Not every traveller loves the winter, but there’s a winter vacation for every kind of traveller. That’s the beauty of travel. It caters to all sorts of people. For one person, the snowy season is a perfect opportunity to embrace the cold weather, get outside, and follow the Northern Lights to wintery magic. For others, it’s an opportunity to jet somewhere warm where snowstorms and icy roads are the furthest things from their mind.
With this personalization in mind, we’ve put together a list of the 10 top places to go this winter, which caters to the unique interests of individual travellers. Our list tends to favour warm countries, but not exclusively, so whether you’re looking to relax on the beach, savour delicious food, or, yes, see the Northern Lights this winter, these are the countries for you. We’ve also offered some great considerations on how to extend your trip and venture into nearby countries, combining multiple destinations on a single itinerary.
Top place to go for adventure this winter: Argentina.
Argentina’s summer is an ideal time to get outside and go hiking. You can enjoy soft adventure like a trip to Iguassu Falls on the border with Brazil or a more intensive hiking trip through Argentine Patagonia, complete with views of glaciers, mountains, and exotic wildlife like guanacos and Magellanic penguins.
How to extend your stay: Extend your exploration of Patagonia by crossing over into Chile to see Torres del Paine National Park or take the Australis Cruise from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas in Chile for the complete exploration of Tierra del Fuego.
Top place to go for beaches this winter: Belize.
Belize is often upstaged by its neighbours, Guatemala and Mexico, but it’s one of the most appealing nations in Central America. It’s affordable, has English as an official language, and has many great beaches along the Caribbean, including on the island of Ambergris Caye, where you can connect to the Belize Barrier Reef, the world’s second-largest reef.
How to extend your stay: Cross over the border into Guatemala to see the Maya ruins of Tikal, extend your Central American vacation with visits to Costa Rica and Panama, or explore some emerging destinations, like El Salvador and Nicaragua.
Top place to go for culture this winter: South Africa.
Located on the coast in the shadow of Table Mountain, Cape Town in South Africa is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’s also an incredibly vibrant cultural destination, with an appealing food scene, abundant wineries surrounding the city, and a diverse population that embodies the Rainbow Nation. Use Cape Town as your base to explore the Western Cape, sampling Pinotage in vineyards and learning about the Malay influences on the nation in the colourful district of Bo-Kaap.
How to extend your stay: Fly to Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls for an ideal combination of city and natural wonder. You can also easily add on several days of safari game drives in South Africa or the neighbouring nations.
Top place to go for food this winter: Thailand.
Where better to feast this winter than the home of pad thai, tom yum goong, massaman curry, and pad see ew? Thailand is warm in the winter and shockingly affordable. You can head on foodie tours of Chinatown in Bangkok, enjoy the northern delicacy of khao soi, which is fried chicken with crispy noodles in a coconut curry, in Chiang Mai, or eat your way through the beachside restaurants of Phuket or Koh Samui in the south.
How to extend your stay: Venture into neighbouring Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos for the ultimate Southeast Asian culinary journey, enjoying warm weather and affordable rates along the way.
Top place to go for history this winter: Egypt.
Egypt is a great country to visit in the winter, as it’s much cooler and you can spend more time outdoors seeing all the ancient tombs, temples, and pyramids in Cairo and along the Nile River from Luxor to Aswan. You can also escape to the beach here, particularly along the Red Sea in the resort town of Sharm El Sheikh.
How to extend your stay: Make it a tour of North Africa by adding on Morocco to see gorgeous Islamic architecture in the Imperial Cities of Fez, Rabat, Meknes, and Marrakech.
Top place to go for landmarks this winter: Australia.
Australia’s wonders should need no introduction: Uluru; the Sydney Opera House; the Great Barrier Reef; the Twelve Apostles; the Bungle Bungles; the Blue Mountains; Federation Square. The country is bursting with highlights that belong on any globetrotter’s bucket list. Australia enjoys its summer at this time of year, making it an ideal country to explore on a winter vacation. Make this the year to explore the land Downunder.
How to extend your stay: Take advantage of the long Pacific flight to tour New Zealand and add on a beach stopover on an island nation in the South Pacific such as Fiji.
Top place to go to a resort this winter: The Maldives.
If you want to do nothing more than stay at the resort and flop on the beach this winter, head to the Maldives. This nation in the Indian Ocean is made for beach getaways, as every resort in the island nation is located on a private island. Pick your resort, relax in your overwater bungalow, and while away your days lounging on the white sands, enjoying gourmet meals in the restaurants, or heading on excursions, including snorkel trips to see migrating whale sharks.
How to extend your stay: Add on a stopover in Dubai or southern India for an ideal combination of mainland culture and island getaway.
Top place to go snorkelling this winter: Hawai’i.
From Turtle Town and the Molokini Crater off the south shore of Maui to Manta Ray Village on Hawai’i (The Big Island), the Hawai’ian Islands are bursting with great snorkelling spots. Make Hawai’i your destination of choice this winter to explore the waters of the Pacific, hike active volcanoes, and make your friends jealous back home.
How to extend your stay: Continue the journey and connect onwards to the Cook Islands for the ultimate Pacific island escape.
Top place to go for snow this winter: Finland.
You didn’t think we’d forget a snowy destination, did you? Finland is the ideal landscape to explore in winter if you want to chase the Northern Lights across the Arctic landscape, go dog-sledding, see Santa Clause’s village (it’s located in the town of Rovaniemi), and learn about Europe’s only Indigenous peoples, the Sami.
How to extend your stay: Explore the rest of the Nordics, pairing time in Finnish Lapland with fjord tours in Norway and city stays in Stockholm and Copenhagen.
Top place to go for wildlife this winter: Kenya.
January and February are one of the dry seasons in Kenya, making it a convenient time to get into a Land Cruiser and explore the wilds of the savannah, spotting the Big Five and more birds than you could ever imagine. Spend your time this winter in the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve or venture to less-visited parks such as Amboseli, home to the big tusker elephants near Mt. Kilimanjaro, or Samburu, known for its population of rare animals, including the Somali ostrich and beisa Oryx.
How to extend your stay: Head into Tanzania for the ultimate Big Five combo or go to Rwanda and Uganda to see mountain gorillas in the rainforest.
You might say that Aren was destined to become a globetrotter after his family took him to Germany two times before he was four. If that wasn’t enough, a term spent in Sweden as a young teenager and a trek across Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand confirmed that destiny. An independent writer, director, and film critic, Aren has travelled across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America. His favourite travel experience was visiting the major cities of Japan’s largest island, Honshu, but his love for food, drink, and film will take him anywhere that boasts great art and culture.
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