Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, is one of the best festivals if you love watching incredible firework displays and feasting on flavourful Indian curries and sweets. The holiday was created to honour light over darkness, a symbol of good over evil. Millions of celebrants dress in their finest attire, adorned with gold and silver jewellery and light clay oil lamps outside of their home. Intricate displays made with colourful powders, called rangoli, are also displayed. People then go from home to home, eating and sharing gifts with one another. As a traveller, don’t be surprised if you’re welcomed into a stranger’s home and ushered towards tables filled with curries, sweets and snacks. Once nighttime comes, the skies burst with fireworks. Everyone spills into the streets. Big cities like Delhi, Varanasi and Jaipur throw massive celebrations with huge firework displays and plenty of excitement. If you're after something a bit more low-key, head to the outskirts where you’ll still find plenty of events but with fewer crowds.

If you're wondering where to go in October, Bora Bora is calling. This lush island is surrounded by a stunningly blue lagoon (and yes, the water really is that blue). October falls during French Polynesia’s shoulder season, so you’ll find flight prices and hotel rates much lower than in the peak season. If you're keen to treat yourself, book an overwater bungalow on the outer islets with views of the island’s main peak. The Four Seasons Bora Bora and St Regis Bora Bora are top choices for a luxurious stay. For those on a budget, there are plenty of options on the island's mainland, where prices are a fraction of the cost. Spend your days soaking up the sun on Matira Beach (the island’s most picturesque) or go on an ocean adventure to snorkel with sharks and rays.

Buenos Aires is in the middle of spring in October, and days tend to be mild and sunny. Violet jacaranda trees accent the city’s colourful colonial-era architecture, and Paseo del Rosedal has thousands of roses in bloom. Enjoy the city like a local by lounging in its many parks and gardens, dance tango in the neighbourhood of San Telmo and people watch in Plaza de Mayo. Spend your time dining on empanadas (or learning how to make them with a local chef), shopping for souvenirs at the San Telmo Market and wandering into the city’s many museums dedicated to art, science and history.

It’s easy to focus on the stunning landscape of Chile – its dramatic mountains, never-ending salt flats and lonely beaches. But look beyond its terrestrial features into the skies above for an incredibly clear view of the cosmos. The Atacama Desert’s low humidity, light pollution and cloud coverage make it one of the best places for astronomy. Spanning over 100,000 km², there’s no shortage of places to stargaze. Choose a base like Elqui Valley, famous for its wines and pisco. Peek through powerful telescopes at the Observatorio del Pangue. San Pedro de Atacama is also a worthwhile hub, attracting new-age stargazers interested in astrology alongside astronomy. Take a guided tour in the desert and peer through a 45-inch telescope with SPACE (San Pedro de Atacama Celestial Explorations).

One of the best places to travel in October if you love historical sites is none other than the Great Wall of China. The beginning of the month rings in Chinese New Year, which sees quite a few domestic tourists and celebrations. However, the rest of the month is relatively quiet, and you’ll enjoy trekking along the Great Wall with fewer people than its summertime surge. Fully into autumn, the forests surrounding the Great Wall burst with fiery reds, yellows and oranges as the trees prepare for winter. The Mutianyu and Jinshanling sections of the wall are especially pretty during October.