Independent climate study · 2026

Best winter
destinations 2026

Santiago leads with 9.7/10 for Dec–Feb.

697Destinations
Dec–FebPeriod
Key insights
#1 winterSantiago — 9.7/10.
#2Perth — 9.6/10.
#3Salalah — 9.4/10.
Winter 2026

❄️ Top 20 worldwide — Winter 2026 (Dec–Feb)

Average score over 3 winter months. 697 destinations.

RankDestinationScoreMax temp.SunRainSafetyBudget
🥇SantiagoChile9.7/1030°C1041h1%🟢💛
🥈PerthAustralia9.6/1029°C1044h5%🟢🟠
🥉SalalahOman9.4/1027°C852h1%🔴💛
4MandalayMyanmar9.4/1029°C880h2%🔴💛
5JodhpurIndia9.3/1026°C901h1%🟡💚
6KhartoumSudan9.3/1031°C944h1%🔴💚
7Chiang MaiThailand9.2/1029°C758h3%🟡💛
8DakarSenegal9.2/1027°C740h0%🟢🟡
9OaxacaMexico9.2/1027°C770h2%🟢💛
10DjiboutiDjibouti9.2/1028°C731h4%🟢💛
11NouakchottMauritania9.2/1029°C679h0%🟡💛
12Cape TownSouth Africa9.1/1025°C1008h8%🟢💛
13AdelaideAustralia9.1/1026°C916h11%🟢🟠
14Cabo San LucasMexico9.1/1026°C737h2%🟢💛
15MendozaArgentina9.1/1030°C910h12%🟢💛
16KarachiPakistan9.1/1026°C804h3%🟡💚
17MuscatOman9.0/1025°C791h4%🔴💛
18AswanEgypt9.0/1023°C880h0%🟡💚
19GondarEthiopia9.0/1025°C822h2%🟡💛
20LuxorEgypt9.0/1023°C858h2%🟡💚
Methodology

Scores computed from 10 years of Open-Meteo archives (ERA5). Each month rated on sunshine (40%), precipitation (30%), thermal comfort (30%). Annual score = average of 12 months. 697 destinations analyzed.