Where is hot in February?

February in brief

Ho Chi Minh City leads the table with 33°C by day and 23°C at night and 2 rainy days (13 h 30 min from London). Bangkok leads with 32°C by day and 24°C at night, a 28°C sea and 3 rainy days (12 h 42 min from London). Krabi leads with 32°C by day and 24°C at night, a 29°C sea and 7 rainy days (13 h 12 min from London). Goa leads with 32°C by day and 20°C at night, a 28°C sea and 0 rainy days (10 h 12 min from London). Mombasa leads with 32°C by day and 25°C at night, a 28°C sea and 5 rainy days (9 h 48 min from London).

Warm rather than hot (20-25°C): Abu Dhabi 25°C, Boa Vista 25°C, Hawaii 24°C, Miami 24°C, Bahamas 24°C, Sharm El Sheikh 23°C and 7 more. Hot but wet - over 25°C with more than eight rainy days: Khao Lak (8 days), Rio de Janeiro (17 days), Kuala Lumpur (18 days), Flic en Flac (16 days), Galle (15 days). Over 30°C by day: Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Krabi, Goa, Mombasa, Guanacaste and 6 more. For scale, London averages 8°C in February.

Short, mid and long-haul in February

• Short-haul (up to 4.5 h): Agadir 21°C, Gran Canaria 21°C, La Gomera 20°C, Tenerife 20°C, Marrakech 19°C, Fuerteventura 19°C and 72 more - see the short-haul list
• Mid-haul (4.5-7 h): Kololi 29°C, Boa Vista 25°C, Sharm El Sheikh 23°C, Sal 22°C, Hurghada 21°C, Ayia Napa 16°C and 3 more
• Long-haul (7 h+): Ho Chi Minh City 33°C, Bangkok 32°C, Krabi 32°C, Goa 32°C, Mombasa 32°C, Guanacaste 31°C and 41 more

By region

• Europe: 78 destinations, warmest Gran Canaria (21°C)
• Asia: 14 destinations, warmest Ho Chi Minh City (33°C)
• Caribbean & Mexico: 14 destinations, warmest Montego Bay (28°C)
• Africa: 12 destinations, warmest Mombasa (32°C)
• Indian Ocean: 6 destinations, warmest Goa (32°C)
• The Americas: 6 destinations, warmest Guanacaste (31°C)
• Middle East: 2 destinations, warmest Dubai (26°C)
• Oceania & Pacific: 2 destinations, warmest Sydney (25°C)

For dry heat and swimming, start with Goa

Goa combines 32°C afternoons, a 28°C sea and 0 rainy days, making it a strong fit if swimming and time outdoors matter more than city travel. The catch is a flight of 10 h 12 min and heat that makes a shaded midday break sensible. Guanacaste is another dry option, with 0 rainy days, 31°C afternoons and a 27°C sea, but its flight takes 11 h 42 min. Mombasa trims the flight to 9 h 48 min while keeping 32°C days and a 28°C sea. Its 5 rainy days are the compromise: choose it if a shorter journey matters more than the driest weather.

Choose Thailand for warmer water, not uniformly dry weather

Krabi and Khao Lak both have a 29°C sea, appealing if warm water is central to your holiday. However, Krabi has 7 rainy days and Khao Lak has 8, so leave room to move outdoor plans around. Their flights take 13 h 12 min and 13 h 6 min respectively. Bangkok is drier, with 3 rainy days and 32°C afternoons, making it a better weather fit for time spent exploring a city. Ho Chi Minh City pushes the heat to 33°C with 2 rainy days, but requires a 13 h 30 min flight. For either city, plan active time earlier and keep the hottest part of the day flexible.

Decide how much heat and rain you actually want

Hot does not necessarily mean easy weather for an outdoor holiday. Rio de Janeiro reaches 31°C but has 17 rainy days; Kuala Lumpur reaches 30°C with 18. Both suit travellers willing to change plans around rain better than those relying on consistently dry afternoons. Rainy-day counts do not tell you that rain lasts all day, but they are a reason to keep plans flexible. If tropical heat sounds tiring, Abu Dhabi at 25°C or Sharm El Sheikh at 23°C may be a better match. Gran Canaria and La Gomera reach 20°C: a clear improvement on London's 8°C, but better treated as mild-weather choices than hot holidays.