January is one of the best months for Southeast Asia, as long as you avoid Bali. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc averaged fewer than three properly wet days in January over the past decade. Bali's south coast averaged nearly 19.
That gap is why "Southeast Asia in January" is a poor way to plan. The region sits on both sides of the equator and under two monsoons, so one country can be dry in the south and soaked in the middle. We pulled ten Januaries of daily weather for 16 popular places and ranked them by the days most likely to spoil your plans.
16 places, driest first
A wet day here means at least 5 mm of rain, which is more than a passing shower. The figures are averages for January from 2016 to 2025.
Swipe or scroll horizontally to see the full table.
| Place | Wet days | Rainfall | Average high | Average low | Our verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok | 1.2 | 23 mm | 31.5°C | 22.3°C | Go |
| Chiang Mai | 1.3 | 20 mm | 27.3°C | 16.7°C | Go |
| Ho Chi Minh City | 1.7 | 31 mm | 31.9°C | 23.1°C | Go |
| Phu Quoc | 2.6 | 58 mm | 29.5°C | 23.6°C | Go |
| Hanoi | 3.4 | 62 mm | 21.1°C | 14.3°C | Go, with a jacket |
| Koh Samui | 3.4 | 134 mm | 28.0°C | 24.5°C | Better late in the month |
| Phuket | 3.6 | 78 mm | 29.9°C | 24.5°C | Go |
| Nha Trang | 3.8 | 85 mm | 26.4°C | 21.7°C | Mixed |
| Krabi | 4.1 | 84 mm | 31.4°C | 22.9°C | Go |
| Langkawi | 4.9 | 83 mm | 30.6°C | 24.0°C | Go |
| Da Nang and Hoi An | 8.7 | 177 mm | 24.3°C | 19.7°C | Not for beaches |
| Penang | 9.9 | 155 mm | 29.9°C | 24.5°C | Fine for food and town |
| Kota Kinabalu | 10.1 | 239 mm | 28.7°C | 23.7°C | Wet |
| Kuala Lumpur | 13.8 | 236 mm | 30.4°C | 23.4°C | Short stop only |
| Denpasar, south Bali | 18.6 | 319 mm | 29.0°C | 24.3°C | Skip if you can |
| Ubud, Bali | 20.2 | 334 mm | 28.6°C | 22.5°C | Skip if you can |
The verdicts are our opinion, and the figures are modelled. They are good for comparing places and less exact for any single town, as our notes at the end explain.
Bali: the one to skip in January
Southern Bali has about five times as many wet days as Phuket in January, and roughly four times the rainfall. Indonesia's weather agency expected the rainy season to peak in January 2026, with warnings of floods and landslides, and our ten-year figures show why January is the month to be wary of.
It is warm rain, and it does not mean nonstop grey skies. If you already have flights, or Bali is a one-time trip you cannot move, you can still have a good holiday by choosing a hotel you like being in and keeping days flexible. But if you are free to choose, save Bali for later in the year, after the dry season starts to arrive around April, and go somewhere else this January.
Vietnam: three climates in one trip
Vietnam shows the problem best. In the same month:
- The south is excellent. Ho Chi Minh City had 1.7 wet days and Phu Quoc 2.6. If beaches are the goal in Vietnam in January, Phu Quoc is the clear choice.
- The centre is wet and cool. Da Nang and Hoi An had 8.7 wet days and a high of just 24.3°C. Hoi An's old town still has its charm in the rain, but do not book it as a beach break.
- The north is cold by Asian standards. Hanoi averaged 21.1°C by day and 14.3°C at night, and its coolest daytime high in our ten years was just 7.5°C. Bring proper layers.
Travelling north to south works better than the reverse, in our view, because you finish in the heat. Our Vietnam guide has the essentials on each region.
Thailand: nearly all good, with two warnings
Thailand is the safest country choice for January. Bangkok and Chiang Mai are about as dry as anywhere in the table, and the Andaman coast, home to Phuket and Krabi, is in good shape as well. If you are torn between those two, our Phuket vs Krabi comparison will settle it.
The first warning is Koh Samui. It has a similar number of wet days to Phuket but about 70% more rainfall, so when it rains it tends to rain hard. The Gulf coast's rainy spell comes later than the Andaman's, so in our view the second half of the month is the better bet.
The second is the air in the north. Chiang Mai's farm burning runs from about December to April, and March has been the most polluted month in recent years. IQAir's figures for 2021 put January's PM2.5 average at 42.5 µg/m³, against 83.3 in March, and well above the health guideline in both. So January beats March by a wide margin, but it is not clean. If you have asthma or are travelling with small children, go early in the month and check live readings. The province also banned open burning from January to May in 2026, though that does not stop the haze.
Malaysia: choose your coast with care
Peninsular Malaysia splits in two at this time of year. The west coast island of Langkawi had 4.9 wet days, the best result in the country, while Kuala Lumpur had 13.8. On the east coast the northeast monsoon is the bigger issue. Islands such as the Perhentians, Redang and Tioman are in their monsoon low season, when many resorts close and ferries run less often or stop in rough seas. A few places stay open, but we would not plan a January beach trip around them.
Kuala Lumpur's rain matters less on a short stop, since malls, museums and food halls keep you dry. Penang is similar: go for the food and old town, not the beach. Our Malaysia guide has more on each.
Three January routes that avoid the rain
Swipe or scroll horizontally to see the full table.
| Trip | Route | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Thailand | Bangkok, Chiang Mai, then Phuket or Krabi | First-timers |
| Vietnam north to south | Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, then Phu Quoc | Food, history, then a beach |
| Two countries | Bangkok, Krabi, then Langkawi | Beach lovers |
We skip central Vietnam on the second route on purpose. If Hoi An is on your list, add it, but pack for rain and keep expectations in check.
Dates to watch in early 2027
Lunar New Year falls on 6 February 2027, so January itself is clear this time. If your trip runs into February, take care in Vietnam. Tet brings a seven-day public break under the current proposal, with the final dates still to be confirmed when we checked. Trains and flights fill up and many businesses close, and resort areas such as Phu Quoc tend to cope best.
The first days of January are also holiday peak. If your dates can move, the middle of the month should be easier to book.
FAQ
Where is the best place in Southeast Asia in January?
For the best mix of dry weather and heat, we would choose Thailand. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi all work, and they combine easily. Phu Quoc is the best choice in Vietnam.
Is January a good time to visit Bali?
It is the wettest part of the year, with about 19 wet days in the south. It is still warm, but if you can choose freely, we would go somewhere else.
Is Vietnam warm in January?
The south is hot, at about 30°C to 32°C. Da Nang reaches about 24°C and Hanoi about 21°C, with cool nights.
Is Phuket or Koh Samui better in January?
Phuket, on rainfall: about 78 mm in our data against 134 mm. Koh Samui improves as the month goes on.
Sources and checks
Last checked 8 November 2026. The ranking is our own analysis of data from the Open-Meteo Historical Weather API (CC BY 4.0).
- These are modelled grid figures, not weather station readings. They are best for comparing places. As a spot check, a guide citing 1991 to 2020 Thai normals gives about 127 mm for Koh Samui in January, close to our 134 mm, and about 50 mm for Phuket, below our 78 mm. So the Andaman coast may be somewhat drier than shown.
- Rain totals do not show how long rain lasts or the time of day it falls.
- We moved the Koh Samui point to the coast after the first one landed on high ground, and its highs may still read low.
- Our Bali data covers Denpasar and Ubud only, not the whole island.
- The Chiang Mai PM2.5 figures are from 2021, the latest monthly set we found, and conditions vary each year.
- East coast Malaysian closures vary by island and year, and we found no official tourism board list, so confirm directly with your resort and ferry operator.
- Vietnam's 2027 Tet holiday dates were not final when we checked.
