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❄️ WHEN TO GO

Where to go on holiday in January

Escape the grey with winter sun in the Caribbean or Asia, or go the other way for snow, huskies and the northern lights. Here's where's at its best in January.

Where to go on holiday in January: 30 guides

Thatched huts on a jetty over the bright blue lagoon, with reeds in front
🇲🇽 MEXICO

Bacalar

A calm freshwater lagoon in seven shades of blue, edged by mangroves and jungle.

Nature & hiking✈️ 11h4 to 7 nights££

BEST TIMEDEC–MAR

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Two people on a bench by a park lake at sunset, with the city skyline behind
🇹🇭 THAILAND

Bangkok

Golden temples, river boats and night markets, the classic start to a Thailand trip.

City break✈️ 13h3 to 4 nights£

BEST TIMENOV–FEB

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A catamaran on calm blue sea, framed by a tree on the shore
🇧🇧 BARBADOS

Barbados

Calm Caribbean beaches, swimming with turtles and fish fries on a Friday night.

Beach✈️ 9h10 to 14 nights£££

BEST TIMEDEC–APR

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Families paddling in a turquoise lagoon by a white sand beach with palm trees
🇲🇽 MEXICO

Cancún

Caribbean beaches, Maya pyramids and swimming in underground caves.

Beach✈️ 11h10 to 14 nights££

BEST TIMEDEC–APR

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Waves breaking over rocks covered in seals, with a mountain across the bay
🇿🇦 SOUTH AFRICA

Cape Town

Penguins on the beach, a mountain with a cable car and a jet-lag-free flight.

City break✈️ 13h10 to 14 nights££

BEST TIMENOV–MAR

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A small rowing boat on a calm, misty sea, with islands on the horizon
🇨🇴 COLOMBIA

Cartagena

Colourful colonial streets, old city walls and island boat trips on Colombia's Caribbean coast.

City break✈️ 11h5 to 7 nights££

BEST TIMEDEC–MAR

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Snowy mountain ridges and jagged rocky peaks under a blue sky
🇫🇷 FRANCE

Chamonix

Skiing under Mont Blanc in winter, cable cars and glaciers in summer.

Skiing✈️ 2h7 nights£££

BEST TIMEJAN–MAR, JUL–AUG

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A beach at sunset, with dark clouds and small islands offshore
🇨🇷 COSTA RICA

Costa Rica

Sloths, volcanoes, zip lines through the rainforest and two coasts of beaches.

Nature & hiking✈️ 12h12 to 14 nights££

BEST TIMEDEC–APR

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Tall glass towers lining the water in Dubai Marina
🇦🇪 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Dubai

Winter sun, water parks and the tallest building in the world.

City break✈️ 8h5 to 7 nights£££

BEST TIMENOV–MAR

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Palm trees framing a small jetty and waves on a sandy beach
🇬🇩 GRENADA

Grenada

Spice farms, chocolate estates and a long white beach on the Caribbean's Spice Isle.

Beach✈️ 10h7 to 10 nights£££

BEST TIMEJAN–APR

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Houseboats on a backwater river lined with coconut palms
🇮🇳 INDIA

Kerala

Houseboats on palm-lined backwaters, tea hills and spice markets in southern India.

Culture & history✈️ 11h10 to 14 nights££

BEST TIMEDEC–FEB

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A quiet beach with rocks in front and a forested headland behind
🇹🇭 THAILAND

Koh Lanta

Long, quiet beaches, coral islands and sunsets over the Andaman Sea.

Beach✈️ 13h10 to 14 nights££

BEST TIMEDEC–MAR

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A gold and white Buddhist temple with tiered roofs among palm trees
🇱🇦 LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

Luang Prabang

Saffron-robed monks, golden temples and turquoise waterfall pools where two rivers meet.

Culture & history✈️ 12h3 to 4 nights££

BEST TIMENOV–FEB

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An elephant walking through dry grassland towards the camera
🇰🇪 KENYA

Maasai Mara

Lions, elephants and the great migration on game drives across the savannah.

Adventure✈️ 9h4 to 7 nights£££

BEST TIMEJAN–FEB, JUL–OCT

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Sun loungers on white sand under palm trees by a thatched villa
🇲🇻 MALDIVES

Maldives

Overwater villas, white sand and reefs full of turtles right off the beach.

Beach✈️ 12h7 to 10 nights£££

BEST TIMEDEC–APR

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A curving sandy beach with palm trees, sea and mountains
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES

Maui

Humpback whales, a volcano sunrise and snorkelling with turtles in Hawaii.

Beach✈️ 16h10 to 14 nights£££

BEST TIMEJAN–MAR, MAY–JUN, SEP–OCT

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The Miami skyline lit up at dusk under purple clouds
🇺🇸 UNITED STATES

Miami

Turquoise sea, airboats in the Everglades and Cuban food in Little Havana.

Beach✈️ 10h5 to 7 nights£££

BEST TIMENOV–APR

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Grassy plazas and stone platforms at an ancient hilltop site
🇲🇽 MEXICO

Oaxaca

Painted wooden animals, hot chocolate and mountain-top ruins in southern Mexico's colourful old city.

Culture & history✈️ 12h5 to 7 nights££

BEST TIMENOV–MAR

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A grand white building with arched colonnades under a blue sky
🇴🇲 OMAN

Oman

Desert dunes, turquoise wadis and turtle beaches, with forts and souks in between.

Adventure✈️ 8h7 to 10 nights£££

BEST TIMENOV–MAR

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A funicular track running down a forested hill, with the city and sea below
🇲🇾 MALAYSIA

Penang

Street art, clan houses and some of Asia's best street food in George Town.

Food & drink✈️ 14h5 to 7 nights££

BEST TIMEDEC–FEB

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Queenstown on a deep blue lake, with mountains beyond
🇳🇿 NEW ZEALAND

Queenstown

Jet boats, a luge with a lake view and Milford Sound up the road.

Adventure✈️ 25h5 to 7 nights£££

BEST TIMEDEC–MAR

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Reindeer and a wooden sleigh in the snow
🇫🇮 FINLAND

Rovaniemi

Meet Santa on the Arctic Circle, ride with huskies and sleep under the northern lights.

Adventure✈️ 4h3 to 4 nights£££

BEST TIMEDEC–MAR

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A train on the tracks below a tall tower, at sunset
🇱🇰 SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka

Leopards, elephants, a famous train ride and golden beaches on one small island.

Nature & hiking✈️ 12h12 to 14 nights£

BEST TIMEDEC–MAR

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Showing 24 of 30 guides

Also good in January

Not quite at their best, but still a good time to go.

Where to go on holiday in January: common questions

Where is hot in January?

The Caribbean (Barbados, Grenada, Cancún), the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Dubai are all warm and mostly dry in January. Cape Town and Sydney are in high summer. Closer to home, Tenerife is mild rather than hot, at around 20 to 22°C.

Where can we see snow or the northern lights in January?

Tromsø and Rovaniemi have long dark nights for the northern lights, plus husky rides and reindeer. Chamonix and Whistler are in the heart of the ski season.

Is January a cheap time to go on holiday?

Often, yes. Once the New Year week is over, flights and hotels in Europe drop to some of their lowest prices of the year. Long-haul winter sun stays in high season, so book those early.

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