Where to go for winter sun - and why

The 10 hottest winter sun escapes for 2009

From beach tents by the Red Sea to deluxe Caribbean treehouses to pound-friendly retreats near and far, follow our guide to where\'s hot this winter

By Fiona Cullinan, who writes about travel dress codes for holiday packing at What to Wear Where

Value for money and choice

Egypt

The number of Brits going to Egypt has risen by 38% in the last year and it\'s one of the hot destinations for 2009, according to the \'FCO & ABTA 2009 Travel Trends Report\', as well as being a UK winter-sun staple under five hours\' flying time. And it\'s a top non-Euro destination, to make your pound go further. Choose from Red Sea beach holidays and dive trips, Nile cruises and historical holidays (pyramids, anyone?) - or a combination. For a less frantic alternative, try up-and-coming Marsa Alam between the Arabian Desert and Red Sea - Monarch (www.holidays.monarch.co.uk) flies there - or a drop-out eco beach (see below).

Getting there: Combine a Nile cruise with a beach break from www.discoveregypt.co.uk. A seven-night, all-inclusive Nile cruise plus seven nights\' B&B in Luxor costs from £699. Lastminute.com has seven-night all-inclusive Red Sea Riviera packages in January from £349, Independent travellers might prefer a Red Sea eco-lodge such as those at www.basata.com where a bamboo beach hut costs from €14 per person per night.

Be inspired by Nicole Kidman

Western Australia

Thanks to Baz Luhrman and the sweeping landscapes of \'Australia\' (the movie), Western Australia is now hot news. Normally bypassed for the likes of Queensland, Sydney, Melbourne and the Red Centre, WA has great rugged charm - from Kununurra in the Kimberleys, where much of the filming was done, to the Bungle Bungle and famous Wave Rock to WA\'s own Uluru at Mount Augustus. Plus it\'s up to three hours\' less flying time than Sydney or Melbourne, and you get a free stopover somewhere sultry like Singapore or Kuala Lumpur to break up the flight.

Getting there: Cheapflights.co.uk has return flights from London to Perth until March for £735 with Singapore Airlines. Trailfinders.com has flights from £633 with hotels in Perth from £67 per room per night. Qantasholidays.co.uk offers a range of tours including the four-night Bungle Bungle Explorer, from £685 including scenic flight. Or arrange through local operators on arrival for cheaper deals.

Short-haul relaxation

La Palma

The Canaries are a popular short-haul winter destination option but if you\'ve already been to Tenerife, why not try the less touristy La Palma? Thomson started operating direct flights to La Palma in 2008 so now the volcanic island with average winter temperatures of 15-22°C is within easy reach. You can book flights only or a package deal then sit back and suntan, or take in the island\'s attractions, which include mountains, beaches, volcanoes and forests. Ideal for walking off the Christmas excesses.

Getting there: Thomson (www.Thomson.co.uk) flies from Manchester to La Palma for £44.49 each way. Or book a seven-night half-board package for around £350. An eight-day walking holiday with Ramblers Holidays (www.ramblersholidays.co.uk) costs from £605 half board, with accommodation in a four-star hotel.

Eco-luxury on a budget

The Gambia

A six-hour flight (and no time difference) brings you to The Gambia, a river-based strip of land and former British colony surrounded on three sides by Senegal. At around 30°C, it\'s a winter-sun package-holiday favourite. Expect gorgeous Atlantic surf and sunsets, drum and dance nights amid mangroves, sacred crocodile pools and nature reserves. Though there is still hassle by local ‘bumsters\', in the last two years, The Gambia has had a deluxe upgrade with its first five-star hotel (Sheraton Gambia), new hotel spas and gourmet restaurants. Responsible tourism is also taking off, particularly in Makasutu Cultural Forest and Kartong in the south.

Getting there: The Gambia Experience offers seven nights at the Mandina Lodges at Makasutu from £1,035 per person, staying in a Floating Lodge and including return flights from London Gatwick. A budget option is a seven-night B&B holiday at the African Village Hotel from £349 per person. (0845 330 2087, www.gambia.co.uk).

Hot for couples

St Lucia

Spectacular rainforests, volcanic peaks and glittering white sand beaches have kept St Lucia at the top of the World Travel Awards honeymoon charts for eight years running. But you don\'t need to get hitched to appreciate a romantic treehouse-for-two dinner (at the Discovery at Marigot Bay: www.discoverystlucia.com) or a trek for two up the 700m-high Pitons. Then there\'s the ultimate lovers\' pact - throwing yourselves into a volcano - although in St Lucia, you can take the car with you, as the island is home to the world\'s only drive-in volcano.

Getting there: Sovereign Luxury Holidays (www.sovereign.com, 0871 200 6677) has seven nights B&B at the Discovery at Marigot Bay from £1,224 pp based on two sharing, including Virgin flights from Gatwick. Trailfinders (www.trailfinders.com) offers similar deals. Or cut costs by going three-star with Thomson Worldwide (www.thomsonworldwide.com), which has seven-night package deals in January from £664 pp.

The Caribbean for singles

Grenada

Ditch the Dominican Republic crowds and pamper yourself on this laidback tropical spice island instead. Monarch launched new charter flights in December, and this February, the island celebrates its 35th anniversary of independence from the British so expect plenty of Caribbean-style rum punch festivities. Singles in search of rejuvenation might like to check out LaSource spa resort (www.theamazingholiday.com). It\'s a bit of a credit-card treat but, as well as ‘the ultimate head rest\', you can also expect nightly group cocktail hours, a singles dinner table so you don\'t have to dine alone and group activities from tai chi and yoga to sailing and diving. There are also limo transfers and no single room supplements if you book direct.

Getting there: Tropical Sky (www.tropicalsky.co.uk) has all-inc seven nights at La Source for £1,499. Also try Just Grenada (01373 814214; www.justgrenada.co.uk) and Monarch Holidays (www.holidays.monarch.co.uk), which has packages from £722 pp.

Long-haul value

South Africa

The weak rand is making South Africa a more viable long-haul option for Brits this winter. Start off in scenic Cape Town with a little shopping, beaches and nightlife, and perhaps an ascent of Table Mountain if you\'re feeling energetic. Like a glass of Chenin Blanc? Then drive up into Stellenbosch and the surrounding vineyards for some wine sampling and lunch in one of the growing number of gourmet restaurants. Also, check out the newly refurbished Tswalu Kalahari Reserve (www.tswalu.com), a privately owned game reserve in the Kalahari where the recent BBC documentary film \'The Meerkats\' was filmed.

Getting there: Native Escapes (www.nativeescapes.com) runs de luxe 12-day guided trips of Cape Town, Winelands & Garden Route from £2,490 (inc flights from London). For independent travellers, Virgin (www.virgin-atlantic.com) currently has three direct flights a week to Cape Town for around £565 return.

Shopping and sand dunes

Morocco

Unbearable in the summer but a pleasant 15-22°C  in winter, Morocco is an exotic short-haul option, and now offers direct flights to the desert city of Marrakesh. Enter an Arabian Nights world by staying in a traditional guesthouse there (try Riad Kaiss - www.riadkaiss.com), shop for home items in the souks of Fez, visit the Saharan sand dunes of Erg Chebbi, dip in the pools of the Cascades d\'Ouzoud, hit the coast at hippie hangout, Essaouira, or check out the après surf culture of Taghazout (near Agadir). You can even ski in the Atlas Mountains.

Getting there: EasyJet (www.easyjet.com) flights from Gatwick to Marrakesh cost from £65.99 one way in January. First Choice (www.firstchoice.co.uk) has seven-night B&B packages in a three-star hotel in coastal Agadir from £293. For ski and surf, try Acacia Adventure Holidays\' (www.acacia-africa.com) eight-day Ski & Surf trip combining the Atlas Mountains, Agadir and Marrakesh. From £625pp, excluding flights/transfers to Marrakesh.

Serious winter sun

Mexico

Mexico is also set to be a big draw for UK visitors in 2009 because of the favourable exchange rate to the weak pound, according to the Foreign Office and ABTA. It\'s also a hotspot for other reasons, not least for the average 30°C temperatures at this time of year. Spend your pesos relaxing at the beach, going loco in Acapulco, partying in Puerto Vallarta, taking an eco trip in the Mexican outback or seeing the ancient Mayan sites of Tulum and Chichen Itza.

Getting there: First Choice (www.firstchoice.co.uk) has packages from £864 pp for seven nights\' four-star all-inclusive in Cancun. Independent female travellers might like to try a seven-night yoga and salsa retreat. Salsa Retreat (www.salsaretreat.com) in Oaxaca has course dates in January and March for $1,489.

The `never heard of it\' option

Fujairah

The seven United Arab Emirates are on the rise in 2009, according to a global study by FutureBrand. Not only does it top their chart for hospitality - expect premier service and ultra-luxury - but there is also the bling shopping mecca of Dubai and plenty of fine dining. For a change of pace, try quieter Fujairah, just 90 minutes through desert landscape from Dubai. Full of mountainous natural beauty, it boasts fjords, waterfalls, hot springs and some spectacular coral reefs offshore. And, for bargain-hunters, there\'s the famous Friday market - open every day of the week!

Getting there: Virgin Holidays (www.virginholidays.co.uk) has seven nights B&B at Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach Resort for £1,400 inc flights and transfers. There are lots of facilities for families including babysitting, kids\' club and daytime activities. Flights only to Dubai for independent travellers start from £233 with Quatar Airways.

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