There are many positives about winter in the northern hemisphere – snowy walks, roaring fires and plenty of mulled wine. But after a few months of intermittent sunshine, we also understand the need for a little vitamin D, and what better time to travel than December (or January, or February…)?
Whether you’re looking to escape yuletide traditions, embark on the safari of a lifetime or swap the snow for sand on an exotic beach, we’ve come up with the best places to visit when the temperatures plummet at home.
And if you’ve left it a little late, then start your planning now for next year and give yourself the gift of a bucket-list trip…
Phu Quoc Island
Vietnam
Sun-kissed Phu Quoc is the winter escape you’ve been looking for. Miles of pristine beach runs around the island, melting into clear waters on one side and lush forests on the other. Go diving with sea turtles and sip cocktails on the sand, kayak down rivers and swim beneath sparkling waterfalls – and then tuck into some of the finest seafood around.
Kibale Forest National Park
Uganda
Swap your winter woolies for hiking boots and explore Uganda’s primate capital. Kibale is home to an amazing 13 species including families of habituated chimpanzees and on guided treks you’ll watch them clamber through the trees in search of breakfast, groom, play and catapult through the vines. You can even spend the entire day with researchers as part of the habituation programme — truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Guanacaste & Nicoya Peninsula
Costa Rica
When dreaming of somewhere summery to disappear to this winter, Costa Rica sounds like perfection. More specifically, the golden beaches of Guanacaste where you can wallow in sky-blue water, learn to surf and explore the coast by kayak or luxury catamaran. Plan a trip in the new year and you’ll also be in with a chance of seeing baby leatherback turtles making their dash to the sea.
Ngorongoro Crater
Tanzania
The summer season (December to March) is a wonderful time to find yourself in the Ngorongoro Crater. The grass is lush, the air is crisp – perfect for photography – and the migrating herds of wildebeest are in the midst of a mass calving on the southern plains of the Serengeti, drawing big cats into the hunt too. The birdlife is also dressed in colourful plumage, making for dazzling safari scenes.
The Garden Route
South Africa
Offering a little of everything, a road trip down South Africa’s splendid Garden Route is stunning during the northern hemisphere winter. Along the way, you’ll encounter dramatic, wave-lashed coasts, sugary beaches and plenty of activities from safaris to ziplining, and dolphin cruises to laidback walks. There’s also a fabulous collection of boutique hotels and properties to work your way through too.
Go on then, one more…
Antarctica
If you’re still longing for a white Christmas, depart for Antarctica for a week of fantastical scenery, intrepid excursions and the chance to see Emperor penguin chicks take their first steps…
