10 Best Winter Sun Destinations

Escape from the cold winter of the north to Puerto Vallarta, one of the most popular resort towns on the Mexican Pacific coast. The town offers a great mix of sun, sand and surf as well as a lively nightlife scene. Sightseeing is pleasant in winter, especially in the cobbled hub where you’ll find cultural landmarks like the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe church.

Stroll or bike along the El Malecón beachside promenade, where you’ll find sculptures and a cool mix of bars, lounges and nightclubs. Family fun awaits at Nogalito Ecopark with its long zipline and you can even cruise on a pirate ship. The more adventurous types can go on hiking tours up in the Western Sierra Madre mountains and discover lush forests and hidden waterfalls.

Los Cabos is a great winter sun destination on the southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula. Choose a stay at either of its twin resorts: Cabo San Lucas offers gorgeous white-sand beaches and rugged natural beauty such as the El Arco arch while San José del Cabo is great for some Mexican nostalgia with its colourful colonial architecture.

It’s the coast of Los Cabos that makes this a great winter sun destination. The beaches are spacious and most are backed by amazing geological formations. Such is the so-called Lovers Beach (Playa del Amor) where you can also go under the waves for some wonderful snorkelling. There’s a good variety to choose from – Playa Palmilla is a Blue Flag beach for a bit of seclusion while Médano Beach is known for its lively seaside parties. Just pick the one that suits your needs the best.

With tropical Caribbean vibes and a rich history harking back to the ancient Mayans, Cancún offers a well-varied winter sun destination on the Yucatan peninsula. It’s a great base for exploring the magnificent ruins of Chichén Itzá and the walled city of Tulum. Even so, the Mexican city, which began as a tourism project back in the 1970s, is best known for its beautiful white-sand beaches bordering azure waters.

With wonderful coastal stretches, you have fantastic playgrounds for swimming and snorkelling, though you can also hop on a boat and dive at stunning wreck sites and underwater caves just offshore. Zona Hotelera is the place to be along the beachfront with its high-rise hotels, shops, bars and restaurants. But if you’re looking for a more authentic feel, there’s downtown El Centro – it’s very inexpensive compared to the resort area.

Punta Cana is a fun-filled resort town on the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic where the waters of the Caribbean and the Atlantic meet. Swim and dive in the clear, coral reef-protected waters along the 32-km palm-fringed shore and enjoy all-inclusive perks and golfing at the fine resorts on the Coconut Coast (La Costa del Coco).

Besides offering a full range of watersports such as windsurfing, kayaking, and sailing, Punta Cana delights thrill-seekers and outdoorsy types with its fun-filled adventure parks. You can enjoy paintball and go zip-lining, spot wildlife on excursions at ecological sites such as the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Reserve, and ride buggies through lush coastal forests.

Snowbirds escaping the winter for a fun-filled holiday in the Atlantic put the Bahamas high on their list. Comprising well over 2,000 exposed reefs and hundreds of coral islands – 30 of which are inhabited – the Bahamas is an ultimate beachgoer’s playground. Scenic and unique coasts such as Pink Sands Beach at Isla Harbour and the famous Pig Beach with its population of open-water-swimming piggies are among the Bahamas’ natural icons.

The islands’ modern and often-luxurious features include the likes of Atlantis Bahamas – an extravagant hotel and casino complex offering virtually endless entertainment and adventures. The resort on Paradise Island also features the fun-filled Aquaventure Water Park and the world's largest open-air marine habitat, aptly named Marine Habitat at Atlantis, with over a dozen lagoons and huge aquariums.

Costa Rica is an ideal choice for a winter sun getaway, especially if you’re looking for an adventure with lush tropical rainforests and rich wildlife. There are 28 national parks, 3 of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites. And these are home to 200 volcanic formations, some of which are active.

Besides going on hikes to discover crater lakes and hidden waterfalls in the Monteverde Cloud Forest, you can also spend days swimming and snorkelling off picturesque palm-fringed beaches like Manuel Antonio Beach and Playa Conchal. Further off the coast in Ballena Marine National Park, you can spot migrating humpbacks around December through April.

Winter is the right time to visit Jamaica for its temperate climate for beach days without the risk of hurricanes. Montego Bay is the place to be for Jamaica’s hip shopping and beach resort scenes, while adventures through splendid nature are merely a short drive or hike away.

Great snorkelling is guaranteed off Negril’s Seven Mile Beach, particularly around Marley’s Garden and Coyaba Reef. Awesome dive spots also await just a boat ride out from the cruise ship port of Ocho Rios. Near Ocho Rios, you can discover the beautiful cascades of Dunn’s River Falls. For a bit of history, visits to the haunted Rose Hall Great House and the colourful Bob Marley Museum are a must.

Orlando is an obvious choice for family fun, thanks to the numerous world-famous theme parks that call this Floridian city home. The winter months in Florida are generally mild with pleasant days for enjoying the thrill rides at notable parks such as Universal Orlando Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, and Epcot. Must-rides include Mako at SeaWorld Orlando, among the city’s biggest and fastest rollercoasters.

For more fun under the Floridian sun, you can admire the history and botanical beauty of the 19^th-century Harry P. Leu Gardens, stroll and shop at Orlando Outlet Marketplace, or watch a theatre production at the Dr Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. At the end of the day, make your way to Wall Street Plaza for a lively nightlife scene in Downtown Orlando.

Miami Beach is a quintessential South Floridian winter sun destination. The island city’s popular beachfront draws a significant summer crowd, and visiting in winter means you’ll likely have the wide North Shore Open Space Park, the palm-lined Lummus Park and South Beach largely to yourselves. It’s also warm enough for sunbathing and swimming most days.

Admire Art Deco buildings down Ocean Drive or stroll along the stylish promenade of Lincoln Road for some hip shopping and dining. A short drive across the MacArthur Causeway leads you to Downtown Miami’s iconic attractions, which you can explore on a fun hop-on, hop-off bus tour.

Honolulu, Hawaii’s state capital on the island of Oahu, is an ideal base for exploring the exotic island chain surrounded by the vast Pacific Ocean. You’ll find all modern amenities in downtown Honolulu, as well as the famous Waikiki Beach. Framed by high-rise hotels and the picturesque Diamond Head volcanic cone in the background, it's one of the state's most popular shorelines.

Just a short drive away, you’ll find more beautiful beaches around Oahu, together with lush tropical landscapes and pockets of natural beauty and colourful culture. There’s Lanikai and Kailua Beach on the east coast and you can take a detour from the coast with a hike to nearby Waimea Falls. Scenic drives to the Windward Coast or along the Pali Highway treat you to splendid scenery. Kualoa Ranch, north of Kaneohe Bay, is great for ATV rides through lush and familiar landscapes – it’s the filming location of Spielberg’s iconic Jurassic Park films.