Where to go in November

November has its own, fur-wrapped romance, but if you want to escape the first of the biting winds and the creeping early dark, dip into our inspiring assortment of seasonal breaks.

Give thanks to Macy's
Shopping in New York at any time of the year is a thrill but November 26 has the edge with the department store Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade kicking off Christmas festivities.  Giant floats, bands and other performers entertain the crowds lining the streets for the 82nd parade, which begins at 77th street and Central Park West at 9am. Making its way through Times Square, the parade ends at noon on 7th Avenue. Arrive early to get a good viewing spot.

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The beauty of camels
Bored by the usual selection of high street Christmas gifts on offer this year? Why not buy someone a camel. The humped beasts and much more are obtainable from November 10 to 13 at the renowned annual camel fair in the remote northern Indian village of Pushkar. There you can also witness a camel beauty pageant, camel races and the melee of livestock trading, as well as picking from a tempting array of handicrafts for sale. The whole affair takes place beneath sand dunes and under voluminous tents during the full moon period. The event is also a deeply religious one, with camel traders plunging into a nearby lake for salvation - or just to cool off as temperatures climb towards 40C.

Lap up the northern lights
The luminous displays of the aurora borealis (northern lights) are among the world's best free shows. Lapland, in Finland, is an ideal viewing point for this spectacular phenomenon. A cloudless night anywhere in the region gives you a good chance of a glimpse; the Kilpisjarvi region has the highest reported incidence, where the swirling, multicoloured lights can be seen on three nights out of four. Sodankyla is another promising region but cloudy nights there sometimes mean no sighting at all.

Go Thai - in Dijon

Are you a lover of food and wine? If so, get to Dijon, in France, for the International Gastronomy Fair. From October 31 to November 11 the 78th fair will provoke your senses with more wine tasting and cookery demonstrations than you can poke a saucisson at. Actually, poking a skewer of curried chicken might be more appropriate: Thailand is the country guest of honour this year and many of the dishes being displayed will have an Asian influence. Thai massages will also be on offer to stimulate the appetite – or perhaps soothe an overstretched stomach – and you will be able to walk round an entire recreated Thai village. With 500 exhibitors expected, you will be sure to find something to please your taste buds.

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Deep blue, Red Sea
The little Egyptian town of Dahab has more than two-thirds of sunny days a year. November, when the temperature is an average 27 degrees, is one of the best months to visit this balmy enclave on the Sinai Peninsula. The beaches are at their most toasty for sunbathing, and offshore winds stay above force 4 - making it ideal for all wind-propelled activities. Moreover, Dahab is perched on the edge of a world diving hot spot in the form of the Red Sea. But never mind all the sporty activity: simply swimming or lazing in the shallows will be tempting - surface water temperatures stick at around 20C to 23C. For some brain nourishment, head into the mountains to experience the hospitality of the Bedouin tribes and hear stories of their nomadic life over the past 800 years.

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Paddle the Mekong
The most extravagant event in the Cambodian calendar is the three-day water festival, where around one million people from all over the country flock to the banks of the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers in numerous brightly coloured boats. Up to 20 metres in length and carrying more than 50 crazy paddlers, each boat represents one of Cambodia's 21 provinces, which compete in races during the festival. The celebrations include fireworks, traditional food, music and dance, crafts and games.

Ski early at the Creek
Can’t wait for the European ski season to kick off? Itching to get on to the slopes - anywhere? Head for Wolf Creek in southern Colorado, where the ski season comes early: last year in November, 16 inches of fresh powder fell on Thanksgiving Day. A three hour drive north of the town, in Colorado Springs, the second ever All Colorado Beer Festival – a title that needs little explaining - takes place on November 7 and 8.

Shiver your timbers
A pirate invasion, fireworks, music, dancing and your chance to be a buccaneer make up the annual Pirate’s Festival on the Cayman Islands  from November 12 to 22. There is plenty to keep the kids occupied, including cardboard-boat races, arts and crafts and face painting. Join in an underwater treasure hunt, walking the plank and a trial of the pirates. Avast ye!

Bask in the Koh Phangan 'winter'
November in the south of Thailand marks the beginning of what locals call winter but what in Britain would feel like a gorgeous summer; the temperature rarely falls below 27C. Ravers and other excitable types should experience the November full moon party on the Island of Koh Phangan (you can’t just rock up, so book tickets in advance) while travellers in search of decadent luxury should island-hop to Yai Noi for swoon-inducing spa treatments along with renowned food, wine and service.

Scuba divers will want to try Koh Tao for the diverse sea life, great water visibility and bath-temperature sea. Whichever island you find yourself on, make sure you partake in the Loi Krathong festival, which again takes place during the November full moon. Spectacular rafts built from banana leaves and corks and decorated with flowers are set afloat on any natural body of water (seas, rivers, canals) bearing a candle and three incense sticks. On seeing one you may make a wish and pay your respects to the goddess of water.

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Everybody say ahhh!

Remember, remember the 5th of November goes the poem commemorating Guy Fawkes’s crazy attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. Battersea Park fireworks display, on November 1 this year, was enormous. If you are north of the Thames, get down to Alexandra Palace on the evening of Saturday 8 for more giant sky scribbling and loud bangs. One thing we Brits do well is fireworks, so practise your ooooohs and ahhhhhhhs and wrap up warmly.

Catch a red wave (of crabs)
Every year the entire population of red crabs on Christmas Island, around 100 million of the little nippers, move from their safe inland shelter to the shore for their annual breeding season. The crabs outnumber humans by around 40,000 to one on an island only one-quarter the size of Singapore, and the migration is one of nature's most astounding spectacles. A huge red wave of the creatures washes – sideways - across the islands’ car-parks, shops, houses and roads, nothing getting in their way.

Air your ideas
Got a good idea and aching to pass it on? If so, why not air it during the annual two-day (November 1 and 2) Battle of Ideas at the Royal College of Art in London. Debates and discussions cover topics such as Capitalism: What Is It Good For?, Are We What We Eat? and Immigration: the More the Scarier?. Brush up on these topics and get your opinion heard from £25 a ticket.

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Drink to South Africa
Make for Cape Town, in South Africa, at the beginning of the southern hemisphere summer to enjoy a stunningly beautiful city with one of the most dramatic natural backdrops in the form of Tabletop Mountain. Then hire a car to explore the nearby wine region of Stellenbosch or take the celebrated Garden Route for striking mountain, coast and forest scenery. The unexpected Whisky Live Festival takes place in Cape Town from November 5 to 7, where you can sample more than 180 drams from around the world.

Caribbean bargains
When temperatures drop in Europe, many people migrate to a certain cluster of islands in the Caribbean for a boost to their vitamin D level and mood. Prices double, and sometimes treble, from December to March, however, so November is the time to go. Hurricane season is over, but prices on flights and hotels are still low so you can beat the tourist influx and have a bit of beach to call your own.

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