Egypt, Turkey and Thailand were the most popular destinations for Russian holidaymakers heading abroad in October 2026, according to data from the Association of Tour Operators of Russia. China, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates also saw strong demand, with travelers drawn by warm seas and beach resorts.
Russia itself turns cold by mid-autumn. In Sochi, air temperatures that hold at 24 to 26 degrees Celsius in early October fall to 18 to 20 degrees by the middle and end of the month, with sea temperatures dropping to 20 to 22 degrees. Egypt stays firmly in swimming season, with Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada reaching 30 to 35 degrees by day, around 27 degrees at night, and sea temperatures of 28 degrees. In Turkey, swimming remains comfortable on the Antalya coast, including Antalya, Alanya, Kemer, Side and Belek, through much of October, with water around 24 degrees, though the Aegean coast can turn cool for swimming from early in the month.
Mediterranean Sea options
October on the Mediterranean is not hot but the sea stays warm, making it a good month for sightseeing among ancient cities and coastal scenery. Mornings and evenings can be cool, and rain becomes more common toward the end of the month, though showers typically clear by evening. Lyubov Voronina, head of international projects at travel agency Sletat.ru and managing director of tour operator Let's Fly, said the official Mediterranean beach season runs until November 15.
Turkey: A direct flight from Moscow to Istanbul, Antalya, Bodrum or Dalaman takes from four hours. A double room in Antalya starts from 3,700 rubles a night, with flights from Moscow from 19,000 rubles per person. Average air and water temperatures sit around 25 degrees.
Turkey has the warmest October sea among Mediterranean countries, with water around 25 degrees in Alanya, Antalya, Belek and Side. Demand is lower than in summer, so airlines often offer discounted fares. No visa is required for Russian travelers, all-inclusive packages are widely available, and the country is popular with families.
Crete: A flight from Moscow to Heraklion with two stops, in Istanbul and Athens, takes from 9.5 hours. A double room starts from 4,500 rubles a night, and flights from Moscow start at 27,000 rubles per person. Average air temperature is 23.5 degrees and coastal sea water around 25 degrees, dropping two to three degrees by month's end.
Greece stays warm and sunny through mid-autumn before cooling toward the end of October. Besides Crete, the Aegean islands are worth considering, while the Ionian Sea coast and the Peloponnese, particularly the warm Argolic Gulf, suit beach holidays in the first half of the month. There are currently no direct flights from Russia to Greece and a visa is required, though Voronina said Greece, alongside Spain, is among the easiest Schengen visas for Russians to obtain.
Italy: A flight from Moscow to Catania in Sicily with one stop, in Istanbul, takes from 10 hours. A double room in Sicily starts from 6,000 rubles a night, with flights from Moscow from 34,000 rubles per person. Average air and water temperature in Sicily is 23 degrees.
Italy's October temperatures run lower than Turkey's or Crete's, with sharper swings; nights in the north can drop to around 10 degrees. Travelers wanting a beach trip should plan for the first half of the month, since even southern Italy, including Sicily, can turn cool and rainy by late October.
On Spain's Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol, air temperatures can reach 28 degrees and sea water 25 degrees, still good for swimming and sunbathing. Voronina noted that Spain also grants Schengen visas to Russians, though squally winds arrive closer to November, making the sea rougher. Tunisia and Cyprus are also worth considering; Voronina said Cyprus currently sees the most mass tourism among Mediterranean countries, with visas granted readily, though the flight takes around 11 hours.
Southeast and East Asia
October is a transitional monsoon month across Southeast Asia, so weather can be unstable, but beach season is beginning; days may be cloudy but are already very hot.
Thailand: A direct flight from Moscow to Phuket takes 9 hours 30 minutes. Hotels start from 3,500 rubles, and tickets to Bangkok range from 35,000 to 45,000 rubles. Air and water temperatures reach 30 degrees.
Thailand remains popular in October even though the rainy season continues; downpours are usually brief and followed by sun, beaches are less crowded and hotel prices are lower. Conditions improve toward the end of the month, with the high season starting in November. The driest provinces are Samui, Hua Hin and Samet. Darya Shulik, PR manager at Avito Puteshestviya, said Thailand's most popular resorts sit on the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. Gulf resorts, part of the South China Sea, include Pattaya, Rayong, Hua Hin and Koh Samui, with a maximum depth of 80 meters and average depth of 45 to 50 meters; the water there runs a couple of degrees warmer than the Andaman Sea. Shulik said the Andaman Sea beats the gulf for coral reef diversity and marine life, but its weaker currents make diving accessible even to beginners. The Andaman Sea, part of the Indian Ocean, is known for clear water and resorts including Phuket and Krabi, with diving considered among the best in the world.
Vietnam: A flight from Moscow to Hanoi with one stop takes from 13 hours. Hotels start from 2,500 to 3,000 rubles, and flights to Hanoi start from 37,000 rubles. Air temperature reaches 30 degrees and sea water 28 degrees.
Afternoon rain is common in Vietnam in October, and humidity above 80 percent makes the heat feel more intense, so Shulik advised those sensitive to high temperatures or with heart or lung conditions to consider other destinations. She recommended northern Vietnam, home to Ha Long Bay and the capital Hanoi, while in the south, resort towns like Nha Trang offer bargain prices as locals prepare for the high season. Hanoi blends East and West, with modern skyscrapers standing alongside ancient temples and colonial-era buildings; the north is also known for national parks, rice paddies and tea plantations. Ha Long Bay, in the Gulf of Tonkin, is said by legend to have been home to a giant dragon that retreated into the sea, filling the valley with water; it holds many islands, caves, cliffs and grottoes. Nha Trang, called Vietnam's beach capital, is a large, lively resort with accommodation for every budget, a wide coastline and developed infrastructure. Shulik pointed to Nha Trang's Central Beach, along with Vinpearl island, home to a dolphinarium, mineral springs and diving.
China (Hainan island): A direct flight from Moscow to Sanya takes around nine to ten hours, with connecting flights also available via Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou. Budget hotels in Sanya start from 4,000 rubles a night for two, with four-star hotels from 6,000 rubles. Air temperature reaches 28 to 31 degrees and water 28 to 29 degrees.
October is considered one of the best months on Hainan, as summer heat eases, humidity drops and typhoon risk falls sharply, leading many tour operators to mark mid-autumn as the start of the high season at China's main beach destination. The island's tourist hub, Sanya, has dozens of sandy beaches, modern hotel complexes, traditional Chinese medicine centers, hot springs and nature parks. The most popular bays are Yalong Bay, suited to quiet holidays; Dadonghai, favored by younger visitors for its nightlife; and Haitangwan, known for luxury resorts and wide beaches. Beyond the beach, visitors can see the Nanshan Buddhist center with its 108-meter statue of the goddess Guanyin, the End of the Earth park, Monkey Island in Nanwan, the Yanoda rainforest, and take boat trips to coral reefs.
Japan: A flight from Moscow to Tokyo with one stop takes from 13 hours. Hotels in Tokyo start from 6,000 to 7,000 rubles a night, and flights from Moscow from 45,000 to 55,000 rubles. Air temperature runs 20 to 25 degrees, with sea water in the south and on Okinawa reaching 24 to 26 degrees.
Japan is rarely chosen purely for beaches, but October allows visitors to combine swimming with sightseeing. On the Ryukyu Islands, especially Okinawa, beach season lasts almost to November, with warm water and a much lower risk of typhoons. Elsewhere the country turns bright with autumn color, and October is considered one of the best months to travel there thanks to comfortable weather and the start of momiji, the maple-leaf viewing season. Beyond Okinawa, travelers visit Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara and the area around Mount Fuji, taking in ancient temples, traditional gardens, hot springs, modern architecture and Japanese cuisine.
Indonesia and Singapore stay warm in October, though an umbrella is worth packing, while South Korea offers dry, clear weather at the peak of its golden autumn.
Caribbean islands
The Caribbean is hot in October, with daytime highs up to 31 degrees, nights around 22 to 24 degrees, and sea temperatures of 28 to 29 degrees, though tropical downpours can interrupt swimming and storms or hurricanes can make boat trips risky.
Dominican Republic: A flight from Moscow to Punta Cana with two stops takes a full day or more. Hotels start from 3,000 rubles, and flights to Punta Cana start from 63,000 rubles. Air temperature runs 29 to 31 degrees and sea water 28 to 29 degrees.
October marks the shift from low to high season in the Dominican Republic. It is hot early in the month, with daytime temperatures easing to around 29 degrees and nights to 22 degrees by mid-month, though rain is possible, particularly in the south, and humidity stays high, between 65 and 95 percent. Shulik said October is good for boat trips and sightseeing tours around the country, since conditions grow more comfortable while the sea stays very warm. Visitors can explore the capital, Santo Domingo, relax at the beach resort of Punta Cana with its evening entertainment, seek quiet at Samana, or head to Boca Chica for surfing.
Barbados is also worth considering, though mid-autumn is its wettest stretch of the year, with rain falling up to three weeks out of four at average temperatures around 30 degrees. Voronina described Barbados as an exotic but fairly hard-to-reach destination.
Indian Ocean resorts
Maldives: A direct flight from Moscow to Male takes 8 hours 50 minutes. Hotels start from 6,000 rubles, and flights start from 35,000 rubles. Air temperature runs around 30 degrees and water 28 degrees.
As the monsoon weakens, the Maldives turns humid, above 80 percent, with short showers mostly in the evening and windier conditions around mid-month, making weather hard to predict and atoll choice important. Shulik recommended snorkeling as the simplest option, with colorful fish, coral and sea plants visible close to shore, while dive excursions offer chances to see turtles, sharks, manta rays and dolphins. She added that the islands also suit anglers, who can catch reef fish on a line from a boat.
Sri Lanka: A flight from Moscow to Colombo with one stop takes 11 hours 20 minutes. Hotels start from 2,000 to 3,000 rubles, and flights start from 35,000 rubles. Air temperature runs around 32 degrees and water 29 degrees.
October through April is the ideal window for Sri Lanka's southwest coast, while May through September suits the northeast better. Among southwest resorts, Mirissa and Galle stand out in October. Shulik said Mirissa offers white sand, blue water and the chance to swim with turtles, while Galle is known for its 16th-century fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where visitors can walk the fortress walls, climb the lighthouse, visit a church and mosque, and browse local shops and antique stores.
Seychelles: A direct flight from Moscow to Mahe takes 8 hours 50 minutes. Hotels start from 8,000 rubles, and flights start from 46,000 rubles. Average air and water temperature is around 28 degrees.
The Seychelles offer comfortable weather year-round and a history that once made the islands a haven for pirates. Mahe, the most populated and popular island, offers beach holidays alongside the capital's streets, local markets and museums. Shulik pointed to Morne Blanc, Mahe's highest peak, for its sweeping view of the west coast, and said the capital, Victoria, has attractions worth a visit despite its small number of shops, markets and religious sites, including a distinctive Hindu temple.
Persian Gulf destinations
Autumn brings an end to extreme summer heat at Persian Gulf resorts, where most countries offer a high standard of service, modern beaches and developed tourism infrastructure. Flights average 30,000 to 35,000 rubles, and hotels for two run 7,000 to 10,000 rubles a night. Air temperatures sit around 34 to 36 degrees, though lower humidity and cooler evenings make conditions more comfortable, while sea water reaches 29 to 31 degrees.
- United Arab Emirates: October marks the start of the high season, with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah the most popular resorts, alongside major malls, desert safaris, modern museums, water parks and skyscraper observation decks.
- Qatar: The capital, Doha, is the main resort, combining beach time with the Museum of Islamic Art, the Corniche waterfront, the traditional Souq Waqif market and modern districts.
- Bahrain: Suited to travelers seeking a quieter holiday, with attractions including the ancient Bahrain Fort, the Formula 1 track, Manama's museums and the historic districts of the capital.
- Oman: One of the most scenic states on the Arabian Peninsula, with Muscat and Salalah known for wide beaches, canyons, mountain roads, oases and boat trips to watch dolphins and whales.
- Kuwait: Still one of the least popular destinations among Russian tourists, though comfortable weather sets in after the summer heat; most visitors come for the modern architecture, museums, waterfront walks and culture of one of the region's wealthiest countries.
Advice for planning an October getaway
Choosing a mid-autumn destination means weighing the regional weather, since many countries enter their high season in October and travelers can pick a climate that suits them. The choice should also reflect personal taste, including local nature, such as Southeast Asia's high humidity, the food, visa requirements and cost.
Long-haul trips often demand significant travel time, so a direct flight helps limit time spent in transit. Not every seasonal activity stays available in October: as winter approaches in the Northern Hemisphere, summer attractions such as water parks, water rides, parasailing and diving begin to wind down, so travelers seeking adventure activities or traveling with children should aim for the first ten days of the month. A tropical holiday, by contrast, is more likely to succeed toward the end of the month, closer to the close of the rainy season.
