Where to go in January: the short answer
Go to Sri Lanka, Rajasthan and Thailand in January; add Egypt, Cape Town and New Zealand if you have the time. January is the month to chase sun north of the equator and long days south of it. Northern Europe is at its hardest work, so the picks lean south and east.
We chose from the 15 destinations whose month bar marks January as a sweet spot (the best balance of weather, crowds and price), then spread the picks across regions. Prices are our own mid-range estimates per person per day, flights excluded, as of October 2026. Most of the best January weather is a long flight away, and flights are not in our daily-cost figures.
Five places to go to in January
Sri Lanka (about $75 (≈ €65 / £60) a day, crowds 3 out of 5). The west and south coasts are in their dry spell from December to March, so Galle Fort's ramparts and Mirissa's whale boats (December to April) both work. Reserve Kandy to Ella train seats ahead. The catch is pace: roads and trains are slow, and a rushed loop is exhausting.
Rajasthan (about $90 (≈ €80 / £70) a day, crowds 3 out of 5). Winter is the Rajasthan season: warm days, cool nights, and the forts of Jaipur, Jaisalmer and Udaipur without the 40°C / 104°F-plus heat that arrives in April. Reach Amer Fort at opening, before the tour buses. Touts and long drives come with it.
Thailand (about $90 (≈ €80 / £70) a day, crowds 4 out of 5). The cool season, November to February, brings the best weather and the biggest crowds. At about $90 (≈ €80 / £70) a day it is among the cheapest big trips this month. Pick one city and one coast rather than sprinting, and book beach islands early.
Egypt (about $100 (≈ €90 / £80) a day, crowds 4 out of 5). Luxor's temples and the Valley of the Kings are comfortable now; in summer the same sites pass 40°C / 104°F. Go to Giza at opening, and take a Nile cruise to Aswan if you want Edfu and Kom Ombo. Expect persistent touts, and check government advice for regions.
Cape Town (about $110 (≈ €100 / £85) a day, crowds 3 out of 5). January is high summer here: dry, warm and windy, which is why it is peak season. Take the cable car, or hike Platteklip Gorge, when Table Mountain is clear; wind can close it. Crime needs daily vigilance, especially after dark.
New Zealand (about $190 (≈ €170 / £150) a day, crowds 3 out of 5). Long days, warm weather and the whole of Fiordland, Queenstown and Aoraki Mount Cook open, in the country's busiest season. Book campervans and Milford Sound cruises early. Prices are the catch, at about $190 (≈ €170 / £150) a day, and the sandflies are real.
January at a glance
The table sets the 6 picks side by side. Crowd and safety scores are our own estimates on a 1 to 5 scale, where 5 for crowds means overtourism at peak and 5 for safety means the lowest risk.
| Destination | Mid-range per day | Crowds (1 to 5) | Safety (1 to 5) | All best months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | $75 (≈ €65 / £60) | 3 | 4 | Dec–Mar |
| Rajasthan | $90 (≈ €80 / £70) | 3 | 3 | Oct–Mar |
| Thailand | $90 (≈ €80 / £70) | 4 | 4 | Nov–Feb |
| Egypt | $100 (≈ €90 / £80) | 4 | 3 | Oct–Apr |
| Cape Town | $110 (≈ €100 / £85) | 3 | 3 | Nov–Apr |
| New Zealand | $190 (≈ €170 / £150) | 3 | 5 | Dec–Feb, or Mar–Apr & Nov |
Where January is harder work
Our month bars mark The Maldives, Dubai, Costa Rica, Rome, Kyoto, Barcelona and Petra as peak season in January, meaning busiest, dearest or hottest. Paris, Tokyo, Santorini, Bali, Machu Picchu, Grand Canyon and Uluwatu and others sit in the off-peak band: quieter, but check weather and closures before you commit.
Safety scores for every place are on its destination page, with links to the UK FCDO, US State Department, Smartraveller, Japan MOFA and South Korea 0404 pages. We do not quote levels because they change; read the agencies before you book. To see two picks side by side, compare Thailand and Vietnam, or browse the rest of the month-by-month guides.
January travel: frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest place to go in January?
Of our January picks, Sri Lanka at about $75 (≈ €65 / £60) a day mid-range per person, against about $190 (≈ €170 / £150) for New Zealand. Flights are excluded, and these are estimates as of October 2026.
Where will I find the fewest crowds in January?
Sri Lanka, Rajasthan, Cape Town and New Zealand score lowest for crowds among our picks, at 3 out of 5. Scores are our estimate of how busy each place gets at its peak, so a sweet-spot month is usually quieter than the number suggests.
Is January peak season anywhere?
Yes. Our bars mark The Maldives, Dubai, Costa Rica, Rome, Kyoto, Barcelona and Petra as peak in January. Book 4 to 6 months ahead for peak months and 2 to 3 months ahead for sweet-spot months.
Is the weather the same in all these places in January?
No. The picks are spread across hemispheres and altitudes, so check each destination page for its weather notes and live temperature before you pack.