As the UK grapples with the long, cold nights of an especially bleak midwinter, many will already be planning a trip to sunnier climes in the New Year.
The travel money specialists No 1 Currency have analysed January climate data for the most popular holiday destinations within 10 hours’ flying time of Britain to pinpoint where families have the best chance of topping up their tan while the deep freeze bites at home.
Below are the top 15 hotspots, ranked by average daytime temperature and chance of sun in January.
Table: No1 Currency’s top 15 winter wonderlands within 10 hours of the UK
|
Destination |
January average daytime temp |
Chance of sunshine |
Risk of rain |
Flight time |
|
|
|
1 |
Goa, India |
32C |
88% |
2% |
10 |
|
|
2 |
Muscat, Oman |
25C |
80% |
4% |
8 |
|
|
3 |
Dubai, UAE |
24C |
74% |
5% |
8 |
|
|
4 |
Orlando, USA |
22C |
71% |
23% |
9 |
|
|
5 |
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |
22C |
62% |
46% |
9 |
|
|
6 |
Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt |
20C |
80% |
2% |
6 |
|
|
7 |
Agadir, Morocco |
19C |
68% |
17% |
4 |
|
|
8 |
Canary Islands, Spain |
19C |
62% |
13% |
5 |
|
|
9 |
Aqaba, Jordan |
17C |
73% |
7% |
8 |
|
|
10 |
Tel Aviv, Israel |
17C |
59% |
36% |
5 |
|
|
11 |
Albufeira, Portugal |
16C |
54% |
28% |
3 |
|
|
12 |
Ayia Napa, Cyprus |
16C |
54% |
36% |
5 |
|
|
13 |
Valletta, Malta |
15C |
51% |
42% |
4 |
|
|
14 |
Rhodes, Greece |
14C |
51% |
43% |
5 |
|
|
15 |
Oludeniz, Turkey |
13C |
52% |
44% |
5 |
The top hotspot for those fleeing the winter chill is set to be the Indian beach resort of Goa, which enjoys average daytime temperatures of a toasty warm 32C at the start of the New Year. Goa has long been a magnet for tourists seeking pristine white sandy beaches, sumptuous seafood and high-octane water sports.
Closer to home and cheaper to get to is sunny Agadir, Morocco, which offers first-class golf courses, luxurious beach resorts, bustling markets and even camel rides. Nestled at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, Agadir typically sees daytime temperatures of 19C in January and is just a four-hour hop from London. The city attracts more than its fair share of UK celebs too, and former Eastenders star Cheryl Fergison is a regular there along with her Moroccan husband Yassine.
Don’t fancy venturing beyond Europe this winter? The balmiest destination on the continent is likely to be Albufeira on Portugal’s southern coast, which has typical daytime temperatures of 16C in January. Other options include Valletta, the medieval capital of Malta (15C), and Rhodes in Greece (14C), site of one of the original seven wonders of the world.
Turkey’s January hotspot is Oludeniz – famous for its blue lagoon and nature reserves – where average daytime temperatures typically hover around 13C. Warmer still is the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh, which enjoys average January temperatures of 20C and where the British pound is now worth 45% more against the Egyptian pound than it was a year ago.
