The grey sky, the snow, the cold, and the equally faded houses all merge into one unrelenting longing. It’s only January, and we long for the winter to end as soon as possible and for clear, warm days.
But January is not always one of the most depressing months in terms of the number of days of sunshine. There are some countries where we can enjoy many hours of sunshine. Most of these are in the southern hemisphere, where it’s summer.
Chile
One of the sunniest cities in January is Santiago. Not only is the average annual temperature in the Chilean capital 14.4 degrees, and in the coldest month, July, it rarely drops below 3.9 degrees, but the entire region around the country’s main city is well sunlit.
Australia
Like Chile, January is like July in Australia – the warmest and sunniest month of the year. Further north and inland in the desert areas, it’s even higher, but you don’t want to wander into the hot wasteland for a few extra hours of sunshine.
However, bear in mind there’s an ozone hole over Antarctica, which is not too far from Australia, so ultraviolet light doesn’t retain much of it. It would help if you avoided the sun in Australia without wearing sunscreen and body-conserving clothing.
South Africa
South Africa is one of the most beautiful and developed countries in Africa. Like other countries, January is the height of summer, with an average of 352 hours of sunshine.
However, unlike most other countries, the number of sunshine hours does not vary greatly from season to season. For example, in the country’s largest city, Johannesburg, the average number of hours of sunshine in a year is 3124.
Sudan
Not the best itinerary for a traveller, given that it’s a rather developing country. However, there are many sights to see and do, making it a must-see for tourists. The Sudanese capital is also one of the sunniest cities in the world.
Kenya
Kenya is the fastest growing country among the East African nations. Tourists often travel to Kenya for safaris and relax on the beaches of the Indian Ocean. In addition, Kenya boasts a large number of sunny days. The capital is close to the equator, the sunrise and sunset times are similar throughout the year.
Madagascar
Remember the cartoon of the same name, when the characters on this island enjoyed the sunny days all the time? Well, it’s not fiction.
Eritrea
Another African country we’re sure most people don’t even know exists. It is located in East Africa on the coast of the Red Sea.
Venezuela
A couple of years ago, Venezuela was all over the news and not in a good light. It is one of the poorest countries in South America and boasts large oil reserves. Well, at least we can be happy for the people of this country in the sense that there are about 300 light hours in January on average.
Algeria
Most of the above-listed countries are unsuitable for budget tourism, if only because of remoteness and poor infrastructure. Another case is Algeria, one of the most popular tourist destinations along with Turkey, Egypt, and Tunisia.
