Five of our Favourites

While much of Europe is engulfed by snow, away from northern climes there are plenty of places where you can still get a tan – even in the winter months. And you don’t have to go far: the sunny delights of Morocco, Egypt and Lebanon are less than five hours away, while within Europe, Malta and the Canary Islands are reliably balmy whatever the season. If you’ve got the time (and the spare cash), looking further afield for your fun is well worth the air miles. It’s peak game-viewing season as well as summer in spectacular Namibia, while those heading east will find Hong Kong worth the 13-hour flight for the shopping opportunities alone. Whatever the weather in the UK, sunshine is no longer just for summer holidays.

Far Eastern Retail Therapy

With temperatures currently hovering around 23 degrees, getting a sun tan with your shopping is par for the course in Hong Kong. If you do end up leaving without one, you’ll have the city’s mind-boggling array of shopping spots to blame: there really is, apologies for the cliché, something for everyone. Although Hong Kong is famous for cheap (and excellent) tailoring, don’t ignore the up-and-coming local fashion scene. Currently thrilling Hong Kong’s style-setters is G.O.D (Goods of Desire), which specialises in cutting edge pieces with a local twist, and has stores all over the city. If you’re in Kowloon, head to 1881 Heritage – a shopping mall that was once police HQ and now houses luxury labels from all over the world. Hong Kong’s many street markets offer the chance of a real bargain but can still be a purse-busting experience thanks to the quality of wares available. And whoever thought of Chinese-produced goods as cheap and nasty has most definitely never been to Cat Street’s engaging antique and curio market.

Stay: A masterpiece of monochrome interior design (tip: add red accents) dotted with Arne Jacobsen Egg chairs, The Mira hotel is the place where Hong Kong’s young and fabulous would stay if they could afford it. While rooms might not be an option, the hotel’s rooftop Vibes bar is and as a result, it’s the coolest party spot in the city. If that wasn’t enough, The Mira also has a Michelin-starred restaurant. You might not want to leave.

Get there: Flights to Hong Kong start at £539 return with Cathay Pacific.

Walk in Cesária Évora’s Footsteps

A series of unlikely volcanic islands 500km off the coast of Senegal, the Cape Verde Islands are famous for their Portuguese heritage, and for being the birthplace of singer Cesária Évora. Not far from the equator, the temperature remains pleasantly warm all year round, although the eternally bright green foliage are evidence of fairly regular deluges. When the rain isn’t rolling in off the Atlantic - which is most of the time - the islands are a tropical beach destination with a difference. The hybrid Portuguese-West African culture is fascinating, while small as the islands are; they offer a variety of vistas, ranging from Maio’s barren flats to the verdant valleys of Santo Antão.

Stay: One of Cape Verde’s rare boutique hotels, Hotel Sabura is also one of the country’s most popular. Despite the demand, the hotel is a peaceful haven that benefits from a secluded location away from the crowds on the island of Sal. If you’ve had enough of the beach (not likely, we know) the Sabura also boasts a vast pool with superb sea views and bougainvillea-draped gardens.

Get there: Flights to Praia (via Lisbon) with TAP Portugal start at £498 return.

Sun, Sand and Springboks

It might be snowing here but in the southern hemisphere, it’s high summer, and as a result, Africa’s abundant wildlife is out in force. One of the most strikingly beautiful and geologically diverse countries on the planet, vast Namibia is home to just two million people so there’s plenty of space to spare for safaris. Head south to Namib-Naukluft National Park, where you’ll find flocks of ostrich and herds of springbok eking out a living in the Namib Desert’s daunting red dunes, as well as the opportunity to see it all from the air in the basket of a hot air balloon. Sossusvlei, a cracked flat plateau abutting the dunes, has a healthy population of gemsbok as well as plenty of bird life concentrated around the usually dry Tsauchab River. Don’t miss Dune 45, where an exhausting climb up through slippery sand ends with a wonderful 360-degree birdseye view of the surrounding red expanse.

Stay: Boasting glorious views across the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, luxe eco-friendly accommodation and a uniquely warm welcome, Kulala Desert Lodge is the perfect base for a safari. Expect excellent food, plenty of Windhoek lager and friendly, knowledgeable guides.

Get there: Flights to Windhoek (via Frankfurt) with Air Namibia start at £730 return.

Party on the Beach

Perched on Florida’s Atlantic Coast, Fort Lauderdale specialises in year-round sunshine, golden sandy beaches and all-night parties. Its hedonistic reputation - not entirely unfounded - masks the fact that it is also a beautiful city bisected by hundreds of canals. Nevertheless, ‘America’s Venice’ is also famous for being a student’s paradise come Spring Break, when thousands of freshers descend to cause general mayhem and party like there’s no tomorrow. The rest of the time, it’s the beaches that are the main draw, although this being the USA, it’s not a typical suncream and sandcastles affair with everything from jet-packing to waterskiing on offer.

Stay: The former St Regis Fort Lauderdale is now a Ritz Carlton and it’s had a revamp to prove it. The spruced-up hotel sits right on the beach and specialises in luxury done on a grand scale: think supersized beds, epic breakfasts and ultra-smiley service.

Get there: Flights to Fort Lauderdale with American Airlines start at £509 return.

Navigating the Great Sand Sea

Flanked by salt lakes, sand dunes and date palms, Egypt’s Siwa Oasis is a peaceful haven in the Sahara Desert that feels a world away from bustling Cairo and the beach destinations of the coast. Remote and off-the-beaten track, it’s the perfect launch pad for a camel-back safari, although there’s plenty to do within Siwa itself. Along with a crumbling 13^th century fortress, the oasis is also home to the remains of the Temple of the Oracle, where Alexander the Great came to confirm his divinity, and several Greco-Roman tombs. But the main reason to visit is the Siwa springs that produced the oasis. The scorching year round heat means you’ll be only too happy to jump in and admire the view of the ominously named ‘Great Sand Sea’ in watery peace.

Stay: Resembling a pile of broken terracotta tiles from the outside, Adrère Amellal is an eco-lodge that runs entirely on solar power but offers some of the chicest rooms in Egypt. And it’s wonderfully romantic; think heavy mahogany beds dressed in crisp white Egyptian cotton and views over the Great Sand Sea. Unusually, there’s no set dining room and bar: staff move it every day so there’s always a fresh vista to enjoy while you dine.

Get there: Flights to Cairo with Egyptair start at £383 return.