Winter sun is in need of a rebrand. Today we want holidays to count for more, to broaden our horizons and give us experiences we will never forget. Savvy travellers are looking to do more than top up their tans after having flown halfway around the world. As luck would have it, the countries that lend themselves so well to these kinds of adventures are at their very best during our winter months.
This season, sunseekers in the know are setting their sights in a different direction. Ongoing conflict in the Middle East has shaken travellers’ confidence in the entire region, and while Gulf airlines may be offering discounted flights to longer-haul destinations, it’s unlikely to feel like such a bargain if the situation deteriorates and your transfer is cancelled.
Many see the disruption as an opportunity to head west to the epic destinations of the Americas. “Brazil bookings are up 240 per cent,” says Hamish Van Gruisen, director of The Ultimate Travel Company. Tom Barber, chief branding officer at Voyageurs du Monde, notes a greater desire for “the increasingly compelling combination of South and Central America”, helped by the potential for “drier-than-usual conditions” in the region as a result of the current El Niño.
From undeveloped, castaway shores to cinematic landscapes, here are 10 destinations the experts are tipping for greatness this winter.
Out: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
In: Fernando de Noronha, Brazil
This under-the-radar archipelago, described by Unesco as a place “of indescribable beauty”, is a national marine park teeming with biodiverse life in its luminous blue waters and undeveloped castaway shores. Despite its small size, three of Brazil’s most coveted beaches reside on Fernando de Noronha. Low visitor numbers have kept it pristine, while it has remained relatively hard to reach. This changed earlier this year when its fully renovated, scaled-up airport reopened, hosting new direct flights from São Paulo. The good news: visitor numbers are still capped to prevent overtourism – particularly in a year in which winter-sun bookings to Brazil are booming – so while everyone else is cheek-by-jowl on Copacabana, you can be swimming with manta rays and green sea turtles.
How to do it: The Ultimate Travel Company combines Fernando de Noronha with another of Brazil’s lesser-visited natural wonders, the giant dunes and lagoons of Lençóis Maranhenses, on the tailor-made 15-day Northern Brazil itinerary by speedboat and 4x4. From £5,760pp, inc domestic flights, private transfers, B&B and most activities.
Out: The Maldives
In: Guadeloupe
Demand for British Airways’ (BA) direct flights to Malé will be fiercer than ever this winter, with travellers put off the (usually cheaper) Gulf carriers that fly via home hubs vulnerable to closure. Consider snorkelling on the reefs of the Lesser Antilles instead. Tom Barber shares an insider tip for a peaceful alternative to the usual hotspots. “Guadeloupe is one of our ‘secret Caribbean’ islands. It flies under the radar compared to its glitzier siblings, but offers up an idyllic coastline, lush rainforests, tumbling waterfalls and coral reefs that have been described as some of the best diving in the world.”
How to do it: The Voyageurs du Monde Best of Guadeloupe itinerary costs from £2,350pp for a 10-day trip based on two sharing. The price includes flights, car hire and eight nights’ B&B.
Out: Jordan
In: Arizona
Sandwiched between Israel and the Gulf states, Jordan is prone to travel disruption right now. So if it’s desert adventures you seek, look west to the cinematic red-rock landscapes of Arizona. Along with the Grand Canyon, the Colorado Plateau is home to the red-rock badlands and buttes of the Painted Desert, Monument Valley, and Antelope Canyon, whose undulating sandstone curves rival those of Petra, glowing pink and gold in the changing light. Southern Arizona’s vast Sonoran Desert encompasses the cactus-studded Saguaro National Park, and cultural hubs too: Tucson was named Unesco’s first Creative City of Gastronomy for its unique indigenous and Mexican cuisine, while Scottsdale is a fascinating mix of Navajo and Wild West. Winter is great walking weather, with sunny days averaging 20C – warmer than Jordan by far.
How to do it: Trailfinders offers a 15-night self-drive Arizona’s Red Rocks & Canyons, taking in deserts, Scottsdale, Tucson and a stay at the White Stallion Ranch, from £3,329pp, including flights, car hire and accommodation.
Out: Costa Rica
In: Colombia
Colombia is having a moment, with travel companies across the board confirming an uptick in inquiries for this re-emerging South American country. Like Costa Rica, it has both Caribbean and Pacific beaches, wild rainforests and coffee-growing regions. But where Colombia has the real edge is its rich culture – food, music, history, indigenous ruins and Spanish-colonial cities. And there’s another reason to visit in 2027: it’s the centenary of Gabriel García Márquez, whose novels were inspired by the seductive city of Cartagena. “Beyond the literary connection, travellers will find exceptional independent hotels, delicious Caribbean-Colombian cuisine and music at every turn,” says Portia Hart of local collective Nuestra Cartagena.
How to do it: Black Tomato’s private eight-night Luxury Family Holiday in Colombia includes island-hopping, riding through jungle and coffee fields, and a ghost tour of Bogotá, from £4,700pp, excluding international flights. G Adventures offers the nine-day group journey Colombia Express from £1,237pp.
Out: Thailand
In: Vietnam
The White Lotus effect has brought a greater influx of visitors to the Thai islands already strained by overcrowding, so skip the beach parties and head next door. An altogether quieter, gentler option, Vietnam is ideal for winter-sun family adventures. It’s affordable and easy to get from north to south by sleeper train, with plenty of eye-opening sights (think mopeds piled with pigs in baskets), experiences (floating markets), flavours (cookery classes and excellent street food), plus beautiful beaches in the south. The people here will restore your faith in humanity at a time when the rest of the world shakes it.
How to do it: Families Worldwide’s 10-day group journey Vietnam Family Adventure costs from £1,245 per adult and £1,095 per child, excluding flights.
Out: Egypt
In: Guatemala
Pyramids on your bucket list but reluctant to travel to Egypt right now? Some of the greatest and least-visited are buried in the jungles of Guatemala, in the lost citadels of Tikal and El Mirador, reached by trekking or a helicopter flight – so no jostling with hordes of tourists. Guatemala itself is experiencing something of a rediscovery, topping Skyscanner’s list of search increases for winter sun this year, while Intrepid reports a 29 per cent increase in bookings. Ancient history aside, it packs a lot into its small size: white-sand Caribbean beaches, Pacific surf, great sailing in its nature reserves, its own brand of ecolodge, and splendid colonial cities where Mayan tradition meets Spanish heritage. Go in December to experience Antigua’s magical candlelit processions along its cobbled streets, or in February for the spoils of the coffee harvest.
How to do it: Intrepid’s brand-new nine-day trip Hike, Bike & Kayak Across Central America travels through Guatemala and costs from £1,332pp.
Out: The Serengeti
In: Rwanda and Zanzibar
If recent footage of traffic jams of jeeps blocking Great Migration crossings in the Serengeti concerns you, consider an altogether different kind of safari. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is carefully controlled with limited visitor permits to prevent negatively affecting these endangered creatures.
Peak season is during Britain’s summer, but Rwanda experiences a less well-known second dry season from mid-December to the end of February, when you can expect warm, comfortable trekking weather, quieter trails and lodges, and lush, green cloud forests thanks to recent rains. RwandAir flies direct to Kigali from London daily in 8h 40m, while recently launched direct flights between Kigali and Zanzibar (2.5h) mean you can easily combine safari with spice-island beaches, where January and February bring clear seas for snorkelling and diving.
How to do it: The Luxury Holiday Company offers three nights in Rwanda including gorilla trekking, full board, and five nights at Essque Zalu Zanzibar, half board, from £9,430pp, excluding flights.
Out: Barbados
In: Dominica
With new direct BA flights to Barbados and holiday bookings up almost 50 per cent, the island is expected to be busy this winter. But savvy travellers can take advantage of the extra direct flights, then hop across to a more offbeat neighbour. Demand for the “Nature Island” of Dominica has prompted both Audley and G Adventures to offer trips there for the first time this winter. “We’re seeing interest in active, off-the-beaten-track Caribbean island adventures,” says G Adventures’ Brian Young. Emily Summer, Audley’s specialist, meanwhile, likens its verdant volcanic mountainscapes more to Costa Rica than your usual Caribbean fly-and-flop: “Dominica offers a great mix of active adventure and rainforest beauty along with some of the Caribbean’s most luxurious accommodation.”
How to do it: Audley Travel’s 12-day tailor-made Wild Caribbean itinerary combines Dominica with Barbados and St Lucia, from £14,445pp, including business-class flights. G Adventures’ seven-night Dominica: Waterfalls, Volcanic Peaks & Kalinago Culture small-group itinerary costs from £1,949pp.
Out: Australia’s East Coast
In: Australia’s South Coast
Scott Dunn has experienced a rise in bookings not just to Australia, but notably to the country’s south, with its world-class food and wine scene. “It’s being driven by a real shift in what our clients are looking for – wildlife encounters and the chance to properly engage with Aboriginal culture and communities, rather than just tick off the classic sights,” says the tour operator’s expert, Josh Peacock. And discovering Australia’s cooler south became easier thanks to BA’s new direct flights to Melbourne. Elsewhere in the south, Adelaide has its own Galapagos in the reborn Kangaroo Island, which abounds with breeding fur seals during the Australian summer.
How to do it: Scott Dunn offers an 11-night private tour of Australia from £18,000pp, including international flights and transfers. Wexas Travel offers a 17-day self-drive from Melbourne to Adelaide from £4,125pp, including flights and car hire. Responsible Travel can arrange small-group experiences in southern Australia such as the Three Day Kangaroo Island Wildlife Tour, from £715pp..
Out: Dubai
In: Cape Verde
Fancy some short(ish)-haul sunshine? The Gulf states may be out, but see it as an opportunity to try a new, much underrated winter-sun beach escape: Cape Verde. Newly on our radar after its World Cup appearance – the only nation not beaten by Spain – this Atlantic archipelago 350 miles off the coast of Africa is a kind of Portuguese answer to the Canary Islands, two hours south and several degrees warmer. As well as knock-out beaches, it has an intriguing Portuguese-Creole cultural fusion and volcanic landscapes to explore, should you tire of cocktails beside the pool.
How to do it: First Choice offers a week at the five-star Riu Palace Boavista from £899pp in December, all-inclusive, including flights.