Recommended holiday ideas for some winter sun

It’s cold, it’s wet, and all you are craving is a bit of sunshine. Well, what are you waiting for? A winter sun holiday is a fabulous way to blow away the cobwebs, giving you that well needed vitamin D and offering the perfect place to relax and forget about your daily worries. From fun and colourful holidays in the Caribbean, to fancy trips to Mauritius, here are a few ideas for your winter holiday in the sun.

How about a trip to the Caribbean? Picture-perfect beaches, delicious seafood, lively nightlife, fabulous hotels and a great Caribbean culture – Barbados is definitely a hotspot for a winter sun holiday. In fact, many celebrities head to the island for their Christmas holidays – so you may even run in to Simon Cowell or Rihanna during your trip. The south coast is a truly beautiful area to soak up the sun in, including the vibrant Accra Beach with its thrilling water sports and local kiosks, and St Lawrence Bay’s cool bars and restaurants. The SoCo Hotel is a trendy spot close-by to the south coast’s most beautiful beaches, offering a relaxing respite from the water sports, shops and restaurants as you lie on the stylish pool deck and sip on a fruity rum based cocktail.

If you’re looking for a bit of romance on your winter sun holiday, St Lucia is the place to be. This gorgeous island is a hotspot for loved-up honeymooners and couples thanks to its breath-taking backdrop of tropical flora and sparkling waters, and its laid-back Caribbean charm. Culture and romance go hand-in-hand here, offering wonderful days full of sunbathing, dolphin spotting, ziplining, and discovering the island’s colourful cocoa plantations and fruit and vegetable markets at Castries. Nestled between the Pitons, Anse des Pitons is a beautiful, secluded beach offering soft, white sands and crystal clear waters, whilst The Cliff at Cap Restaurant offers a truly romantic setting as you dine on fresh, local seafood. StolenTime by Rendezvous is the perfect spot for couples, offering boutique accommodation with truly idyllic views and amenities, including relaxing open-air couples massages at The Spa in the Water Garden, candle-lit dinners, and a lovely little lazy river to relax on.

Sitting east of Madagascar, Mauritius is a tropical paradise perfect for a romantic getaway, but also brilliant for families wanting a bit of luxury. The beaches here are simply divine, with accommodation ranging from chic, elegant resorts, to more affordable family hotels. Your holiday can be as relaxing or as active as you like here, too – the spectacular sugary sands are perfect for soaking up the sun, whilst the vibrant Grand Baie is full of trendy bars and cool music venues. There are plenty of water sport opportunities too, including catamaran cruises, deep-sea fishing, and Captain Nemo’s Undersea Walk, whilst Black Gorges National Park offers the chance to spot a myriad of colourful rare birds and animals, including the Mauritian pink pigeon, Mauritian flying fox – a beautiful bat species – and macaque monkeys. Zilwa Attitude is a favourite with many of our sales team, a gorgeous hotel full of authentic Mauritian ‘otenik’ experiences, including bike rides to Coin de Mire, cooking classes, and private picnics on a small island, and offering a lovely, friendly place to get that much needed winter sun – they even have an abundance of different rum flavours to sip on as you relax, and a brilliant kid’s club with treasure hunts and fun games on board a beached boat.

There's plenty to get excited about with regards to winter holidays in Sri Lanka with some stunning beach resorts and affordable accommodation options making for an exotic experience that everyone can really enjoy. From UNESCO World Heritage sites to elephant rides through the tropical flora, Sri Lanka is a country teeming with attractions and activities. Situated on Sri Lanka's super southwest coast the Centara Ceysands combines modern style with golden sands and peaceful river banks and if you're longing to have your pick of 165 stylish guest rooms then river and ocean views are yours for the taking. Alternatively, AVANI Bentota, created in homage to an 18th century Dutch village and boasting an inspired mix of wildlife, romance and luxurious spa services, provides the antidote to stressful modern lives with golden sands and lapping ocean waves practically on your sun kissed doorstep.

You don’t have to stick to beach holidays either – there are plenty of bustling cities that boast beaming sunshine all year round. Dubai is a fantastic choice for a quick holiday in the sun, offering plenty of activities, shops, restaurants and water sports all in close proximity to each other – this lively city is definitely one of the world’s most desirable holiday destinations for a reason. There are fabulous beaches here too, of course, but in-land there is an extravagant world of over 70 gigantic malls filled with designer clothes and unique trinkets, energetic bars and clubs that party way into the night, heart-pumping adrenaline water sports, fun-filled water parks, and more indulgent restaurants than you can shake a fork at. Jumeirah Zabeel Saray is a remarkable hotel featuring everything you never even knew you needed for a holiday in the sun this winter – including its own boutique shopping arcade, cinema, gym, and lagoon style swimming pool. It’s splendid, opulent décor lends itself as a luxurious spot for couples, whilst families will certainly be enthused by the complimentary tickets to the adrenaline-fuelled Wild Wadi Waterpark.

A winter sun holiday is always a good idea – and these incredible destination ideas will be sure to entice you as soon as the first frost appears.