Where to go for a beach holiday in January?
The 11 best destinations for a beach holiday in January, ranked on the weather actually recorded.
For a beach holiday in January, we kept seaside or island destinations with at least 24 °C in the afternoon, a sea at 22 °C or more where we measure it, and no more than eight days of rain. Temperatures and rainfall are real records, averaged from 2015 to 2024 at each destination's reference point, and the sea is measured at the nearest coastal point. 11 destinations pass this filter, in Africa, Asia, Americas and Oceania. Top of the ranking: Cambodia (32 °C in the afternoon, 2 days of rain, sea at 29 °C).
The ranking at a glance
| # | Destination | Afternoon | Rainy days | Sea (°C) | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 32 °C | 2 | 29 °C | €25-55 a day |
| 2 | 🇮🇳 Goa | 31 °C | 1 | 28 °C | €30-70 a day |
| 3 | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 25 °C | 6 | 31 °C | €90-160 a day |
| 4 | 🇨🇴 Cartagena | 32 °C | 4 | 29 °C | €60-120 a day |
| 5 | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 31 °C | 4 | 29 °C | €30-60 a day |
| 6 | 🇸🇳 Dakar | 25 °C | 0 | 23 °C | €45-90 a day |
| 7 | 🇰🇪 Mombasa | 30 °C | 8 | 29 °C | €60-120 a day |
| 8 | 🇴🇲 Oman | 24 °C | 4 | 24 °C | €110-180 a day |
| 9 | 🇦🇪 Dubai | 24 °C | 2 | 22 °C | €120-300 a day |
| 10 | 🇲🇽 The Yucatán | 29 °C | 8 | 27 °C | €90-180 a day |
| 11 | 🇦🇺 Melbourne | 26 °C | 8 | 22 °C | €110-190 a day |
The 11 destinations in detail
Countries1 🇰🇭 Cambodia
🌡️ 32 °C in the afternoon, 2 days of rain, sea at 29 °C · 💶 €25-55 a day
Cambodia means sunrise over Angkor Wat, the painful memory of Phnom Penh and the floating villages of Tonle Sap Lake. A spiritual, endearing land, carried by the kindness of its people.
City2 🇮🇳 Goa
🌡️ 31 °C in the afternoon, 1 day of rain, sea at 28 °C · 💶 €30-70 a day
Goa lines up 100 km of beaches on the Arabian Sea, listed baroque churches in Old Goa and ochre Portuguese houses in Fontainhas. India's smallest state is explored by scooter, is best visited from November to March and costs less than €50 a day if you stay in guesthouses.
Countries3 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
🌡️ 25 °C in the afternoon, 6 days of rain, sea at 31 °C · 💶 €90-160 a day
Costa Rica means sloths hanging in the canopy, Arenal volcano rising above the forest, and beaches on two oceans. An ecotourism paradise where you fall asleep to the sound of the jungle, pura vida.
City4 🇨🇴 Cartagena
🌡️ 32 °C in the afternoon, 4 days of rain, sea at 29 °C · 💶 €60-120 a day
Cartagena plays in two registers, five minutes' walk apart: the walled city with its ochre façades and wooden balconies, and Getsemaní, rawer and noisier, where the walls are painted and the terraces spill straight onto the street. In between, a heat that will not negotiate and touts who follow you all day long, two realities the brochures forget to mention.
Countries5 🇹🇭 Thailand
🌡️ 31 °C in the afternoon, 4 days of rain, sea at 29 °C · 💶 €30-60 a day
Thailand means the hubbub of Bangkok's markets, golden temples, the green north around Chiang Mai, then the turquoise islands of the south. Street food on every corner, and a first trip to Asia of rare ease.
City6 🇸🇳 Dakar
🌡️ 25 °C in the afternoon, 0 days of rain, sea at 23 °C · 💶 €45-90 a day
Dakar occupies the westernmost tip of the African continent, on a 20 km peninsula where you go from Kermel market to Gorée Island in a 20-minute ferry ride. A capital of 4 million people lived outdoors, between surfing, thiéboudienne and concerts until dawn.
City7 🇰🇪 Mombasa
🌡️ 30 °C in the afternoon, 8 days of rain, sea at 29 °C · 💶 €60-120 a day
Kenya's second city, Mombasa sits on a 15 km² island linked to the mainland by three causeways and a ferry. Visit Fort Jesus, built by the Portuguese from 1593, and the old town's alleys of carved doors, then head off to the beaches of Nyali and Diani.
Countries8 🇴🇲 Oman
🌡️ 24 °C in the afternoon, 4 days of rain, sea at 24 °C · 💶 €110-180 a day
Oman means the turquoise pools of Wadi Shab, the ochre dunes of the Wahiba Sands where you sleep in a desert camp, and the mud-brick forts of Nizwa. An authentic Gulf, far from the bustle, all the way to the fjords of Musandam.
City9 🇦🇪 Dubai
🌡️ 24 °C in the afternoon, 2 days of rain, sea at 22 °C · 💶 €120-300 a day
Dubai means the view from the Burj Khalifa, a 4x4 safari in the dunes and gold souks a stone's throw from air-conditioned malls. A futuristic showcase of luxury, set between desert and Persian Gulf.
City10 🇲🇽 The Yucatán
🌡️ 29 °C in the afternoon, 8 days of rain, sea at 27 °C · 💶 €90-180 a day
The Yucatán means the Mayan ruins of Tulum facing the sea, cenotes where you dive into clear fresh water, and the white sand of the Riviera Maya. Caribbean beaches and Mayan culture, side by side.
City11 🇦🇺 Melbourne
🌡️ 26 °C in the afternoon, 8 days of rain, sea at 22 °C · 💶 €110-190 a day · at the edge of its season
Melbourne is best explored at laneway level: a grid of wide streets backed by narrow laneways crammed with coffee roasters, unmarked bars and murals repainted every month. Five million people, more than a third of them born abroad, and a calendar set by sport and festivals.
Frequently asked questions
Where to go for a beach holiday in January?
Cambodia, Goa, Costa Rica, Cartagena and Thailand top our ranking for a beach holiday in January. In first place, Cambodia: 32 °C in the afternoon, 2 days of rain, sea at 29 °C on average over 2015-2024.
Which is the closest beach destination in January?
Dakar, about 5h30 by air from Paris, with 25 °C in the afternoon, 0 days of rain, sea at 23 °C in January.
Where does it rain least in January among these destinations?
Dakar: 0 days of rain on average in January, with 25 °C in the afternoon.
Where is it hottest in January?
Among these destinations, Cambodia, with 32 °C in the afternoon on average in January.
Other ideas in January
Beach in another month
Off to the beach in January?
We'll send you the destinations worth the trip at this time of year, backed by real weather data and budgets.