What's the Weather like in Lima in January
Temperature
January in Lima, Peru is high summer and on average it is one of the two hottest months of the year. The average temperature is 23°C with a high of 26°C and a low of only 20°C. It can get much hotter and the record high for Lima is 32.7°C. The average sea temperature is a warm 22°C. This compares with a January average of 4°C for the city of Boston, USA. Check the local weather report before you set off.
Rainfall
The chances of rain in January in Lima are very low, at just three per cent. The city gets an average of only 0.8mm/0.03 inches of rainfall in January and it is not unusual for there to be no rain at all for the whole month. If it does rain, it is likely to be for one day of the month on average, with brief showers usually occurring in the evening.
Sunshine Hours
Lima is not the sunniest city you will ever visit, due to frequent cloud, mist and fog. January sees an average of six hours of sunshine a day, a total of 186 across the whole month. The chance of cloud is 38 per cent and daylight hours last for between 12 hours and 38 minutes, on January 31, and 12 hours and 49 minutes on January 1. The earliest sunrise is 5.47am and the earliest sunset is at 6.36pm, both on January 1. The sun rises 16 minutes later by January 31 and sets four minutes later. The average relative humidity for January in Lima is the second lowest of the year, although at 81.6 per cent that is still high enough to be uncomfortable.
Wind
Wind speeds in Lima are generally low throughout the year, particularly from January to May. In January the average wind speed decreases across the month, from 8.1 miles per hour at the start to 7.5 miles per hour at the end. This compares to the windiest day of the year on September 20, which has an average wind speed of 9.6mph. The winds in Lima blow from the south in January for 99 per cent of the time.
Dress Code
Leave the cold weather clothing at home, as high temperatures combined with high relative humidity mean that you will need shorts, t-shirts and light trousers and shirts. Umbrellas and wet weather clothing are also unnecessary. Make sure that you check our 14-day forecast for Lima before you head for the airport.
Lima Hotels in January
Hotel rates are around their highest in Lima in January, but there are plenty to choose from, ranging from five-stars to hostels and self-catering apartments. Many of the best hotels are located in the tourist centre of Miraflores, near the coastal boardwalk, shops, restaurants and bars.
Mariel Hotel Boutique
The Mariel Hotel Boutique is a modern boutique hotel in a quiet Miraflores location, styled by top designer Karim Chaman. It sits opposite the Inca market, two blocks from the Miraflores Central Park, and just over half a mile from Larcomar's fabulous shopping and the boardwalk. All rooms and apartments have air conditioning, WiFi and cable TV. The hotel's Mariel restaurant serves seasonal Peruvian specialities and there is a lounge bar and 24-hour room service. A free buffet breakfast is served daily.
The Lot Boutique Hotel
The Lot Boutique Hotel occupies an old colonial house in sought-after Miraflores and is a short walk to the coast and Love Park, as well as all the shops, restaurants and bars you will need. It has been renovated in a modern, minimalistic style and offers a buffet breakfast, cocktail bar and snack bar serving home-made pizzas. Although it is right at the heart of the tourist action, the hotel is tucked away from the noisy nightlife in a quiet yet central location.
Thunderbird Hotel Fiesta & Casino
High rollers will be right at home at the Thunderbird Hotel Fiesta & Casino in Miraflores, which also offers all the facilities of a top hotel, including a popular restaurant and spa. Chance your arm in the casino or tuck into nachos or quesadillas at the hotel's Salsa Bar & Grill, which shows all the major sporting events from across the world on its 70 big screens. The Zaphira Spa has an indoor pool, steam room, massage therapy and beauty treatment rooms.
Hotel Esperanza
The Hotel Esperanza is another centrally-located Miraflores hotel, the city's main tourist district. This is a clean, no frills hotel, with bare brick walls throughout and simple furnishings. The hotel has 40 rooms, a cafeteria and bar, 24-hour room service, and a laundry with the sights and sounds of bustling Miraflores right outside the door. Hotel staff will be happy to help with tourist tips and information.
Lima beaches in January
South of Lima, there is plenty to offer beach lovers and they are most popular between January and April. Try the crescent-shaped El Silencio beach, 26 miles south of Lima, which is lined with restaurants and bars and is good for surfing as well as sunbathing.
Bars and Restaurants
Gotica
Gotica has been listed as one of the world's best dance clubs and is considered as the best spot in Lima for electronic music. World famous Peruvian and international DJs are frequent guests and the venue is also a trendy bar, pulling in a young, noisy crowd. But you won't have to queue as there are actually several bars and if it gets too much then step out onto the large patio to catch some refreshing ocean breezes.
El Señorio del Sulco
The location alone makes it worth booking the El Señorio del Sulco. The restaurant looks out over the ocean from the clifftop and is famed for its Peruvian "criollo" dishes, which blend Spanish and native influences. Sample ají de gallina, a kind of mild Peruvian curry, or beef huatia, which involves the meat being buried with large hot stones and then slow cooked.
La Noche
La Noche in the arty Barranco district is a pub for culture vultures that has recently celebrated its 25th year. The Spanish-Peruvian couple who own it describe it as a 'cultural bar' and stage regular parties, plays, comedy shows and concerts in the grand setting of a former manor house. There are beers, wines and cocktails, plus the obligatory Pisco-based drinks, as well as a snack menu to soak it all up.
Ole Bar Restaurant
One look at the reviews for the Ole Bar Restaurant will tell you that it's a big hit with locals and tourists alike. It has been going more than 15 years in San Isidro and its menu blends Spanish and Peruvian influences, with new dishes added regularly. If you're more thirsty than hungry, there's a plush bar and comfortable seating, with regular live music laid on.
Things to do in Lima in January
Fun in the fountains
This is high summer in Lima, so it's important to keep cool and what better way than by wandering among some of the most spectacular man-made fountains you will ever see at the Circuito Magica del Agua, or The Magic Water Circuit, set in the beautiful Reserve Park in downtown Lima. It holds the Guinness World record for the world's largest fountain complex (there are 13) and an 80-metre high geyser. The music and laser shows are spectacular.
Shop until you drop
If it's retail therapy you're after then head for the clifftop Larcomar complex, a Lima landmark with more than 70 shops, 17 restaurants, bars, a cinema and bowling alley, not to mention a trendy nightclub. It looks out over the Pacific from its lofty position in Miraflores and you could easily pass a whole day and evening here, so much is there to see and do, but your bank balance may feel the effects.
Going underground
Escape the heat and head underground for a spectacular and spooky tour of the San Francisco Monastery Catacombs, a honeycomb of vaults beneath a beautiful church which were used as burial chambers until the 19th century. Home to the dead of Lima since the 1600s, after being sealed off for more than 100 years its galleries and passages were opened to the public in the 1950s.
Take to the air
For an adrenalin-fuelled alternative view of Lima, take a tandem paragliding flight from the cliffs of Miraflores. You will be strapped to an experienced pilot, which will leave you free to enjoy the spectacular ocean and city views on your flight. There are motorised power trikes too, for days when there is not enough wind. Each flight last about 15-20 minutes with a detailed safety briefing beforehand.
