January 19, 2022
A New Year is all about setting goals and priorities, right? Just a couple of weeks into 2022, we had an interesting thought: what if you could visit different places with tons of sunshine every month for an entire year? We are talking full days and even weeks where everything is nice and bright!
As expected, this search took us all over the world. Here at home, the SW United States dominates the rankings. In the Southern Hemisphere, the countries of NE Africa do the same. We decidednot to make this list based on the true top 10 places because several are not really habitable or accessible (though we included 1 for April). Instead, we’ve dreamt up places that will give you a totally new experience each month, but still keep you in the sun. So, dust off your passports, and let’s dive in!
January: Cape Town South Africa
In January, much of the Northern Hemisphere sees cold weather and lots of precipitation. Unfortunately that also means lots of clouds, so the amount of sunshine received is reduced quite a bit. In South Africa however, January marks the middle of Summer. Warm temperatures, clear skies, and long days come together to make 350+ hours of sunshine! While there, enjoy incredible natural parks and botanical gardens, hop up to the wine country for a tour, and enjoy the beaches close by.
February: Songklah, Thailand
Continuing over to Southeast Asia, at the very bottom of Thailand near Malaysia is a small city of about 60,000 residents called Songklah. This important harbor city is also home to Thailand’s only natural lake. It is over 80km long, and 20 km wide. In February, this city sees about 349 hours of Sunshine–which is almost 12.5 hours per day! While visiting you can enjoy night food markets and incredible seafood, visit islands on the lake, or visit some of the cultural museums focused on southern Thai heritage.
March: Yuma, Arizona
Coming back home for a bit, March should drop sun-lovers in Yuma, Arizona! With over 90% of daylight in March being sunshine (over 336 hours), you won’t be disappointed with the clear days either. Golfers can enjoy one of the city’s 12 courses–and nature lovers will have a blast exploring the Colorado river, and nearby national parks. Looking for a day trip? You are easily able to go into Mexico as Yuma is right on the border!
April: Alert, NU Canada
Considered the northernmost continuously inhabited place in the world, this stop will get youreally close to Santa Claus. Just 500 miles from the North Pole, it is primarily an installment for the Canadian Air Forces and is usually only occupied 6 months at a time by crews on assignment. With over 377 hours of sunshine in April, things will certainly be bright–but we doubt you will spend much time outside as the average temperature for the month is about -5°F.
May: Marsa Alam, Egypt
Our next stop brings us back to Africa, and far from the arctic cold of Alert. Located on the Red Sea, Marsa Alam sees over 370 hours of sunlight in the month of May! What’s more, temperatures of this resort city will be nice and warm averaging about 91°F. In addition to visiting the sea for activities like kite surfing and snorkeling, the city is also close to emerald mines, and often used as a starting point for safaris.
June: Nicosia, Cypress
With 369 hours of sunshine during the month of June, this island in the Mediterranean is a history and culture lover’s dream. The divided capital city of Cypress, is split by two primary cultures: Greek and Turkish; but it should be noted that only Turkey recognizes the northern territory as their own. It has been inhabited for 10millennia, and offers incredible access to the sea, unique wildlife, and is often considered a gateway between the European and Asian continents.
July: Sacramento, California
With a whopping 440+ hours of sunshine in July, we would definitely pick Sacramento to celebrate the 4th! Situated at the junction of the Sacramento and American river, California’s capital city has lots to offer all types of visitors. Transportation lovers can visit the California State railroad museum to see what it took to connect the United States by rail, or the California automobile museums. Basketball fans can catch a NBA game with the Sacramento Kings, and cyclists can bike along the American river trail!
August: Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Located in the NE corner of the country, Tashkent is Uzbekistan’s most metropolitan city and the nation’s capital. With a population of about 2.3 million people, the month of August is blessed with over 365 hours of sunshine–or well over 10 hours per day! While visiting you will see a combination of Soviet Era and Modern architecture, and a vibrant city filled with great street food and art. Metro lovers will not be disappointed either, as the stations in Tashkent are often thought to be the most beautiful in the world!
September: Las Vegas, Nevada
With over 337 hours of sunshine, and temperatures starting to cool a bit from blistering summer highs, we think that September is the perfect month to visit Vegas. As far as what there is to do there, well, let’s just say we probably don’t have anything to say that hasn’t already been said–so go to gamble, go to eat, or go to watch the shows! No one will judge you because whatever happens there stays there, remember?
October: Muscat, Oman
With over 315 hours of sunshine this month, the capital city of Oman is definitely worth a visit. With historical significance going back to 6000 BC as a trading port between Europe and Asia, the modern city enjoys many luxuries of oil-rich neighboring countries–but is thought to be more culturally diverse. Visit one of the city’s beautiful Mosques, listen to a show at the Opera house, and visit one of the local bazaars for a full day of sensory enjoyment!
November: Keetmanshoop, Namibia
Located in the southeastern part of the country, it is frequently considered a second capital. November brings 348 hours of sunshine to the city, so there are plenty of opportunities to get outside to explore! Perhaps one of the most famous landmarks in this area is the Namib desert: thought to be one of the world’s oldest, and home to striking dunes. The backdrop is so surreal that several modern movies like Mad Max: Fury Road, 10,000BC, and 2001 Space Odyssey all filmed significant scenes there.
December: Calama, Chile
As we finish out our year of chasing the sun, we finally get a contender from South America! Offering over 365 hours of sunshine,
Calama is home to about 165,000, and located high in the Atacama desert in the northern part of the country. Visitors will be stunned with amazing views of the stars at night, and during the daytime can visit local natural springs, or try things like sandboarding. You can even visit the nearby town of San Pedro de Atacama where many inhabitants dress and live very traditionally.
When creating this list, we were pleased that there were so many diverse places to visit if you are chasing sunshine. From the US to lesser known countries in Africa and Asia, one thing is certain: if you live your life chasing the sun, it will be filled with incredible adventures. Oh, and before you go, don’t forget your sunscreen and most importantly yourSunHeist Sunglasses :)
