Within five hours
November is the last month in which you can find some reasonably reliable sun close to home, so I have come up with three options in this category.
Cyprus
Cyprus is far enough south and east to cling on to the Mediterranean summer well into November. As I write this, northern Greece is still suffering an appalling autumn of torrential rains, but Cyprus is bathing under clear skies and temperatures of 28-29 C. By November it is likely to be cooler but with highs around 22C and seven hours of sun. What's more, the sea is still warm enough to swim in.
Don't leave it too long, though: temperatures in December are 5C lower and there is much less sunshine.
Price sample
Argo Holidays (0870 066 7070,
www.argo-holidays.com) offers the Annabelle in Paphos from £750 b&b.
Marrakesh
Not only should you get good weather in Morocco's oasis city, you will also get excellent value for money.
In November the blistering summer heat has dissipated and Marrakesh is pleasantly warm (23C), dry (three wet days) and sunny (seven hours). It is also cool enough to sleep comfortably at night. This week has seen clear skies and temperatures in the high 20s-30C.
Price sample
Best of Morocco (0845 026 4585,
www.bestof morocco.co.uk) offers seven nights at the Villa des Orangers, Marrakesh, from £905, including breakfast and lunch.
Egypt
You have three main choices in Egypt - the Red Sea coast for beach resorts, a hotel-stay in Luxor, or a Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan, with perhaps a trip down to Cairo. November is arguably the best month of the year in Luxor. It won't rain, the sun will shine 10 hours a day, the temperature will peak at 30C, but it does not feel quite as hot as that suggests because the humidity is so low. What's more, the climate is so predictable that this summary is pretty much guaranteed. The Red Sea coast is normally three or four degrees cooler than Luxor. This week both places had virtually unbroken sunshine and temperatures in the low 30s.
Price sample
Kuoni (01306 747737,
www.kuoni.co.uk) offers the Sofitel Karnak near Luxor from £615 half board.
Within eight hours
Oman
You don't want to be in Oman during the summer, but temperatures are getting more bearable and, during November, they fall to 30C, with clear skies from dawn to dusk and just a day of rain. It is quite humid, however, and hot (23C) at night, so you will need air-conditioning. In Muscat the sun shone all this week and temperatures were in the mid 30s.
Price sample
Cazenove & Loyd (020 7384 2332,
www.cazloyd.com) offers the Al Bustan Palace from £1,155 b&b.
