Best Beaches to Visit in January
New Year’s resolutions distract a majority of the population from booking trips in January. Instead of researching an itinerary for the start of the year, people pledge to travel more during the rest of the 365-day cycle, yet if you want to find a new place to occupy your January days, look no further! We’ve compiled a list of the best beaches to visit in January.
Best Beaches to Visit in January
If the cold weather makes you long to book a warm vacation, here are five beaches to check out.
1. Eagle Beach, Aruba
January is one of the months in windy Aruba that sees fewer gusts and calmer waters. The weather clocks in around 80 degrees Fahrenheit for the average winter, pleasing guests with the comfy climate. Eagle Beach beats all the other beaches in Aruba with the absence of seaweed and rocks. Swimmers and sun-soakers rejoice in the smooth, unperturbed turquoise waters, watching the tide meet the soft sand. Fofoti trees, or a cluster of tangled branches rooted into the sand, pepper the shoreline, reminding everyone of Aruba’s stunning beauty.
You won’t find coral under the water in Eagle Beach, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t snorkel. Snorkelers swim alongside turtles, coral crabs, barracuda, and parrotfish. Beach-goers flock to the sunset sailboats for a legendary night, watching the world’s hottest star melt the sky into nightfall. Jetskiiers find joy zipping atop the gorgeous water, pointing out palm trees and fofotis on their horizon.
2. Sanibel Island, Florida
Sanibel Island is the best beach in Florida. At least in my biased native Floridian brain. During the days–January’s days–the average temperature rests around 75 degrees Fahrenheit, with night lows dropping to the 50s, but in Florida, 50-degree weather translates to a comfortable, albeit brisk, night stroll along the sandy shore.
Sanibel Island bestows ample hidden beaches, covered by lofty bushes and greenery, that open up to shell-covered sands and teal streams from the Gulf of Mexico. Sanibel Island prides itself on its coexistence with nature, encouraging and urging visitors and locals to leave wildlife how they found it and to not remove any living creature from the beach (sand dollars, starfish, etc.). However, if you have a snorkel, dive underwater and peer at the sand dollars. Sanibel harbors a vast collection of underwater currency.
3. Kailua, Hawaii
Kailua welcomes warm weather in the initial month of the year, with an average of 78 degrees Fahrenheit for the high and 70 degrees Fahrenheit for the lower temperature. January also invites around eleven hours of constant sunshine, resulting in happy locals and travelers. Kailua Beach Park, a notable East Oahu shore, doubles as a canoe racing club, meaning guests enjoy the canoers practicing for their next competition during a dip in the warm water or a lounge on the silky, white sand. Kitesurfers adore tackling this beach as moderate winds roll through the water.
4. Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Throughout the first month of the year, Cabo San Lucas basks in a warm 73 degrees Fahrenheit average. Since Cabo San Lucas is close to California, existing on Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, many travelers book flights for a getaway from the shivering winter temperatures in their home northern climates. While Cabo San Lucas may have more visitors in January than other beaches, it is still highly enjoyable.
Countless companies host snorkeling and whale-watching trips to provide guests with the best experience of the island. If you’ve always yearned to spot a whale shark in the wild, Cabo San Lucas is a prime destination to try a whale shark snorkel adventure. Those looking to mingle with sea turtles and other marine species will enjoy standard snorkeling trips plentiful throughout the beaches. You may spot a seal or a dolphin during the excursion!
5. Krabi, Thailand
Imagine a coastal getaway ripe with staggering limestone cliffs branching into the clear sky, moss-covered mountainsides, and miles of mangroves all met with the calm tide of the idyllic blue-green sea. Krabi in Thailand is a province with more than 100 islands offering these gorgeous beach town experiences. In January, the weather flutters between highs of 90 degrees Fahrenheit and lows of 71. One of the most popular and prominent beaches in the island congregation(Railay Beach) combines the leisure activity of sunbathing with rock climbing. The remote beach requires visitors to jump on a boat to carry them to the beach, where adrenaline seekers mount limestone cliffs. As climbers scale the cliffs, they peek out over the rock formations for an unparalleled view of the miles of mountainous terrain and waterways in Krabi’s Railay Beach.
Another fan-favorite Krabi staple, Ao Nang Beach, provides guests an exclusive front-row seat to Thailand’s exclusive sunsets. Orange light melts into the horizon, enveloping guests in a kaleidoscope of twilight. The sky transforms through stages, starting in the orange phase and progressing to mother nature’s sunless periwinkle, plum-kissed easel. Given this beach has a larger sand spread, tourists marvel at the sunset’s display, remiss of other tourists congesting their experience.
About Gabrielle Reeder
Gabrielle Reeder is a travel enthusiast from St. Petersburg Florida. She boarded her first plane at six months old and blamed her love for jet-setting on her mom’s background as a travel agent. She’s been to 41 states and six countries, hoping to up that number to 50 states and 10 countries by her 26th birthday. She loves to find the best vegetarian food, desserts, and music venues during her trips.
