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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Where have your best holidays in winter been?

48 replies

parrotonmyshoulder · 18/12/2023 13:10

Thinking of a December holiday 2024, probably to include Christmas.
Where have you been in December? I don’t know whether I’m leaning towards sun or snow. We are not hotel and pool people, nor am I tempted by skiing!

OP posts:
Usernamen · 18/12/2023 13:25

How long are you travelling for?

If it’s 2 weeks or more, Mexico was my favourite winter holiday.

A week or less, it’s Lanzarote (heading back for the 3rd time, this winter).

Original poster
parrotonmyshoulder · 18/12/2023 13:39

2 weeks would be possible. Thanks for suggestions.

OP posts:
ruby1234 · 18/12/2023 13:44

I'm just home from a couple of weeks in South Africa.

We stayed 5 nights in Franschhoek where we did some wine tours, a safari day to see the big 5 and then some sightseeing in the mountains. Then we stayed 10 nights in Cape Town - loads of great things to do there - Table Mountain on the cable car, a scenic drive to Cape Point and we saw the African Penguins at Boulders Beach. Cape Town itself is a fabulous city - the Waterfront has lots of shops and restaurants. We went on a township tour which was fascinating.

Every day was different and every day was brilliant!

Gabiabbi · 18/12/2023 13:44

Me and my daughter went to London NYE 2019 for the fireworks, had NYD in London then flew to NYC. Had an amazing time

Doggymummar · 18/12/2023 13:44

Goa or Sri Lanka

Original poster
parrotonmyshoulder · 18/12/2023 13:45

Your South Africa holiday sounds wonderful. Did you plan it yourself or was it a package?

OP posts:
ruby1234 · 18/12/2023 14:01

parrotonmyshoulder · 18/12/2023 13:45

Your South Africa holiday sounds wonderful. Did you plan it yourself or was it a package?

Hi, we planned it ourselves.
Flew BA Manchester Cape Town - overnight flights and landed 8am. Time difference is only a couple of hours so no jet lag.
Bought the day trips and car hire online before we went.

Hotels I just chose from TripAdvisor/Expedia reviews.
Happy to help if you have any questions!

NigelTheCrab · 18/12/2023 14:06

Thailand. We flew out on boxing day for 2 weeks. Went to Phuket, Koh Samui and Bangkok.
We explored temples, did bike tours, went to an amazing spa that was in a rainforest, boat trips to smaller islands, amazing food, beautiful scenery. An amazing place.

alexisccd · 18/12/2023 14:38

Another vote for Thailand, or Vietnam

Ostryga · 18/12/2023 14:40

Yes Thailand! Was nervous as took Dd as a single parent but it was absolutely amazing. The food! The people are so lovely also. My favourite place.

almondflake · 18/12/2023 14:40

We've just come back from the O2 in Barbados, it was absolutely beautiful. We also hired a car to collect at the airport and spent a lot of our time buzzing around the island .
Can't wait to go back ❤️

BringMeTea · 22/12/2023 22:03

Andaman coast of Thailand.

Chewbecca · 22/12/2023 22:04

Cruise round South America - Peru, Chile, Falklands and Argentina.

Whataretheodds · 22/12/2023 22:05

Bali, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Oman, Australia, NZ.

Mexico and Bahamas were great but I find the jet lag much harder to get over when you return to winter. Obvs there's jet lag from aus/nz but I was happier to bake that in.

crystalblue01 · 23/12/2023 12:22

Where in Barbados did you stay please ?

Mercurial123 · 23/12/2023 15:56

The Baltics was really good. Started in Stockholm and caught the overnight ferry to Tallinn and then travelling to Riga and Vilnius. Had a stop over in Copenhagen before travelling home.

TedLasto · 23/12/2023 16:01

Iceland. We went last year on Boxing Day. It was -24C and they’d had huge snowstorm just before we arrived. We drove around staying in different places and it was such an adventure. Best day ever in a hot pool in the snow. Saw the northern lights twice. Amazing. Otherwise have done Hawaii, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia, NZ, Indonesia. All good but nothing beat the experience of Iceland in winter!

Christmassss · 23/12/2023 16:15

I’ve been to Cape Town twice in February and I think this destination is my favourite.
I also enjoy European city breaks in the cold such as Prague and Stockholm. I love sightseeing, spending a couple of hours in a hotel spa and then going somewhere different for dinner each evening and watching a show/listening to music somewhere.
I have been on a few cruises in winter that started in Florida or LA and went to either Pacific side of Mexico or Caribbean/Bahamas/Virgin Islands and they have been good.
I went skiing in Italy one year over Christmas but didn’t enjoy that.

tokesqueen · 23/12/2023 16:26

Iceland.

MissBuffyAnneSummers · 23/12/2023 16:41

Jamaica. Absolutely bliss.

muddyford · 23/12/2023 17:21

North Norfolk. Loads of birds and hardly anyone to see them.

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 23/12/2023 17:40

We've done Lapland in Feb and loved it. Going back in Feb. I find it strange to think of going for warm in winter, I prefer to embrace the snow. Great place for snow related fun, finding out about another culture and nature. Can completely avoid skiing and Father Christmas.

StellaAndCrow · 23/12/2023 18:18

Mexico sounds fab. Any recommendations, those that have been? Did you stay in one place or two weeks, or travel around?

Original poster
parrotonmyshoulder · 04/02/2024 09:53

Still thinking about this one.
Could anyone share a bit more about how they planned a South Africa trip?

OP posts:
PinkEasterbunny · 04/02/2024 09:55

Barbados or The Maldives - pure escapism during the British winter

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