Where to go in January 2026? 12 destinations tested by our team

Destinations comparison
Destination	Climate	Temp.	Flight	Budget	Crowd	Rating
🇹🇭 South Thailand	Dry	28-32°C	11h	1 200-2 000 €	●●● High season	★★★★★
🇰🇪 Kenya	Dry	25-30°C	9h	2 400-3 800 €	●●○ Moderate	★★★★★
🇨🇻 Cape Verde	Mild	22-26°C	6h	900-1 600 €	●○○ Low	★★★★★
🇦🇷 Argentina	Austral summer	20-28°C	14h	2 200-3 800 €	●●○ Moderate	★★★★★
🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Dry	26-30°C	11h	2 000-3 500 €	●●○ Moderate	★★★★★
🇸🇳 Senegal	Dry	26-29°C	6h	900-1 700 €	●○○ Low	★★★★☆
🇮🇳 South India	Dry	25-30°C	10h	1 400-2 400 €	●●○ Moderate	★★★★☆
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	Dry	28-30°C	10h	1 400-2 200 €	●●○ Moderate	★★★★☆
🇦🇪 UAE	Mild	22-26°C	7h	1 200-2 200 €	●●○ Moderate	★★★★☆
🇨🇺 Cuba	Mild	24-28°C	10h	1 400-2 500 €	●●● High season	★★★★☆
🇦🇺 Australia	Austral summer	25-32°C	22h	3 200-5 000 €	●●○ Moderate	★★★★☆
🇲🇲 Myanmar	Dry	25-30°C	12h	1 800-2 800 €	●○○ Low	★★★☆☆

By traveler profile

Which destination for you in january?

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Family

Guaranteed sun and kid-friendly activities, no extreme long-haul.

💑

Honeymoon

Sun + beaches + romance. Boutique hotels and high-end resorts.

🎒

Backpacker

Mini budget, long duration, backpacker vibe.

🌋

Nature and adventure

Wildlife, national parks, unique-landscape hikes.

🥂

Luxury

Exceptional resorts, direct flights, VIP experiences.

🎭

Culture and events

The year's event not to miss.

Key events

Why go in january

🎆 January 1

New Year worldwide

Iconic fireworks in Sydney, Hong Kong, Dubai, Rio.

🌍 Worldwide

🌶 Jan 14-17

Pongal

Harvest festival in South India, colourful processions.

🇮🇳 South India

🐉 Late January

Chinese New Year (year-dependent)

Lanterns and dragons in Asia, Paris, San Francisco.

🌏 Asia

⛷️ All month

Ski peak season

Alps, Pyrenees, Vosges at peak attendance.

🇫🇷 France

🐋 All season

Whale season

Sri Lanka Mirissa, Costa Rica, Hawaii for observation.

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

🎷 Mid-January

Cannes short film market

Film market, Palais des Festivals.

🇫🇷 Cannes

🏛 Jan 15-25

Sundance Film Festival

Independent cinema in Park City, Utah.

🇺🇸 USA

🎨 Late January

Goa Carnival

Portuguese heritage festivities, colourful parades.

🇮🇳 Goa

Avoid

Avoid in january

January is harsh on the Northern Hemisphere. These destinations should wait.

🇮🇳

North India (Delhi, Agra)

🇪🇺

Northern and Eastern Europe

🇲🇬

Madagascar

🇮🇩

Bali and Indonesia

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Where to find sun in January without long flight? +

Cape Verde (6h, 22-26°C), Senegal (6h, 28°C) or UAE (7h, 22°C) are best short-haul.

Should I avoid Southeast Asia in January? +

On the contrary: peak dry season for Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and South Vietnam.

Why Kenya in January? +

It's the best time for safari: dry season, wildlife around water holes, maximum visibility.

Average 2-week budget? +

Backpacker: €1,200-1,500. Comfort: €1,800-2,500. Premium: €3,500+.

Where to go in january?

Where to go in january, in 1 minute

Our top 5

Southern Thailand

Kenya

Cape Verde

Argentina

Costa Rica

12 ideal destinations

Senegal

South India

Sri Lanka

UAE

Cuba

Australia

Myanmar

Climate, flight, budget: compare everything