Aaaah Winter. Fireside gatherings, cosy cuddles under blankets, hot chocolate and mulled wine. Whistling winds that worm their way in between the seams of every coat, seemingly sub-zero rain that gleefully accompanies you every time you leave the house, commuting to work in the dark, commuting home in the dark, incessant sniffles, and pasty PASTY skin. Good God, let’s get away shall we?
Now we all love good ‘ole Blighty, but really nobody wants anything more for Christmas than a holiday in January. What with this being the 21st Century and all that jazz, it’s actually not that difficult to escape the doom and gloom of British Winter – and now is the time to get ahead of the game and book your post-Christmas getaway. But where is the best place to go for winter sun?
Winter sun in the Caribbean
During those moments when one sits contemplating life wrapped in a triple-goose-down-heated-super-thermal-blanket, it is the promise of sun-soaked beaches and shimmering warm waters that gets one through. And no place does winter sun like the Caribbean. The further south you head, the more things heat up, so your best bet is to head to an island like Barbados, where the British roads and super-friendly people will make you feel right at home, or St Lucia where you can find hot springs, incredible jungles, and some fantastic hiking opportunities surrounding the Pitons.
Expect to find daytime highs of around 29°C, with night-time staying warm at around 23°C. Rainfall is low (although this does creep up if you visit the more northern Caribbean islands), and you can bask in a glorious 9 hours of sunshine a day.
Winter holidays in the Far East
Travel to the opposite side of the world and you will find the opposite kind of weather. The many countries of South East Asia sport paths that have been well-beaten by the footfalls of travellers past, but no matter how many people have gone before, there is always somewhere new to explore, and with tropical weather to ease your exploration what more could you want? Thailand is your ultimate winter sun destination. The beaches on the West coast are perfect at this time of year, whilst Central Thailand and Bangkok are both warm and dry. Post-Christmas gym-bunnies will find a much more picturesque workout destination in Northern Thailand, where the weather is ideal for hiking. Next-door-neighbour Cambodia basks in pure unadulterated sunshine at this time of year; perfect for exploring Ankor’s temples, or simply laying on the beach.
Thailand in January exhibits some fine temperatures in the late 20’s, with very little chance of rain – particularly on the West coast and central areas. Expect cooler temperatures in the late teens in Northern Thailand. Cambodia has fantastic weather across the board in January, with an average of 26°C all over the country.
Find your inner Zen in Thailand
Indian Ocean holidays in January
We’ve all done that thing where you close your eyes and point to an atlas thinking; ‘next time things get a bit dreary I’m going to escape…HERE!’ A joyous game to play in between client calls and meetings. But how many times have you raised your hand expectantly, eyes squeezed tight in anticipation, only to hit a big blue expanse of Ocean? Look a little closer, oh fellow daydreamer, and shrouded within this paper sea you will find a few tiny clandestine islands, with promises of winter sunshine that will make your knees weak at the thought.
Bam smack in the middle of the Indian Ocean lie The Maldives; an archipelago of beautiful low-lying islands hosting some of the most secluded luxury resorts in the world. This is the place to come for some top notch R&R, where you can bask in steady temperatures of 26-30°C, for a beautiful 8 hours a day.
Infinite horizons in The Maldives
Head South off the coast of India and you will come across Sri Lanka, an island of history and luxury rolled into one. Rolling rainforests peter out into endless white sands, where crystalline waters make for perfect bathing and diving. January is surf season in Sri Lanka, so hit up the South coast to catch some 3ft rollers. You are guaranteed great weather averaging 30°C to the South of the island – though expect slightly cooler temperatures and a chance of rain in the North.
I’d say there is around a 99% chance the heavens are opening above Britain right now in a very cold way, and there really is only so much respite a mince pie will bring you come Christmas. So why sit around complaining that S.A.D (Seasonal affective disorder – yeah, we’ve all claimed to have had it) is an epidemic? Beat the British wintertime blues and let Kenwood Travel sweep you away on your luxury winter holiday in the sun.