The 12 best places to visit in Asia in the fall

When the world’s thermometers start plummeting, remember that there’s always a perfect place with great weather in Asia. The largest continent on Earth features a wide range of landscapes, from tropical beaches and bustling megacities to rolling grasslands and the world’s highest mountain ranges. 

Fall is definitely a special time to visit Asia: the scorching summer temperatures of its sun-baked central deserts and high-altitude plateaus subside, the monsoons stop battering the Himalayas, and at lower altitudes, nature tinges mountains and valleys with shades of fire. 

Fall in Asia also means perfect days to dive pristine reefs, hike to century-old temples and witness ancient traditions kept alive with incredible festivals – pick one or all of our suggestions, all honed by the author’s experience living and trawling this incredible region for close to 20 years.   

1. Attend the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts in Penang, Malaysia 

Best for culture

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Sultry Malaysia is a year-round destination, but it shines during the seventh month of the Chinese Lunar calendar (between late August and September). This is when the local Chinese community believes that the gates of hell open and the King of Hades, Tai Su Yeah – an avatar of the goddess of mercy, Kuan Yin – returns to earth with hordes of unsatisfied spirits awaiting reincarnation. 

For one month, the job of the living is to appease these hungry ghosts with prayer, good food and tons of spectacle – from Chinese opera and traditional potehi glove puppetry, to modernized song and dance shows performed by scantily dressed kotai singers, this is one of Asia’s quirkiest and most underrated festivals. With close to 400 such locations spread across the state, Penang is possibly the best place to witness it. The celebrations end with crazy scenic bonfires, when devotees haul giant paper effigies of Tai Su Yeah onto pyres of paper ingots and hell banknotes, burning them all to send wealth and blessings to the dead. 

Where to see it: The town of Bukit Mertajam on Seberang Prai, Penang state’s mainland, has one of Malaysia’s largest Tai Su Yeah’s effigies reaching 9m in height. It’s burned around September 6 – but the date changes slightly each year. Ask local sources, as the big ghost bonfire is rarely advertised online.

2. Train-hop along the Hexi Corridor, China

Best for archaeology and history buffs

October is a perfect month to experience one of the world’s best train journeys: traversing the Hexi Corridor across the deserts of bone-shaped Gansu Province from Lanzhou to Dunhuang, when days are long and warm, rather than scorching like summer. This 1095km stretch of desert, hemmed by the jagged Qilian mountain range, was once the only way in and out of the Middle Kingdom – the initial section of the Silk Road, marked by incredible Buddhist sites such as the Big Buddha of Zhangye, the largest reclined statue in China; the Jiayuguan Fort, the western end of the Great Wall; and of course, the Mogao Grottoes outside oasis town Dunhuang, containing a thousand years of some of the world’s finest Buddhist mural art.   

Planning tip: A high-speed rail link connects Lanzhou and Dunhuang in about 7 hours, but it’s much better to spend a week train-hopping at Wuwei’s Tiantishan Grottoes, Zhangye, Jiayuguan and Dunhuang. Book train tickets online in advance. 

3. Marvel at the Hunza Valley, Pakistan

Best for autumn colors

Pakistan’s Northern Areas should be at the top of any serious mountaineer’s bucket list, and there’s possibly no better time to visit than the fall, when these high-altitude valleys and meadows fire up with all shades of red and yellow. The Hunza Valley is possibly the most tourist-friendly and easy area to visit: it’s crisscrossed by the perfectly paved Karakoram Highway, one of the most scenic roads in the world, which passes right next to heart-stopping sights like 8,126m-high Nanga Parbat, the barrage of ash-gray mountain cathedrals dubbed the Passu Cones, and finishes at the 4,693m-high Khunjerab Pass, the highest land border in the world, where you can peek at – or continue your journey into – China’s stunning Xinjiang province.  

Getting there: Flights from Islamabad reach the valley’s hub, Gilgit, but cancellations are common. Established operators like Karakoram Bikers organize guided motorcycle or van tours through Hunza and nearby destinations like Skardu.  

4. Cycle the Four River Trail, South Korea

Best for cycling enthusiasts

The fall, until the end of October, is an ideal time to visit South Korea, enjoying great weather and fall colors – and what better way to experience it than on a bicycle along one of the world’s most celebrated bike routes? The Four Rivers Trail is one of the world's most famous, traversing the country diagonally from Incheon to Busan over 633km on mostly flat areas following four major rivers – the Hangang, Nakdonggang, Geumgang and Yeongsangang. It's perfectly maintained and equipped with convenience stores, campsites, free toilets and more. Between the end of September and the beginning of October, consider a diversion to Andong’s Hahoe Folk Village to attend the incredible Andong Mask Festival.

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Planning tip: Once in Busan, a ferry is available to Fukuoka in Japan, making it possible to carry on cycling across the two nations.  

5. See Ladakh without the crowds, India

Best for mountain scenery and Tibetan culture

Before the glacial winter sets in, consider a visit to Ladakh, India's northernmost region, to experience it without crowds. For sure, you should be prepared for some cold – but nothing that a hot yak milk tea cannot nurse. October is a perfect time to visit Leh, the region’s main center, without the summer tourist scrum and higher prices. From this base, make side trips to Tibetan gompas like Lamayuru, Hemis, Thiksey and Alchi, or travel to the dune-studded Nubra Valley, or the stunning 14,270m-high Panggong Lake.  

Planning tip: October is also a good time to spot the elusive snow leopards in Hemis National Park, which holds two-thirds of India’s population of these elusive cats.

6. Reach the offbeat Banda Islands, Indonesia

Best for diving and history

New Yorkers should be extremely thankful to this remote Indonesian volcanic archipelago of 11 islets, because it gave them a country. Confused? Well, few remember that at the end of the second Anglo-Dutch War in 1667, Manhattan was traded to the British in exchange for the tiny island of Run, which the Dutch coveted for its nutmeg, once considered more precious than gold.   

That colonial legacy is still evident on the central island of Banda Neira today, where Ft Belgica and Ft Nassau uphold that history. Above them, the almost perfect cone of the Gunung Api volcano soars on its own island in the midst of this remote archipelago, among which are Pulau Ai, well-regarded for its superb diving, and Banda Besar, where descendants of the original Dutch planters still farm the nutmeg. September to December is the driest season, when seas are the calmest and offer the best visibility. 

Getting there: From October to December, Dharma Indah fast ferries take 4 hours to sail from Ambon. Otherwise, try to get one of the hard-to-book SAM Air flights.  

7. Ride the Ha Giang Loop, Vietnam

Best for motorcycle journeys

When North Vietnam’s mountainous crown crashes into South China’s limestone, the result is like standing before a sea of petrified waves – the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark, arguably one of Southeast Asia’s most dramatic landscapes. The fall season, from September to November, is the ideal time to embark on the famed Ha Giang Loop, thanks to the favorable weather, the golden hues of the rice harvest, and the opportunity to attend the Buckwheat Flower Festival in November, when green fields burst into bloom with purple and white petals. 

8. Trek in the Himalayas, Nepal

Best for outdoor adventures

After the monsoon subsides, October and November are ideal months to explore the Himalayan range in Nepal. Skies are clear with beautiful mountain views, temperatures are mild and the weather is dry – all ideal conditions for trekking. Pick anything from the most established (and busy) teahouse treks like Annapurna Base Camp or Everest Base Camp treks, or get off the beaten path on the challenging circular trek around Mt Manaslu, the world's eighth-highest peak at 5160m, at the Larkya La Pass. 

9. Embrace the rainy season, Thailand

Best for shoulder season travel

Between September and November, Thailand remains rainy but is less crowded and cheaper than usual. Come November, on the night of the 12th full moon of the Thai Lunar calendar, one can witness the Loy Krathong festival. This is when locals float lotus-shaped baskets made from banana leaves, flowers and a candle on rivers and lakes to pay homage to the Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha, and ask for forgiveness for human pollution.

November is also a good time to enjoy Gulf Coast islands like Ko Tao and Ko Pha-Ngan when they are at their lowest occupancy – a boon in disguise, if one can tolerate rough seas and brief rains, which translates also to cooler weather and vibrant tropical greens. 

10. Hike through beautiful colors, Japan 

Best for fall foliage 

The fall is a great time to experience northern Japan. As early as mid-September, Daisetsuzan, Hokkaiō's largest national park, fires up with the first plasma-red leaves to be found in the whole country. By mid-October, a warm cast of yellows and reds has spread to the park's lower flanks.

Planning tip: Enjoy the earliest fall colors by hiking at 2,291m-high Mt Asahidake, Hokkaido’s highest, or take it easy on the Kurodake Ropeway. The best? Soak in the colors in a hot pool at Sounkyo Onsen.

11. Attend the Golden Eagle Festival, Mongolia 

Best for nomadic showmanship

Mongolia starts to get quite cold in October, with lower prices, fewer tourists, and more authentic experiences – including the Golden Eagle Festival, held in western Mongolia near Ulgii, where locals pay homage to ancient Kazakh eagle-hunting traditions. The highlight is the competition where eagle hunters demonstrate their mastery over their birds of prey.

Getting there: Tour operators can help secure flights to Khovd, from where you'll travel to Ulgii by car. 

12. Explore Kerala, India

Best for monsoon-free escapes

October to November is still shoulder season in Kerala, possibly India’s greenest state, which is verdant after the last rains of the Southwest monsoon dwindle in late September. Start in Kochi, and take a bicycle tour of the surrounding countryside to best appreciate it. The backwaters of Alleppey are more enjoyable with fewer tourists, and particularly intriguing if navigated on a kayak. For something less visited, consider exploring the northern Malabar coast, where Vasco de Gama first landed in 1498, and then go inland at Wayanad to explore lush hill tracts and the Edakkal caves scribbled with Neolithic Age petroglyphs. 

Planning tip: Renting a motorcycle in India is the best way to explore. Remember that a license in English or an international driving permit is required.