in Marrakech has a different feel from the October visit. Daytime temperatures are still comfortable at around 22 degrees, but the evenings cool considerably, dropping to 12 to 15 degrees after dark. That temperature swing is worth knowing: a light jacket for the evenings is useful. The city itself is at its most relaxed in November, with the tourist season winding down, riad prices dropping and the Djemaa el-Fna square operating at a scale that lets you actually appreciate it rather than just survive it.

The souks reward time in November. The pace is unhurried, the sellers less insistent than in the summer peak and the colours and textures of the tanneries, spice markets and textile stalls are easier to take in without the August crush. Cooking classes, which fill fast in high season, are easier to book. Majorelle Garden, the Yves Saint Laurent botanical garden with its famous cobalt-blue buildings, is pleasant without the summer queues. The Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs are both worth a morning each.

Ryanair, easyJet and Royal Air Maroc all fly direct from London to Marrakech in around three hours. Manchester also has direct services. Marrakech is a very good value city break in November, with riads in the medina available for well under £100 a night in many cases. UK passport holders can visit Morocco visa-free for up to 90 days.

Egypt: Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh

November is when Egypt’s Red Sea resorts move from very hot to very good. In July and August, air temperatures in Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh regularly exceed 38 degrees and the sun is too strong for comfortable daytime activity. By November, those temperatures have dropped to around 28 degrees, the sun is still strong but manageable, and the Red Sea sits at around 26 degrees, ideal for snorkelling and diving. Both resorts also become considerably cheaper in November as European demand drops.

Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh are different resorts with different strengths. Hurghada, on the western Red Sea coast, has more developed infrastructure, a wider range of hotels and better access to the wider Egyptian interior for day trips to Luxor. Sharm el-Sheikh, at the tip of the Sinai Peninsula, has the better diving, with Ras Mohammed National Park nearby and the famous SS Thistlegorm wreck within reach for experienced divers. Both have excellent snorkelling directly from the beach or a short boat trip.

Direct charter flights from the UK to both resorts run throughout November with TUI, Jet2 and Thomas Cook. Flight times are around five hours from London, slightly longer from northern airports. The FCDO monitors the Sinai region and Sharm el-Sheikh in particular: check the latest travel advice before booking. Egypt uses the Egyptian pound; UK passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival for around $25.

Dubai

Dubai in November is the city at its most enjoyable. From June to September, outdoor activity is limited by a combination of extreme heat and humidity that makes even a walk between buildings uncomfortable. By November, those conditions have gone: daytime temperatures average around 29 degrees, evenings are warm at around 22 degrees and the sea at Jumeirah Beach is a very comfortable 27 degrees. This is when Dubai’s outdoor dining, beach clubs and rooftop bars actually function as they are intended.

Dubai’s offer goes well beyond its reputation for luxury retail. The Creek district and old Deira neighbourhood have a very different character from the Marina and Downtown: spice souks, gold markets and traditional dhow crossings that give a sense of what the city was before the towers went up. Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, with its wind-tower architecture and small museums, is one of the most underrated areas in the city. The Dubai Frame, a 150-metre picture frame straddling old and new Dubai, has the best view of the skyline.

Emirates, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and flydubai all fly direct from multiple UK airports to Dubai International Airport. Flight times are around seven hours. November is peak season so book hotels and flights well in advance. Dubai is more expensive than the other destinations on this list, but it is competitive on value for what it delivers. UK passport holders enter visa-free for up to 30 days.

For more warm-weather ideas, see our where’s hot in October guide or browse all our where’s hot destination guides.

Further afield: long-haul options for November

November marks the start of the Caribbean winter season and one of the best months to reach southern Africa. Hurricane season ends, prices are lower than Christmas, and long-haul fares are often at their most affordable.

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