If you’d rather bury your head in the sand (quite literally) than face winter’s rain, hail and storms, there are a few places you can escape to. Complete with sunshine, culture, beaches and plenty of R&R. Sound good? A holiday always does.
We’ve done the planning. All you need to do is pack your swimsuit.
For the foodie: Bordeaux, France
Treat yourself to a grape escape with a river cruise through the Bordeaux region APT River Cruises recently added the renowned location to its line-up.You’ll eat your body weight in cheese, drink some of the best wine in the world and come back immensely relaxed as everything’s organised and taken care of for you. And you never know, you could be so inspired by the fancy French cuisine that you enter MasterChef next year.
APT Luxury Cruises & Tours are now offering river cruising in Myanmar and Bordeaux, France for the first time, and special discounts for some group bookings.
For those on a budget: Port Douglas, Queensland
We’re not totally starved on sunshine when winter hits. One destination closer to home that offers up a relaxing holiday feeling (with temperatures in their late 20s to boot) is Port Douglas. It’s not cheap by everyday standards, no. But definitely a good option for sunshine on a budget. Be sure to snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef – don’t forget the underwater camera – and it’s well worth doing a tour of Daintree Rainforest.
For the best beach break: Ocho Rios, Jamaica
If two weeks in the sun catching up on the latest novels and drinking pina coladas poolside is right up your alley, away to Jamaica you go. August is a great time to visit if you’re trying to keep costs down, but still want your daily dose of vitamin D. Ocho Rios is still full of beach-front accommodation and pretty pools, but often comes up a little cheaper than more well-known (and tourist-filled) destinations like Montego Bay.
For the city breaker: Budapest, Hungary
Like your holidays action-packed and full of culture? Head to Hungary’s capital. It’s fair to say that no one does city breaks quite like Europe – and yes, we do get stung on the airfare there, but that will be the furthest thing from your mind when you’re catching a sunset over the Danube. Or checking out the Royal Palace. Or visiting the Turkish baths. Also a distant memory? Winter.
For the family: Bali, Indonesia
Bali remains a great option if you’re looking to take the family away in the July school holidays. Not all of it is cheap, so it won’t be as spontaneous as some of these other holidays – you will have to do a little research. Try Kuta Beach which is usually blessed with good weather throughout winter and has a decent beach and waterpark to keep the little ones entertained. It’s fairly reasonable too.
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