Why January Is Underrated
January has two things most months don't: prices at their annual low (post-Christmas, pre-February half-term) and a global spread of destinations at their seasonal peak. The places that are best in January are genuinely better than they are in July — not just cheaper. Here are eight that reward the winter departure.
1. Sri Lanka
January is peak season for Sri Lanka's south and west coasts — the northeast monsoon has passed, the skies are clear, the sea is calm, and the beaches at Mirissa and Tangalle are at their best. Whale watching season for blue whales peaks in January–March. The hill country and Cultural Triangle are comfortable at this time (dry, not too hot). Book accommodation in advance for January — it's the busiest month in the south.
2. Jordan
January in Jordan is cool (10–15°C in Petra and Amman) and essentially crowd-free. The major sites — Petra, Wadi Rum, Jerash — are far quieter than in spring and autumn. Petra in the snow (rare but possible) is extraordinary. The price drop versus the peak spring months is significant: accommodation rates fall 30–40% and tour operators are eager for business. Pack layers; the desert drops below freezing at night in January.
3. Rajasthan, India
January is the single best month to visit Rajasthan — the epic desert state of Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Jaisalmer. Daytime temperatures are a comfortable 20–25°C; nights are cool but not cold. The Pushkar Camel Fair is over, but the Jaipur Literature Festival (late January) draws excellent crowds and energy. Visibility across the Thar Desert is at its clearest, the fortresses glow in the winter light, and the palaces of Udaipur are at their most photogenic with the lakes full from the monsoon.
4. Thailand (Chiang Mai and the North)
January is one of Thailand's best months: the rains are over, humidity is low, and temperatures are perfect — around 30°C on the coast, cooler and very pleasant in Chiang Mai (18–28°C). The north is at its best in January: cool enough for hiking, clear enough for views of the mountains, and the flower festival in Chiang Mai runs in early February (worth planning around). The beaches are good all year in January; the northern mountains are specifically at their peak.
5. Morocco
January in Morocco: Marrakech without the summer heat that makes wandering the medina exhausting. Temperatures sit at 18–20°C during the day — perfect for walking, visiting souqs, and hiking in the Atlas Mountains. The High Atlas, with snow on the peaks, is accessible by a 90-minute drive from Marrakech. Accommodation prices in January are 30–50% below the spring and autumn peak. The light in the medinas in January is beautiful — lower in the sky, more golden, better for photography.
6. The Canary Islands
The Canary Islands — specifically Tenerife, Lanzarote, and Gran Canaria — offer reliable 20–22°C weather in January when the rest of Europe is at its coldest. They're not fashionable destinations, which means the infrastructure is excellent (40+ years of tourism investment), the flights are cheap (direct from most European cities), and the combination of volcanic landscapes, hiking trails, and beaches rewards more than the pool-and-sangría reputation suggests. Teide National Park on Tenerife, with its 3,718-metre volcano, is the most dramatic landscape in the Spanish territories.
7. Cuba
January is Cuba's best travel month: the hurricane season has passed, the heat has eased to a comfortable 26°C, and the sugar harvest (zafra) is underway in the countryside. Havana in January is at its most alive — the city's year-round music and nightlife culture is complemented by lower tourist numbers than the February–April peak. The beaches of Varadero and Trinidad are at their clearest. Book accommodation well in advance regardless of season; Cuba's tourism infrastructure remains constrained and quality lodging fills quickly.
8. New Zealand (South Island)
January is midsummer in the Southern Hemisphere, and the South Island of New Zealand is at its finest: long days (17+ hours of light), the Milford Track and other Great Walks fully open, wildflowers on the mountain slopes, and temperatures in the Southern Alps reaching 25°C on clear days. January is peak season (book hut tickets on the Great Walks 6 months in advance) but the infrastructure handles it well. For Northern Hemisphere travellers wanting summer when home is grey, the South Island in January is an entirely reasonable inversion.