to ask for your winter sun holiday suggestions for depressed anxious friend?

[DorothyParkersCat]

Friend has had a really rough time at work and personally recently. She really needs a break and I think she is severely stressed and probably depressed.

She has booked out a two week break from work in a weeks time. She told me that she'd love to go somewhere sunny and lie in the sun but that the stress of getting somewhere sunny (a long flight and transfer time) is just so overwhelming and makes her want to cry she thinks she'll just stay at home.

I think that having a get away from it all break is just what she needs but I'm no expert on winter sun.

Has anyone got any suggestions of somewhere that is guaranteed sun, not too much hassle to get to and not too far?

Dubai and UAE are out as she finds all the culture/arrests too stressful to contemplate.
I'd suggested Maldives and she thought this looked great in terms of what she wanted - sun and relaxing -but was put off by the long flight + need to transfer to islands.
I'd also suggested Canaray islands but I don't think weather is guaranteed sun.
Cancun and Cape Verde were "too resorty" and big resorts/too many people are also anxiety making.

I'm at a loss really.

Has anyone got any suggestions for a guaranteed sun winter sun holiday that is fairly stress free to get to and would offer relaxation?

Key West, Florida but that may be too long a flight for her.

Thanks MissConduct - can you fly there directly? Ithought the Keys were down a long bridge road thing?

The Keys are too small for an airport, so you have to fly in elsewhere. There is probably a bus of some sort.

fla-keys.com/how-to-get-here/

Hurgada Egypt

If Key West is possible, how about Miami? Or you can fly to Tampa directly from Gatwick, and then could stay at the Gulf Coast beaches (Anna Maria Island perhaps)?

Italy would probably still be very pleasant (although not hot hot), as would Spain and Portugal? Malta, Greece?

Lanzarote is forecast minimum 22°c for next 2 weeks, one day of showers.

Weather in Lanzarote looks pretty good for the next couple of weeks, the White Suites in Playa Blanca would be lovely.

Not necessarily the cheapest way to book, but you can book a package with jet2holidays and everything will be sorted.

Great minds super.

This time of year, Goa or Sri
Lanka will be glorious. Direct 10 hour flights, no changes. Long flights but short transfers and get doable with two weeks off. Totally different pace.

I'd also suggest Oman as a ME country with beautiful scenery and a more relaxed pace than Dubai.

I went to Biyadhoo in Maldives last year. It was a fairly easy transfer. The hotel rep met us at the airport and we went straight into a boat which took us to the island in an hour. You just book the transfer directly with the hotel in advance.

I was going to suggest the canaries.

The Maldives transfer is straightforward (short sea plane) and almost all Maldives are through travel agent so it is all done for you on arrival. It’s not great timing weather wise for lots of places which become better in feb/March.
I am escaping over Christmas for similar reasons - had awful year with deaths in family etc. I too just couldn’t face organising. My dp took charge - I call to Kuoni and it was sorted. Never used travel agent before - didn’t realise it could be so simple (or so expensive).
Hope she gets away.

I would just like to add if your friend is a mentally vulnerable (anxiety, depression etc.), single lady please steer her away from Gambia.

Beautifully warm & a lovely country - but she will be constantly prayed upon by men wanting a visa.

My mum went to Gambia for winter sun in a similar position & ended up having the last few years of her life ruined by the “husband” she met there.

@CoffeeRunner no! Bloody hell that's awful.

Canary Islands, lanzerote can get windy, Gran Canaria stays hot pretty much all year, I went there in January. Not much to do but if you just want a break with some sun and relaxation it's perfect.

Caribbean - can fly to many of these direct, such as Antigua
South Florida - are there any direct flights to Miami at the moment?
Singapore

In our experience the weather in winter isn't guaranteed in the Canaries and it can be a cool wind. Though it depends how warm she wants it - she'd get at least low 20s here I should think.

Hurghada - mid to high 20s next few weeks

My user name may be a bit of a giveaway, but your friend might benefit from an Ayurveda holiday in Sri Lanka.

I’ve never been but how about Cape Verde? I’ve had a few friends go for some winter sun and enjoyed it.

Cyprus?

Tel Aviv is short haul and mid 20s at the moment. Huge Mediterranean beach, amazing food, friendly people, everything in English, very safe, plenty to see and do.

As she doesn't want a long haul flight, Gran Canaria seems like a good shout.

If she's willing to consider a longer flight and transfers, Thailand would be perfect. Koh Lanta is lovely for a relaxing holiday and Krabi if she wants more to do. If she doesn't want to do it all alone she can join a tour with a company like Intrepid or G Adventures. I've done a few and had a great time, but depending on what you choose there can be a lot of travelling around.

Cape Verde, Cyprus (good call PPs).

Mauritius?

Haven’t been to any of these places, but would consider.

I went to Lanzarote this time a couple of years ago, and it was lovely and warm (22-24 degrees and perfect sunshine) the whole time we were away. Managed a couple of excursions round the island. It was a bit breezy but that was pretty refreshing and you never noticed it in resort. Came back with the nicest tan!