Best Places to Visit in January
Deep winter in the north, peak summer in the south
January splits the world in two. Across the Northern Hemisphere it's deep winter — ski season is in full swing across the Alps, Rockies and Japan's northern islands, while Southeast Asia and India enter their driest, most comfortable stretch of the year. South of the equator, it's the height of summer: Australia, South Africa, Argentina and Brazil are all at their warmest and busiest, with beach season in full swing. The first half of the month is also genuinely one of the cheapest times to fly almost anywhere outside these peaks, as the holiday travel surge fades and before ski-week and Lunar New Year demand picks up.
Good to Know About January
- Lunar New Year sometimes falls in late January (it shifts to February most years) — check the date if traveling in East or Southeast Asia, since transport and hotels tighten around it.
- Ski resorts across Europe and North America are at their most crowded and expensive during school winter-break weeks, typically the back half of the month.
- January 1-15 is often the cheapest flight window of the entire year for destinations not tied to a Southern Hemisphere summer or a ski season.
Destinations at Their Peak in January
Thailand
33°C avg high · 13mm rain
Full timing guide
Mexico
22°C avg high · 10mm rain
Full timing guide
New Zealand
24°C avg high · 75mm rain
Full timing guide
India
21°C avg high · 20mm rain
Full timing guide
Philippines
30°C avg high · 20mm rain
Full timing guide
Pakistan
18°C avg high · 25mm rain
Full timing guide
Egypt
19°C avg high · 4mm rain
Full timing guide
Colombia
20°C avg high · 30mm rain
Full timing guide
South Africa
28°C avg high · 12mm rain
Full timing guide
Australia
28°C avg high · 80mm rain
Full timing guide
Switzerland
4°C avg high · 60mm rain
Full timing guide
Argentina
30°C avg high · 135mm rain
Full timing guide
Brazil
31°C avg high · 135mm rain
Full timing guide
Austria
3°C avg high · 40mm rain
Full timing guide
Sri Lanka
32°C avg high · 85mm rain
Full timing guide
Dubai
24°C avg high · 21mm rain
Full timing guide
Cambodia
31°C avg high · 5mm rain
Full timing guide
Cuba
27°C avg high · 70mm rain
Full timing guide
Ethiopia
24°C avg high · 13mm rain
Full timing guide
Maldives
31°C avg high · 115mm rain
Full timing guide
Myanmar
33°C avg high · 5mm rain
Full timing guideGood Value in January (Shoulder Season)
Not at their absolute peak, but a solid weather-to-price balance this month.
Events Happening in January
Frequently Asked Questions
Is January a good time to travel?
It depends entirely on where — it's peak, expensive season for Southern Hemisphere summer destinations and ski resorts, but often the cheapest month of the year for destinations that don't have a January-specific draw.
Where is warm in January?
Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia) is in its dry season, the Caribbean and Central America are in their dry season too, and the entire Southern Hemisphere — Australia, South Africa, South America — is at peak summer.
Is January cheap for flights?
The first half of the month often is, once the December holiday surge fades — though this doesn't apply to destinations with their own January peak season, like ski resorts or Southern Hemisphere beach destinations.