The 30 best destinations for a winter-sun escape

Winter is on the horizon – our expert reveals the best sunshine breaks to see you through the season

It happens every year, but when daylight hours shrink and any remaining sun is suffocated by thick clouds, moods easily plummet. A dose of vitamin D is never more needed than during our winter months – especially following the coolest summer in the UK for nine years, according to latest statistics from the Met Office.
Fortunately, you don’t need to travel far for holiday weather. While the UK feels dark and gloomy, other parts of Europe are still basking in sunshine. In fact, in many places – like Madeira and the Algarve – temperatures are far more comfortable than the unbearable heat of summer and anyone keen to spend time on the beach can’t go wrong with a trip to the Canaries. 
Warmer waters are guaranteed in Egypt’s Red Sea, where a two-hour time difference reduces any risk of jet lag. Similarly, Morocco, Cape Verde and Senegal all promise sunshine without messing up your body clock.
If you want temperatures guaranteed to be over 70F (21C), you may have to journey farther afield. But even popular long-haul holiday resorts in the Caribbean, Mauritius or South Africa can be affordable if you’re prepared to hunt around for deals and be flexible with the destination and dates. 
For inspiration, we’ve picked some of the best locations for winter sun on the planet, all guaranteed to be beneficial for your physical and mental health.
Average winter temperature: 17CHours of daily winter sunshine: 6
Myths abound in Sagres, the most south-westerly point of Continental Europe. Prince Henry, a key figure in the era of New World explorations, supposedly built a navigational school in the low-key surf town once considered the edge of the earth. 
Details are hazy, but one fact remains: the Algarve’s dramatic, cliff-fringed harbour town is a jumping-off point for discovery. Beyond the wind-whipped cape, sheltered beaches range from hidden coves to broad stretches of sand. 
Although the peak sunbathing months have passed, so too have the crowds – while temperatures remain mild enough to leave thick jumpers at home.
A seven-night trip Real Algarve with Sunvil costs from £1,152pp (two sharing), including B&B accommodation at Pousada de Sagres and Pousada Convento de Tavira, transfers and flights. Plan a trip with our Algarve travel guide.
Average winter temperature: 20CHours of daily winter sunshine: 7
Closer to Africa than Europe, the Canary Islands bathe in a generous amount of sunshine – enough, in fact, to power an eco-village retreat. 
Running entirely on renewable energy generated by solar panels and wind turbines, Finca de Arrieta is an off-grid escape on the east coast of Lanzarote where the aim is literally to switch off. Choose between a farmhouse, cottages and Mongolian-style yurts set in gardens sprouting with succulents and exotic fruits. 
Eggs and vegetables can be collected from the farmhouse for home-grown lunches. A family-friendly beach, with calm waters and an on-duty lifeguard, is only a few minutes’ walk away.
A family yurt for four with Lanzarote Retreats costs from £67 per night. Excludes flights. Plan a trip with our Lanzarote travel guide.
Average winter temperature: 18C Hours of daily winter sunshine: 7
Like the many citrus fruits ripening in village orchards at this time of year, winter days spent exploring Northern Cyprus are zingy and refreshing. Although lacking the glitzy, big-brand resorts of the south, the island’s Turkish sector has a similarly beautiful coastline. Prices are much cheaper, too. 
Visit the Roman ruins of Salamis in Famagusta and get up to date with modern history in the ghost city of Varosha, abandoned after the Turkish invasion in 1974. Lighten the mood with a lazy meander through the sleepy village of Bellapais, where Lawrence Durrell penned his book Bitter Lemons – a title no doubt inspired by that timeless tangy scent.
A seven-night holiday with Newmarket Holidays costs from £875pp, including half-board accommodation, tours, transfers and return flights. Departures in January and February. Plan a trip with our Cyprus travel guide.
Average winter temperature: 19CHours of daily winter sunshine: 7
The closest of the Canaries to north Africa has a stark, arid landscape and a climate similar to the sun-beaten Continent’s. Slowly shifting across the Parque Natural de Corralejo, soft dunes resemble the Sahara and warm winds stretch a summer feeling to 365 days of the year. 
Set along a coast of crashing waves at the northern tip of the island, against a backdrop of ancient volcanic peaks, Origo Mare Holiday Village has a sprawling water park of slides and pools perfect for safe family swimming. Alternatively, you can embrace the strong ocean winds by learning to kitesurf or surf with the Yolo Riders surf school. 
Seven nights’ self-catering at Origo Mare Holiday Village with Pierre & Vacances costs from £503 for a studio. Excludes flights. 
Average winter temperature: 18CHours of daily winter sunshine: 7
Favoured by pilgrims and members of royalty, the natural sulphur spring waters of mountain village Kalopanayiotis promise a healing mind-and-body reset for the new year ahead. Built by an entrepreneur to bring life back to his beloved hometown, Casale Panayiotis is a spa village set among revived orchards, vineyards and stone buildings on slopes of the Troodos mountains. 
Relax in the hydrotherapy pool or book a range of rose-petal bathing and Mediterranean oil massage treatments. Close by is an 11th-century Byzantine monastery, which is open to guests. Rock climbing, mountain biking and hikes can also be arranged in the surrounding Marathasa Valley.
Seven nights’ B&B with Health and Fitness Travel costs from £1,220pp (two sharing), including transfers and a wellness programme. Excludes flights. Plan a trip with our Cyprus travel guide.
Average winter temperature: 18CHours of daily winter sunshine: 5
Scorching heat has made it difficult to enjoy Mediterranean Europe during the height of summer. But milder weather makes the off-season ideal for sun-drenched hikes. Once used as irrigation channels, Madeira’s levadas form a network of walking trails connecting remote areas of the wild island. 
Inaccessible for many years, the cliff-backed section of pathways in Calheta is less visited. Follow fairy tale woodland trails on the Levada do Alecrim and climb to Cabo Girão, one of the highest sea cliffs in the world. A former summer residence converted into a year-round lodge, the 17th-century, family-owned Quinta das Vinhas is an atmospheric base surrounded by vines.
A seven-night self-guided trip with Inn Travel costs from £995pp (two sharing), including B&B accommodation, some meals, car hire, walking route notes and maps. Excludes fights.
Average winter temperature: 21CHours of daily winter sunshine: 6
Traditionally, this is the time of year when it’s acceptable to pile on the pounds. Rather than waste calories on scoffing stodgy roasts and mince pies around a fire, dine out on great meals with a sea view. 
Those with a culinary compass should set their dial for Royal Hideaway Corales Beach in Tenerife’s upscale south, home to two Michelin-starred restaurants. Try Japanese and Peruvian fusion at San Hô or sample the gastronomic expertise of the Padrón brothers at El Rincón de Juan Carlos. Digest by lounging in a heated rooftop infinity pool, gazing towards the ocean. 
Seven nights at Royal Hideaway Corales Beach with Jet2holidays costs from £2,008pp (two sharing) B&B, including flights. Plan a trip with our Tenerife travel guide.
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Average winter temperature: 19CHours of daily winter sunshine: 7
Winter blues are far from depressing in one of north Africa’s most culturally captivating countries. From cerulean skies to cobalt seas, Morocco is awash with warm, inviting shades. Even the streets and houses of the “Blue City” of Chefchaouen have adopted the nation’s trademark hue. 
Visit as part of a tour exploring the less ventured north, taking Africa’s first bullet train from Casablanca to Tangiers and eventually winding up in the 1,200-year-old medina of Fez. Reel in hauls with local fishermen at Larache, make cheese with a family in the Rif mountains and visit the secret tropical gardens of Rohuna, an Italian horticulturalist’s passion project.
An eight-day trip with Inclusive Morocco costs from £3,935pp (two sharing), including B&B accommodation, some meals, driver, tours and transfers. Excludes flights.
Average winter temperature: 25CHours of daily winter sunshine: 9
Often foolishly overlooked for more exotic (and expensive) climes, the Red Sea dazzles with colourful reefs and marine life. Attracting fewer crowds than Sharm El Sheikh, Marsa Alam on the sea’s western shore has equally reputable diving schools and is serviced by several direct flights from the UK.
Once accessible only by liveaboards, diving can now be done from the shore or on boat trips to Sha’ab Samadai, frequently visited by a pod of spinner dolphins. Wind down with a massage or meditation session at the new Wadi Sabarah Lodge, built from coral limestone in botanical gardens.
Seven nights with Regaldive costs from £945 (two sharing), including B&B and transfers. Flights extra.
Average winter temperature: 27C at the coast; 19C in BoranaHours of daily winter sunshine: 9
Offering better value than the Maldives and with beaches as sparkling as those in the Seychelles, Kenya’s Indian Ocean coastline is returning to our radar. 
Swerve Mombasa’s busy resorts for the bohemian archipelago of Lamu farther north, where donkeys stroll through sandy streets and wooden dhows weave between islands. 
For a castaway stay, check into a smart beach hut on Manda Bay island, owned by the Dyer family. Their relatives manage pioneering eco conservancy Borana, a sanctuary for black rhinos at the foothills of Mount Kenya. Twin both for the ultimate beach-and-bush break.
A seven-night Kenya Unleashed trip with Nomad Africa costs from £3,419pp (two sharing), including full-board accommodation and transfers. Excludes flights.
Average winter temperature: 25CHours of daily winter sunshine: 6
Beyond the busy beach resorts of Boa Vista and Sal, islands in west Africa’s Portuguese-speaking archipelago are rarely visited. Best explored on foot, Santo Antão is a mosaic of steep gorges and valleys carved into volcanic rock, with coastal trails connecting villages clinging to cliffs. 
Hike inland through forests of mimosa and pine, sleeping in the thatched cottages of Pedracin Village. Hop over to São Vicente island by ferry for a walk through lava fields washed by the Atlantic Ocean, and spend evenings listening to traditional morna folk music in the cultural capital of Mindelo.
A seven-night walking holiday with Walks Worldwide costs from £1,869pp (two sharing), including B&B, some additional meals, flights and transfers.
Average winter temperature: 23CHours of daily winter sunshine: 8
French travellers have been bathing on west African beaches for decades. But it’s taken Britons a little longer to be convinced. A six-hour direct flight from London away, Dakar is the gateway to golden stretches along Pointe Sarène, where the water temperature is around 21C. 
Sharing the same time zone as the UK, it’s possible to slip immediately into relaxation mode without any irritating jet lag, yet the location is exotic enough to feel much farther away. It’s perfect for an affordable fly-and-flop, and TUI offers all-inclusive packages at the surprisingly tasteful Riu Baobab. 
Seven nights at Riu Baobab with Tui on an all-inclusive basis costs from £956pp (two sharing), including transfers and flights.
Average winter temperature: 23CHours of daily winter sunshine: 11
Few cities boast the compressed beauty of South Africa’s ocean-view metropolis: mountains, waves and winelands are all within easy reach. From October onwards, days grow longer with plenty of opportunities to enjoy outdoor events and festivals. Try surfing, swimming in tidal pools or climbing the Lion’s Head peak at dawn – all possible before sitting down to breakfast.
For a rural wind-down in elegant surroundings, the restored 17th-century Dutch farm Babylonstoren is less than an hour’s drive away in the heart of the Cape Winelands. Dine at tables decorated with colourful, freshly plucked produce, taste award-winning wines in a cellar room, or milk cows as part of a new working-farm experience. 
A nine-night family city and safari holiday, including Cape Town (B&B), Babylonstoren (B&B) and Sabi Sands (full board) with Coral Tree Travel, costs from £5,950pp (two adults and two children), including flights. Plan a trip with our Cape Town travel guide.
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Average winter temperature: 21CHours of daily winter sunshine: 10
Few capitals are within such easy reach of paradise. A 45-minute boat ride from Muscat, the rocky Daymaniyat Islands are ringed by sparkling white beaches. 
Between November and April, the real beauty of this nature reserve lies underwater. Snorkel above sea-grass beds for the best chance of seeing green and hawksbill turtles, and look out for Arabian butterflyfish and angelfish in the reefs. Back on the mainland, freshwater pools in wadis provide relief on trips to the Sharqiya Sands Desert. Even more refreshing is the cooling breeze of the Hajar mountains.
A 10-night Oman in Style trip with Cox & Kings costs from £6,295pp (two sharing), including B&B accommodation, transfers and flights.
Average winter temperature: 18CHours of daily winter sunshine: 8
Masters of perfection, Emiratis sure struck gold when designing the cultural hub of Saadiyat Island, home to one of the largest concentrations of museums and galleries in the world. Not everything on the island 1,600ft off the coast of Abu Dhabi is man-made, however. 
With not a speck of imported sand in sight, the natural beaches are regarded as the best in the UAE. Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas has direct access to a gleaming-white five-mile stretch, making it a family favourite. Scott Dunn runs a two-floor Explorers Kids Club on-site, with different games and spaces aimed at ages six months to 11 years.
Seven nights at Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas with Scott Dunn costs from £6,000 for a family of four, including half-board, transfers and flights.
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Average winter temperature: 22CHours of daily winter sunshine: 8
A Californian white Christmas is possible in the snow-sprinkled mountains – but don’t expect a single flake to fall in the desert town of Palm Springs. Arduous in the heat of summer, strolling around town is a joy at this time of year. 
Marvel at the Modernist architecture of bolt-holes built for Hollywood greats who come here to escape the stress of Los Angeles, and browse retro Americana furnishings, clothes and homewares at a vintage market on the first Sunday of the month (October to May). If you need to cool off, get closer to the mountains by riding the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to Mount San Jacinto State Park.
An 11-day room-only trip exploring the Greater Palm Springs region with Netflights costs from £1,331pp (two sharing), including flights.
Average winter temperature: 25CHours of daily winter sunshine: 9
Spicy mezcal cocktails and chilli-based mole sauces are guaranteed to turn up the heat in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca at any time of the year. Savour both delicacies on a culinary tour of the region, taking part in a cookery class and discovering the best street food in local markets. 
Continue to the Yucatán peninsula to swim in collapsed sinkholes known as cenotes and visit Mayan ruins at Uxmal. After a dose of archaeological exploration at Chichen Itza, end your journey on the Caribbean beaches of Tulum, made famous by backpackers but now populated by trendy hotels.
A 15-day Cities, Civilisations and the Caribbean Coast tour with Original Travel costs from £4,490pp (two sharing), including B&B accommodation, transfers and flights. Plan a trip with our Mexico travel guide.
Average winter temperature: 27CHours of daily winter sunshine: 7
Although more than 5,000 miles away, there’s only a three-hour time difference with Bahia – just enough to avoid serious jet lag. Make the long journey worthwhile by staying at an eco-lodge in a nature reserve on the Maraú peninsula. 
The peaceful strip, south of Salvador, is scattered with coral pools and patches of Atlantic rainforest. Casa dos Arandis also allows light-footprint access to an area few people could plot on a map, and you can walk for miles along an undeveloped beachfront or take a boat ride to explore mangroves and waterfalls in the Bay of Camamu.
A minimum four-night stay at Casa dos Arandis through Fleewinter costs from £780pp (two sharing) on a half-board basis. Excludes flights and transfers. Plan a trip with our Brazil travel guide.
Average winter temperature: 22-30CHours of daily winter sunshine: 7
The path to happiness is often hard to find, but it probably passes through Central America’s tiny powerhouse nation. Cultivating a culture of pura vida (pure life), this bastion of biodiversity is also a champion of sustainability. As a result, rainforests flourish, wildlife is bountiful and residents on the Nicoya peninsula often live to more than 100 years old.
Sandwiched between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, coastlines are visited by several species of cetacean, creating one of the world’s longest whale-watching seasons (roughly August to April). Inland, emerald-winged birds flutter through the swirling mist of Monteverde Cloud Forest and sulphur pools bubble in the Rincón de la Vieja region.
A 15-night escorted tour through Ramble Worldwide costs from £4,520pp (two sharing) on a half-board basis, including flights and transfers. Various departures.
Average winter temperature: 28CHours of daily winter sunshine: 7
Despite boasting easy access to two of our planet’s greatest oceans, the most impressive waters in this offbeat Central American country lie inland. Flooded craters have created a habitat for some of the strangest creatures, including endemic cichlids and a population of bull sharks. Swim, kayak or scuba-dive in the dormant cone of Apoyo Lagoon, warmed to 26C by bubbling hot springs. Past political problems have kept the country off the mainstream holiday radar, but a lack of major development is its charm.
A nine-night holiday through Black Tomato costs from £4,900pp (two sharing), including B&B and transfers. Flights extra.
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Average winter temperature: 26CHours of daily winter sunshine: 8
Of the several hundred islands comprising the Caribbean, few people could list them all. One name likely to gain more attention over the coming years is the Dutch island of St Eustatius in the Lesser Antilles, a short hop from neighbouring St Kitts. 
Dominated by a dormant volcano named the Quill, it was once an important trading port for the Dutch West India Company. Now, it’s a popular diving and nature destination primed for under-the-radar beach retreats. Hummingbirds and butterflies flutter between thousands of plants and flowers spread across the Golden Rock Resort, an ideal base for discovering this beautiful island.
Seven nights at Golden Rock Resort with Turquoise Holidays costs from £1,669pp (two sharing), including B&B, transfers and flights.
Average winter temperature: 27CHours of daily winter sunshine: 8
If digging toes in white sands sounds like a cliché, try walking barefoot across beaches in gold, ebony and salt-and-pepper hues. Breaking Caribbean conventions on all fronts, this West Indian island has shied away from showy, all-inclusive resorts, allowing visitors to embrace the local culture. 
As it is one of the only nations in the world where the rainforest is expanding, all land above 300m is protected. Explore by foot, in a 4×4 or on a zip line. Running for two hours along the north coast, the St Kitts Scenic Railway is the last transport by tracks in this part of the world. Once used to export sugar cane, it now carries tourists serenaded by a Kittitian choir.
Seven nights at Timothy Beach Resort with Caribtours costs from £1,499pp (two sharing), including B&B, transfers and flights. Plan a trip with our St Kitts travel guide.
Average winter temperature: 27CHours of daily winter sunshine: 8
Claiming to be the “shipwreck capital of the Caribbean” hasn’t necessarily been the best way to attract travellers over the years. Yet Grenada is using the boast to become a drawcard for divers and one of the Caribbean’s leading marine destinations, where waters are far less treacherous than in the past. 
The Underwater Sculpture Park in Molinere Bay features 75 works sunken at depths of 5-8m, easily accessible by scuba or snorkelling. Applauded as one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, the powdery, palm-fringed sands of Grand Anse provide a postcard setting at which to dry off on shore.
A six-night all-inclusive stay at Kalinago Beach Resort with British Airways Holidays costs from £854pp (two sharing), including direct flights.
Average winter temperature: 29CHours of daily winter sunshine: 8
As it is ringed by 1,600km of coastline, it’s hard to look beyond the Dominican Republic’s beaches. But Haiti’s calmer, upmarket neighbour – which shares Hispaniola island – has some of the most diverse landscapes in the Caribbean. 
The starting point for a rafting ride along the fast-flowing Yaque del Norte river, the resort town of Jarabacoa sits in the cooler reaches of the Cordillera Central mountain range. Affordable all-inclusive resorts huddle around commercialised Punta Cana, while pristine, crowd-free beaches can be found farther south in Jaragua National Park. Snorkel with hawksbill turtles and watch flamingos dance in lagoons.
A seven-night all-inclusive stay at Barceló Bávaro Beach Hotel through Tropical Sky costs from £1,249pp (two sharing), including transfers and flights.
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Average winter temperature: 30CHours of daily winter sunshine: 7
At the end of the monsoon season in southern India, temperatures become comfortable again and the sun glows for longer hours. Once it sets below the horizon, a night-sky canvas is decorated with sparkling illuminations as part of the Diwali festival of lights, which runs in October and November this year.
Float along Kerala’s sleepy backwaters, canals and lagoons in a houseboat, watching fishermen cast their nets. Cool down even further by travelling into the Cardamom Hills, where spices and coffee are cultivated on slopes. Even the living temples of Madurai, which throng with 10,000 pilgrims, feel reassuringly calm.
A 21-day Ultimate Southern India mixed-board holiday with The Ultimate Travel Company costs from £5,560pp (two sharing), including transfers and flights.
Average winter temperature: 27CHours of daily winter sunshine: 9
It’s rare to double-take at a bill for being so inexpensive. But in Thailand, consistently low prices are consistently a pleasing surprise. Balance peak-season flight prices with affordable accommodation at a range of barefoot resorts along the coast.
Choose Krabi for a backdrop of limestone karsts and turquoise waters, head to Koh Chang on the Cambodian border for a laid-back atmosphere, and enjoy crowd-free sunsets from Long Beach on Koh Lanta. Devastated by the 2004 tsunami, Khao Lak has rebounded to become one of the country’s most appealing beach destinations.
The Avani+ Khao Lak Resort has double rooms from £56 per night including breakfast. You can fly from London to Phuket via Abu Dhabi with Etihad from £645 return. Plan a trip with our Thailand travel guide.
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Average winter temperature: 27CHours of daily winter sunshine: 8
A giant Buddha watches protectively over the resort town of Bentota, perhaps explaining why this is one of surf-lashed Sri Lanka’s safest spots for winter swims. On an island impacted by two monsoon seasons, this south-western stretch is one of the best options between January and March. 
Close to the capital, Colombo, and the fort city of Galle, pristine golden sands twin well with broader cultural tours. Head into the highlands for a stay in the cooler tea plantations, where the first tea leaves were introduced from China 200 years ago.
A 13-night Classic Sri Lanka trip with Abercrombie & Kent costs from £4,250pp (two sharing), including B&B accommodation, transfers and flights.
Average winter temperature: 28CHours of daily winter sunshine: 7.5
Inhaling sea air has the power to heal – whether wading through water, meditating in beachside yoga sessions or simply appreciating nature’s beauty. One of seven countries certified by the World Health Organisation for its healthy air quality, this volcanic island is the place to stop and take a deep breath. 
Thriving in a clean environment, interior forests host endemic flora and fauna. Splash through jungle waterfalls and search for birds on a hike through the Black River Gorges National Park. Or justify lazy beach days with a climb to the summit of Le Morne Brabant, where views will leave you happily breathless.
An eight-night half-board twin-centre stay at Lakaz Chamarel Lodge and Sands Suites Resort & Spa with Mahlatini Luxury Travel costs from £2,400 pp, including flights.
Average winter temperature: 30CHours of daily winter sunshine: 6
When British Major-General Charles George Gordon arrived at Praslin’s Vallée de Mai in the late 19th century, he thought he’d found the fabled Garden of Eden. Filled with towering coco de mer palms bearing the world’s heaviest seed, it’s certainly a good match. 
But all 115 islands in the archipelago have their own paradisiacal charm. The easily accessible La Digue is fringed with boulder-strewn beaches, granite-based Silhouette and Mahé offer exceptional hiking, while Frégate and North Island are irresistibly secluded. Below the surface, sharks, turtles and a sweetie-store assortment of colourful nudibranches are the stars of scuba dives.
A 12-night Secret Seychelles trip to Mahé, Praslin and La Digue through Rainbow Tours costs from £2,895pp (two sharing), including B&B, transfers and flights.
Average winter temperature: 27CHours of daily winter sunshine: 7
A master of privacy and seclusion, the Maldives has taken ownership of the “one island, one resort” concept. It’s made up of almost 2,000 coral cays ringed around atolls, so there is no shortage of options for fancy property developers. But it’s easy to forget the marine destination can be explored by boat.
Yachts, liveaboards and cruise ships glide through the glinting waters, but the cheapest way to sail is on a dhoni. Traditionally constructed from coconut wood, the fishing vessels have been elevated with comfortable cabins and are now used for multi-day tourist trips. Access remote reefs, anchor in empty bays and dine on meals cooked by a Maldivian crew.
A six-day full-board trip through World Expeditions costs from £1,190pp. Flights extra. Plan a trip with our Maldives travel guide.
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This articles was first published in December 2023 and has been revised and updated.