Warm places to visit in January

Latin America & Caribbean

Argentina · 30°C (86°F) · 8 rainy days

Buenos Aires

Tango, steakhouses, late nights and grand avenues on the Río de la Plata. The hottest month, with humid days over 30°C; many porteños leave for the coast, so the city feels quieter and some restaurants close for holidays.

Mexico · 28°C (82°F) · 7 rainy days

Cancún

Turquoise Caribbean beaches, Maya ruins, cenotes and island day trips. Warm, dry and breezy with occasional cool fronts ('nortes'); one of the most pleasant months.

Cuba · 26°C (79°F) · 6 rainy days

Havana

Colonial plazas, the Malecón seawall and live son music on every corner. Dry, sunny and pleasantly warm; one of the most popular months, with occasional cool northerly fronts.

Bahamas · 25°C (77°F) · 6 rainy days

Nassau

Pastel colonial streets, Junkanoo and turquoise water on New Providence. Mild, sunny and dry; occasional cold fronts bring cooler, windy days. Junkanoo opens the year.

Jamaica · 30°C (86°F) · 6 rainy days

Montego Bay

Jerk smoke, reggae and reef-protected beaches on Jamaica's north coast. Peak season: warm, sunny days, cooler nights and busy resorts.

Dominican Republic · 28°C (82°F) · 8 rainy days

Punta Cana

Palm-lined white-sand beaches and all-inclusive resorts on the Dominican east coast. Peak season with sunny, breezy days and comfortable evenings; resorts are busy.

Asia

Vietnam · 32°C (90°F) · 2 rainy days

Ho Chi Minh City

Colonial landmarks, war history and late-night street food on the Saigon River. Dry, sunny and slightly less humid, one of the most comfortable months; Tết preparations fill markets with flowers.

Thailand · 32°C (90°F) · 2 rainy days

Bangkok

Gilded temples, river boats, street food and rooftop bars. Dry and as cool as Bangkok gets, with lower humidity; peak season for visitors.

Thailand · 32°C (90°F) · 4 rainy days

Phuket

Andaman beaches, island-hopping and a Sino-Portuguese old town. Dry, sunny and calm with clear water for boat trips — peak season with peak prices.

India · 32°C (90°F) · 0 rainy days

Goa

Portuguese-era churches, 100 km of beaches, fish curry rice and beach shacks. Dry, sunny and pleasantly warm with cool nights; high season continues after the New Year rush.

Thailand · 29°C (84°F) · 10 rainy days

Koh Samui

Palm-fringed beaches, island resorts and boat trips in the Gulf of Thailand. The rains ease through the month and it becomes breezy and pleasant; seas can still be choppy early on.

Philippines · 30°C (86°F) · 4 rainy days

Manila

Spanish-era Intramuros, free national museums and Binondo food crawls. Dry, sunny and comparatively mild; one of the most comfortable months.

India · 31°C (88°F) · 0 rainy days

Mumbai

Victorian Gothic and Art Deco, Bollywood, sea-facing promenades and vada pav. Dry, sunny and the least humid month, with pleasant evenings; haze and air pollution can build on still days.

Malaysia · 32°C (90°F) · 7 rainy days

Penang

Hawker food, shophouse streets and clan temples in George Town. Dry, sunny and comparatively breezy — one of the best months. Chinese New Year often falls in late January or February, bringing crowds and lanterns.

Cambodia · 32°C (90°F) · 1 rainy days

Phnom Penh

Royal Palace, riverside promenades and Cambodia's modern history. Dry and comparatively mild, with clear skies; one of the most comfortable months for walking the city.

Thailand · 29°C (84°F) · 1 rainy days

Chiang Mai

Lanna temples, night markets and mountain day trips in northern Thailand. Sunny, dry days and cool nights, colder in the mountains; peak season with clear skies.

Sri Lanka · 31°C (88°F) · 6 rainy days

Colombo

Colonial Fort streets, Buddhist temples and seafront sunsets on the Indian Ocean. Dry, sunny and slightly less humid; peak season for the west and south coasts.

Thailand · 32°C (90°F) · 5 rainy days

Krabi

Limestone cliffs, longtail boats and island-hopping on the Andaman coast. Dry, sunny and calm; peak season, so book boat trips and Railay hotels in advance.

Malaysia · 32°C (90°F) · 5 rainy days

Langkawi

Duty-free island of rainforest peaks, mangroves and west-coast sunset beaches. Peak dry season with calm seas and clear sunsets; Chinese New Year can fall late in the month and fills the island.

Laos · 28°C (82°F) · 2 rainy days

Luang Prabang

Gilded monasteries, dawn alms rounds and the Mekong in Laos's old royal capital. Dry and sunny with misty mornings and cool nights; a jacket is useful at dawn for the alms giving. Peak season.

Maldives · 30°C (86°F) · 6 rainy days

Maldives

Overwater villas, house reefs, manta rays and local-island guesthouses. Dry, sunny and calm in the north-east monsoon; peak season with the highest resort prices, especially in the first week.

Cambodia · 32°C (90°F) · 1 rainy days

Siem Reap

Gateway town to Angkor Wat, the Bayon and the temples of the Khmer Empire. Dry, sunny and pleasant, with relatively cool mornings; this is peak season and sunrise at Angkor Wat is very crowded.

North America

United States · 27°C (81°F) · 8 rainy days

Honolulu

Waikīkī surf, Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor and year-round warm sea. Warm with passing showers; peak whale and big-wave season, and busy with winter escapees.

United States · 27°C (81°F) · 9 rainy days

Maui

Haleakalā sunrise, the Road to Hāna and winter humpback whales. Peak whale season and peak demand; occasional winter storms bring rain and big surf to north-facing shores.

Africa

South Africa · 26°C (79°F) · 3 rainy days

Cape Town

Table Mountain, two oceans, Cape Malay food and winelands an hour away. Peak summer: dry, sunny and often windy, with long evenings and the busiest beaches and restaurants of the year.

Kenya · 25°C (77°F) · 5 rainy days

Nairobi

Lions below the skyline, orphaned elephants and the gateway to Kenyan safaris. Warm, dry and sunny after the short rains; a popular safari month with green landscapes and newborn animals in the parks.

Tanzania · 32°C (90°F) · 7 rainy days

Zanzibar

Stone Town's carved doors, spice farms and white-sand Indian Ocean beaches. Hot, humid and mostly dry, with calm seas and good snorkelling; busy after the holidays.

Oceania

Australia · 26°C (79°F) · 5 rainy days

Melbourne

Laneway coffee, free CBD trams, big-ticket sport and serious food. Mostly warm and dry, with occasional scorching days above 40°C followed by sudden cool changes; the Australian Open fills the city.

Australia · 26°C (79°F) · 8 rainy days

Sydney

Harbour ferries, ocean beaches and the Opera House on one waterfront. Peak summer holidays: warm sea, long evenings and crowded beaches, with occasional heatwaves well above 35°C.

Australia · 30°C (86°F) · 10 rainy days

Brisbane

Subtropical river city of CityCat ferries, free galleries and koalas. Hot and humid with frequent afternoon storms; school holidays keep South Bank busy.

Australia · 31°C (88°F) · 1 rainy days

Perth

Sunny Indian Ocean city of sunset beaches, Kings Park and Rottnest's quokkas. Hot, dry and sunny with sea breezes most afternoons; heatwaves are possible. School holidays and festival season.

Australia · 28°C (82°F) · 10 rainy days

Gold Coast

Surf beaches, theme parks and rainforest hinterland on Queensland's southern coast. Peak summer holidays: hot, humid, with afternoon storms and the busiest beaches and theme parks.

Middle East

Oman · 25°C (77°F) · 2 rainy days

Muscat

A low-rise capital of forts, souqs and beaches between mountains and sea. Peak season, with warm sunny days, pleasant evenings and the opera and festival season in full swing.

Beach, city or budget: January picks by trip type

What's on in January

Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.

• Cancún: Día de Reyes with rosca de reyes cake (6 January)
• Ho Chi Minh City: Tết (Lunar New Year) — Nguyễn Huệ Flower Street displays, then many businesses close for several days (late January or February)
• Honolulu: Lunar New Year celebrations in Chinatown (January or February)
• Bangkok: Chinese New Year celebrations in Yaowarat (late January or February)
• Cape Town: Cape Town Minstrel Carnival — street parade (usually 2 January, Tweede Nuwe Jaar)
• Melbourne: Australian Open tennis at Melbourne Park (usually the second half of January)
• Phuket: Chinese New Year celebrations and the Old Phuket Town Festival (January or February)
• Sydney: Sydney Festival — arts events across the city (usually most of January)
• Brisbane: Brisbane International tennis (usually early January)
• Koh Samui: Chinese New Year in Nathon (January or February)
• Manila: Feast of the Black Nazarene — huge procession from Quiapo (9 January)
• Mumbai: Tata Mumbai Marathon (usually the third Sunday of January)

Daylight in January

Day length on these trips ranges from about 10.7 hours in Nassau to 14.5 hours in Melbourne (sunrise to sunset on 15 January). Longer days mean more sightseeing time; shorter ones favour museums, food and evenings.

January weather compared

Questions travellers ask