Winter Escapes
I can’t wait until Spring, get me out of here!
The Christmas decorations are long back gathering dust in the loft, but despite being well into the new year, Spring feels a long way off!.
The weather app shows seven consecutive days of grey cloud icons. Your vitamin D levels have dropped to ‘Victorian orphan’ territory.
You need to escape. But where? The Canaries are obvious. Bali is far. You need something that won’t require selling a kidney or spending twelve hours in economy.
We’ve ranked the best winter escape destinations based on what actually matters: flight time from London, average cost for a week, visa requirements, and crucially, guaranteed sunshine.
THE TOP TIER: Maximum Sun, Minimum Faff
Agadir, Morocco
Flight time: 3.5 hours
Average week cost: £400-600 (flights + accommodation + food)
Visa: Not required for UK citizens (90 days)
Expected temp: 20-22°C
The underdog of winter sun. While everyone piles into Marrakech, Agadir sits on the Atlantic coast delivering beach weather as early as January without the medina chaos. It’s not glamorous (think package holiday vibes) but that keeps prices low. The beach is enormous, the seafood is fresh, and you can day-trip to Paradise Valley or the old kasbah. Direct flights from multiple UK airports.
Lanzarote, Canary Islands
Flight time: 4 hours
Average week cost: £450-700
Visa: EU territory – no visa needed
Temp: 19-21°C
Yes, it’s a cliché. But Lanzarote is a cliché for a reason. The volcanic landscape is genuinely otherworldly, the wine region is underrated, and César Manrique’s architecture makes it feel more cultured than your typical Canary Island resort. Skip the tourist strip in Puerto del Carmen and base yourself in Costa Teguise or the north for a more interesting time. Timanfaya National Park is worth the coach tour.
Cabo Verde (Cape Verde)
Flight time: 6 hours
Average week cost: £500-800
Visa: Required but easy – apply online, €31
Temp: 24-26°C
The one your well-travelled friend keeps banging on about. Cabo Verde is properly warm in January, feels more adventurous than the Canaries, and hasn’t been completely overrun yet. Sal and Boa Vista have the beaches; São Vicente has the culture and nightlife. The music scene is excellent – this is the birthplace of morna and funaná. It’s Africa-lite: exotic enough to feel like a proper escape, safe and accessible enough for a quick winter break.
MIDDLE GROUND: Worth the Extra Flight Time
Jordan
Flight time: 5 hours
Average week cost: £600-900
Visa: On arrival or included in Jordan Pass (recommended)
Temp: 15-18°C (warm enough, not beach weather)
Not a beach destination, but January is genuinely the best time to visit. Petra without the summer crowds and heat is a completely different experience. Wadi Rum is magical, Amman is underrated, and floating in the Dead Sea is bucket-list stuff. The Jordan Pass (from £60) includes visa and entry to Petra and other sites – worth it. Food is incredible. Safety concerns are overblown – it’s one of the most stable countries in the region.
The Gambia
Flight time: 6 hours
Average week cost: £450-700
Visa: Not required for UK citizens
Temp: 30-34°C
Properly hot, genuinely affordable, and only six hours away. The Gambia is West Africa’s smallest country but packs in beaches, wildlife, and culture. The Atlantic coast resorts are well-established, there are boat trips up the Gambia River, and you can see chimps at the rehabilitation centre. It’s not polished – infrastructure is basic, hassle from beach vendors is real – but it’s warm, cheap, and interesting. January is peak dry season.
Oman
Flight time: 7 hours
Average week cost: £700-1000
Visa: E-visa required, easy online application
Temp: 25-28°C
The Middle East destination for people who find Dubai soulless. Oman has beaches, mountains, deserts, and wadis – often within the same day trip. Muscat is elegant without being flashy. The Empty Quarter is properly epic. It’s pricier than Morocco but feels genuinely different. January weather is perfect – warm but not the brutal summer heat. Hire a car and explore; it’s not a sit-by-the-pool destination.
LONG-HAUL BARGAINS: If You’ve Got the Time
Sri Lanka
Flight time: 11 hours
Average week cost: £600-900 (excluding flights)
Visa: ETA required, $50 online
Temp: 28-30°C
The economic crisis tanked tourism, which is tragic for Sri Lanka but means incredible value for visitors right now. Prices have dropped significantly and crowds are thin. January is dry season on the west and south coasts – beaches, surfing, whale watching, temple towns, tea country. It’s one of the most diverse small countries on earth. Go now before everyone else remembers it exists.
Vietnam
Flight time: 11-12 hours
Average week cost: £500-800 (excluding flights)
Visa: E-visa, $25, 90 days
Temp: Varies wildly by region – south is 28-32°C
Absurdly cheap once you’re there. January – March is tricky, it’s cool and drizzly in the north (Hanoi, Halong Bay) but warm and dry in the south (Ho Chi Minh, Mekong Delta, Phu Quoc). Plan accordingly. The food alone is worth the flight. Budget travellers can live well on £30/day; mid-range on £50. The overnight trains are an experience. Direct flights from London make it more accessible than ever.
TLDR: If you’re broke and desperate: Agadir or The Gambia. Cheap, warm, direct flights. If you want interesting over easy: Jordan or Oman. Culture and adventure, not just a sunbed. If you can swing two weeks off work: Sri Lanka or Vietnam. The flight time is worth it for the value. If you want to feel smug: Cabo Verde. Tell everyone about it before it gets ruined.
