Top locations for winter sun revealed

British tour operator Audley Travel has created a winter sun index to determine the best destinations for winter sun this year.

The winter sun travel index has been compiled by Audley, analysing and scoring 27 different winter sun locations across 14 metrics, such as average temperature, longest coastline, and seasonality. A score for each location was then created based on the results from the index.

The top five destinations are:

• Thailand
• Mexico
• Sri Lanka
• Costa Rica
• Indonesia.

Southeast Asia specialist Mary Cropper explained why Thailand was at the top of the list: “Thailand has a really wide range of beaches – you’ll find everything from deserted tropical islands to long stretches of white sand to rocky bays.

“It’s reliably warm and sunny November to March, but I think what won it the very top spot was the same thing that earned it the nickname ‘Land of Smiles’. The culture is so remarkably welcoming.

“Of course, there’s also the exceptional food and thrumming energy of Bangkok, seeing elephants in the rainforest, visiting historic temples, and relaxing on cruises along the Chao Phraya and Kwai rivers.”

In second place is Mexico, thanks to its culture and range of less-visited beaches like those in Oaxaca.

Sri Lanka is in third place, offering travellers long stretches of rose-gold beaches and plenty of sights like Sigiriya Rock’s fortress.

In fourth is Costa Rica, which gives visitors a choice between dark-sand Pacific beaches or white-sand Caribbean ones, with the added attraction of rainforest lodges.

Indonesia rounds out the list at number five, offering world-renowned snorkelling and the chance to glimpse rare orangutans in the Sumatran wilderness.

Audley’s Head of Product, Alex Bentley, commented: “We’ve noticed that many clients are looking to travel to sunny destinations for a relaxing winter break at the end of the year. And, while the surge of visitors has meant availability has been a real challenge during the summer season, there are still plenty of rooms left in our favourite hotels during the winter. This should mean you’ll find lots of space for a quiet and restful stay.”