Where to travel in October: colour, clear mountain air and one place worth waiting for

Colour and harvest

New England, USA. Autumn colour usually turns first in the north and the mountains – Vermont, New Hampshire's White Mountains – often by late September, while further south and along the coast it holds until mid or late October. Predicting the exact peak is impossible, so the best route travels north to south with the colour: the Berkshires, Woodstock and Stowe, the Kancamagus Highway, the Maine coast and Acadia National Park. Small-town inns are few, and autumn weekends fill very early.

If you want an American autumn without the leaf-peeping crowds, October also suits the red-rock parks of the south-west – Zion, Bryce, Arches. After the summer heat the days turn pleasant for walking, though nights at altitude are already cold.

France. By October the summer rush has left Provence and the Dordogne, the light is softer and the markets are full of mushrooms, walnuts and the last grapes. The Dordogne's woods and the Lot valley begin to turn gold, and the Basque coast is often still good for long walks by the sea. One caveat: in the Alps October is between seasons, with some lifts, mountain huts and hotels closed, so plan any mountain leg with care.

Clear air and long walks

Nepal. After the monsoon rains the Himalayan air clears, and October and November are usually considered the best trekking months: skies are often at their clearest, the views reach furthest, and days are warm, though nights at altitude are already cold. It's also the busiest time – the Annapurna and Everest trails, teahouses and domestic flights are at their fullest. Nepal's great festivals, Dashain and Tihar, often fall in October or November too: a lovely time to see the country celebrating, and a time when many Nepalis travel home to family.

Not everyone needs high altitude. A walk in the Annapurna foothills, sleeping in villages and staying well below the big heights, gives you the same views in October with far less strain. If you plan to go higher, talk to a doctor before you travel and allow time to acclimatise.

Jordan. In summer Jordan's deserts are too hot for long walks; in October the days are usually warm rather than scorching, and the evenings cool. It's a good time for Petra – worth at least two days, so you can go in early while it's still quiet – for the walk from the Dana reserve down to Feynan, and for a night in Wadi Rum when the sky over the sand is thick with stars. It's relatively close to Europe with little time difference, so Jordan suits a week well.

One to wait for: the Philippines

The Philippine islands – Palawan, the Visayas, the rice terraces of northern Luzon – are wonderful, but October often isn't their moment. Across much of the country the rainy and typhoon season is still running, and storms can disrupt boats and domestic flights, which an island journey depends on. The drier, calmer season in most regions usually begins from around December and lasts into spring.

That doesn't make October impossible – conditions vary by region and by year. But if the Philippines is the dream, we'd suggest giving it your winter or spring leave, especially if you want time on the water, island-hopping around Palawan.

How much time you need

• Jordan: a week to ten days; little time difference.
• France: a week or more for one region; no time difference.
• New England: ten days to two weeks; a transatlantic flight and several hours' time difference, so keep the first day light.
• Nepal: two to three weeks, especially with a trek; a long-haul flight and a big time difference, plus spare days for mountain weather and domestic flights.

Colour, mountains or desert? Tell us what excites you, and we'll explore the possibilities from there.