October travel
Where to go on holiday in October?
Cancun scores 8.1 out of 10 in October: 31C days, a 29C sea you can swim in without flinching, and 220mm of rain that mostly falls in short afternoon bursts. Here is how the rest of the world stacks up this month.
Crowds. One of the quietest months. Ruins, cenotes and beach clubs feel almost private.
Prices. Cheapest window of the year. The same resort can cost half its January rate.
Seaweed. Sargassum can appear on some east-facing beaches. Isla Mujeres north beach and the cenotes are the reliable backup.
Storms. Hurricane season is active. Choose flexible rates and consider travel cover.
What is on in Cancun in October
- Festival de Vida y Muerte builds towards Day of the Dead
- Very few tourists, so ruins and cenotes feel private
- Great last-minute deals as the season turns
Book Cancun for October
- Check Cancun hotel ratesLive all-inclusive and boutique pricesOpen
- Browse Cancun toursChichen Itza, cenotes, Isla Mujeres and moreOpen
- Get an airport transfer quoteFixed price, 20 minutes to the Hotel ZoneOpen
Prefer a plan first? Build a free day-by-day Cancun itinerary.
October rivals, ranked and compared
- Cancun or Hurghada and the Red Sea in October31C, 2mm rain8.1 v 9.1
- Cancun or Antalya in October26C, 80mm rain8.1 v 8.7
- Cancun or Cape Verde in October29C, 25mm rain8.1 v 8.6
- Cancun or Zanzibar in October31C, 90mm rain8.1 v 8.6
- Cancun or Goa in October32C, 120mm rain8.1 v 8.3
- Cancun or Varadero and Havana in October29C, 145mm rain8.1 v 8.2
- Cancun or Curacao in October32C, 85mm rain8.1 v 8.2
- Cancun or Tenerife and the Canaries in October26C, 25mm rain8.1 v 8.2
- Cancun or Rio de Janeiro in October26C, 90mm rain8.1 v 8.2
- Cancun or Aruba in October32C, 60mm rain8.1 v 8.1
- Cancun or Bali in October31C, 110mm rain8.1 v 7.8
- Cancun or Los Cabos in October32C, 20mm rain8.1 v 7.7
- Cancun or Puerto Rico in October31C, 145mm rain8.1 v 7.7
- Cancun or Punta Cana in October31C, 180mm rain8.1 v 7.6
- Cancun or Hawaii in October30C, 45mm rain8.1 v 7.6
- Cancun or Mallorca in October24C, 75mm rain8.1 v 7.6
- Cancun or Crete in October24C, 60mm rain8.1 v 7.6
- Cancun or The Algarve in October23C, 65mm rain8.1 v 7.6
- Cancun or Marrakech in October27C, 25mm rain8.1 v 7.5
- Cancun or Puerto Vallarta in October32C, 150mm rain8.1 v 7.3
- Cancun or Da Nang in October29C, 610mm rain8.1 v 7.3
- Cancun or Jamaica in October31C, 180mm rain8.1 v 7.2
- Cancun or Playa del Carmen in October31C, 212mm rain8.1 v 7.2
- Cancun or Cozumel in October31C, 215mm rain8.1 v 7.2
- Cancun or Miami in October30C, 145mm rain8.1 v 7.2
- Cancun or Phuket in October31C, 300mm rain8.1 v 7.2
- Cancun or Montego Bay in October31C, 190mm rain8.1 v 7.2
- Cancun or Nassau and the Bahamas in October29C, 160mm rain8.1 v 7.1
- Cancun or Las Vegas in October27C, 7mm rain8.1 v 7
- Cancun or Cartagena in October31C, 215mm rain8.1 v 6.9
- Cancun or The Florida Keys in October29C, 120mm rain8.1 v 6.8
- Cancun or Panama in October29C, 265mm rain8.1 v 6.8
- Cancun or Barbados in October31C, 180mm rain8.1 v 6.7
- Cancun or Tulum in October31C, 210mm rain8.1 v 6.7
- Cancun or Belize in October31C, 300mm rain8.1 v 6.7
- Cancun or Maldives in October30C, 195mm rain8.1 v 6.6
- Cancun or Mexico City in October23C, 60mm rain8.1 v 6.5
- Cancun or Dubai in October35C, 1mm rain8.1 v 6.4
- Cancun or Costa Rica in October28C, 300mm rain8.1 v 6.3
- Cancun or Orlando in October29C, 75mm rain8.1 v 6.1