The Best Winter Sun Destinations for 2023
With the relative glories of the UK summer now a distant memory, we're faced with short, bleak days, freezing temperatures, and quite probably a vitamin D deficiency.
The solution, of course, is to book a ticket to somewhere hot and sunny and leave it all behind - albeit only for a week or two.
After all, it's always sunny somewhere on the planet.
But where are the best destinations to head for some winter sun?
Here’s our pick of six of the best winter sun destinations...
Winter sun in the Canary Islands
Yes, the Canary Islands have beaches. But they've also got pine-clad mountains, dramatic waterfalls and subtropical greenery to enjoy. Then there's the cacti-packed plains, the flower-filled meadows, and the kaleidoscopic lava fields (with the volcanoes to go with them).
Best of all, it can be enjoyed year-round - with the possible exception of December - thanks to the reliably warm, sunny weather.
What's more, it's just four hours from the UK by air, which means you could be there before you know it - and there'll be no jet lag to deal with.
And - yes there's more - you'll pay a lot less for hotels in the winter months.
No wonder it’s one of the UK’s most popular winter sun destinations.
Winter sun in Costa Rica
If the highlight of your day is waiting for the Tesco delivery van to arrive, or rebelliously shutting the windows on the bus to work (we don't condone it!), then maybe it's time you booked a flight to Costa Rica for some winter sun?
Swap the chilly grind for ascending a mist-shrouded volcano, exploring a bat-filled cave, or simply feeling the sun's warm embrace as you sit on a soft sandy beach and do... absolutely nothing.
Costa Rica has all this and more - including hiking, biking, zip-lining... phew!
And you won't even have to feel guilty about it, thanks to the island's focus on green energy (wind and hydro, mostly) and sustainable tourism.
Did we mention the weather?
With January highs of 27 degrees, it’s one of the best winter sun destinations going.
You'd be forgiven for missing your transfer back to the airport and running off into the lush, balmy jungle (but we don't condone that, either!).
Winter sun in St Lucia
Winter visits to St Lucia are tough: should you spend the day exploring the wildlife-filled rainforest, climb a volcano peak - or simply stay on your sun lounger with a slightly rude-sounding cocktail in your hand?
After a day or two getting a bona fide winter tan (30 degree C is the norm in January), you may be tempted by these strenuous activities, or you may decide to book a day sailing along the pristine coast, or, when the sun goes down, learn to dance 'Lucian' style.
Aside from making a fool of yourself trying the local jig, night times on St Lucia are at least as much fun as day times, not least because of the regular street parties - and the fact the temperature only drops by about five degrees.
No wonder St Lucia is high on most winter sun destination hit-lists!
Winter sun in Mexico
Another of our favourite winter sun destinations is Mexico.
It's easy to find your own sandy spot on a Mexican beach, thanks to more than 10,000km of coast - much of it featuring Instagrammable beaches, Facebook-update-able lagoons and Tik-Tok-able beachside restaurants.
Once you've aroused the envy of your friends and co-workers through the proven medium of social media, it's time to plunder the other riches of Mexico - from witnessing millions of migrating butterflies in the central Highlands, to hiking the mountain cloud forests of Oaxaca, to enjoying a firework fiesta.
After all this excitement, you'll likely forget to post any more status updates at all.
But with winter sun temperatures in Mexico hovering around 23 celsius, at least you'll have a decent tan to show off when you get back.
Winter sun in the Maldives
You don't have to get married on a winter sun trip to the Maldives - but it helps.
These islands are the Indian Ocean's honeymoon honeypot, and everything about them screams romance.
But everything about them also screams "25 degrees in the shade", which is important if you've haven’t seen the sun since that weekend in Bognor Regis three months ago.
Aside from getting hitched and getting a sun-burnt nose, there's a lot else to do on these islands. As long as those things are snorkeling and diving (manta rays, turtles and sharks are among the treats in store).
But what else would you need, when you have miles and miles of the finest beaches in the world at your feet, lapped by gas-blue waters?
The Maldives is quite simply one of the best places for winter sun on the planet.
In addition, locals are now allowed to run their own guest houses, so you don’t need to pay extravagant hotel prices in the lavish happy-couple resorts!
Winter sun in Florida, USA
Perhaps your dreaming of spending your Christmas holidays in the sun? Then Florida may fit the bill.
Alongside icing-sugar beaches where the surf is always up, you'll have steaming mangrove swamps, theme parks and vibrant anything-goes cities to explore.
With average January highs of around 22 C, Florida is not the warmest winter sun destination on our list, but it sure makes up for it with its lively Latin culture and effervescent nightlife.
This marriage of awe-inspiring nature and fun-packed cities make Florida an ideal winter sun holiday destination for those who want a bit of everything.
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