Where is hot in September?

September in brief

Dubai leads the table with 40°C by day and 26°C at night, a 33°C sea and 0 rainy days (7 h 36 min from London). Abu Dhabi leads with 38°C by day and 28°C at night, a 33°C sea and 0 rainy days (7 h 36 min from London). Sharm El Sheikh leads with 37°C by day and 25°C at night, a 28°C sea and 0 rainy days (5 h 36 min from London). Las Vegas leads with 34°C by day and 21°C at night and 1 rainy days (11 h 18 min from London). Hurghada leads with 33°C by day and 26°C at night, a 27°C sea and 0 rainy days (5 h 36 min from London).

Warm rather than hot (20-25°C): Lisbon 25°C, Florence 25°C, Lanzarote 25°C, Lloret de Mar 25°C, Halkidiki 25°C, Budva 25°C and 29 more. Hot but wet - over 25°C with more than eight rainy days: Montego Bay (26 days), Bangkok (26 days), Puerto Vallarta (28 days), Ho Chi Minh City (29 days), Hanoi (19 days). Over 30°C by day: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharm El Sheikh, Las Vegas, Hurghada, Marrakech and 9 more. For scale, London averages 19°C in September.

Short, mid and long-haul in September

• Short-haul (up to 4.5 h): Marrakech 31°C, Sousse 31°C, Seville 30°C, Antalya 30°C, Kusadasi 30°C, Marmaris 30°C and 72 more - see the short-haul list
• Mid-haul (4.5-7 h): Sharm El Sheikh 37°C, Hurghada 33°C, Limassol 30°C, Ayia Napa 30°C, Boa Vista 29°C, Kololi 29°C and 3 more
• Long-haul (7 h+): Dubai 40°C, Abu Dhabi 38°C, Las Vegas 34°C, Montego Bay 31°C, Bangkok 31°C, Puerto Vallarta 30°C and 41 more

By region

• Europe: 78 destinations, warmest Seville (30°C)
• Caribbean & Mexico: 14 destinations, warmest Montego Bay (31°C)
• Asia: 14 destinations, warmest Bangkok (31°C)
• Africa: 12 destinations, warmest Sharm El Sheikh (37°C)
• The Americas: 6 destinations, warmest Las Vegas (34°C)
• Indian Ocean: 6 destinations, warmest Goa (28°C)
• Middle East: 2 destinations, warmest Dubai (40°C)
• Oceania & Pacific: 2 destinations, warmest Hawaii (28°C)

For a shorter flight, choose your balance of heat and sea

Sousse is a strong choice if you want hot days and sea swimming without a long journey: the flight is 3 h 6 min, daytime temperatures reach 31°C and the sea is 26°C. The catch is 5 rainy days, compared with 1 in Limassol. Limassol pairs 30°C days with a 26°C sea, but requires a longer flight of 4 h 48 min. For a break where swimming is not the priority, Seville offers 30°C days and a flight of 2 h 42 min. Marrakech is hotter at 31°C, with a flight of 3 h 36 min, but nights fall to 16°C. Pack a light layer there rather than assuming the daytime heat lasts into the evening.

Egypt offers dry heat; the Gulf turns it up further

Sharm El Sheikh suits travellers who want strong heat and warm water: days reach 37°C, the sea is 28°C and September has 0 rainy days. Hurghada is the less intense choice at 33°C, with a 27°C sea and the same flight time of 5 h 36 min. Dubai pushes daytime heat to 40°C; Abu Dhabi reaches 38°C, with nights still at 28°C. Both have a 33°C sea, so swimming offers less cooling than in Egypt. Their flight time is also longer at 7 h 36 min. Choose the Gulf if very high temperatures are the aim, not simply comfortable warmth. Plan outdoor time away from midday and allow for indoor breaks.

Tropical warmth comes with a substantial rain trade-off

Montego Bay and Bangkok both reach 31°C, but each has 26 rainy days in September. Puerto Vallarta reaches 30°C, with a matching sea temperature, yet has 28 rainy days. These suit travellers who can keep plans flexible rather than those whose holiday depends on dry weather every day. Rain-day figures do not tell you that it rains all day, but they are a reason not to choose on temperature alone. The journey is another commitment: Montego Bay takes 10 h 12 min, Bangkok 12 h 42 min and Puerto Vallarta 12 h 18 min. If warm swimming and dry outdoor time are your priorities, Egypt offers a better balance with a shorter flight.