Our selected festivals & events around the world in October

Are you looking for trip inspiration during the month of October? Why not combine your visit with one of these events, as recommended by our specialists?

Best views of Everest, Tibet

For their largely clear, azure skies May and October are generally considered the finest months for travel — and of course to see Everest. The snow and ice are gradually thawing, and, with clear, warm and sunny weather, views of Everest on the stunning overland journey to Nepal are more probable. The average temperature in this month is a pleasant 20°C (68°F).

• Plan a trip to Tibet

Inle Lake Pagoda Festival, Myanmar

Set in and around the stilted villages of Inle Lake, the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival is one of the largest Buddhist festivals in Myanmar. During the festival, four Buddha statues are transported clockwise from village to village to bless the monasteries, on a barge shaped as a mythical bird. With traditional music, dancing and boat races, this holy festival attracts visitors from all over the Shan State in Myanmar.

• Plan a visit to Inle Lake, Myanmar

Carmine bee eaters, Zambia

The banks of the Luangwa River burst into life in October as thousands of vivid carmine bee-eaters arrive to nest. The skies are filled with these beautiful red and green coloured birds, making this as much of an impressive sight as any big game sighting you might see on a game drive. The sandy river banks are easily accessed on a walking safari, or you can enjoy the spectacle with a sundowner drink as part of a game drive.

• Plan a visit to Zambia

Kaikoura Seafest, New Zealand

The name Kaikoura comes from the Māori words for ‘eat’ and ‘crayfish’, and whilst in town you should definitely make sure to try this local delicacy. Better still, during October each year, the town has its own 'seafest' which enables you to sample food and beverages from all over the region, with a particular focus on seafood lll.

• Plan a trip to Kaikoura, New Zealand

Day of the Dead, Mexico

Oaxaca is a pretty town full of cobbled streets with charming little shops and restaurants. Each October the city hosts an unusual, supernatural event — the 'Day of the Dead', when the dead are thought to return to commune with the living. It is however, not a sombre occasion but one which is as joyful as it is poignant. Oaxaca has numerous attractions, making it an intriguing place to spend a few days.

• Plan a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico

Lake of Stars World Music Festival, Malawi

The annual Lake of Stars Festival borrows its name from the nickname for Lake Malawi. Founded by a local Malawi man, it's held every October on the shores of the lake, and helps boost the economy and promote talented local music artists. The festival attracts dozens of people from the UK and hundreds attend from all over Malawi and Southern Africa.

• Plan a trip to Malawi

Polar bear viewing, Churchill, Canada

Churchill in Canada is sometimes known as the 'polar bear capital of the world' and it's from here that you can often get (safely) within touching distance of these magnificent animals via the specially adapted Tundra Buggy vehicle. By the last two weeks in October, and the first two weeks in November, some 600 to 1,000 bears are massed along a 161 km-mile-long (100-mile-long) stretch of coast between the Nelson and Churchill rivers.

• Plan a visit to Churchill, Canada

Diwali, the Festival of Light, India

The word 'Diwali' means 'rows of lighted lamps'. Also known as the 'festival of light', houses, shops and public places are decorated with small earthenware oil lamps called 'diyas' and fireworks are set off. The festival celebrates the victory of good over evil and gifts are exchanged, such as sweets and dried fruits. Usually lasting five days, Diwali falls on the one new moon night between mid-October and mid-November.

• Plan a trip to India