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Best beach destinations in January
Countries our desk rates good or better for January, and marks as beach months: warm enough water, and a coast that is open rather than shut for the season.
64 countries rated good or better
Chapter 01
Best beach destinations in January
Maldives95
about €130 / $140 a day · eSIM from €8.80 / $9.60
Oman95
about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.40
Qatar95
about €150 / $162 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.40
Thailand95
about €45 / $49 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.90
United Arab Emirates95
about €165 / $178 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.90
Gambia93
about €50 / $54 a day · eSIM from €8.40 / $9.10
93Palauabout €190 / $205 a day92Antigua and BarbudaPeak dry season - steady trade winds, 27 °C days, minimal rain.about €150 / $162 a day · eSIM from €6.60 / $7.2092ColombiaPeak dry season nationwide; crowds and prices high until mid-January.about €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4092Costa RicaDry and breezy Pacific-wide; high season in full swing.about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €6.60 / $7.2092CubaPeak dry season - clear, dry, pleasantly cool nights; peak crowds mid-month.about €70 / $76 a day92Djiboutiabout €140 / $151 a day92Guamabout €150 / $162 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6092Guinea-Bissauabout €70 / $76 a day · eSIM from €8.40 / $9.1092New Zealandabout €135 / $146 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9092Northern Mariana Islandsabout €140 / $151 a day92Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunhaabout €130 / $140 a day92Senegalabout €60 / $65 a day · eSIM from €5.30 / $5.8092Sierra Leoneabout €60 / $65 a day · eSIM from €7.50 / $8.1092TanzaniaCalving in the southern Serengeti - predator action at its most concentrated.about €150 / $162 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4090AnguillaDry, breezy and fully open.about €180 / $194 a day · eSIM from €6.20 / $6.7090ArubaDry, breezy and fully booked.about €105 / $113 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6090BarbadosDry, breezy and reliable; peak-season crowds and prices.about €140 / $151 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6090Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and SabaDry and breezy across all three.about €130 / $140 a day · eSIM from €6.60 / $7.2090British Virgin IslandsSteady trades and dry air - prime sailing.about €165 / $178 a day · eSIM from €7.50 / $8.1090Cayman IslandsDry, calm seas and the best visibility.about €175 / $189 a day · eSIM from €8.40 / $9.1090Côte d'Ivoireabout €70 / $76 a day · eSIM from €7.90 / $8.6090CuraçaoDry, breezy, 28 °C.about €90 / $97 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6090Dominican RepublicDry and breezy; humpbacks arrive in Samaná Bay mid-month.about €85 / $92 a day · eSIM from €5.30 / $5.8090GrenadaDry, breezy prime; yachting season in full swing.about €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6090GuadeloupeDry and warm; the best month for both wings.about €100 / $108 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9090MartiniqueDry, 27 °C, and the island at its best.about €105 / $113 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9090Norfolk Islandabout €130 / $140 a day90PanamaPeak verano - trade winds, blue skies, calm San Blas seas.about €80 / $86 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6090PhilippinesCool, dry and calm - the best month for the islands and for diving.about €45 / $49 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9090Puerto RicoDry, 27 °C, and the whole island is open.about €95 / $103 a day90Saint BarthélemyDry, breezy and at full capacity.about €260 / $281 a day · eSIM from €7.50 / $8.1090Saint MartinDry, breezy and fully open.about €130 / $140 a day · eSIM from €5.30 / $5.8090São Tomé and Príncipeabout €95 / $103 a day90Sint MaartenDry, breezy and busy.about €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6090Sri LankaPeak dry season on the south and west coasts; excellent in the interior.about €45 / $49 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4090Turks and Caicos IslandsDry and calm; the whales arrive.about €190 / $205 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6090United States Virgin IslandsDry and breezy; the whole territory is open.about €170 / $184 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4090UruguayPeak summer - best weather, biggest crowds, highest prices.about €100 / $108 a day · eSIM from €6.20 / $6.7088BelizeDry-season trade winds; peak crowds ease after New Year.about €90 / $97 a day · eSIM from €7.90 / $8.6088Equatorial Guineaabout €170 / $184 a day88JamaicaPeak dry season - trade winds, low humidity, high prices.about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6088NicaraguaDry, windy, green - peak conditions Pacific-wide.about €45 / $49 a day · eSIM from €10.10 / $11.0088Saint Kitts and NevisDry-season peak; trade winds and clear water.about €145 / $157 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6088Saint LuciaDry-season peak; trade winds keep the heat civil.about €150 / $162 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6088Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesSettled trade-wind weather; charter high season.about €125 / $135 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6085BahamasDry and sunny; cold fronts occasionally brush the northern islands - sea at its coolest (~24 °C).about €160 / $173 a day · eSIM from €6.20 / $6.7085El SalvadorDry, clear volcano summits; Ruta de las Flores in bloom.about €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €4.90 / $5.3085MexicoDry season nationwide; monarch butterflies in Michoacán; cool highland nights.about €75 / $81 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9075South AfricaCape summer at its best; the Kruger bush green, wet and harder for wildlife.about €90 / $97 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9072BrazilPeak summer: hot beaches, afternoon downpours, Pantanal flooded, peak coast prices.about €70 / $76 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9072Cocos (Keeling) Islandsabout €145 / $157 a day70Christmas Islandabout €150 / $162 a day70EcuadorWarm/wet season: sunny coast and calm Galápagos seas; Andean afternoons shower.about €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €4.40 / $4.8070Seychellesabout €160 / $173 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6066Gabonabout €160 / $173 a day · eSIM from €5.30 / $5.8065MalaysiaWest coast and Borneo good; east-coast islands shut for the monsoon.about €48 / $52 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9065VietnamNorthern winter - grey, damp and 12–16 °C in Hanoi; the south is perfect.about €40 / $43 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9062IsraelCool and wet in the north; Eilat and the Dead Sea stay warm.about €140 / $151 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.90
Chapter 02
Why these and not others
The tag is editorial: our desk writes it on a month it has written up, never derived from the score. A country scored from climate normals alone carries no tags, so it is not here - and nothing rated below good is, however well it would fit otherwise. A country under an active travel advisory is left out of the recommendation; the advisory itself is on its guide.
Chapter 03