Where to Go in January: 8 Warm Places, Real Temperatures
Where to go in January for real warmth: eight places, six of them climbing this year’s search data, each with its real temperature and the catch the brochures leave out.
How to Choose Where to Go in January
Where to go in January is a harder question than most lists admit, because almost nowhere in Europe is warm in the first month of the year. Most lists skip past that and promise 25°C a short flight away. Only one place on this list gets reliably close.
This guide sorts eight warm places by how hot they actually get, not by how good the brochure photos look. Six of them come from the trend reports that Skyscanner and Expedia published in October 2026, so you can see where other travellers are heading. The other two, Madeira and Cape Town, are dependable January choices that deserve an honest caveat. Every entry gives you a reason to go in January, the catch, and the real temperature.
Three picks stand out. Sal in Cape Verde is the warmest within a short flight of Europe. Krabi offers the most reliable beach weather. Holbox is the trending pick with the fewest crowds, as long as you go in the second half of the month. For almost everything here, book travel for after about 8 January, when fares fall. Flying from North America? Holbox and Grenada are the shortest trips. If you are planning further ahead, the previous guide in this series, where to go in December, covers the Canary Islands and the wider Caribbean.
Where to Go in January: The Short Answer
Here is every pick in one place. Anything below 25°C is a mild-weather trip rather than a heat trip, and that distinction explains the three groups that follow.
| Destination | January high | Why January | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sal, Cape Verde | 23–25°C | Driest, sunniest short-haul option | Wind, hazy days, 22–23°C sea |
| Madeira | About 19°C | Quiet once New Year crowds leave | Wettest stretch of the year |
| Krabi, Thailand | About 32°C | Best month on the Andaman coast | Peak prices, Gulf-hub flight disruption |
| Phu Quoc, Vietnam | Up to 31°C | Peak of the dry season, calm sea | Resort-heavy, high-season rates |
| Holbox, Mexico | 29°C | Dry season, quieter from 12 January | Cold fronts can stop ferries and boats |
| Grenada | 29°C | Dry season begins, 26–27°C sea | Showers still frequent, humid |
| Cape Town | About 26°C | Midsummer, long dry days | School holidays and wind until mid-month |
| Punta del Este | 25–27°C | Uruguay’s beach season at full strength | The year’s most expensive, crowded month |
Where to Go in January for a Short Flight From Europe (19–25°C)
Short-haul is where January lists exaggerate most. Brochures quote averages that blend day and night, and they rarely mention how cold the sea is. Here the honest range is 19–25°C, which means sunshine and light layers rather than swimwear all day.
01 — Sal, Cape Verde: The Warmest Short Flight in January
Sal is the only pick here that delivers close to 25°C within a short flight of Europe. January highs sit between 23°C and 25°C, and the month ranks among the driest of the year, so the sunshine is dependable. Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2027 report also puts Sal first on its rising-destinations list for Italian travellers, with searches up 339%. It also ranks eighth on the UK-facing version of the list, with searches up 67%. Trend lists differ by market, so read the Italian figure as a signal from Italy rather than a global verdict.
Now the catch. Sal is flat, exposed and windy. January winds average around 22 km/h with gusts nearer 32 km/h, which is why kitesurfers arrive between January and April and why sunbathers sometimes give up by mid-afternoon. The island even hosts a leg of the GKA Kitesurfing World Championship in February because that wind is so reliable. In addition, the Atlantic here stays cool for the latitude, at around 22–23°C, so you will swim less than the photos suggest. Saharan dust can also hang over the islands in winter and turn the sky pale on bad days, and the sun stays strong underneath it.
Who should go? Anyone who wants warm, dry days and does not need a hot sea. Evenings cool to around 19–21°C, so bring a light layer for dinner as well as a windproof one for the beach. The pitch in the trend coverage is value: tropical-style sunshine without the long-haul flight and the price that comes with it. Beyond the sand, the salt flats at Pedra de Lume and the rock pools at Buracona make easy half-day excursions. If a warm sea is non-negotiable, skip ahead to Krabi.
02 — Madeira: Quiet Weeks After the New Year Crowds
Madeira’s January case differs from its December one. The fireworks over Funchal pull in the New Year crowds, and once they leave, the island settles into its quietest weeks. Highs hover around 19°C, which suits walking more than swimming. The catch is rain, because January sits inside the island’s wettest stretch, especially on the north coast. For where to stay and what to see, read our Madeira travel guide, and pack a light rain jacket for the levada walks.
Timing matters on the island. Expect December-level prices until about 7 January, then a calmer, cheaper stretch. After that, walkers get the best of Madeira: the levada trails are green, the temperatures suit climbing, and the sea stays too cool for most swimmers. Some levada paths close after heavy rain because of rockfall risk, so check conditions on the day before you set out. If you want to arrive for the fireworks, our guide to the best places to spend New Year’s Eve compares the options.
Two other regulars, the Canary Islands and Marrakech, belong in this mild band as well. Both already make their full case in the December guide, and January adds little beyond a few degrees of chill, so they are not entries here. The Canaries sit around 20°C, with Three Kings’ Day parades in early January. Marrakech brings sunny days near 18°C and nights that drop into single digits, while the Sahara camps run colder. Our guides to Morocco weather by month, the best places to visit in Morocco and Merzouga vs Zagora cover the detail.
Where to Go in January for Long-Haul Beach Heat (28–32°C)
These four trade flight time for heat. Each sits in its dry or driest stretch in January, which is exactly why they work this month. Prices follow the weather, though, because January is high season for all four.
03 — Krabi, Thailand: The Most Reliable Beach Weather
If you want one dependable answer to where to go in January for beach weather, it is Krabi. January is the best month of the year on the Andaman coast: highs near 32°C, a sea of 28–29°C, calm water and only a few short showers, roughly 50 mm across the whole month. Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2027 report also lists Krabi among the fastest-rising destinations for travellers based in the UAE, with searches up 88%.
The catches are timing and routing. January is peak season on this coast, so prices and crowds peak along with the weather. Flights are the bigger variable this year: Gulf-hub routings have run into disruption since the regional conflict began, with longer paths and cancellations. For this reason, check the connecting airport before you book, and consider a one-stop itinerary through an Asian or European hub. Across the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao are only just out of their late-year rains, which makes the Andaman side the safer January bet.
Where you base yourself changes the trip. Ao Nang is the practical resort strip for first-timers, with the widest choice of rooms and restaurants. Railay, reachable only by boat, is the postcard version, with limestone walls, climbing routes and turquoise water, but fewer beds and higher rates. January’s calm sea is the quiet advantage, because island-hopping boats run on schedule, whereas in the monsoon months many stay in port.
04 — Phu Quoc, Vietnam: Dry-Season Peak, Resort Prices
Phu Quoc sits in the middle of its dry season in January, with gentle sun, low humidity and calm seas. Temperatures run from about 23°C at night to 31°C by day, averaging 27°C. Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2027 report ranks the island tenth among trending destinations for Indian travellers, with searches up 133%, and it is the only Vietnamese destination on that list. Vietnam is also rising with Americans, since Da Nang takes fourth place on Skyscanner’s list for US travellers, with searches up about 127%.
The catch is that everyone else has read the same weather report. January is peak season, which pushes hotel rates up and thins out availability at the better beachfront properties, and the island’s building boom has left parts of the coast resort-heavy. Book early, then look beyond the busiest stretch of beach. Entry rules also vary by passport, so check Vietnam’s current visa exemptions before you pay for flights.
What you get for the money is the weather itself. The sea runs around 27–28°C, comfortable all day, and the humidity that makes the rest of the year heavy has dropped, which is the real reason people choose January. Because the west coast faces the Gulf of Thailand, sunsets are the island’s standard evening ritual. Plan beach time for the afternoon, then book a west-facing table.
05 — Holbox, Mexico: Quieter Beaches After 12 January
Holbox is the trending pick with the best chance of space to yourself. The car-free island sits off the Yucatán coast, a short ferry ride from Chiquilá, which is two to three hours by road from Cancún. Expedia’s Unpack ’27 report lists Holbox sixth among its 2027 Destinations of the Year, with searches up 45%. January is dry season, highs reach 29°C and the sea holds at 25–26°C. From 12 January onward the island hits its sweet spot, because the New Year crowd has gone and hotel rates drop.
Wind is the catch. Cold fronts, known locally as nortes, cross the northern Yucatán a few times a month in winter. They bring a day or two of cloud, cooler air and choppy water that can suspend the ferry and cancel boat tours, although they also make January the best kitesurfing month of the year. Avoid a tight ferry-to-flight connection on your departure day.
Everyone else gets the quieter version of the island. Kitesurfers head to Playa Las Nubes, where the shallow, flat water suits beginners, while the rest of the island offers long beaches, sand streets, golf carts instead of cars and, in January, almost no mosquitoes. There is no nightlife to speak of beyond low-key restaurants, and that is the point.
One more honest note: Expedia’s own description mentions swimming with whale sharks, but that season runs through the summer, so January does not offer it. For other Mexican beach ideas beyond the obvious resort strip, see our comparison of spring destinations better than Cancún.
06 — Grenada: A Dry Season That Is Only Just Starting
St. George’s ranks second on Skyscanner’s 2027 trending list for Canadian travellers. January is when Grenada’s dry season begins, with highs near 29°C and a sea of 26–27°C. Hurricane season ended in November, and the island sits at the southern edge of the belt, where storms are rare.
The catch is that “dry season” arrives gradually. Showers remain frequent in January, usually short and warm, and the humidity makes 29°C feel heavier than it reads. In other words, Grenada rewards a flexible beach schedule rather than a rigid one. Check flight routes early, since direct service varies by season and by where you start. If the logistics look awkward, our Barbados travel guide covers a more connected alternative, and our breakdown of whether the Caribbean islands are worth it helps you choose among the rest.
Beyond the beach, Grenada’s character lives inland. Grand Etang National Park’s rainforest trails run greenest while showers are still frequent, which is an argument for visiting early in the dry season. The island’s nickname, the Spice Island, comes from its nutmeg and cinnamon, and the clear 26–27°C sea suits snorkelling and diving as well as swimming.
Where to Go in January for Southern-Hemisphere Summer
Flip the calendar and January becomes midsummer. Both places below deliver reliable weather, and both charge for it.
07 — Cape Town: Peak Summer, Peak Prices
Cape Town in January is midsummer: long days, dry weather and average highs around 26°C, with hot spells that push towards 30°C. The first half of the month also overlaps the local school holidays, which run from mid-December to mid-January and bring both domestic crowds and the year’s highest prices.
Wind is the other catch. Cape Town’s south-easterly, known as the Cape Doctor, blows hard through summer, clears the air and can make a beach afternoon uncomfortable. It eases in February, but you can dodge the worst of the crowds by travelling in the second half of January. Plan beach time for mornings, and keep a windproof layer for Table Mountain.
Swimming deserves its own warning. The Atlantic seaboard, including Camps Bay, stays famously cold all year, while False Bay beaches such as Muizenberg run warmer. January also brings a few dates worth planning around: the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival takes over the city on 2 January, and the penguin colony at Boulders Beach makes an easy half-day. Book Cape Town for long dry days and the mountain, not for a hot sea.
08 — Punta del Este, Uruguay: Go for the Party, or Wait for March
Punta del Este ranks third on Expedia’s 2027 Destinations of the Year, with searches up 65%. January and early February are when Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay arrive, so the resort runs at full volume, with beach clubs, nightlife and some of the highest prices in South America.
The honest verdict is that January is the best month for atmosphere and the worst for value. Hotels cost far more than they do outside the season, and the beaches fill. March offers nearly the same warmth, around 23°C, with a calmer town and lower prices, and December works the same way. If you do go in January, swim only where lifeguards and flags mark the safe zone, because the open Atlantic beaches, Playa Brava in particular, have strong currents.
Choose your beach by mood. Playa Mansa faces the calmer river side and suits families and long swims, while Playa Brava takes the open Atlantic and the surf. Away from the sand, day trips run to Isla de Lobos, where sea lions haul out, and to Isla Gorriti, which has historic ruins. The Casapueblo art gallery above the water is the town’s other landmark. Overall, Punta del Este is a trip you take for the scene, so budget for it accordingly.
Where to Go in January Without the Middle East (and Why)
Egypt’s Red Sea, Jordan, Oman and the UAE usually fill the middle of a January list. This year I have left them off for reasons that are practical rather than political.
As of the US State Department’s most recent regional update in late October 2026, Jordan, Oman and the UAE all carry a Level 3 “Reconsider Travel” advisory, the same level as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. Flights are the other problem. Gulf hub schedules have been cut, rerouted or suspended since the regional conflict began in late February 2026, so even a trip to somewhere else can suffer if your route runs through the Gulf.
Egypt is a different case. It sits at Level 2, “Exercise Increased Caution”, with parts of Sinai and the Western Desert at Level 4, and the Red Sea resorts remain open, with airlines still scheduling January flights to Hurghada, which ranks second on the UK-facing version of Skyscanner’s 2027 list. I have still left it off, partly because January on the Red Sea is a low-20s°C trip in the same mild band as Madeira, and partly because I would not recommend it ahead of the picks above while regional air travel stays unsettled. Advice changes quickly, so check your own government’s current guidance, such as the US State Department travel advisories, before you book anything in the region.
When January Flights Get Cheap
January is consistently one of the two cheapest months of the year to fly, alongside February. The shift is sharp rather than gradual: fares fall from among the most expensive of the year to among the cheapest within a few days around 8 January, once the holiday return rush is over.
| Cheapest window | Travel dates after about 8 January, ideally midweek, when Tuesday and Wednesday departures often price lower. |
| Avoid | Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, 16–18 January 2027 (the holiday is Monday 18 January), when warm-weather routes see a short-break surge. |
| Context | Hopper described holiday airfares this autumn as at a ten-year high, driven by record jet fuel prices, and some airlines expect fares to rise further next year. |
| Where it matters most | Peak-season routes such as Krabi, Phu Quoc, Cape Town and Punta del Este, where flexible dates save more than they do to Sal or Madeira. |
In other words, January’s price drop is relative. A cheaper ticket after 8 January still lands you in a high-season room rate at the peak-season picks, so compare the combined total of flights and hotel rather than the airfare alone.
Or Lean Into Winter Instead
Warm is not the only good answer to where to go in January. If you would rather enjoy winter than flee it, three directions work.
Skiing deserves a guide of its own, which this post is not. For an alpine January without skis, read our guide to Switzerland in winter without skiing.
Lapland is the opposite of a beach: snow, long nights and, with luck, the northern lights. Our guide to where to stay in Lapland covers the practical side of an Arctic January, while Northern Lights in Europe ranks twelve places by real odds.
A quiet European city also works. Prague empties out once the Christmas-market crowds go home, so start with our Prague travel guide. If you would rather have a party attached, Venice Carnival 2027 covers dates, costs and the best days to go.
What to Pack for a Warm January Trip
Layers for the mild picks, beach kit for the rest. Our Europe packing list covers the basics for any trip, and these additions handle the January specifics.
- Sal and Madeira: light layers, a windproof shell for Sal and a rain jacket for Madeira
- Krabi, Phu Quoc and Grenada: beach kit, high-factor sunscreen and a thin rain layer for short showers
- Holbox: one light jacket for the days when a norte blows through
- Cape Town and Punta del Este: a windproof layer for Cape Town and strong sun protection for Punta del Este, where the UV index runs very high
Where to Go in January: Your Questions Answered
Weather and warmth
Trends, flights and safety
January asks one honest question before any other: how warm do you actually need it to be?
Answer that first, and the rest of the list sorts itself.