by Few months awaken the longing for a place brighter and warmer than December. And with the UK in the midst of a winter spell, it’s once again time to start dreaming of swaying palm trees and roaring waves to ring in the new year.
Enter the Caribbean, dressed in your peak season best and offering great hotels, sugary beaches and clear skies. Elsewhere, the Maldives offer classic fly-and-drop escapism, while Los Angeles and Buenos Aires are on hand to provide sunny city breaks.
Dust off those passports and get ready for warmer climates. Here’s our roundup of where to go to enjoy the January sun.
For temperatures between 19ºC to 24ºC
the Angels
While America’s largest city (New York) battles winter at its fiercest, the second largest is absorbing temperatures of around 20 degrees Celsius. In truth, it should come as no surprise that Los Angeles is so sun-drenched in January; After all, this is a metropolis with golden weather all year round. But this lack of mystery does not diminish the possibilities of relaxation on the coast of Los Angeles: in Venice Beach, in Santa Monica or further afield in Malibu.
How to do it: A seven-night break to the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills (unsurprisingly a five-star retreat), flying direct from Heathrow on January 13, costs from £3,629 per person, with Virgin Holidays (0344 472 9646; virginholidays.co .uk). Find more places to stay in our guide to the best hotels in Los Angeles.
Lanzarote
“Lanza-grotty” was the derogatory nickname given, in the eighties, to the fourth largest island in the Canary Islands. It was always an unreasonable insult, because, even if this sunny outcrop offers easy breaks in tourist areas such as Playa Blanca and Costa Teguise, it can also boast a growing range of luxury properties, drawing on Spanish culture in the capital, Arrecife, and volcanic. majesty in the Timanfaya National Park.
How to do it: A seven-night all-inclusive break to the five-star Paradisus Salinas Lanzarote, flying from Birmingham on January 20, costs from £1,395 per person, through Jet2Holidays (0800 408 0778; jet2holidays.com). Find more places to stay in our guide to the best hotels in Lanzarote.
Dubai
It can be easy to mock Dubai: to claim that its skyscrapers are ridiculously large, to suggest that its huge shopping malls are a substitute for any cultural elements, to say that its artificial island construction projects are overblown and silly. But the glitzier United Arab Emirates don’t give a damn, nor do the thousands of UK tourists who flock to their beaches knowing the sun will have its hat on.
How to do it: A seven-night half-board break to the five-star Anantara The Palm Dubai hotel, flying from Cardiff on January 20, costs from £1,611 per person, through Destinology (01204 208 891; destinationlogy.co.uk). Find more places to stay in our guide to the best hotels in Dubai.
Costa Rica
A country that has a warm climate and soft beaches will always be attractive. Costa Rica, one of the pieces of the puzzle that makes up Central America, is bathed by the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. You can contemplate both bodies of water simultaneously from the top of the Irazú volcano, but also enjoy cosmopolitan afternoons in the national capital, San José.
How to do it: Last Frontiers (01296 653 000; lastfrontiers.com) offers a 13-day “classic Costa Rica” itinerary that shows the country in detail. From £4,770 per person, flights included. Find more places to stay in our guide to the best hotels in Costa Rica.
For temperatures between 25ºC to 29ºC
Grenade
With its mountainous surroundings and lush interior, Granada is ideal for those who want a dose of adventure to offset their seaside break. It is also located on the southern edge of the Atlantic hurricane belt, making it less likely to experience tumultuous weather than other Caribbean islands.
How to do it: Audley Travel (01993 460 174; audleytravel.com) offers a 15-day “Grenada and St. Lucia Highlights” itinerary that, as the name suggests, splits your time between two Caribbean countries. Spend your first week in Grenada, venturing to the lesser-seen north of the island at Petite Anse, and sailing to the even lesser-seen neighboring islet of Carriacou. From £6,100 per person, including (all) flights. Find more places to stay in our guide to the best hotels in Granada.
Barbados
Barbados is so linked to the UK in terms of history and air links that a holiday there can sometimes feel like a trip to the British coast (albeit with temperatures exceeding 20 degrees Celsius all year round). . For many, it revolves around the luxury resorts of the West Coast, but venture to the capital, Bridgetown, for heritage and great food.
How to do it: A seven-night all-inclusive break to The House, a five-star boutique hotel on Durants’ west Bajan coast, costs from £2,399 per person, including flights, through Tropical Sky (01342 395 315; tropicalsky.co .uk). Find more places to stay in our guide to the best hotels in Barbados.
Dominican Republic
The country that makes up two-thirds of the Caribbean’s second-largest island (Hispaniola) has sometimes been overlooked as a vacation option. But it is gaining attention thanks to the luxury resorts that dot its southeast corner, around the Punta Cana settlement. The temperature generally hovers around 20 degrees Celsius at all times. The European winter also largely avoids the hurricane season (June-November).
How to do it: A seven-night all-inclusive break at the four-star Grand Sirenis Punta Cana Resort, flying from Gatwick on January 20, costs from £1,777 per person, through First Choice (020 3451 2688; firstchoice.co.uk ). Find more places to stay in our guide to the best hotels in the Dominican Republic.
For temperatures 30ºC+
Maldives
The most famous island group in the Indian Ocean has its nominal rainy season from May to November, so January is in full sun. In truth, the time of year does not greatly influence the experience in a vast archipelago located in the equatorial zone. Visitors can expect temperatures of 30°C when they travel.
How to do it: Why choose one luxury resort when you can offer two? Scott Dunn (020 3733 9378; scottdunn.com) offers a 10-night holiday at a twin Maldives resort splitting its time between a pair of properties, Gili Lankanfushi and Six Senses Laamu. From £6,400 per person (from £9,400 per head in January), flights included. Find more places to stay in our guide to the best hotels in the Maldives.
Tanzania
This slice of East Africa is an essential destination for safari getaway lovers, whether it’s for the incredible spectacle of the Great Wildebeest Migration to the Serengeti, or for the lesser-known wildlife experiences to be had in the National Park. Ruaha. Then there’s the scenery: the volcanic caldera of Ngorongoro Crater, the snowy power of Mount Kilimanjaro, the soft beaches of Zanzibar.
How to do it: Expert Africa (020 3405 6666; expertafrica.com) offers a 12-night “Dik Dik Safari” that sees big beasts in Tangarire National Park and the Serengeti, views Ngorongoro Crater and ends at Zanzibar Beach. From £9,620 per person in January, including international flights.
Buenos Aires
It’s strange to think of Argentina in terms of pure sunshine. After all, this is a country that extends (almost) to the foot of glacier-laden South America (Chile owns the tip of the continent). But Buenos Aires basks in the glow of the upper 20s during January, casting a beautiful light on the atmospheric streets of La Boca, the steakhouses of San Telmo, the glittering resurrection of the docks of Puerto Madero and the bars of Palermo fashion.
How to do it: Journey Latin America (020 3131 2661; Journeylatinamerica.co.uk) offers a “classic Argentina” holiday that, over the course of 12 days, visits Buenos Aires, Salta, Mendoza (and the surrounding vineyards) and the Falls of the Iguazu. From £3,484 per person (extra flights). Find more places to stay in our guide to the best hotels in Argentina.
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