Best Places to Find Some Winter Sun
Leave the cold behind and get away from it all with our top ten winter beach destinations.
As the days get colder and the winter months draw ever closer, the warmth and freedom of summer can feel like a life time ago. Summer holidays are reduced to distant memories and all that remains is an album of photos confined to your Facebook page. Walks on the sand and long days of sunbathing are replaced by dark morning commutes and nights spent in front of the TV. The winter blues have well and truly hit.
But, it doesn’t have to be this way. With a winter beach holiday you can swap the dark days and blistering cold for some winter sun. Grab your passport, order your single trip travel insurance and fly away to one of our top ten winter beach destinations.
10. Sharm El Sheik, Egypt
For those looking to bask in the winter sun while enjoying the luxuries of a purpose built holiday resort, Sharm El Sheik is ideal. All-inclusive resorts and private beach hotel beaches line up to welcome hordes of British tourists all year round. Offering a mix of first-class comfort, a buzzing nightlife scene and bright-blue waters perfect for snorkelling or scuba-diving, Sharm has all the western luxuries a traveller could need, without the cold winter weather.
9. Cape Verde, Santa Maria
For those looking for something a little further away from the gated resorts of touristic Sharm El Sheik, the islands of Cape Verde in Santa Maria could be the ones for you. In Boa Vista, perfect waters transition into refreshingly untouched beaches and sand dunes, while Mindelo on São Vicente is a hot spot for music and local nightlife. Consider island hopping to take in the wide range of scenery and cultural activities that this archipelago has to offer.
8. Paphos, Cyprus
Despite being surrounded by the colder eastern Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus is hot all year round and the sunshine is rarely absent. Sunbathing on the beach is a near guaranteed luxury, especially at the pristine coral Bay. Head to the harbour for bars and seafood restaurants, or take the bus to the Tomb of the Kings to experience some ancient local history.
7. Tenerife, Canary Islands
Summer never ends in the Canary Islands. Just a short three and half hour flight away from the looming winter of the UK lies Tenerife, a holiday favourite. An island offering an eclectic mix of all-inclusive resorts, white sand beaches, mountainous national parks and renowned carnivals, Tenerife is a beach holiday destination that offers much more than the typical holiday.
6. Agadir, Morocco
Following a crushing earthquake in 1960, Agadir was famously rebuilt as Morocco’s number one tourist hot-spot. This coastal area is the perfect destination for those hoping to enjoy a resort-based beach holiday whilst also hoping to experience new cultures. Most holidaymakers gather on the beach-front, where the pristine sea-side and restaurant promenade run side by side with Moroccan street food vendors. Hotels reflect traditional architecture and souks far less intimidating than their Marrakech counterparts offer a friendly taste of local life. A perfect mix of winter sun and traditional Moroccan culture.
5. Cancun, Mexico
Wash away the winter blues in Cancun. This Mexican city is home to soft, white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters, and is well known for its nightlife. Super-clubs stand in close proximity to luxury hotels and up-market restaurants, offering visitors the full holiday package. If you want to encounter real Mexican culture, venture into the city centre for a taste of local food or to experience Cancun’s salsa and jazz nightlife. In Cancun, there is something for everyone.
4. California
If you’re willing to make the journey to the States, California is the place to be for beach fun in the sun. Well known for its chilled-out vibe and almost endless sun, the Golden State couldn’t be further from the dreariness of the British Winter. California here we come!
3. Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is home to the kinds of beaches most people only dream about. Long stretches of white sand curve around transparent waters where swimmers share the sea with all varieties of tropical fish. Palm trees surround the many beaches offering shade from the never-ending sun, providing the scenery for a day in paradise. Elsewhere, beaches are met by mountainous cliffs and picturesque sand dunes, making the Dominican Republic a country of true natural beauty.
2. The Philippines
If you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of more commercialised beach holiday destinations, look no further than the Philippines. This collection of over 7000 islands offers an almost limitless number of semi-deserted beaches all waiting to be discovered, while protected tropical reefs present a glimpse of an untouched underwater world.
1. Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dubai is the place to go for a taste of luxury. Awash with five star hotels, spend your days at some of the most action packed private beaches in the world. Try your hand at jet skiing or go for a swim in the warm waters along the Jumeirah stretch. Away from the beaches, Dubai is a cosmopolitan haven, a mixing pot of cultures. Visit one of the city’s super-sized shopping malls, or for something a little different head to the chaotic souks. Like everything else in Dubai, the nightlife culture is luxurious. Eccentric rooftop bars sit above some of the city’s largest skyscrapers, whilst beachside bars offer guests the chance to dance to the soundtrack of the waves. Everything in Dubai is that little bit more glamorous, and considering its almost constant sun, it offers a winter beach holiday that cannot be beat.
Roxanne Seabourne is the Marketing Executive for Avanti Travelcare, who specialise in travel insurance for those with pre-existing medical conditions, and are one of very few that have no upper age limit on their policies.
*This post is brought to you in association with Avanti Travelcare.
