The ultimate winter sun escapes

As back to school season begins, summer may be well and truly over in a lot of countries but it’s just getting started elsewhere in the world. Or better yet, it’s continuing in some places that are closer to home – where it’s possible to grasp onto a sunny holiday right up until November. From tropical islands to desert escapes, we’ve collated the destinations that offer warm weather during the winter, covetable culture and a brilliant food scene.

When to go: October–November
Average winter temperature: 29°C

Adrift in the Indian Ocean, a thousand miles from the nearest coast of Africa, the Seychelles are the ultimate fantasy-island escape. The archipelago has year-round heat and sunshine, as well as its fair share of rain. The wettest months in Seychelles are November to March, but temperatures never get too oppressively hot (meandering around 24ºC at night and up to 29ºC in the daytime, year-round). October is a great month to go for a hit of sunshine before it gets too rainy and the air is fresher.

The Maldives

When to go: December–April
Average winter temperature: 28°C

There is no bad time to go to the Maldives. There is nothing bad about going to the Maldives at any time ever. They are perfect little islands, whichever you choose – tiny castaway-fantasy sandy islets, mostly with one immaculate resort, with various levels of splendidness. Even people who think they will get bored in the Maldives end up loving the Maldives. They’re family-friendly, and for blissed-out beachy nirvana, they’re hard to beat.

Cyprus

When to go: March–May; October–November
Average winter temperature: 22°C

The eastern Mediterranean Sea around Cyprus may be chilly in winter, but the island gets plenty of sunshine all year, so there’s a good chance you’ll get T-shirt weather even in the coldest months. From March, the island’s flowers start to bloom, and there’s barely another visitor in sight.

When to go: November–March
Average winter temperature: 32°C

The islands of Thailand are the stuff of castaway fantasies. White sand, rustic-chic beach shacks, a hammock gently swaying between two palm trees as a turquoise sea laps at the shore… There are dozens to choose from, and each offers something quite different, from the super-spas of Koh Samui to barefoot beach-bum in Koh Lipe, while Koh Lanta remains quietly chilled out with lovely places to stay on beaches that stretch for miles.

St Lucia

When to go: December–April
Average winter temperature: 27°C

With its glorious beaches shifting gold to molten silver, dramatic piton peaks and thick rainforests offering up waterfalls and wildlife, St Lucia’s landscape is staggering, even for the Caribbean. Ribbons of protected coral skirt its shores, coves are flanked by coconut-laden palms and many of its hotels have scrambled uphill for front-row seats of those fabled Caribbean sunsets – a fleeting burst of crimson and orange. Inland, tropical rainforests heave and organic farms and cocoa plantations whisk visitors off on farm-to-fork and bean-to-bar tutorials. The island is at it’s peak in December to March, when the humidity is low, rainfall is minimal and there’s plenty of sunshine.

Cape Town, South Africa

When to go: December–February
Average winter temperature: 27°C

Cape Town is always a good idea, but particularly around Christmas and New Year, when the fledgling South African summer sets beaches and vineyards aglow. The mere sight of beautiful crowds bronzing against its theatrical, cragged mountain backdrop will banish the winter blues in one blow.