Chasing The Sun: January

It's January 2nd, you've just celebrated Christmas and New Year's, and now you're looking out your window at the (probably) cloudy skies and grabbing your biggest coat and some gloves before you can leave the house to go anywhere. Then you realise it will most likely stay like this for at least 2-3 months before any sort of heat makes its way over...

So, the obvious solution is to get away from the cold, wind, and rain for a little bit by booking a holiday where you can imagine it's already the height of summer and the days of wrapping up warm are far behind you! However, it can be difficult to decide where to go. Which locations are hottest? Is there guaranteed sun anywhere? How far do I have to travel?

In this post, I am going to cover some of the top places to visit in January that show the most promising temperatures. I will cover information on just how hot it can get in these areas and the general risk of any rainfall during the first month of the year too as this can be an issue with some of the hotter locations! Some of these locations will require more travel than others, and some of the locations will boast hotter temperatures compared to others.

For the latest travel advice to any of the following locations, simply visit the Foreign Travel Advice page on the GOV.UK website. The link to this can also be found on the 'Foreign Travel Advice' page of my website.

Now, let's get started on some of the top, hottest places to visit in January...

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Playa Blanca, Lanzarote

For those looking for a little heat boost without having to manage the more extreme heat of some of the other locations in this post, Playa Blanca in Lanzarote can be a great option!

Average Daily Maximum Temperature	20.8°C
Average Relative Humidity	66%
Average Rainfall	22mm

A flight to Playa Blanca from London usually takes around 4 hours and 15 minutes. 20.8 degrees isn't one of the hottest places that will be covered in this post, but it is a great option if you are looking for a nice break from some typical UK winter weather without having to travel too far.

There is usually 7 hours of sunlight in January in Playa Blanca. The risk for rain is higher at this time of year, especially compared to summer where the average rainfall is 0mm between June and August. However, Playa Blanca does still experience hotter temperatures compared to a lot of other places in Europe!

Sydney, Australia

This one requires a lot more travelling, with a direct flight from London taking around 22 hours and 55 minutes! It's no secret that Australia is basically a day's worth of flying away, but for those looking to escape to a bit of heat, this really is a lovely place to do so.

Australia's summer is between December to February which is why it is such a great option for some winter sun.

Average Daily Maximum Temperature	27.4°C
Average Relative Humidity	70%
Average Rainfall	96mm

An average rainfall of 96mm of rain in January is one of the lower averages out of the whole year for Australia, so your risk, and amount, of rain is lower compared to some of the other months.

Sydney also has some great sightseeing opportunities, and is home to the Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbour, Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Tower Eye to name a few of the beautiful landmarks!

Cancun, Mexico

Cancun has a flight duration of 10 hours and 55 minutes from London airports. There are some beautiful hotels and resorts in Cancun and it can be a great option for both family and couple holidays!

Cancun's dry season is from November to April so you can expect to enjoy some nice warm sun with a low risk of rain during your January travels.

Average Daily Maximum Temperature	30.5°C
Average Relative Humidity	75%
Average Rainfall	40mm

As you can see, Cancun also has a nice high average temperature of 30.5 degrees. Alongside its low average rainfall, this makes it a great location to visit at the start of the year.

Phuket, Thailand

A direct flight to Phuket takes around 12-14 hours, but many airlines tend to use connecting flights for this route too so make sure you are aware of any connections when making a booking.

Thailand boasts some stunning locations, and has the heat to match this experience during January.

Average Daily Maximum Temperature	32.1°C
Average Relative Humidity	75%
Average Rainfall	56mm

With a nice warm average of 32.1 degrees, this is a lovely option for some winter sun. The average rainfall is fairly low too, meaning you are more likely to be able to enjoy some wall-to-wall sunshine during your stay!

For those looking to explore a bit more on their visit to Thailand, some good options are the Karon Beach and the Green Elephant Sanctuary Park, amongst many more.

Tenerife, Canary Islands

Tenerife experiences lots of lovely warm days throughout the year. It is a bit like Playa Blanca in the way that it doesn't reach some of the higher temperatures you'll see in this post, but it is still a great alternative to the UK's typical wet and windy January days.

Average Daily Maximum Temperature	21.1°C
Average Relative Humidity	64%
Average Rainfall	41mm

The average rainfall is a bit higher than Playa Blanca. However, the average daily maximum temperature is just that little bit higher in comparison.

A flight to Tenerife takes about 4 hours and 35 minutes from London.

Aruba

Aruba is located in the southern Caribbean and experiences some lovely temperatures during January. They have some lovely white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters, which can make your holiday feel like paradise!

A flight to Aruba varies depending on your connecting flights. British Airways offer a route to Aruba taking 11 hours and 50 minutes with a 1 hour stop-over at Antigua.

Average Daily Maximum Temperature	30°C
Average Relative Humidity	76%
Average Rainfall	14mm

Aruba also has a nice low average rainfall too. With locations looking like paradise and some nice high temperatures, what isn't to like?

Cape Verde

Cape Verde is a group of 10 islands which experience some lovely temperatures all year round with very low rainfall.

A flight takes on average 11 hours and 25 minutes to Cape Verde from London.

Average Daily Maximum Temperature	25.2°C
Average Relative Humidity	69%
Average Rainfall	3mm

Boa Vista and Sal are both lovely places to stay in Cape Verde with some lovely beaches and clear waters. The average rainfall is the lowest we have seen yet in this post, making it sound like an even more attractive place to visit in January!

Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

A direct flight from London to Rio De Janeiro takes about 11 hours and 45 minutes, with connecting flights once again being an option too.

Rio De Janeiro is commonly named 'cidade maravilhosa' which translates to the marvellous city! The temperatures here are quite hot and consistent throughout the whole year.

Average Daily Maximum Temperature	29°C
Average Relative Humidity	74%
Average Rainfall	114mm

January has one of the highest average rainfall amounts out of the whole year so the risk of rain is likely to be higher here at this time. However, you will still be able to experience a nice bit of heat that would be missing from the UK whilst touring round the beautiful city.

Barbados

Luckily, January is one of the best times to visit Barbados as this is when temperatures are at one of their highest and rainfall is at one of its lowest compared to some of the other months.

A flight takes around 8 hours and 40 minutes from London to Barbados.

Average Daily Maximum Temperature	29.1°C
Average Relative Humidity	77%
Average Rainfall	82mm

January is the month where rainfall seems to begin to calm down as Barbados exits is rainy season. Any heavy rainfall, however, is usually followed by nice bright sunshine. This is a lovely location to sit back and relax, and forget about the weather back at home!

Jamaica

Jamaica can have varied climates across the country due to its mountainous landscape. However, temperatures are usually hot and humid all year round. The data in the following table is taken from the weather station in Kingston, Jamaica.

A flight from London to Jamaica takes around 9 hours and 15 minutes.

Average Daily Maximum Temperature	30°C
Average Relative Humidity	74%
Average Rainfall	23mm

Another bonus is that January is one of the months with the lowest average rainfall, which makes it a great option for escaping the rain and cold back in the UK!

Singapore

This location can be a bit unfortunate in terms of rainfall due to its year round tropical climate. However, it also stays pretty hot all year round! Any F1 fans out there will know this is one of the most demanding races throughout the whole year due to the high temperatures and humidity.

A flight takes a little over 13 hours from London to Singapore.

Average Daily Maximum Temperature	30.5°C
Average Relative Humidity	85%
Average Rainfall	246mm

If it's the heat you want to run away too rather than the escaping from the rain, this is a great option with that nice high average temperature and humidity!

Costa Rica

Costa Rica has a variety of beautiful locations to visit, with plenty of nature to explore too! The Pacific Coast of Costa Rica is a great option for some beautiful sun and beaches. Quepos is one option to consider!

A flight takes around 11 hours and 15 minutes to Costa Rica from London.

Average Daily Maximum Temperature	29°C
Average Relative Humidity	81%
Average Rainfall	223mm

Again, it does have higher average rainfall, with some sources saying to expect 11 days of rainfall based on previous records. However, you can once again still benefit from some lovely heat.

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And there we have it... Some of the hottest places to visit in January. Some of these may appeal to you more for a variety of different reasons such as their average rainfall, flight durations, or even perhaps the type of holiday they offer whether that be a beach holiday, city break, or more of an exploring type of holiday!

Whatever you are looking for, there is always a place to visit in January which offers better weather than what we are used to in the UK! If you need any more information on any of these locations, or would like to book a holiday to one of these destinations, then do not hesitate to contact me. As an independent travel agent, I can help you find out more about where you plan to holiday as well as book any type of holiday... even if you don't exactly know where you want to go at the moment!

Find out more about how booking with me works through my website or contact me directly at ellie.burnett@outlook.com

I hope this post has been helpful for highlighting some lovely holiday destinations in January. Thank you so much for reading!

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