Where to Travel in January from the UAE: 15 Destinations Compared

The short answer: January suits a short trip either side of the UAE's school winter break, which runs to Sunday 3 January 2027, with New Year's Day itself a public holiday on Friday 1 January 2027. Most people travel for a long weekend or a week around those dates rather than the full month, and fares usually ease once the break ends and the rush is over. For sun, Thailand, Sri Lanka's south-west coast, the Maldives, southern Vietnam and Malaysia's west coast are all in their dry season and warm, 27 to 32°C. For snow, Georgia's Gudauri, Kazakhstan's Shymbulak, Turkey's Cappadocia and Azerbaijan are deep in their snow season. Egypt and Oman are comfortably warm rather than scorching, and Jordan is properly cold, so pack for it.

15 January destinations from the UAE, compared

Weather figures are average daily highs and lows, NOAA climate normals (1991–2020) as published on Wikipedia for each city, except Egypt and Georgia, sourced as in our dedicated guides below. Flight times are typical nonstop durations from Dubai and will vary a little by route and airline.

What January actually looks like on the UAE calendar

School winter break runs to Sunday 3 January 2027, so most families are back in classrooms by Monday 4 January (see our UAE winter break guide). New Year's Day, Friday 1 January 2027, is a public holiday on its own (New Year holiday UAE), which is why the days either side of it get booked up fastest. Once the break ends, flights and hotels across most of this list ease off noticeably, so a trip booked for the second half of January tends to cost less than the same trip over the New Year weekend itself.

Sun and beaches: dry season now

These five are all past their rainy season and into the dry, warm months that make January one of the best times to visit each of them.

Thailand

Phuket and Krabi sit in their dry season, warm and largely rain-free, 32°C by day and rarely below 23°C at night. It's also one of Thailand's busiest, priciest months, so book hotels early if you're set on a particular resort. See our Thailand holiday ideas at Asian holiday packages.

Sri Lanka

The south-west coast, Galle, Mirissa, Bentota, is also in its dry season, warm and drier than the rest of the year, good for beaches and a day trip up into the tea hills around Ella or Nuwara Eliya. Check Sri Lanka packages for current itineraries.

Maldives

January sits inside the Maldives' dry north-east monsoon season, warm, sunny and calmer at sea than the wetter months. It's usually the priciest window on this list, since resort rates track the dry season closely. See Maldives packages.

Vietnam

Southern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, is dry and warm in January, a better month than the wetter middle of the year for a city-and-river combination. See Vietnam packages.

Malaysia

Malaysia's west coast, Langkawi, Penang and Kuala Lumpur, stays drier than the east coast through January, while the east coast is in its own monsoon. For the detail, see our best time to visit Malaysia guide, or Malaysia packages. If you'd rather add Singapore to the same trip, January suits that too, see our best time to visit Singapore guide.

Warm, not scorching: Oman and Egypt

Oman

Muscat is mild and pleasant in January, 25°C by day, 18°C by night, good for the forts, wadis and the corniche without summer's heat. It's an easy 1-hour flight or a road trip, and suits a quick 2 to 3 night add-on to a UAE weekend.

Egypt

Luxor and Aswan sit around 23°C by day in January, dropping to single digits at night, while the Red Sea stays swimmable at about 22°C. For the full month-by-month picture, Ramadan 2027 and the Abu Simbel Sun Festival, see our best time to visit Egypt guide. If you'd rather have it arranged, our Egypt Nile Adventure with Felucca Cruise has a January departure.

Cold, but worth it: Jordan

Jordan is the one genuinely cold option here. Amman runs 9 to 12°C by day in January, and Wadi Musa, the town above Petra, sits higher and colder still, often near freezing overnight. Petra itself is still open and far quieter than in spring, and a desert camp night in Wadi Rum means proper layers, a good sleeping bag and a thermos, not a light jacket.

Snow and skiing

If you want snow rather than sun, January is peak season at four Caucasus and Anatolian destinations. For the full rundown of routes and resorts, see our ski holidays from Dubai guide.

Georgia

Tbilisi itself is cold rather than snowy, around 8°C by day, but Gudauri, about two hours into the mountains, is in full ski season. See Georgia tour packages for current trips.

Kazakhstan

Almaty is properly cold in January, often below freezing, which is exactly what keeps Shymbulak, the ski resort in the mountains above the city, running well. For more detail, see our best time to visit Kazakhstan guide, or Almaty packages.

Azerbaijan

Baku is cold and can be windy in January, good for the old town's covered bazaars and museums, with Caucasus ski resorts such as Shahdag within a few hours' drive for a day trip.

Turkey: Cappadocia

Cappadocia in January often has snow on the ground, which makes for a striking, much quieter version of the hot air balloon rides it's known for, when conditions allow a flight at all. See our Cappadocia trip from Dubai guide for the practical detail. Our escorted Highlights of Turkey group tour runs April to October, outside this snowy window, but we can put together a tailored Cappadocia trip for January, message us to ask.

Longer haul: Japan and Kenya

Japan

Hokkaido and northern Japan are deep in snow season in January, Sapporo averaging around -1°C by day and well below freezing at night. The city's snow festival runs in early February each year, typically opening in the first days of the month; exact 2027 dates were not announced when we checked, so confirm closer to the time if that's the draw. Our escorted Highlights of Japan group tour runs March to November, so a January trip there is a tailored one rather than a group departure, ask us on WhatsApp.

Kenya

Nairobi is warm and dry in January, 27°C by day, and the dry season makes for easier game viewing in the Masai Mara. The wildebeest calving itself, around half a million births, happens over the border in Tanzania's southern Serengeti ecosystem at this time of year, with the herds not moving north towards Kenya until around March, so set expectations on that if the migration specifically is the draw.

Europe: the cheap month

January is consistently Europe's cheapest month to fly and stay: the Christmas markets have closed, the ski season hasn't filled every bed yet outside the Alps, and post-Christmas sales are on in most capitals. Expect cold, short days, 5 to 9°C in most western European cities, and a genuinely quiet version of places that are packed in summer. See Europe holiday packages for current routes and dates.

Or just stay in Dubai

If a flight isn't on the cards, January is also one of Dubai's own best months, cool enough for a full day outdoors without the summer heat. See our winter in Dubai guide for what to do without leaving the city.

Before you book

• Book the days either side of 1 January early. That short window is the busiest and priciest point in the whole month across almost every destination on this list.
• Wait a week if you can. Fares and hotel rates on most routes ease once the school break ends on 3 January.
• Check your passport validity. Most of these countries want six months remaining from your travel date.
• Pack for two climates if you're island-hopping between a warm and a cold leg, rather than assuming one bag covers both.
• Apply for an e-visa or ETA a few days ahead, not at the airport, for Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Kenya.

Frequently asked questions

Where is warm in January from the UAE?

Thailand, Sri Lanka's south-west coast, the Maldives, southern Vietnam and Malaysia's west coast are all in their dry season and run 27 to 32°C. Oman and Egypt are warm rather than hot, and Kenya's Nairobi area is also dry and around 27°C.

Where can I see snow in January close to the UAE?

Georgia's Gudauri, Kazakhstan's Shymbulak, Azerbaijan's mountain resorts and Turkey's Cappadocia are all within a 2 to 4 hour flight and deep in their winter season in January.

Is January a good time to visit Egypt?

Yes, it's one of Egypt's most comfortable months: Luxor and Aswan sit around 23°C by day, and the Red Sea stays around 22°C, warm enough to swim. See our dedicated best time to visit Egypt guide for the full month-by-month picture.

Why do flights get cheaper after the first week of January?

UAE school winter break ends on Sunday 3 January 2027, so demand for flights and hotels drops sharply once families are back at school and work, which usually brings fares down on most routes from the second week.

Is Jordan too cold to visit in January?

It's cold rather than unworkable: Amman runs 9 to 12°C by day, and Petra's Wadi Musa is colder still, often near freezing at night. Sites stay open and are far quieter than in spring, but pack proper layers, especially for an overnight in Wadi Rum.

When is the Sapporo Snow Festival?

It runs in early February each year in Hokkaido, Japan, typically opening in the first few days of the month. The exact 2027 dates were not announced when we checked, so confirm them closer to the time if you're planning a trip specifically around it.

Plan your January trip with Holidayys

Whichever direction you're leaning, warm beaches in Asia, snow in the Caucasus, or the Nile in winter, we can put together the flights, hotel and transfers, and sort the visa where one applies, through our visa services. Message us on WhatsApp +971 4 589 0001 or use our contact page to talk through dates.

Related guides

• Where to travel in December from the UAE
• Best time to visit Egypt
• Gudauri ski resort
• Ski holidays from Dubai
• Cappadocia trip from Dubai
• Winter in Dubai

Last checked 4 November 2026 against Wikipedia's NOAA climate normals (1991–2020) for Phuket, Colombo, Malé, Ho Chi Minh City, Penang, Muscat, Amman, Almaty, Baku, Nevşehir/Cappadocia, Sapporo and Nairobi, our own Egypt and Georgia research, and holidayys.com's published UAE school and public holiday dates. Visa rules, especially for residents who are not UAE nationals, vary by nationality and change without much notice, so confirm your own route before booking; the Sapporo Snow Festival's exact 2027 dates were not yet announced when we checked.