Happy Layover

Where to go in January

16 of the 57 places we track are at their best in January. The cheapest of them to fly to right now: Muscat from ₹11,065, Maldives from ₹11,068 and Kuala Lumpur from ₹11,300. Busy times to fly out of India that month: Christmas and New Year and Republic Day weekend.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

At their best in January

Places with their best weather in January, cheapest first where our scanner has a fare from India that month.

MuscatOman 25° / 17° dryPeak Cool season, 25-30°C: ideal for the wadis, the Hajar mountains and the Wahiba Sands. From ₹11,065 from Bangalore, one-way MaldivesMaldives 28° / 26° rainy spellsPeak Dry season: sunny, calm seas and the clearest water for snorkelling and diving. Also the most expensive; Christmas... From ₹11,068 from Mumbai, one-way Kuala LumpurMalaysia 30° / 23° very wetShoulder From ₹11,300 from Bangalore, one-way ColomboSri Lanka 30° / 23° some rainPeak Dry, sunny season on the west and south coasts (Colombo, Galle, Mirissa). Whale watching off Mirissa runs roughly... From ₹11,814 from Chennai, one-way Abu DhabiUnited Arab Emirates 24° / 15° dryPeak Winter: sunny and 24-30°C, the best time for the Corniche, Saadiyat beaches and desert trips. From ₹12,708 from Bangalore, one-way Ho Chi Minh CityVietnam 32° / 23° mostly dryPeak Dry season: sunny with little rain. March and April get very hot, up to 35°C. From ₹14,291 from Bangalore, one-way BangkokThailand 32° / 22° mostly dryPeak Cool, dry season by Bangkok standards: highs around 31-32°C and little rain. The best time to visit. From ₹14,414 from Bangalore, one-way DubaiUnited Arab Emirates 24° / 16° dryPeak Winter: sunny and 24-30°C, perfect for beaches, desert safaris and eating outdoors. Peak season. From ₹14,594 from Bangalore, one-way DohaQatar 22° / 14° dryPeak Winter: 22-28°C and sunny, the best time for the Corniche, the souqs and desert trips. From ₹15,970 from Delhi, one-way PhuketThailand 30° / 24° some rainPeak Dry season: calm, clear Andaman Sea, ideal for beaches and island trips. The Similan Islands are open from... From ₹19,376 from Hyderabad, one-way NairobiKenya 26° / 15° some rainShoulder Hot, dry and green after the short rains: good game viewing with fewer crowds. From ₹60,527 from Chennai, return Cape TownSouth Africa 28° / 17° dryPeak Summer: dry, sunny and 26-27°C, the peak season for beaches, the Winelands and Table Mountain. The southeasterly... From ₹68,365 from Delhi, return AucklandNew Zealand 23° / 17° rainy spellsPeak Summer: 23-25°C, long days, beaches and the Waiheke ferry. Late December to January is New Zealand's holiday peak. From ₹1,23,378 from Bangalore, return Chiang MaiThailand 26° / 13° dryPeak Cool season: warm, sunny days around 29-30°C and fresh nights. The best time for the old city, the temples and the hills. See the month-by-month guide KrabiThailand 28° / 24° rainy spellsPeak Dry season: calm Andaman Sea, ideal for Railay, the Phi Phi and Hong islands, and four-island boat trips. See the month-by-month guide Phu QuocVietnam 28° / 26° mostly dryPeak Dry season: calm seas, clear water and west-coast sunsets. The best time for the beaches and snorkelling trips. See the month-by-month guide

Think twice in January

Rain, storms, heat or closures that month. Often cheaper, but pack for it.

  • Singapore 29° / 25°, very wetNortheast monsoon: the wettest months, with longer spells of rain from November to January.
  • Bali 29° / 26°, very wetWet season: hot and humid with heavy downpours, mostly in the afternoon and night. From December to March currents wash rubbish onto the west-coast beaches.
  • Tokyo 9° / 0°, some rainNew Year (29 December to 3 January): many shops, museums and restaurants close, and shrines are packed on 1-3 January.
  • Osaka 9° / 4°, some rainNew Year (29 December to 3 January): many shops and restaurants close, and shrines are packed.
  • Amsterdam 7° / 2°, some rainAutumn and winter: grey, windy and drizzly, around 3-10°C.
  • Athens 12° / 5°, some rainOff season: mild (13-15°C) with rain, and many island hotels close from November to April.
  • San Francisco 14° / 8°, rainy spellsRainy season: mild (13-16°C), and the hills turn green.
  • Los Angeles 17° / 8°, some rainDry season: Santa Ana winds raise the wildfire risk, roughly October to January.
  • Seattle 8° / 2°, wetGrey, drizzly season from October to April, with short days. The rain is rarely heavy but comes often.
  • Vancouver 6° / 2°, wetRainy season: grey and wet from October to March, but mild (5-10°C).
  • Perth 32° / 19°, dryHot, dry summer (30-32°C, heatwaves above 40°C); the afternoon sea breeze, the 'Fremantle Doctor', cools things down.
  • Mauritius 28° / 24°, very wetCyclone season peaks from January to March: heavy rain, rough seas and occasional airport closures.
  • Seychelles 27° / 25°, very wetNorthwest trade winds: hot, humid and the wettest months (January most of all), still with sunny spells. The islands sit north of the cyclone belt.

Busy times to fly out of India in January

  • 19 Dec – 3 JanChristmas and New YearThe priciest fortnight of the year to fly out of India: school holidays, Christmas and New Year all at once. Book early or go just before or after.
  • 23–26 JanRepublic Day weekendRepublic Day falls on Tuesday 26 Jan: take the Monday off and it's a four-day weekend, so short trips abroad book up.

Festivals and holidays abroad

  • 11–31 JanAustralian OpenGrand Slam tennis: Melbourne's hotels fill, especially for the finals on 30-31 Jan.
  • 18–22 JanWEF in DavosThe World Economic Forum meets in Davos: Zurich and Davos hotel prices soar and trains to Davos fill.
  • 22 JanThaipusamHuge Hindu processions to the Batu Caves outside Kuala Lumpur and through Singapore's Little India; some roads close.