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Where to go in January

39 of our 95 destinations are at their best in January, across Asia, Middle East, Europe, Africa, North America, Central America & Caribbean, South America and Oceania. The best places to visit in January include Bangkok, Galle, Kerala Backwaters, Luang Prabang, Muscat and Niseko.

Beach trips in January 6

• El Nido

  Philippines · Asia
  $$

  A town on Palawan in the Philippines, surrounded by limestone cliffs and hidden lagoons. Island-hopping boats visit the Bacuit Bay archipelago.

  Best: December to April

• Goa

  India · Asia
  $

  India's smallest state, with long sandy beaches, whitewashed Portuguese churches and seafood curries. The north is lively; the south is quieter.

  Best: November to March

• Maldives

  Maldives · Asia
  $$$$

  1,192 coral islands in 26 atolls. Manta rays, whale sharks, and some of the clearest water in the Indian Ocean.

  Best: December to April

• St Lucia

  St Lucia · Central America & Caribbean
  $$$$

  An Eastern Caribbean island known for the Pitons, two volcanic spires rising from the sea. There is rainforest inland, and you can bathe at a drive-in volcano near Soufrière.

  Best: December to April

• Tulum

  Mexico · Central America & Caribbean
  $$$

  Maya ruins on a clifftop above the Caribbean, with freshwater cenotes to swim in nearby. Sargassum seaweed tends to peak in summer.

  Best: November to April

• Zanzibar

  Tanzania · Africa
  $$

  Swahili coral-stone town, spice plantations and powder-white beaches on the Indian Ocean. Easy to add after a safari.

  Best: June to October, or December to February

City trips in January 6

• Abu Dhabi

  United Arab Emirates · Middle East
  $$$$

  The UAE's capital pairs the white marble Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island. Winter brings warm beach days and the Formula 1 finale.

  Best: November to March

• Bangkok

  Thailand · Asia
  $

  Gilded temples on the Chao Phraya, floating markets, and street food at every hour. Cool season from November to February is the easiest time.

  Best: November to February

• Cape Town

  South Africa · Africa
  $$

  Table Mountain above the city, penguins at Boulders Beach, and the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek winelands an hour away.

  Best: November to March

• Dubai

  United Arab Emirates · Middle East
  $$$$

  Record-setting towers, gold and spice souks along the Creek, and dune desert 45 minutes out of town. Summers pass 40°C, so go in winter.

  Best: November to March

• Medellín

  Colombia · South America
  $

  Colombia's second city, with spring-like weather all year. Cable cars link hillside neighbourhoods, and Comuna 13 is known for its street art and outdoor escalators.

  Best: June to August, or December to February

• Rio de Janeiro

  Brazil · South America
  $$

  Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, Sugarloaf by cable car, and Carnival in February or March.

  Best: May, September, or December to March

Culture trips in January 13

• AlUla

  Saudi Arabia · Middle East
  $$$$

  A desert valley in northwest Saudi Arabia with Hegra, the country's first UNESCO site: over 100 Nabataean tombs cut into sandstone. The mirrored Maraya concert hall stands among the canyons.

  Best: October to March

• Antigua Guatemala

  Guatemala · Central America & Caribbean
  $

  A colonial city of cobbled streets and ruined churches, ringed by three volcanoes. Its Holy Week processions are among the largest in the Americas.

  Best: November to April

• Cairo & Giza

  Egypt · Africa
  $

  The last standing wonder of the ancient world sits at the edge of a city of 22 million. Pair the pyramids with the Grand Egyptian Museum.

  Best: October to March

• Cartagena

  Colombia · Central America & Caribbean
  $$

  Bougainvillea-draped balconies inside 11 km of colonial walls, with day trips to the Rosario Islands.

  Best: December to April

• Galle

  Sri Lanka · Asia
  $$

  A fort town on Sri Lanka's south coast, begun by the Portuguese and rebuilt by the Dutch in the 17th century, with cafés and boutique hotels inside its ramparts. Beaches and whale watching at Mirissa are close by.

  Best: December to March

• Havana

  Cuba · Central America & Caribbean
  $$

  Crumbling colonial grandeur, 1950s cars, and live son music. Walk the Malecón seawall at sunset.

  Best: December to April

• Jaipur

  India · Asia
  $

  Rajasthan's Pink City: Amber Fort above the lake, the Hawa Mahal's honeycomb facade, and textile and gem bazaars in the old walled city.

  Best: October to March

• Luang Prabang

  Laos · Asia
  $

  A UNESCO-listed town where the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers meet, with gilded temples and French colonial houses. Monks collect alms at dawn, and Kuang Si Falls is nearby.

  Best: November to February

• Luxor

  Egypt · Africa
  $$

  Ancient Thebes, on the Nile in southern Egypt. See Karnak and Luxor temples on the east bank and the Valley of the Kings on the west. Winter is the comfortable season.

  Best: October to March

• Muscat

  Oman · Middle East
  $$$

  Oman's low-rise capital sits between rugged mountains and the Gulf of Oman. See the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the Mutrah souq and forts on the rocks; go in the cooler months.

  Best: November to February

• Oaxaca

  Mexico · North America
  $

  Seven moles, mezcal distilleries, and Zapotec ruins at Monte Albán. Día de Muertos (Oct 31–Nov 2) is the most vivid time to visit.

  Best: October to March

• Siem Reap

  Cambodia · Asia
  $

  Gateway to Angkor, the largest religious monument on earth. Buy a multi-day pass and see Angkor Wat at sunrise and Ta Prohm in the jungle.

  Best: November to March

• Udaipur

  India · Asia
  $$

  Rajasthan's City of Lakes, with the white Lake Palace floating on Lake Pichola and the huge City Palace above it. Evening boat rides show it at its best.

  Best: October to March

Nature trips in January 5

• Dolomites

  Italy · Europe
  $$$

  Jagged pale peaks in South Tyrol with hut-to-hut hiking in summer and the Sella Ronda ski circuit in winter.

  Best: January and February, or June to September

• Galápagos Islands

  Ecuador · South America
  $$$$

  Giant tortoises, marine iguanas and blue-footed boobies that don't fear people. Most visitors explore by small-ship cruise.

  Best: December to June

• Kerala Backwaters

  India · Asia
  $

  A maze of canals, rivers and lagoons behind Kerala's coast. Overnight houseboats from Alleppey drift past rice paddies, coconut palms and village life.

  Best: November to February

• Serengeti

  Tanzania · Africa
  $$$$

  Home of the Great Migration: about 1.5 million wildebeest cross the plains in a yearly loop. Calving is Jan–Feb, river crossings Jul–Oct.

  Best: January and February, or June to October

• Tasmania

  Australia · Oceania
  $$$

  Australia's island state, with Cradle Mountain, the curve of Wineglass Bay and MONA, a daring art museum in Hobart. Summer is best for hiking.

  Best: December to March

Adventure trips in January 9

• Banff

  Canada · North America
  $$$

  Lake Louise and Moraine Lake in the Canadian Rockies. The Icefields Parkway to Jasper is one of the world's great drives.

  Best: January and February, or June to September

• Costa Rica (Arenal)

  Costa Rica · Central America & Caribbean
  $$

  A cone-shaped volcano above rainforest, with hanging bridges, zip lines and hot springs. Pair with Monteverde's cloud forest.

  Best: December to April

• Niseko

  Japan · Asia
  $$$

  A ski area on Hokkaido known for some of the world's most reliable powder snow. In summer, the same hills offer hiking, rafting and cool weather.

  Best: July, or December to February

• Patagonia (Torres del Paine)

  Chile · South America
  $$$

  Granite spires, glaciers and turquoise lakes at the bottom of the continent. The W Trek takes four to five days.

  Best: November to March

• Queenstown

  New Zealand · Oceania
  $$$

  Birthplace of commercial bungee jumping, with ski fields in winter and Milford Sound a day trip away.

  Best: June to August, or December to March

• Rovaniemi

  Finland · Europe
  $$$$

  The capital of Finnish Lapland, just south of the Arctic Circle. Winter brings husky and reindeer sledding, northern lights and the Santa Claus Village.

  Best: December to March

• Salar de Uyuni

  Bolivia · South America
  $

  The world's largest salt flat, 10,000 km² of white crust high in the Bolivian Andes. In the wet season it becomes a giant mirror; in the dry season, 4x4s cross it.

  Best: January to March, or May to October

• Swiss Alps

  Switzerland · Europe
  $$$$

  Interlaken, Grindelwald and Zermatt put the Eiger, Jungfrau and Matterhorn within train reach. Ski in winter, hike in summer.

  Best: January to March, or June to September

• Volcanoes National Park

  Rwanda · Africa
  $$$$

  A park on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes in northwest Rwanda. Permits allow a small number of visitors each day to spend an hour with mountain gorillas.

  Best: June to September, or December to February