The Best Winter Sun Escapes, Chosen by a Travel Advisor

Every pick is in its dry or summer season between December and March, warm enough for swimming and reachable from the US with sensible connections. We weighed how reliable the weather is, how far you fly, and whether the place is worth the trip for a long weekend or needs ten days or more.

We’ve been candid where winter is a trade-off rather than the peak season, such as French Polynesia’s warmer, wetter months.

For a long weekend or a week, stay in the Americas: Mexico’s Caribbean coast and the Caribbean islands are a short hop and in their dry season. For ten days or more, the Southern Hemisphere opens up: Cape Town’s long summer evenings, a safari in Tanzania, or Sydney’s beaches.

Long-haul trips cost you a day or two to jet lag, so plan your first days gently; our guide to beating jet lag helps. Our beach-and-bush combination guide shows how to pair a safari with Zanzibar or Mauritius.

French Polynesia’s November to April season is warmer, more humid and wetter, with short, heavy tropical showers rather than days of rain. Lagoons are warm, resorts quieter and rates often lower. If you can live with some cloud, it’s a fine winter escape; see our month-by-month guide.

In the Indian Ocean, the Maldives is in its dry season from roughly December to April, while Mauritius is hot and humid, with cyclone risk peaking around January to March. Zanzibar’s short dry season, roughly December to February, makes it the better beach partner for a winter safari.

For Christmas and New Year, book 10 to 12 months ahead; many resorts sell out and require minimum stays over the holidays. Presidents’ Day week and spring break fill early too.

The best-value window is the first three weeks of January, after the holidays, when most of these destinations still have excellent weather. Browse our January travel guide for more ideas.