Where to Go in January, February and March
Where to go in January, February and March depends on whether you want summer scenery, a city escape, or proper winter. Start with Cape Town for a summer city-and-coast trip, New Zealand for an outdoor journey, or Japan for a winter-to-spring visit. Then narrow the choice to your exact month and route.
By Rob Wheatley – Program Director & traveler
Reviewed 25 October 2026
January at home does not mean January everywhere else. Somewhere, someone is scraping ice off a windscreen. Somewhere else, somebody is complaining that their ice cream is melting. Both could be excellent holidays. The trick is deciding which version you actually want.
Choose the trip before choosing the country
For this quarter, I would make three separate shortlists: summer outdoors, urban exploring, and a deliberate winter holiday. Mixing them into one grand ranking tells you very little. A destination can be wonderful for museums and completely wrong for the beach you imagined.
These are starting points, rather than a promise of sunshine. January and late March can mean different conditions in the same place. Check the region, the altitude, and the activities before you compare hotel photographs.
Cape Town: summer with a city attached
Consider South Africa if your ideal trip mixes coastline, food, and city time. Cape Town and the Western Cape have a different rainfall pattern from much of the country. However, a Cape summer trip is not automatically the best season for the classic dry-winter Kruger safari.
My suggested starting shape is five or six nights in Cape Town, with a separate Winelands stay only if it adds something you want. Leave a flexible day for weather-sensitive plans. Read my Cape Town story and practical guide before trying to fit the whole province into a long weekend.
New Zealand: spend your time outside
New Zealand offers a Southern Hemisphere alternative to a Northern Hemisphere winter. January and February fall in summer; March begins autumn. My advice is to choose one island for a shorter visit, rather than treating both islands as a competitive driving event.
Plan a few bases with room for walks and changing weather. A scenic drive is still a travel day, and a map does not include your photo stops, lunch, or the moment you decide to stare at a lake.
Japan: choose winter or the approach of spring
A Japan trip in January is a different proposition from one in late March. Snow conditions vary greatly by region. Meanwhile, blossom timing changes with the place and year, so avoid making one brief flowering window the only reason for a nonrefundable trip.
Tokyo and Kyoto can anchor a cultural route, while a snow-focused holiday needs a different regional plan. Use the Japan planning guide to decide your pace before adding extra stops.
Check these before you commit
- Compare the total flight-and-stay cost, including local holiday periods.
- Check exact opening days and seasonal access for your main activity.
- Build in an indoor alternative and a flexible day.
- Read the entry requirements guide before paying for nonrefundable arrangements.
If your dates move into April, compare the April–June guide. Sometimes shifting the trip matters more than finding another country.
Cape Town and New Zealand are useful starting points for summer travel. Choose the specific region and check the forecast; summer does not mean every day or every location will be hot and dry.
No. March moves toward spring in much of the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in New Zealand. Latitude and altitude also matter, so use regional guidance rather than a worldwide seasonal label.
Official sources and planning checks
Which version of this trip would you choose?
Tell me what appeals to you, what you would change, and the practical question you still need answered. Your dates, pace, and interests matter more than copying somebody else’s itinerary.
Keep exploring
Want a structured way to plan?
The World Travel Course is a separate learning path. Explore it when you want to work through your plans in more depth.