Best Winter Sun Destinations 2026/27: 11 Slow Luxury Escapes

Best Winter Sun Destinations: 9 Warm Winter Escapes

Tired of the cold and longing to feel the warm sun on your skin, the sand between your toes and the sound of wind through the palm trees? The winter may be very cozy and cozy, but it is also very long and cold in our country. A (light) winter dip is therefore not unknown to many people. The ideal recipe to deal with this is to look for the sun in the winter. A week of soaking up the winter sun and you can face the rest of the winter with fresh energy. Pack your bikini and say goodbye to your winter dip, because Vivian from The Daily Dutchy has collected the best winter sun holiday destinations for you.

We’re a team of women who travel slowly for a living. Lisa has been to Oman twice and has driven into Franschhoek more times than she can count; Moa just came back from Belize. So when you ask us where to go for winter sun, we answer with places we know, not a list of the usual suspects. These are also the luxury winter sun destinations we’d book ourselves: a good room, an unhurried rhythm and a place with its own character. Start with the table, then jump to the destination that fits the way you like to travel. If you want to understand why we travel this way, read our slow travel guide.

Updated November 2026 👩‍💻

At a glance

The best winter sun destinations compared

Destination	Vibe	From Europe	January high	Best for
Canary Islands	Volcanic islands, spring warmth	Short-haul	21°C / 70°F	Winter sun close to home
Marrakech, Morocco	Riads, souks, rooftop dining	Short-haul	19°C / 66°F	A culture-rich long weekend
Cape Verde	Atlantic islands, wide beaches	Mid-haul	24°C / 75°F	Guaranteed beach days
Oman	Desert, wadis and mountains	Mid-haul	25°C / 77°F	Slow adventure, solo travel
Cape Town & Winelands	Wine estates, real summer	Long-haul	25–29°C / 77–84°F	Wine and food lovers
Zanzibar	Spice island, Indian Ocean	Long-haul	32°C / 90°F	Real heat plus safari
Curaçao	Colourful, easy Caribbean	Long-haul	29°C / 84°F	Snorkelling and beach clubs
Dominican Republic	Long beaches, waterfalls	Long-haul	28°C / 82°F	Good-value Caribbean
Mexico: Yucatán	Beaches and Maya ruins	Long-haul	28°C / 82°F	Beach plus history
Belize	Reef, jungle, Maya temples	Long-haul	28°C / 82°F	Reef and jungle in one trip

Average January daytime highs, rounded. Short-haul is under five hours from Western Europe, mid-haul six to eight, long-haul nine or more.

Canary Islands

Anyone who thought that you have to go far to find the sun in winter is wrong. With an average temperature of 22 degrees in the winter months, the Canary Islands are a perfect winter sun destination. In just 4.5 hours you can exchange the harsh Dutch winter for a pleasant spring-like climate. The Canary Islands consists of the islands of Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Tenerife, each of which has its own unique possibilities.

Fuerteventura | winter sun destinations

Fuerteventura is known as the island with the most sun, but that is not without reason. It can be quite windy here. This makes Fuerteventura an ideal destination for kiters and surfers. The most popular place to stay on Fuerteventura is Corralejo in the north. In addition to working on your tan, you can also practice water sports here, such as supping (Vivian sups in Amsterdam) and windsurfing.

Gran Canaria | winter sun destinations

Gran Canaria is among many the most famous winter sun holiday destination. And that is quite right. With over 320 days of sunshine per year and an average of 7 to 8 hours of sunshine per day, Gran Canaria is the perfect place to get a dose of vitamin D during the cold winter months. When you go on holiday to Gran Canaria during the winter months, it is advisable to think carefully in which part of the island you want to stay. The south of the island is a lot warmer than the north. You will therefore find most tourists in the south of the island. But don’t just stick to the south. In the middle of the island there is a beautiful mountain landscape full of vineyards and banana plantations, which are also definitely worth a visit.

Tenerife | winter sun destinations

Tenerife is the largest island of the Canary Islands and, like Gran Canaria, has a colder north and a warmer south. Those who come for the warmth and the sun would therefore be wise to choose an accommodation in the south. However, the north is also definitely worth a visit. Here you will find beautiful nature such as valleys, palm trees and citrus trees, but also the highest mountain on the island.

Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech is winter sun with a city attached. January brings highs around 19°C and about seven hours of sunshine a day, and the flight from the UK takes around three and a half hours. Choose it if you’d rather wander the souks, eat well and read on a riad roof terrace than lie on a beach all week.

Best for: a long weekend of food, design and culture.
The catch: it’s warm, not hot. Evenings in January turn properly cold, so ask whether your riad’s rooms are heated before you book.
Insider detail: book your dinners before you land. Our list of the 10 best restaurants in Marrakech saves you from the tourist menus around the main square.
Plan it: start with our Morocco travel guide.

Oman

Oman is the one winter sun destination we’d add to this list today. While the Gulf’s big names chase skyscrapers, Oman has kept its mountains, wadis and empty desert — with warm days and cool, starry nights from November to March. Mornings are made for the turquoise pools of Wadi Shab, afternoons for the souqs of Muscat, and at least one night belongs under canvas in the Sharqiya Sands. It’s warm, genuinely safe, and far more characterful than a beach-club week. Our founder Lisa has travelled here twice, so start with her Oman travel guide to plan the perfect winter escape — and if you’re travelling solo, read whether Oman is safe for women first.

Gambia

In any case, you will not be bothered by a winter dip in Gambia, because with a temperature that can also rise to 32 degrees in the winter, this is also one of the best winter sun destinations. But that’s not the only reason to visit this country. The cheerful people, the rich culture, beautiful beaches and beautiful nature make The Gambia a popular winter holiday destination. Gambia is also relatively safe and very affordable. The most popular seaside resorts to stay are Kotu, Kololi, Bijilo and Cape Point.

Cape Verde

Cape Verde is only a 6-hour flight from Amsterdam. Cape Verde consists of ten separate islands that are all completely different thanks to the microclimate. There is an island full of flowers, an island with idyllic sandy beaches, a volcanic island and so on. The most popular and famous island is Sal. And we understand that all too well. Here you will find wonderful sandy beaches, an azure blue sea and a relaxed vibe. In short, another wonderful winter holiday destination.

Mexico

Would you like to discover some culture in addition to sun, sea and beach during your holiday? Then put Mexico on your list! This tropical winter sun destination not only has many beautiful beaches, but also has a lot of history and culture to offer with its ancient cities and temples. The country is big enough to travel around for weeks. Don’t have that much time? Then the popular province of Yucatán, with famous seaside resorts such as Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Cancun, is the ideal base.

Curacao | winter sun destinations

Of course, Curaçao should not be missing from the overview of winter sun holiday destinations. This part of The Netherlands in the tropics is a popular holiday destination for many Dutch people all year round, but even more so in the winter. Because let’s face it, how wonderful is it to look up the sun during the bleak, dark months and sit on the beach with a cocktail? The most popular places to stay on Curaçao are Jan Thiel and Mambo Beach, but the beautiful Pietermaai is also a popular place. Do you prefer a less popular place? That is also possible! In addition to the busy places, the island also still has a lot of remote pearls, where it is good to stay.

Best for: an easy Caribbean week of snorkelling, beach clubs and colourful evenings.
The catch: Jan Thiel and Mambo Beach are lively rather than secluded, and the island fills up around the Christmas holidays.
Insider detail: sleep in Pietermaai for the evenings, then drive to the quieter beaches in the west during the day. If you do go to Mambo, here are our best things to do at Mambo Beach.
Where to stay: the best hotel in Curaçao with an infinity pool.

The Best Hotel in Curacao with Infinity Pool

South Africa

Fight your winter blues in South Africa. South Africa is a wonderful destination all year round, but just that little bit extra in winter. During our winter it is summer here. Take a tour along the coast of the Western and Eastern Cape and take a safari in one of the beautiful parks along the way. Do you prefer to stay in one place? Then Cape Town is a perfect base. Because besides sunbathing on the beach, you can make beautiful hikes here, work on your surfing skills and of course do delicious wine tastings. Do we need to say more? Our Franschhoek wine and culture guide is the place to start.

Where to stay: our guides to luxury hotels in Franschhoek and luxury hotels in Stellenbosch, or the historic Lanzerac Wine Estate in the Jonkershoek Valley.
Best for: wine lovers, food lovers and anyone who wants real summer, not just mild sunshine.
The catch: it’s a long-haul flight of around eleven hours from Western Europe. The upside: in our winter there’s only a one-hour time difference with Amsterdam, so no jet lag.
Insider detail: the best wine farms aren’t the ones with the longest tasting menus. Ride the wine tram once for the fun of it, then book seated tastings at the estates in our best wine farms in Franschhoek guide.

Dominican Republic

If you say Dominican Republic, you say paradise. Snow-white beaches, palm trees and crystal clear water, with which your winter dip will literally disappear like snow in the sun. The best time to travel to the Dominican Republic is from December to April. This makes this tropical paradise a perfect winter sun destination. An advantage of the Dominican Republic is that it is relatively cheap compared to many other countries in the Caribbean. The most popular place to stay on the island is Punta Cana. For that reason you will also find many hotels and restaurants here. But don’t just stick here, because the island has many other – less busy – beautiful places.

Belize

Belize is our newest winter sun pick, and Moa’s travel guide to Belize is the reason. December to April is the dry season, with the country’s most reliable weather, and San Pedro on Ambergris Caye averages around 28°C in January with a sea of 27°C. In one trip you get the barrier reef, the jungle and Maya temples. English is the official language, which makes it an easy first trip to Central America.

Best for: reef, jungle and Maya history in a single week.
The catch: December to April is high season, so hotels and tours cost more and the best places book up well in advance.
Insider detail: Moa’s number one is the sunset snorkelling cruise to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley, with turtles, stingrays and nurse sharks. Her favourite meal was hudut, a fish stew in coconut milk, at Ella’s Cool Spot in Hopkins.
Where to stay: Victoria House on Ambergris Caye, or see where to stay in Belize for jungle lodges and beach hotels.

Where is the warmest place in Europe for winter sun?

The Canary Islands. January highs average around 21°C with about seven hours of sunshine a day, making them the warmest winter sun destination in Europe.

Where is hot in January for a beach holiday?

For real beach heat in January, look long-haul: Zanzibar averages around 32°C, while Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, Mexico’s Yucatán coast and Belize sit around 28–29°C.

Where can you get winter sun without jet lag?

The Canary Islands share the UK’s time zone, and Cape Town is only one hour ahead of Amsterdam in our winter, so even that long-haul flight comes without jet lag.

What are the best luxury winter sun destinations?

For slow luxury we’d choose the Cape Winelands for wine estates and summer evenings, Oman for desert camps and mountain wadis, and Belize for jungle lodges and the reef.

When is the winter sun season?

Roughly November to March. Oman is at its best from November to March, Belize’s dry season runs from December to April, and January and February are the hottest, driest months in Zanzibar.

What is your favorite winter sun holiday destination?

This article is written by Vivian Secrève and a proud member of the Dutchbloggeronthemove team. Vivian is known for her food and wine knowledge and where the best places to go are in The Netherlands. To learn more about Vivian, you can read her bio here or read more of her articles about. Got a question for her? Leave a comment below.

Lisa

These are the best winter sun destinations