Where to go · January
Beach trips in January
Places that are usually at their best for the beach in January, and why. Travel times are from the East Coast for a 7-day trip; change anything below.
Places for the beach in January
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Great fit
Cartagena
Colombia · South America
- Typical highs around 88°F, lows around 75°F
- Rain is rare
- Sea around 81°F
- Humid
- Usually one of the busiest times to visit: book early
- About 5 hours of travel from the East Coast (estimate)
-
Great fit
Aruba
Aruba · Caribbean and Central America
- Typical highs around 79°F, lows around 77°F
- Rain on about 4 days a month
- Sea around 79°F
- Humid
- Usually one of the busiest times to visit: book early
- About 5 hours of travel from the East Coast (estimate)
- Temperatures are estimates for the area and can run a few degrees cool on small islands and in the mountains
-
Great fit
Montego Bay
Jamaica · Caribbean and Central America
- Typical highs around 86°F, lows around 71°F
- Rain on about 5 days a month
- Sea around 81°F
- Usually one of the busiest times to visit: book early
- About 4 hours of travel from the East Coast (estimate)
-
Great fit
Punta Cana
Dominican Republic · Caribbean and Central America
- Typical highs around 84°F, lows around 70°F
- Rain on about 6 days a month
- Sea around 80°F
- Usually one of the busiest times to visit: book early
- About 4 hours of travel from the East Coast (estimate)
-
Good fit
El Nido, Palawan
Philippines · Asia
- Typical highs around 83°F, lows around 78°F
- Rain on about 6 days a month
- Sea around 82°F
- Humid
- Usually one of the busiest times to visit: book early
- About 21 hours of travel from the East Coast (estimate)
- Temperatures are estimates for the area and can run a few degrees cool on small islands and in the mountains
-
Good fit
Galápagos Islands
Ecuador · South America
- Typical highs around 82°F, lows around 74°F
- Rain on about 6 days a month
- Sea around 76°F
- Shoulder season: usually fewer crowds than peak
- About 7 hours of travel from the East Coast (estimate)
- Temperatures are estimates for the area and can run a few degrees cool on small islands and in the mountains
Where this comes from
- Weather is what’s typical for those dates over 1991–2020, not a forecast. Daily highs and lows come from the nearest good weather station where there is one; otherwise they’re estimates for the area, and the card says so.
- How busy a place usually is, ski seasons and events are our own notes from official tourism sites. Dates change every year, so check the official site before you book.
- Travel times are rough estimates from the distance, not flight schedules.
- No prices. We don’t show prices we can’t vouch for, and no place pays to be listed.
- Entry rules change and depend on your passport: always check the official page linked on each place.
Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (ERA5, 1991–2020). Typical conditions, not a forecast. Daily highs and lows: NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN-Daily) station records, 1991–2020 (public domain).