Discover our top worldwide winter sun destinations, to get away from colder climates. Kick back with sunny days in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean tropics, venture to the USA or feel the heat of the Middle East.
Let go of those wintertime blues and explore a destination with sun, sea and sand. Secure your dream holiday using our low online deposits. Book a New Year adventure and pay your holiday off in full, just five weeks before your travel date. Find plenty of places to unwind in balmy weather, between October and March – enjoy beach lounging, alfresco dining, city adventure and tropical cocktails.
Touch down in the Caribbean this winter and stay at Sandals Barbados. This idyllic, couples-only retreat is set on the soft white sands of Dover Beach, ideal for that romantic escape. Or why not head to St Lucia? BodyHoliday is a popular all-inclusive wellness retreat. Not only is it home to a state-of-the-art wellness centre but it also offers a golf academy, a water sports centre and three outdoor swimming pools.
If it's the Indian Ocean calling, LUX* Grand Gaube in Mauritius is fringed by undulating coves, super calm lagoons and is blessed with two serene beaches and two spectacular swimming pools. There's six restaurants and four bars to choose from too, so you’ll never run out of options, while live entertainers ensure a lively island vibe is maintained.
The sunny shores of the Canary Islands also make for a great winter escape. Lanzarote’s H10 Rubicon Palace is an iconic five-star resort on the pristine sands of Playa Blanca. It offers a wide array of family-friendly facilities, a Despacio Thalasso Centre spa, six restaurants and five bars to enjoy. You can party like rock royalty at Hard Rock Tenerife with luxe amenities including direct beach access, four pools, one for adults only, an exclusive beach club, live music events, numerous restaurants and a kids’ club. Or check out the five-star GF Gran Costa Adeje, sitting in an exclusive part of south Tenerife. It offers a wealth of facilities including a serene spa, solarium, an ocean view rooftop pool, kids’ club, playground, tennis court and mini-golf course.
There’s nothing better than lounging on a beach when it’s less than balmy back home. Barbados is wonderfully warm in winter. Couples can fall in love all over again at Dover Beach – home to the exclusive Sandals Barbados, where there’s free water sports and scuba diving. Dubai also offers pleasant winter temperatures. Make the most of the longest private beach in the city at Jumeriah Al Qasr, where you can spread out on a kilometre of pristine white sand. In Mauritius there are plenty of opportunities for water sports. At Maritim Resort and Spa make your way through jungle gardens to the beach, where you can learn to water ski or sail a hobie cat. And finding a winter beach in Europe is easy if you turn to Tenerife. The Ritz-Carlton Abama has a simply jaw-dropping location with a funicular railway to carry you down to a perfect beach under the cliffs.
City breaks for winter sun
These sunny cities come into their own from December. Visit Malta for tales of Templar Knights and ancient sights. Stay at db Seabank Resort + Spa. Set near the quaint town of Mellieha, this hotel is right next to a popular sandy beach. In beautiful Madeira, you can visit the city of Funchal by using the free shuttle from The Cliff Bay, a hotel with spectacular ocean views. The best way to immerse yourself in Miami is to stay at the Fontainebleau, right on Miami Beach. Dress up for a night at LIV; the hotel’s nightclub attracts the whole city. Don’t forget to consider Cape Town, where the winter weather is lovely and hot. Explore the city from the comfort and luxury of the One & Only, which is fantastically situated near the historic V&A waterfront. Don’t forget to nose around the wine menu – the hotel has an extensive cellar of South African bottles.
All Inclusive winter sun holidays
Go All Inclusive on your winter break and you won’t look back. You’ll love being looked after at an All Inclusive resort, where everything is taken care of – from drinks to dinner. In the Caribbean, you’ll find troubles melt away faster than the ice cubes in your complimentary cocktail. Everyone gets treated like rock royalty at the massive Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in the Dominican Republic. Take your pick from ten restaurants and take your dancing shoes on a trip to the ORO nightclub. In Antigua, at St James's Club & Villas by Elite you can enjoy not one, but two of Antigua’s famous beaches. The hotel’s free water sports will keep everyone entertained. Sticking to Europe? The Bahia Principe Fantasia Tenerife offers a magical stay for families. Set along the beautiful San Miguel de Abona Beach, you’ll find picturesque views and stylish accommodation. Children will adore the magical playgrounds, water park, splash pad and outdoor pools. Indulge in a spa treatment, enjoy a live theatre show and embrace the recreational activities on offer.
Luxury holidays for winter sun
Want to feel extra-special on your stay? Book a luxury holiday this winter to feel truly restored. Dubai sets the bar high. In the palatial environs of Jumeirah Zabeel Saray you’ll find the largest spa in the Middle East – complete with its own snow room. Warm up afterwards in the 59-metre infinity pool or in your room’s enormous, marble bathtub. At Shangri-La's Le Touessrok Resort & Spa you can discover the delights of Mauritius. Request a gourmet picnic so you can lunch on the hotel’s private island. Retreat from the world in the Maldives at the LUX* South Ari Atoll, where the only crowds are clownfish round the coral, and you can swim with enormous resident whale sharks. Luxury comes naturally to St Lucia. Stay at BodyHoliday, where you can sign up for every activity – from morning walks to meditation – or simply relax by the shimmering water in the lush tropical surroundings.
Winter sun for the whole family
Banish winter blues and that mid-school-year slump. Take the family for some much-needed sunshine. On the trip of a lifetime to Florida’s theme parks, stay at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort Universal Orlando™ forearly park access. You can rely on sunny Barbados to deliver a beach holiday that’s fun for everyone. At Hilton Barbados Resort children from age two are taken care of at the kids’ club – so you can slink off to the happy hour, or bob in the multiple beachside infinity pools. On the other side of the Atlantic, Sandos San Blas Nature Resort & Golf in Tenerife makes the most of the sunny south of the island. With a mix of adults-only areas and kid-friendly activities, everyone will feel cared for. In Dubai, the Jumeirah Mina A Salam is the most family friendly hotel in the Madinat Jumeriah Resort, offering complimentary access to the Wild Wadi Waterpark and a free kids’ club.
Where to go this winter?
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A tropical climate and laid back lifestyle is the perfect antidote to falling temperatures elsewhere – hovering in the high 20s, the sun blazes down for eight hours a day.
While not as hot as other destinations, Europe still has some cities which give some great opportunities for winter sun. Pleasantly warm rather than scorching hot, they’ll be plenty of sunshine to enjoy.
Less crowds, cheaper hotels and shorter queues at the attractions! The winter season is certainly the most desirable time to visit destinations like Hawaii and Las Vegas when temperatures are cooler.
The Middle East has a near perfect winter-sun climate – you can expect daytime temperatures in the mid to high 20s, sunny skies and the very occasional burst of rain (if you’re lucky).
This is a lovely time of year to explore the souks or sites and relax by the pool. Winter temperatures rarely fall below 20c and the nights in Africa are pleasantly cool.
To experience the Indian Ocean at its best, you need to relax on soft white sands, snorkel in calm waters and take in the most colourful sunsets – the winter months are the perfect time to do just that.
It’s not just the warmth of its people that’s particularly alluring at this time of year. A European winter is their summer – the rainy season is over, the temperatures are high and the sun shines for longer.
