Winter Sun Inspo from Direct Travel

The winter months are approaching, and it’s time to wave goodbye to long nights and start thinking about getting those thick old socks out again. But if this is absolutely not on your agenda, you can jet off to wonderful destinations where minus degrees are rarely heard of.

Escape those chilly mornings, say goodbye to gloomy skies, and trade your chunky knits for swimwear - those brighter days are waiting for you beyond the place you call home. Here are our Top 5 Winter Sunshine Destinations:

1. Canary Islands - Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote

A long time favourite for UK holiday-makers, the Canary Islands are guaranteed to give you those summer vibes. Just 70- odd miles from the Saharan coast of Africa, you’ll find vibrant resorts scattered across picture-perfect coastlines, providing a wealth of things to do. You’ll find waves for watersports, volcanoes for the sightseers, and museums for the history buffs, and it’s all just a short flight away.

2. Egypt - Aswan, Luxor, Dahab, Giza

Time to tick some things off your bucket list! With highs of 29°C and lows of 14°C, Egypt boasts a warm, dry winter with crisp, cool breezes, making it the ideal getaway from drizzly days and freezing nights. Visitors at this time of year can see all they want to see without navigating through a horde of tourists, meaning the ancient pyramids, Great Sphinx, and other tombs and relics are yours for viewing. You’ve also got the infamous Nile river cruise, the milder temperature inviting you to relax on deck and soak up the winter heat with a cocktail in hand. For those with more adventurous requirements, Dahab near Sharm El-Sheikh is the place for scuba-diving, for camping, and for desert safaris. And of course, all across the country you’re welcomed with the opportunity to go camel-riding - and you know what they say, when in Egypt!

3. Cape Verde - Santo Antão, São Vicente, Sal, Boa Vista

Perfect for travel between November and March, Cape Verde’s archipelago of ten volcanic islands offers miles of powdery white sand, clear blue skies, and lapping turquoise waters - a positive subtropical paradise! The islands are well- known for the bordering Atlantic Ocean, which averages 26°C, and is frequented by lovers of watersports all over the world. You can always hop over to a neighbouring island too, for hiking in Santo Antão, or carnival in São Vicente; there’s the colonial relics of Boa Vista, and the residential towns in Sal - wherever you end up, you are guaranteed an extraordinary (and warm!) winter.

4. Mexico - Cancun, Ajijic, Cabo San Lucas

History, culture, nightlife, good food, and most importantly, sunshine - Mexico has it all. The winter months are a popular time to visit, with consistent and near-perfect weather giving hot days and cool nights accented with colour and festivity. Bordered by crystal clear waters, swimming is a must alongside paddleboarding and snorkelling, before you spend the evening strolling through lively streets and feasting on street food found nowhere else on the planet. With mountainous backdrops and impressive Mayan landmarks, just imagine working on that tan and warming the chill in your bones.

5. Australia - Darwin, Canberra, Melbourne, Tasmania, Sydney

A seasonal-swap classic - picture palm trees with baubles and barbequed turkey! Wherever you’re headed on this vast continent, December and January see Australia hitting its summer stride, boasting high temperatures for anyone dreaming of a long stay and avoiding the British winter altogether. You’ve got thrill-seeking in Tasmania, sightseeing in Sydney, museum-hopping in Canberra, hiking in Darwin, shopping in Melbourne, and the entire east coast of the Great Barrier Reef. Anything and everything is available to do in this spectacular destination - particularly with the sun on your face and a glass of something iced in hand.

If we’ve tickled your fancy, make sure you’re properly covered - we can help! GET A QUOTE today!