Winter

January

46 destinations at their best this month

Andorra

Andorra

December–March for world-class skiing; July–August for hiking and duty-free shopping in the Pyrenees.

0–22°C Medium Moderate
Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda

December–April: 365 beaches, sailing regattas and coral-reef diving in peak Caribbean dry season.

24–32°C Medium Expensive
Argentina

Argentina

October–November and March–April: spring in Patagonia, harvest season in Mendoza and Buenos Aires at its most vibrant.

8–28°C Medium Moderate
Austria

Austria

June–September for alpine hiking and lakes; December–March for premier ski resorts in Tyrol and Salzburg.

0–28°C High Expensive
Aruba

Aruba

Aruba sits outside the hurricane belt — any month works, but January–April offers peak dry conditions and ideal beaches.

26–32°C Medium Expensive
Bahamas

Bahamas

December–April: island hopping, snorkeling the Andros Barrier Reef and swimming with pigs at their sunny best.

22–32°C Medium Expensive
Bahrain

Bahrain

November–March: Bahrain Grand Prix, the Manama souq and desert rose formations in comfortable 16–24°C.

16–40°C Medium Moderate
Barbados

Barbados

December–April: golden beaches, jazz festivals and perfect trade-wind sailing in Barbados's dry season.

23–32°C High Expensive
Cambodia

Cambodia

November–February is the golden window: cool mornings at Angkor Wat, dry roads and clear skies.

22–36°C Medium Budget
Chile

Chile

November–February is Patagonia's peak: all Torres del Paine trails open, glaciers accessible and Atacama nights clear.

5–28°C Medium Moderate
Colombia

Colombia

December–February for Cartagena beaches; July–August for the Andean flower festival and Medellín's perfect spring.

18–32°C Medium Budget
Costa Rica

Costa Rica

December–April is the dry season for wildlife, volcanoes and both coastlines.

22–32°C Medium Moderate
Cuba

Cuba

November–April brings Cuba's dry, breezy best — the time for Havana and beach days.

22–32°C Medium Budget
Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic

December–April: Punta Cana beaches, Samaná whale watching and Santo Domingo colonial zone at their absolute best.

22–32°C High Moderate
Ecuador

Ecuador

June–August: driest Andes and Galápagos penguin season — the perfect window for highlands and islands together.

15–30°C Medium Moderate
Egypt

Egypt

October–April: perfect pyramid weather and comfortable Nile cruise temperatures.

18–38°C Medium Budget
El Salvador

El Salvador

November–April is the dry season — ideal for surfing El Tunco, colonial San Salvador and Mayan ruins at Tazumal.

22–34°C Low Budget
Ghana

Ghana

November–February (harmattan dry season): Cape Coast Castle, Kakum canopy walk and Accra in comfortable conditions.

22–34°C Low Budget
Grenada

Grenada

December–May: Grenada's Spice Island beaches, nutmeg plantations and diving sites in peak dry season.

24–30°C Low Moderate
Guatemala

Guatemala

November–April: Antigua's colonial streets, Lake Atitlán and Tikal's Mayan temples in dry-season perfection.

18–30°C Medium Budget
India

India

November–February: cool and dry across Rajasthan, the Golden Triangle and Goa.

15–35°C High Budget
Jamaica

Jamaica

December–April: Negril sunsets, Dunns River Falls and reggae vibes in Jamaica's golden dry season.

25–32°C Medium Moderate
Kenya

Kenya

July–October: witness the Great Wildebeest Migration crossing the Mara River — one of nature's greatest spectacles.

15–30°C High Expensive
Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein

Summer for Alpine hiking; winter for skiing — plus stamp your passport in one of the world's smallest countries.

0–24°C Low Expensive
Maldives

Maldives

December–March: crystal-clear lagoons, minimal rain and perfect diving visibility.

27–32°C High Expensive
Mexico

Mexico

November–April is Mexico's dry season — perfect for Yucatán, Oaxaca and Riviera Maya.

22–34°C Medium Moderate
New Zealand

New Zealand

December–February (NZ summer) for hikes, beaches and the South Island glaciers.

10–25°C Medium Expensive
Nicaragua

Nicaragua

November–April dry season — ideal for colonial León, Granada and volcano boarding on Cerro Negro.

22–34°C Low Budget
Oman

Oman

October–March: Wadi Shab, Musandam fjords and the Wahiba Sands in bearable to spectacular temperatures.

18–42°C Low Moderate
Panama

Panama

January–March: Panama Canal, Bocas del Toro and the San Blas archipelago in the dry season at their finest.

22–32°C Medium Moderate
Philippines

Philippines

December–March: crystal waters of Palawan, Siargao surf breaks and Chocolate Hills in peak dry season.

25–35°C Medium Budget
Qatar

Qatar

November–March: Doha's world-class museums, Souq Waqif and desert dunes in comfortable 18–26°C weather.

18–42°C Medium Expensive
Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis

December–April: volcanic peaks, Brimstone Hill Fortress and secluded beaches in peak Caribbean dry season.

24–31°C Low Expensive
Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia

December–May: the Pitons rising from emerald water, Castries market stalls and golden beaches at dry-season best.

24–32°C Medium Expensive
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

December–April: sail the Grenadines between Mustique, Bequia and Tobago Cays in perfect trade-wind conditions.

24–32°C Low Expensive
Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia

November–March: Al-Ula rose-red landscape, Diriyah ruins and the Empty Quarter in bearable 15–25°C temperatures.

15–45°C Low Moderate
Slovakia

Slovakia

June–September for High Tatras hiking and Bratislava's old town; January–February for budget-friendly ski resorts.

2–26°C Low Budget
South Africa

South Africa

May–September (dry season) is prime for safari — animals gather at waterholes.

15–28°C Low Moderate
Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

December–March: west coast beaches and cultural triangle in peak dry season.

25–33°C Low Budget
Switzerland

Switzerland

June–September for alpine hiking; December–February for world-class ski resorts.

5–24°C High Expensive
Taiwan

Taiwan

April–May and October–November: Taipei, Sun Moon Lake and Taroko Gorge in warm, sunny shoulder-season perfection.

15–32°C Medium Moderate
Tanzania

Tanzania

June–October: the Great Wildebeest Migration and prime safari weather on the Serengeti.

18–32°C Low Expensive
Thailand

Thailand

November–February is the dry, cool season — the undisputed best window nationwide.

26–36°C High Budget
Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago

January–March: Trinidad Carnival (pre-Lent) is one of the world's greatest festivals; Tobago offers reef diving year-round.

24–33°C High Moderate
United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

Uruguay

Uruguay

December–March: Montevideo's Old City, Punta del Este beaches and Colonia del Sacramento in South American summer.

10–32°C Medium Moderate