Where to go in January
January sits deep in the northern winter and the southern summer, so the best weather splits along those lines. Desert and dry-season countries shine: Mauritania and Cape Verde hit highs near 24-25°C with almost no rain, Yemen reaches 22.8°C dry, and the Gulf states (UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait) stay warm and mostly rain-free. Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Mexico and Cuba also offer sun, with Cuba topping 26°C. Hong Kong and Norfolk Island add milder, greener options with more rain days. Northern Europe is the toughest region this month: Germany sits at 3°C, Norway and Latvia hover near freezing, Finland drops to -1.2°C, and the Faroe Islands see almost 20 rain days alongside a 6.5°C sea. These cold, wet conditions suit travellers chasing snow, dark skies or northern lights rather than sunbathing.
Top picks
Best places to go in January
Ranked by our month score: temperature, rain, sunshine and sea.
-
1.Cape Verde
10.0/10Africa
Scores 10 with highs of 23°C, 0 rain days and 9.9 hours of sun a day.
- High / low
- 23°C / 22°C
- Rain days
- 0
- Sun daily
- 9.9 hrs
-
2.Mauritania
10.0/10Africa
Top score of 10: mild 24.8°C highs, cool 11.6°C nights, almost no rain and 9.5 sun hours.
- High / low
- 25°C / 12°C
- Rain days
- 0
- Sun daily
- 9.5 hrs
-
3.Yemen
10.0/10Asia
Scores 10 out of 10. Mild days around 23°C, cool nights near 10°C, no rain and about 11 hours of sun.
- High / low
- 23°C / 10°C
- Rain days
- 0
- Sun daily
- 10.9 hrs
-
4.United Arab Emirates
9.7/10Asia
Top score of 9.7: warm days around 24°C, cool 14°C nights, 10 sun hours and only 1.5 rain days.
- High / low
- 24°C / 14°C
- Rain days
- 2
- Sun daily
- 10.0 hrs
-
5.Egypt
9.6/10Africa
Highs around 19°C, rain on about 2 days.
- High / low
- 19°C / 9°C
- Rain days
- 2
- Sun daily
- 9.3 hrs
-
6.Bahrain
9.5/10Asia
Scores 9.5; the coolest month at 21°C highs and 14°C lows, with 2 rain days.
- High / low
- 21°C / 14°C
- Rain days
- 2
- Sun daily
- 9.4 hrs
-
7.Mexico
9.5/10Americas
Scores 9.5. Only 8 mm of rain and 9.6 sun hours, with mild 20.6°C days and cold 5.9°C nights.
- High / low
- 21°C / 6°C
- Rain days
- 3
- Sun daily
- 9.6 hrs
-
8.Cuba
9.2/10Americas
Top score of 9.2. Highs of 26.3°C, only 3.5 rain days and 20 mm of rain, with 10.5 sun hours.
- High / low
- 26°C / 24°C
- Rain days
- 4
- Sun daily
- 10.5 hrs
-
9.Bahamas
8.4/10Americas
Highs around 25°C, rain on about 10 days, sea 25°C.
- High / low
- 25°C / 21°C
- Rain days
- 10
- Sun daily
- 9.3 hrs
-
10.New Zealand
7.6/10Oceania
Score of 7.6 with warm highs of 23°C and 11.8 sun hours a day make this a top summer month.
- High / low
- 23°C / 18°C
- Rain days
- 12
- Sun daily
- 11.8 hrs
-
11.Spain
7.1/10Europe
Highs around 10°C, rain on about 7 days.
- High / low
- 10°C / 1°C
- Rain days
- 7
- Sun daily
- 7.0 hrs
-
12.Australia
6.9/10Oceania
Highs around 27°C, rain on about 13 days, sea 22°C.
- High / low
- 27°C / 20°C
- Rain days
- 13
- Sun daily
- 10.8 hrs
-
13.Papua New Guinea
6.8/10Oceania
Highs around 23°C, rain on about 31 days.
- High / low
- 23°C / 18°C
- Rain days
- 31
- Sun daily
- 7.0 hrs
-
14.Gibraltar
6.6/10Europe
Highs around 15°C, rain on about 9 days.
- High / low
- 15°C / 10°C
- Rain days
- 9
- Sun daily
- 7.9 hrs
-
15.Cyprus
6.3/10Europe
Highs around 15°C, rain on about 9 days.
- High / low
- 15°C / 7°C
- Rain days
- 9
- Sun daily
- 8.2 hrs
January
Warm & sunny
Highs of 24 °C or more and few rainy days.
-
Mauritania 10.0/10Highs 25°C · 0 rain days
-
United Arab Emirates 9.7/10Highs 24°C · 2 rain days
-
Cuba 9.2/10Highs 26°C · 4 rain days
-
India 8.8/10Highs 28°C · 1 rain days
-
Ghana 8.4/10Highs 31°C · 5 rain days
-
Chile 8.1/10Highs 30°C · 0 rain days
-
Gambia 7.3/10Highs 31°C · 0 rain days
-
Haiti 7.3/10Highs 31°C · 4 rain days
January
Short-haul from Europe
Within about 3,500 km of central Europe.
Honest advice
Toughest weather in January
Places where the weather is usually at its worst this month.
-
Faroe Islands 0.5/10
Wet month: rain on about 20 days.
For better weather, try Spain · 7.1/10 · highs 10°C
-
Norway 0.7/10
Cold: highs around 0 °C.
For better weather, try Spain · 7.1/10 · highs 10°C
-
Latvia 0.7/10
Wet month: rain on about 14 days.
For better weather, try Cyprus · 6.3/10 · highs 15°C
-
Finland 0.7/10
Wet month: rain on about 14 days.
For better weather, try Cyprus · 6.3/10 · highs 15°C
-
Germany 0.8/10
Wet month: rain on about 16 days.
For better weather, try Algeria · 7.7/10 · highs 16°C
Side by side
January weather comparison: top 10 destinations
Average weather of each destination's main city this month, and our month score out of 10.
| Destination | Avg high | Avg low | Rainfall | Sun hrs/day | Sea temp | January score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Verde | 23°C | 22°C | 0 mm | 9.9 hrs | – | 10.0 |
| Mauritania | 25°C | 12°C | 0 mm | 9.5 hrs | – | 10.0 |
| Yemen | 23°C | 10°C | 0 mm | 10.9 hrs | – | 10.0 |
| United Arab Emirates | 24°C | 14°C | 16 mm | 10.0 hrs | – | 9.7 |
| Egypt | 19°C | 9°C | 6 mm | 9.3 hrs | – | 9.6 |
| Bahrain | 21°C | 14°C | 20 mm | 9.4 hrs | – | 9.5 |
| Mexico | 21°C | 6°C | 8 mm | 9.6 hrs | – | 9.5 |
| Cuba | 26°C | 24°C | 20 mm | 10.5 hrs | – | 9.2 |
| Bahamas | 25°C | 21°C | 45 mm | 9.3 hrs | 25°C | 8.4 |
| New Zealand | 23°C | 18°C | 89 mm | 11.8 hrs | – | 7.6 |
FAQ
Travelling in January
Where is warm in January?
Mauritania and Cape Verde are the warmest safe bets, both scoring a perfect 10 with highs around 23-25°C and almost no rain. Yemen also scores 10, with highs near 22.8°C and zero rain days. For a mix of heat and culture, the UAE offers 24.4°C highs with only 1.5 rain days.
Is Mexico good in January?
Yes, Mexico scores 9.5 out of 10 for January. Average highs sit at 20.6°C with just 2.5 rain days expected, making it a dry, mild month for travel there.
Where has the toughest weather in January?
Finland and Latvia are the hardest hit. Finland's highs average -1.2°C with 14.1 rain or snow days, and sea temperatures near freezing at 0.1°C. Latvia is similar, with highs of -0.1°C and 13.5 wet days. These conditions suit travellers chasing snow and winter scenery rather than warmth.
Is the Faroe Islands cold in January?
Yes, but not as icy as Nordic neighbours. Highs average 5.1°C, warmer than Finland or Latvia, but it's the wettest spot on the list with 19.9 rain days and a sea temperature of just 6.5°C. Expect frequent rain rather than deep snow.
Is India good for travel in January?
Yes, India scores 8.8 for January. Average highs reach 28°C with only 1 rain day, giving dry, warm conditions across much of the country during this month.