Looking to defrost? While a white Christmas can be magical, there’s nothing better than ditching the winter jacket and grabbing a bikini during the coldest months of the year.
From the white-sand beaches of the South Pacific to the breathtaking coastlines of the Indian Ocean, there are so many gorgeous places to visit! Why sit at home waiting for spring when you could be soaking in the sun?
Ready to trade your boots for flip-flops? Here are ten destinations to escape the cold this winter.
French Polynesia
You’ll find paradise halfway between California and Australia. With one hundred islands stretched out over twelve thousand miles in the middle of the South Pacific, French Polynesia is just too beautiful for words.
The crystal clear lagoons maintain an average temp of seventy-nine degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and are surrounded by some of the world’s greatest beaches.
Read More: 10 Reasons to Visit French Polynesia
Mexico
Temperatures range across Mexico, but generally speaking, the tourist areas have two seasons: the rainy season and the dry season. In most of the country, the rainy season goes from May to October.
For good winter weather, your best picks are Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula and the Pacific coast region known as the Mexican Riviera. You’ll see weather into the mid-eighties during the day with temps dropping into the sixties overnight in these areas.
Read More: Mexico Travel Tips
The Bahamas
The weather is between seventy-five and eighty degrees in the Bahamas all year long, so it’s almost always a good time to go. That said, hurricane season is in full swing from July to October, so it’s better to avoid this time if you can. The high season in the Bahamas is from November to mid-April.
Read More: What to Pack for a Week in The Bahamas
Australia
It’s summer down under! One of my favorite places in the world and the birthplace of The Blonde Abroad, Australia is the ultimate winter escape.
From The Great Barrier Reef to the eclectic culture of Melbourne to the iconic sights of Sydney, Australia has so much to explore.
Read More: Australia Travel Tips
Bali
January is in the middle of the rainy season in Bali, and it is the coldest and wettest of the year. It’s also a time when tourists clear out (with the exception of Christmas and New Year) and the surfing on the west coast is top notch.
While you might see some showers, they pass quickly, and they won’t really put a damper on your plans.
Read More: Bali Travel Tips
Thailand
Winter is the perfect time to explore Thailand. Bangkok can get crazy hot during the summer, but daily highs usually max at eighty degrees in December. Along the coastline, you’ll find great weather all year, so it’s still the perfect time to hit up the beaches, like Koh Lanta and Koh Chang.
Read More: Thailand Travel Tips
South Africa
Weather along the southern coast of Africa is moderate. Winter can be rainy, and South Africa’s winter runs from June to September since the country is in the Southern Hemisphere.
The prime time to explore places like Cape Town and Johannesburg is during their summer months.
Read More: South Africa Travel Tips
The Maldives
The rainy season ends in mid-December, and that’s when the weather turns amazing. The Maldives is the perfect place to be over Christmas and New Year. Before I visited, the Maldives had been on my bucket list for ages, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
The diving and beaches are absolutely first class and it’s a dream place for photography.
Morocco
This northern African nation has so many stunning spots to explore. Many of them, like the Sahara Desert, are unbearably hot during the summer. I’m talking well over one hundred degrees.
Visiting during the winter means that you can have perfect seventy-degree days in Marrakech and across the desert, so you can explore without overheating.
Read More: Morocco Travel Tips
New Zealand
The world fell in love with New Zealand after seeing Lord of the Rings, and it’s easy to see why. This country has a natural beauty that you just don’t see many places.
When it comes to hiking, swimming, and exploring, the best time to see New Zealand is during winter (a.k.a, its summer).
Read More: New Zealand Travel Tips
What a great list!!! My family and I have been based in Thailand for six years, mostly in Phuket. We now live in Chiang Mai and love it here but absolutely miss the beaches in the South. Krabi is a lovely area too.
I’d add Penang to this list. We’re about to go there again in a week and usually visit the island 4 times a year. Georgetown is so beautiful and has incredible architecture.
Bali is absolutely on my must visit list and hope to go there sometime next year.
Great destinations ! I have been searching for places to kayak in this cold weather it becomes so hard to go for it. I am new to kayaking and i just want to explore destinations all around the world. I will surely visit all of them.
Do you know of any places in Maldives to kayak ?