12 of the Sunniest Places in the World

Winter, spring summer or fall – no matter the time of year in the UK you can always count on one thing: the unpredictability of the weather.

Kiribati

3min read

Published 3 March 2021

Flight Centre Author

UK Content & Social Lead


Share


Winter, spring summer or fall – no matter the time of year in the UK you can always count on one thing: the unpredictability of the weather.


Wave goodbye to the winter blues (and the green-eyed monster) and jet off to one of the sunniest places in the world. Winter, spring summer or fall – no matter the time of year in the UK you can always count on one thing: the unpredictability of the weather.

So when you're getting soaked on the way to work, deicing your car, or are desperate to don some shorts despite the chilly spring temperatures, just remember one thing: somewhere in the world the sun is shining gloriously. Jealous? You don’t have to be.



RS-Alice-Springs-Australia-shutterstock_185180999.jpg
RS-Alice-Springs-Australia-shutterstock_185180999.jpg
RS-Alice-Springs-Australia-shutterstock_185180999.jpg

Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia

From bone-dry droughts to rain that pours so hard that all the rivers burst their banks – Alice Springs in Australia’s arid Red Centre has all the extremes of weather you could want. It also gets between nine and 11 hours of sun per day, even in the winter. That’s a whopping 3,456 hours of sunlight. Suffice to say, hats and sun cream are necessity, even if you do wake up to frozen ground.

RS-Kiribati-shutterstock_299945183.jpg
RS-Kiribati-shutterstock_299945183.jpg
RS-Kiribati-shutterstock_299945183.jpg

Kiribati, Oceania

Most people haven’t heard of Kiribati. No surprises there really, this island republic is flung out into the Central Pacific somewhere between Hawaii and New Zealand, boasting a small 33-isle archipelago that is largely uninhabited.

Given its small size though, it still packs a mighty punch with its holiday offering. Think untouched sands (which you’re likely to have to yourself), one of the world’s most pristine coral reefs, traditional Pacific Island culture and an incredible 12 hours of sunshine a day.

RS-Dancing-lemur-in-Madagascar-shutterstock_256089874.jpg
RS-Dancing-lemur-in-Madagascar-shutterstock_256089874.jpg
RS-Dancing-lemur-in-Madagascar-shutterstock_256089874.jpg

Madagascar, Africa

The land of the lemurs offers 3,500 hours of sunshine every year: that’s an average of nearly 10 hours of vitamin D PER DAY. Combine that with the beaches, rainforest, deserts, trekking and diving that Madagascar is famous for – not to mention that fact that this majestic isle is home to 5% of all the world’s plant and animal species – and you’re onto a winner.

RS-Perth-Western-Australia-shutterstock_216562384.jpg
RS-Perth-Western-Australia-shutterstock_216562384.jpg
RS-Perth-Western-Australia-shutterstock_216562384.jpg

Perth, Western Australia

Perth may be one of the most isolated cities on the planet (it’s closer to Singapore than Sydney, and closer to Jakarta than Australia’s capital, Canberra), but it’s also one of the sunniest. In fact, it’s officially the sunniest capital city in the world, with an average of eight hours of sun per day, year-round. It’s wonderfully close to Fremantle and Rottnest Island too, so you can take home a suitcase full of brightly-lit quokka selfies.

RS-Las-Vegas-sign-shutterstock_117896440.jpg
RS-Las-Vegas-sign-shutterstock_117896440.jpg
RS-Las-Vegas-sign-shutterstock_117896440.jpg

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Vegas is perhaps best known for its wild pool parties, day-long gambling stints, weekend weddings and stag and hen dos by the bus-load. But while most travellers go for the delights of Sin City, they’ll stick around for the sunshine – all 3,800 hours of it. That means that visitors are likely to catch some rays 85% of the time. Much better odds than London, where it rains 156.2 days a year.

RS-Floating-restaurantm-Zanzibar-Tanzania-shutterstock_180192350.jpg
RS-Floating-restaurantm-Zanzibar-Tanzania-shutterstock_180192350.jpg
RS-Floating-restaurantm-Zanzibar-Tanzania-shutterstock_180192350.jpg

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Zanzibar is blessed with 2,755 hours of uninterrupted sunshine. It’s also a stone’s throw from the mainland, making it the perfect spot for a twin-centre holiday. Enjoy a week-long safari in the wildlife Mecca that is the Serengeti National Park, before spending seven days lazing on one of Zanzibar’s 25 white silica beaches, each framed and lapped by the soothing turquoise sea.

RS-Yuma-Arizona-USA-shutterstock_104726426.jpg
RS-Yuma-Arizona-USA-shutterstock_104726426.jpg
RS-Yuma-Arizona-USA-shutterstock_104726426.jpg

Yuma, Arizona, USA

You may not know much about Yuma other than the fact it featured in US Western flick 3:10 to Yuma, but it’s actually the most sun-filled city on our list. In fact, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, it’s the sunniest city in the world. We’re talking annual sunshine of 4,000 hours! We reckon that equates to around 2,000 sun-cream applications. 

rs-ayia-napa-cyprus-shutterstock258853790.jpg
rs-ayia-napa-cyprus-shutterstock258853790.jpg
rs-ayia-napa-cyprus-shutterstock258853790.jpg

Cyprus, Europe

Cyprus may not be the hottest destination on this list, but visit in the summer and you can expect 12-13 hours of the bright stuff every day, which makes it one of the sunniest spots in Europe. Spend the other 11 non-sunny hours sleeping or in the bar, cooling off with icy shots of zivania – a potent, raisin-flavoured tipple that is only made in Cyprus.

RS-Ranch-outside-Fresno-Cali-USA-shutterstock_216878806.jpg
RS-Ranch-outside-Fresno-Cali-USA-shutterstock_216878806.jpg
RS-Ranch-outside-Fresno-Cali-USA-shutterstock_216878806.jpg

Fresno, California, USA

Cosmopolitan Fresno is the fifth biggest city in Cali, and a great sunny pit-stop on the journey from San Francisco to Los Angeles (or vice versa). It boasts 3,700 hours of sun per year, not to mention a verdant location in the San Joaquin Valley, backdropped by the snow-dusted Sierra Nevada mountain range.

RS-Rhodes-Greece-shutterstock_169994519.jpg
RS-Rhodes-Greece-shutterstock_169994519.jpg
RS-Rhodes-Greece-shutterstock_169994519.jpg

Rhodes, Greece, Europe

As far as sunny European islands go, Rhodes is the best of the best, boasting the longest holiday season in Greece. Expect 300 days and 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. It’s so warm that you can comfortably swim in the Med here throughout October and November. You may get a goosepimpley when you make the dash for your sun lounger though.

RS-Agadez-Niger-Africa-shutterstock_81844165.jpg
RS-Agadez-Niger-Africa-shutterstock_81844165.jpg
RS-Agadez-Niger-Africa-shutterstock_81844165.jpg

Agadez, Niger, Africa

Known as the ‘frying pan of the world’, Africa's Agadez is pretty hot: you’ll get 3,483 hours of sunshine per year here and any rain will probably evaporate before it even hits the ground. There’s more to this scorched city than heat though. Agadez is also a UNESCO World Heritage site and is best-known for being the gateway to the Sahara. Its historic centre dates back to the 15th century, a confection of mudbrick architecture and cultural gems.

RS-Lisbon-Portgual-shutterstock_132742388.jpg
RS-Lisbon-Portgual-shutterstock_132742388.jpg
RS-Lisbon-Portgual-shutterstock_132742388.jpg

Lisbon, Portugal, Europe

Lisbon is one of the sunniest spots in Europe. Envisage over 3,000 hours of sunshine per year and 12 hours of UV per day in the summer. Plus the coffee here is to die for and you can snaffle a cup (and a pastry!) for around €2.50. What’s not to like?

Seeking a sunny getaway? Talk to one of our Travel Experts and we'll tailor-make a holiday to suit you.

...loading
Flight Centre

© Flight Centre (UK) Limited, Registered in England No. 02937210.

* 0800 calls are free for landlines and mobiles. 0333 calls are included within inclusive minutes package on mobiles, otherwise standard rates apply. 0844/0845 calls are 7p/pm plus your local carrier charge. Prices are per person twin share, correct as at the date of publication, subject to change and may be higher/unavailable for certain dates. Airfares are economy on specified airlines from London, unless otherwise stated. For full booking conditions visit Booking Conditions. Some of the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. We will provide you with information on the protection that applies in the case of each holiday and travel service offered before you make your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but not all the parts of your trip are listed on it, those parts not listed will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.caa.co.uk.