Where is hot in January?

January in brief

Goa leads the table with 31°C by day and 20°C at night, a 27°C sea and 0 rainy days (10 h 12 min from London). Ho Chi Minh City leads with 31°C by day and 22°C at night and 4 rainy days (13 h 30 min from London). Bangkok leads with 31°C by day and 22°C at night, a 27°C sea and 3 rainy days (12 h 42 min from London). Mombasa leads with 31°C by day and 25°C at night, a 27°C sea and 6 rainy days (9 h 48 min from London). Rio de Janeiro leads with 31°C by day and 24°C at night, a 26°C sea and 20 rainy days (12 h 18 min from London).

Warm rather than hot (20-25°C): Boa Vista 25°C, Hawaii 25°C, Dubai 24°C, Bahamas 24°C, Miami 23°C, Abu Dhabi 23°C and 7 more. Hot but wet - over 25°C with more than eight rainy days: Rio de Janeiro (20 days), Krabi (9 days), Zanzibar (10 days), Khao Lak (10 days), Flic en Flac (17 days). Over 30°C by day: Goa, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Mombasa, Rio de Janeiro, Krabi and 3 more. For scale, London averages 7°C in January.

Short, mid and long-haul in January

• Short-haul (up to 4.5 h): Gran Canaria 20°C, La Gomera 20°C, Agadir 20°C, Tenerife 20°C, Fuerteventura 19°C, Lanzarote 18°C and 72 more - see the short-haul list
• Mid-haul (4.5-7 h): Kololi 29°C, Boa Vista 25°C, Sal 22°C, Sharm El Sheikh 22°C, Hurghada 20°C, Ayia Napa 15°C and 3 more
• Long-haul (7 h+): Goa 31°C, Ho Chi Minh City 31°C, Bangkok 31°C, Mombasa 31°C, Rio de Janeiro 31°C, Krabi 30°C and 41 more

By region

• Europe: 78 destinations, warmest Gran Canaria (20°C)
• Asia: 14 destinations, warmest Ho Chi Minh City (31°C)
• Caribbean & Mexico: 14 destinations, warmest Puerto Vallarta (28°C)
• Africa: 12 destinations, warmest Mombasa (31°C)
• Indian Ocean: 6 destinations, warmest Goa (31°C)
• The Americas: 6 destinations, warmest Rio de Janeiro (31°C)
• Oceania & Pacific: 2 destinations, warmest Sydney (26°C)
• Middle East: 2 destinations, warmest Dubai (24°C)

For hot days with little rain, favour Goa or Kerala

Goa offers a useful balance for a straightforward winter beach holiday: 31°C days, 27°C sea and no January rain days. Nights fall to 20°C, giving more relief from the daytime heat than some tropical alternatives. Kerala trades a little daytime heat for warmer water, with 30°C days, 28°C sea and 2 rainy days. It suits travellers who care more about comfortable swimming than the highest temperature. Guanacaste is another strong dry-weather choice, with 30°C days and 1 rainy day, although its flight takes 11 h 42 min against Goa's 10 h 12 min. In these destinations, plan active time away from midday and pack light clothing.

Balance flight time against warm nights and rain

Among the hottest destinations listed, Mombasa has the shortest flight at 9 h 48 min. You get 31°C days and 27°C sea, but 6 rainy days make it a less dry choice than Goa, while 25°C nights offer less cooling down. Zanzibar takes 10 h and has warmer water at 28°C, but its 10 rainy days and 26°C nights are a trade-off for that swimming warmth. Thailand asks for more travelling time: Krabi takes 13 h 12 min, with 30°C days, 28°C sea and 8 rainy days. Choose it if warm water outweighs the longer journey, rather than because you expect a drier holiday.

Choose gentler warmth or city heat with realistic expectations

If strong heat is not the aim, Dubai and Hawaii reach 24°C, while Gran Canaria and La Gomera reach 20°C. These suit travellers who prefer milder daytime conditions, but those air temperatures alone do not establish how comfortable the sea will feel. For a hot city break, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City both reach 31°C, with 3 and 4 rainy days respectively; allow for breaks from the midday heat. Rio de Janeiro is a different proposition: 30°C days and 26°C sea come with 20 rainy days, so outdoor plans need flexibility. Kuala Lumpur is similarly better suited to travellers comfortable working around rain, with 29°C days and 21 rainy days.