Winter Sun Holidays

The most reliable winter sun from the UK is in South East Asia, the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean, where the dry season runs roughly from December to April and lines up neatly with the British winter. Australia and South Africa are in their summer at the same time. If you want a shorter flight, Dubai and the Red Sea are warm rather than hot, at around 22C to 26C.

Below is how we put winter sun holidays together, grouped by region, with the honest catches for each. Every trip we sell is built to your dates, and most of our winter clients combine two or three places rather than spending a fortnight in one resort.

"December to February is the dry, cooler season across most of South East Asia, so it is the best time of year to be there," says Georgia Wiseman, our Product Manager. "In Thailand I would focus on the north, around Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, and the Andaman coast. For Vietnam it is probably the best time to travel overall. It is also cooler for touring the temples at Angkor Wat, where the heat can be really tough the rest of the year."

South East Asia

This is where most of our winter holidays go, and for good reason. The flights are long, but the value on the ground is excellent and you can combine a city, culture and a beach in a single trip.

Thailand is at its best from November to April on the Andaman coast around Phuket and Krabi, with hot, dry days and flat seas. The Gulf islands such as Koh Samui catch more rain until around the end of December, so we base early winter trips on the west coast. Northern Thailand around Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai is also at its best, warm by day and cool at night. Christmas and New Year on the Andaman coast are busy and priced accordingly. See our Boutique Thai Beaches holiday and our Thailand holidays.

Vietnam splits in winter because the country is so long. The south around Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc is reliably dry and hot. Hanoi and the north are cool and often grey in December and January, which is fine for sightseeing but not for a beach. We plan winter Vietnam trips to finish in the south, and steer clear of the week of Tet, the lunar new year, in late January or February, when the whole country is on the move. Neighbouring Cambodia is at its most comfortable for exploring Angkor. See our Southern Vietnam Luxury Escape and our Vietnam holidays.

Bali is in its wet season from November to March, and we would rather say so up front. January and February are the wettest months, so if you can, avoid them. "The rain generally comes in short bursts, mainly in the evenings," says Georgia. "Ubud, in the jungle, can be misty with very little sun at that time of year, but the east coast beaches around Sanur and Nusa Dua are a good choice, which is why our Singapore and Bali holiday finishes in Nusa Dua." It is also humid, which not everyone enjoys. See our Bali holidays.

Singapore is warm all year at around 30C, with tropical showers rather than a true dry season. It works best as the first stop of a two-centre trip, because a few nights in a city on arrival takes the edge off the jet lag before the beach. See our Singapore holidays.

Malaysia and Borneo give you rainforest, orangutans and a beach in one trip. Langkawi on the west coast is the best bet for a beach in winter. Borneo has excellent wildlife viewing at this time of year, but rain is almost guaranteed, so we usually suggest it later in the year. See our Malaysia holidays and Borneo holidays.

The Indian Ocean

The Maldives is at its clearest and calmest from December to April. It is a specific kind of holiday: one island, one resort and very little wandering off. That is perfect for some people and too quiet for others, which is why we often pair it with Sri Lanka or a city stopover. See our Maldives holidays.

Mauritius is hot and humid from December to April, with the odd heavy tropical shower. January to March is also cyclone season. Storms are not frequent, but it is worth knowing, and it is one reason travel insurance matters. Mauritius has far more to explore than the Maldives, which makes it a strong choice for families. See our Mauritius holidays.

Sri Lanka is the winter sun destination that does not get enough credit. The south and west coasts are dry and hot from December to March, the sea is calm, and it is prime time for wildlife and whale watching. "It is hot during the day but cooler in the evenings," says Georgia. "You can climb Sigiriya if you go early in the morning, sit on the beach without burning, and sightsee without worrying about overheating." See our Sri Lanka holidays.

The Seychelles and Zanzibar are both warm through the winter. The Seychelles is more humid and a little wetter from December to March than in the middle of the year, while Zanzibar is hot and largely dry from December to February. See our Seychelles holidays and Zanzibar holidays.

For a couple travelling between January and March, Georgia would combine two of them. "Sri Lanka and the Maldives is the perfect combination. It is only an hour to an hour and a half's flight between the two, it is peak dry season for both, and it is still the number one honeymoon combination people ask us for. Mauritius is in cyclone season at that time." See Sri Lanka Highlights & Maldives Escape.

Southern hemisphere summer

Australia is in summer from December to February, but it is a big country and the weather depends on where you go. Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth are warm and dry. The tropical north around Darwin, Cairns and Port Douglas is in its wet and cyclone season. "I have done tropical north Queensland in our winter and it was hard going," says Georgia. "Visibility on the reef was low because the cyclones churn up the water, and some rainforest tours were cancelled because of flooding." Stick to the southern states: Melbourne & Around the Bay and the Great Ocean Road fit easily into two weeks, and South Australia Wine Country & the Murray River is at its best around the grape harvest. See our Australia holidays.

South Africa is one of the best uses of a British winter we know. Cape Town is around 26C in December and January with long evenings, and you can add the Winelands or a safari. "You just cannot go wrong with the classic Garden Route at that time of year," says Georgia. See our Garden Route Explorer. It is only two hours ahead of the UK in winter, so jet lag is minimal. See our South Africa holidays and Cape Town holidays.

New Zealand is at its warmest from December to February, ideal for a road trip, though it is a long way to go for less than three weeks. See our New Zealand holidays.

The Americas

The Caribbean comes into its dry season in December and stays reliable until April. Hurricane season officially ends on 30 November. Barbados is the easiest island to do from the UK, Saint Lucia is greener and more dramatic, and Aruba sits outside the hurricane belt. "Each island has its own perks," says Georgia. "Saint Lucia is more jungle and tropical, with more luxury, and Barbados has a bit of everything. But Aruba is normally the best guarantee of winter sun, with very little chance of rain or cloud." We also sell Jamaica and Puerto Rico. See our Caribbean holidays, including Barbados, Saint Lucia and Aruba.

Mexico's Riviera Maya, south of Cancun, adds Mayan ruins and cenotes to the beach, which suits families who cannot face two weeks of doing nothing. See our Riviera Maya holidays.

Florida is often overlooked for winter sun, but Miami and the Florida Keys sit in the mid-20s from December to March with low humidity. It is an easy direct flight and works well for families combining sun with the theme parks. See our Florida holidays and Florida Keys holidays.

Hawaii and Costa Rica round out the region. Hawaii is warm all winter, with more showers on the windward sides of the islands. Costa Rica's dry season runs from December to April, the best time for its wildlife, cloud forest and beaches. See our Hawaii holidays and Costa Rica holidays.

Shorter flights

Dubai is the most reliable winter sun within about seven hours of London. December to February brings daytime highs of around 24C to 26C, low humidity and almost no rain. It suits people who want sun alongside restaurants, desert trips and a city, and it makes an easy stopover on the way to Mauritius or the Maldives. See our Dubai holidays and Abu Dhabi holidays.

Egypt's Red Sea is around five hours away and warm rather than hot in winter, typically low to mid-20s, with excellent diving and snorkelling. It pairs well with Cairo and the Nile. See our Egypt holidays.

"With four to six hours' flying and plenty of direct flights, Dubai and the Red Sea are ideal for the October and February half terms, when you normally only have a week," says Georgia. "You are guaranteed a warmer climate than at home, though the evenings can be cooler. It is the desert, after all."

Why winter sun works better as a multi-centre trip

If you are already committing to a long flight, spending the whole fortnight in one resort wastes it. A second centre costs relatively little, because the long-haul flight is the expensive part either way, and it gives the trip a shape. These are the winter combinations our clients book most:

Singapore and Bali. A few nights in the city, then Ubud's rice terraces and a week on the beach. See Singapore with Bali Jungle & Beach Stays.

Vietnam and Bali. Hanoi, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City, then the beach in Seminyak. See Delta, Bay & Beaches: Vietnam and Bali Escape.

Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Culture, wildlife and tea country, then the lagoon. See Sri Lanka Highlights & Maldives Escape.

Dubai and Mauritius. City and desert, then an island with plenty to explore. See An Elegant Dubai & Mauritius Escape.

Cape Town, safari and Victoria Falls. Not a beach trip, but one of the best ways to spend a British winter. See Cape, Safari & Falls.

See our multi-centre holidays for more, or our honeymoon holidays if that is what the trip is.

Winter sun month by month

November. A transitional month. The Caribbean is coming out of hurricane season and the Indian Ocean is drying out, so it is good value before the rush. See where to go on holiday in November.

December. The first two weeks are the best value window of the winter. Christmas and New Year are the most expensive fortnight of the year. See where to go on holiday in December.

January. Peak winter sun, with the most reliable weather across the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and much of South East Asia. See where to go on holiday in January.

February. Still excellent almost everywhere on this page. Half term drives a spike in family bookings, so book early if you are tied to school dates.

March. Often the best value of the winter for weather you would have paid a premium for in January.

Practical things worth knowing

Book earlier than feels necessary. Christmas and New Year at the better Indian Ocean and Caribbean resorts sell out well ahead, and many impose minimum stays and compulsory gala dinner supplements over the festive period. These are rarely obvious in a headline price, so we include them in every quote.

Everything here is built individually. Tell us the dates you have and roughly what you want from them, and we will tell you which of these destinations fits. You can also browse our beach holidays, luxury holidays and family holidays. If you are looking for snow rather than sun, see our winter holidays.