Where to find the sun in January?
The 10 best destinations for a sunshine trip in January, ranked on the weather actually recorded.
For a sunshine trip in January, we kept destinations with at least 25 °C in the afternoon and no more than six days of rain in the month. 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. 10 destinations pass this filter, in Africa, Asia and Americas. Top of the ranking: Saly (33 °C in the afternoon, 0 days of rain, sea at 22 °C).
The ranking at a glance
| # | Destination | Afternoon | Rainy days | Sea (°C) | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇸🇳 Saly | 33 °C | 0 | 22 °C | €55-100 a day |
| 2 | 🇮🇳 Goa | 31 °C | 1 | 28 °C | €30-70 a day |
| 3 | 🇰🇭 Angkor and Siem Reap | 32 °C | 2 | - | €30-60 a day |
| 4 | 🇨🇱 Chile | 30 °C | 1 | 15 °C | €90-160 a day |
| 5 | 🇨🇴 Cartagena | 32 °C | 4 | 29 °C | €60-120 a day |
| 6 | 🇹🇭 Bangkok | 31 °C | 4 | - | €30-70 a day |
| 7 | 🇱🇦 Laos | 29 °C | 4 | - | €30-55 a day |
| 8 | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 26 °C | 3 | 14 °C | €60-120 a day |
| 9 | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | 25 °C | 4 | - | €40-70 a day |
| 10 | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 25 °C | 6 | 31 °C | €90-160 a day |
The 10 destinations in detail
City1 🇸🇳 Saly
🌡️ 33 °C in the afternoon, 0 days of rain, sea at 22 °C · 💶 €55-100 a day
Senegal's first beach resort, raised from the sand of the Petite Côte from 1978 onwards, Saly lines up hotels and apartment complexes over some ten kilometres north of Mbour. Bandia reserve and its giraffes are 20 minutes away, the mangrove lagoon of the Somone 15 km.
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.
City3 🇰🇭 Angkor and Siem Reap
🌡️ 32 °C in the afternoon, 2 days of rain · 💶 €30-60 a day
Angkor means sunrise over the towers of Angkor Wat, the stone faces of the Bayon and the giant roots entwining Ta Prohm. The Khmer jewel, explored from the lively town of Siem Reap.
Countries4 🇨🇱 Chile
🌡️ 30 °C in the afternoon, 1 day of rain, sea at 15 °C · 💶 €90-160 a day
Chile means the lunar landscapes of the Atacama Desert, the granite towers of Torres del Paine, and the moai of Easter Island. A corridor of a country 4,000 km long, from the most arid to the most southerly.
City5 🇨🇴 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.
City6 🇹🇭 Bangkok
🌡️ 31 °C in the afternoon, 4 days of rain · 💶 €30-70 a day
Bangkok means the gold of the Grand Palace, Wat Arun on the riverbank and steaming street food in the markets late into the night. An electric megacity through which almost every trip to Thailand passes.
Countries7 🇱🇦 Laos
🌡️ 29 °C in the afternoon, 4 days of rain · 💶 €30-55 a day
Laos means the procession of monks at daybreak in Luang Prabang, the turquoise pools of Kuang Si Falls, and the Mekong setting the rhythm of life. A peaceful, unspoilt country where time slows down.
Countries8 🇿🇦 South Africa
🌡️ 26 °C in the afternoon, 3 days of rain, sea at 14 °C · 💶 €60-120 a day
South Africa means a dawn safari in Kruger, Table Mountain above Cape Town, and the Garden Route along the ocean. From the Big Five to the vineyards, a continent in miniature.
Countries9 🇬🇹 Guatemala
🌡️ 25 °C in the afternoon, 4 days of rain · 💶 €40-70 a day
Guatemala means Antigua framed by its volcanoes, the Maya villages around Lake Atitlán, and the temples of Tikal rising from the jungle. The heart of the Maya world, all the way to sunrise on the summit of Acatenango.
Countries10 🇨🇷 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.
Frequently asked questions
Where to find the sun in January?
Saly, Goa, Angkor and Siem Reap, Chile and Cartagena top our ranking for a sunshine trip in January. In first place, Saly: 33 °C in the afternoon, 0 days of rain, sea at 22 °C on average over 2015-2024.
Which is the closest sunshine destination in January?
Saly, about 5h30 by air from Paris, with 33 °C in the afternoon, 0 days of rain, sea at 22 °C in January.
Where does it rain least in January among these destinations?
Saly: 0 days of rain on average in January, with 33 °C in the afternoon.
Where is it hottest in January?
Among these destinations, Saly, with 33 °C in the afternoon on average in January: plan your sightseeing for early morning and late afternoon.
Other ideas in January
Sunshine in another month
Chasing the sun in January?
We'll send you the destinations worth the trip at this time of year, backed by real weather data and budgets.