If you could go anywhere in the world for 1 week (in January) where would you go?

[Bobcat14]

I've got a big birthday coming up in January with 1 week booked off work. My partner is treating me to a holiday but I have to choose where to go and obviously time is running out. My thoughts so far:
Maldives
South Africa
Caribbean
Iceland

Not a huge budget to play with but enough for a mid range week in Maldives which would probably be the most expensive option of the above. Where would you go and what would your itinerary be? I am open to all ideas

That's a long journey for a week (Maldives). I would go to Barbados.

Kenya. The most beautiful place I have been, with the friendliest people.

Caribbean cruise

Jamaica! Although it’s a long way to go for a week.

I loved South Africa and a week is long enough to do Safari and Table Mountain, Cape Town vineyards etc

Very Happy Birthday!

For just a week I'd go somewhere like Iceland. I think you need 2 weeks for long haul or it would feel quite rushed.

I was going to suggest Iceland too. Northern lights, husky sledging etc. Cosy fires. Or a top class ski resort if you like skiing

Ooh, some great ideas, thank you - not sure if helping me make a decision though!! I don't mind so much about long haul as long as I can get a direct flight from London. Planning to fly out Sun and return Monday the week after so will effectively have an extra day for travel. I did a week in Goa which was absolutely fine. I wouldn't want more than a 12-14 hour flight though.

I have been to Barbados and absolutely loved it. I'd quite like to go somewhere I've never been. I have been to Iceland too but that was 20 years ago and I didn't get to see the Northern Lights although there's no guarantee of that anyway

I'm not sure I could cope with the cold and near constant darkness of Iceland in winter, although it would be interesting just doing normal daytime stuff like going out for lunch, museums, walks etc in the darkness. Can you still go out and see all the waterfalls etc?

Agree that Maldives is too far for a week.

Depends what type of holiday you want as to where you go - I think a lot of Caribean AI hotels are designed for pool/beach/sun holidays where you don't do much outside the hotel, although diving in the Carribean (or cave diving in Mexico) would be my choice, but if you want to get out more, South Africa would be a better choice.

Another consideration would be is what you are looking at easily affordable on your budget. I wouldn't want to spend a lot and then find the budget only covered the cheaper end of the market, or you struggled for spending money while you were there.

I would not go to Iceland in January. It will be very cold and very very dark!

Grenada?

I wouldn’t bother going long haul for 1 week- pointless

For Maldives option, I was looking at direct evening flight on Sunday from Gatwick (which is about 15 mins from where I live) arriving 9am on Monday morning in Maldives then departing 11am the following Monday so would get a full week there... would that be enough? I was all set to go for it, have had some good quotes for all inclusive so know I wouldn't need to spend much more. The only reason I am wavering is the thought that maybe I could be doing something a bit more adventurous... I had forgotten that daylight hours would be extremely limited for doing stuff in Iceland at that time of you so maybe that's the first one to come off my shortlist

In the case of the Maldives, it is worth bearing in mind that it is not just the long haul flight to Male but also the journey on to the resort. Both times we have been we were sea plane distance rather than boat distance away, and the sea plane had a scheduled departure time like a normal flight which meant quite a bit of waiting around at Male. Ours was delayed both times at it had to wait for passengers from another long haul which was delayed.
If you go to one of the closer resorts in boat distance it might be better from this point of view (although the sea plane is a great experience), but i have never done that so dont know if it also involves lots of waiting around time.

In your case I think you need to decide whether you want primarily a beach holiday in which case i would go for the Carribean (or Maldives if you are ok with the travel time) or more activities, in which case i would go to SA (because I would want sun). i do want to see the Northern lights one day but dont think i would want to do it for this type of occasion particularly as it is not guaranteed.

This really depends on what you want to do whilst there...

Iceland is one of my very favourite places. It'll be pretty dark in January though. But, you could do a few days there and a few in New York (or Boston, Toronto etc.)

We have done Muscat (Oman) in January for a week. Was lovely weather (like a warm UK summer), 7hr flight (so not too far) and we stayed in an adult only hotel. On the coast so the hotel had a private beach but we mostly lounged around at the pool.

It's a muslim country and the Omani people couldn't be more lovely to Western travellers like myself struggling with a head scarf!! The landscape is remarkable and we went on a day tour into the mountains, but there's lots more to see if you're into excursions.