ExploBest time to visit · January
Where to go in January
45 countries are in their best months in January. Pick one, then check the visa rules for your passport.
Top picks for January
- AustriaSki season or alpine summerJun–Sep, Dec–Mar
- SwitzerlandSki season or alpine summerJun–Sep, Dec–Mar
- IcelandMidnight-sun road trips or winter northern lightsJun–Aug, Nov–Mar
- NorwayFjord summers or Arctic aurorasJun–Aug, Dec–Mar
- FinlandLapland snow or bright lake summersJun–Aug, Dec–Mar
- ThailandCool, dry seasonNov–Mar
- IndiaCool, dry seasonOct–Mar
- Sri LankaDry on the south and west coastsDec–Mar
- MaldivesDry season with calm, clear waterDec–Apr
- CambodiaDry season at AngkorNov–Mar
- LaosDry, cool and greenNov–Mar
- MyanmarCool, dry seasonNov–Feb
What changes in January
Compared with December and February.
Africa in January 10
- Cape VerdeSunny, breezy and dry
- EgyptCooler months for temples and desert
- EthiopiaDry season for the highlands
- GhanaDry season
- KenyaDry season and the Great Migration
- RwandaGorilla trekking in the dry season
- SenegalDry season
- South AfricaSummer in Cape Town and the Winelands
- TanzaniaDry-season safaris
- UgandaDry season for gorillas and chimps
Asia in January 12
- CambodiaDry season at Angkor
- IndiaCool, dry season
- LaosDry, cool and green
- MalaysiaDry on the west coast and Langkawi
- MaldivesDry season with calm, clear water
- MyanmarCool, dry season
- OmanWarm days, cool desert nights
- PhilippinesDry season, calm seas
- QatarPleasant winter warmth
- Sri LankaDry on the south and west coasts
- ThailandCool, dry season
- United Arab EmiratesPleasant winter warmth
Europe in January 5
- AustriaSki season or alpine summer
- FinlandLapland snow or bright lake summers
- IcelandMidnight-sun road trips or winter northern lights
- NorwayFjord summers or Arctic auroras
- SwitzerlandSki season or alpine summer
North America in January 11
- BahamasWarm, dry and outside hurricane months
- BarbadosDry season
- Costa RicaDry season
- CubaDry season, outside hurricane months
- Dominican RepublicDry season, outside hurricane months
- GuatemalaDry season
- JamaicaDry season, outside hurricane months
- MexicoDry season
- NicaraguaDry season
- PanamaDry season
- Saint LuciaDry season
Oceania in January 2
- New ZealandSummer and early autumn
- PalauDry season for diving
South America in January 5
Can you go?
A great month does not help if you need a visa you cannot get in time. Where can I go? filters these places by your passport and the entry rule, and the visa checker answers it for one trip.
Questions
Where is the best place to travel in January?
Austria (ski season or alpine summer), Switzerland (ski season or alpine summer), Iceland (midnight-sun road trips or winter northern lights) and Norway (fjord summers or arctic auroras). These are the most visited of the 45 countries in our data that are in season in January.
How many countries are good to visit in January?
45 of the 104 countries with season data are in their best months in January. Asia has the most, with 12.
Which places come into season in January?
2 countries come into season in January: Kenya and Tanzania.
Which places end their best months after January?
None: every country listed here is still in season in February.
Is this a forecast?
No. The months are general guidance on weather, crowds and wildlife, hand-picked per country. Each country guide shows what the weather actually did last year and a live forecast for the capital.
Keep exploring
Planning · 4 min readHow to choose the best time to visit anywhereWeather is only one part of it. Learn how to weigh seasons, crowds, prices and events, with real examples of the best months for popular destinations.
Planning · 3 min readPublic holidays and travel: how to plan around themLocal holidays can close shops, fill trains and raise prices, or give you the best week of your trip. Here is how to check them and what to do about them.
Planning · 4 min readHow to build a travel bucket list you'll actually useTurn a long wish list into a short plan: sort places by ease, season and effort, pick your next three, and keep the list alive after every trip.- Country guidesCountry guidesBest months, weather, holidays and plugs for every country.
- Email alertsVisa rule change alertsOne short email when an entry rule changes for your passport.
- PassportsCompare two passportsSee side by side where each one can go without a visa.
Plan your January trip on one map
Explo is a free app: light up the countries you have visited, save the ones you dream about, and check visa rules, weather and holidays before you go.
Get ExploBest months are hand-curated general guidance from the Explo app, not a forecast. Conditions vary by region inside a country.