5 Beachy Destinations We Love for This Winter

Sometimes you just want to escape the winter blues and see the sun shine again. In the heart of January and February, it’s time to move towards the equator and enjoy a beach vacation. Imagine putting your toes in the cool ocean while the sun shines down and you relax on the beach, cocktail in hand. Winter is the perfect time to enjoy what the tropics have to offer while all your friends back home shiver in the bitter cold. These are our top 5 beachy destinations to escape the cold this winter:


Tulum, Mexico: Boho-Luxe

With its turquoise waters, jungle-backed beach clubs, and laid-back yet sophisticated vibe, Tulum is a winter favorite for travelers who like their luxury with a side of spirituality.

Why Go in Winter: Winter in Tulum is electric – the skies are spotless, the music is pumping, and there’s a definite buzz in the air.  In winter, you’ll find the high season and high energy. There are festivals, gorgeous beaches, and impeccable vibes.

What to do: Spend the day lounging in a beachfront cabana, then enjoy mezcal tastings, cenote swims, or sunrise yoga at a jungle retreat.

[Photo Credit: Max via Shared Adventures]

Seychelles: A Hidden Gem

In the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles boast dramatic cliffs, vibrant coral reefs, and pristine nature. They are the perfect escape from the winter chill with crystal clear waters and sandy beaches. The tropical island you have in your imagination? That’s what you’ll find in the Seychelles, and without overwhelming crowds or high prices – this is a great hidden gem.

Why Go in Winter: Winter falls within the rainy season, which means lower prices and fewer crowds. While there may be a bit of rain, the showers are usually short and provide a welcome respite from the hot sun. This rainy season is not as extreme as in other tropical beach destinations. You’ll find that rain and sunshine follow each other without ruining your holiday.

What to Do: Sailing and windsurfing, snorkeling and scuba diving, hiking through the lush green landscapes. Lay out on the sandy beaches or swim in the warm blue waters. Blend adventure with chill relaxation.

[Photo Credit: Datingscout via Unsplash]

St. Lucia: Romance & Rainforest

A Caribbean classic with an upscale edge, St. Lucia offers dramatic Piton views, lush rainforest hikes, and luxe resorts that hit the sweet spot between indulgent and attainable. Think thick rainforests, amazing wildlife, and warm to mild temps year-round.

Why Go in Winter: The dry season between December and April is especially good for hiking. This is also peak season, so you will have more visitors and higher prices. But it’s worth it for the lower humidity and cooler temperatures. Perfect for beach days and water sports. Revel in the stunning views and clear skies, vibrant festivals.

What to do: Soak in natural hot springs, sail at sunset, or book a couples’ spa treatment at an open-air treehouse spa.

[Photo Credit: S&J via Shared Adventures – read about their St. Lucia Honeymoon here!]

breakfast from a balcony that looks out over the ocean Sandals La Toc St. Lucia

Bali: Culture & Nature

Enjoy a sun-soaked beach as you escape the winter chill. With warm temperatures year-round, pristine white sand beaches, and clear waters, Bali is all you could want in an island escape. It is covered in lush jungles and terraced rice fields, and dotted with ancient temples, so you can experience both natural beauty and a rich cultural heritage.

infinity pool overlooking nature in Ubud Bali

Why Go in Winter: The wet season runs from October to March, and so you’ll experience higher humidity and rainfall. However, this means there’ll be fewer people and lower prices. The rain typically arrives in short bursts in the afternoons or evenings, leaving you plenty of time to revel in all that Bali has to offer.

What to do: indulge in delicious fresh fruits, explore bustling markets, and visit ancient temples. Let the joy of the Balinese people and the relaxing atmosphere rejuvenate you. Take a yoga class, visit the rice fields, or try your hand at surfing the perfect waves.

[Photo Credit: Alicia & Jay via Shared Adventures – read about their Bali honeymoon here!]

Dubai: Modern & Ancient

Lovely sunshine, spotless beaches, and impeccable service. Dubai is a dream in winter. You can enjoy quiet patches of sandy beaches, visit the upscale malls, and experience futuristic innovations. Or head into the warren of the Old Souk for a taste of the local markets and traditional crafts.  There’s a lot to explore in Dubai.

pedestrian boardwalk with large pool to one sideand glisteing skyskrapers behind in Downtown Dubai

Why Go in Winter: The temperatures average between 68 – 77 degrees, making it the perfect weather to explore and do a little bit of everything. While winter is considered peak season, it is also a season of festivals and opportunities to try the best Dubai has to offer without worrying about the heat.

What to do: outdoor activities are comfortable at this time of year.  You can walk through the souks, go on safari, and hang out on the beach.

[Photo Credit: Noah Bikoro via Unsplash]

Are you ready to start planning your beach vacation for this winter? Let us know, and we can help you pick the perfect destination for your next adventure!

The Best Honeymoon Destinations (by Month)

Honeymoons by Month Pin
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The majority of couples still take their honeymoons shortly after the wedding. Which means that honeymooners have to consider seasonality and find a destination that works well for their specific travel dates. But how do you know which places are the best at different times of year? Don’t worry — we’ve got you covered, with our handy guide to the best honeymoon destinations by month!


The Weather

Before we get to the months, there are a few criteria to keep in mind. First is, of course, the weather.

Sunset beach Costa Rica Honeymoons

Beachy and tropical islands often have just two seasons: Dry and Rainy. These seasons tend to be the opposite on different sides of the world. So no matter what month you travel in, you can find a beautiful beachy location somewhere.

[Photo Credit: Katey & Oliver via Shared Adventures – read about their Costa Rica Honeymoon here!]

The Crowds

a piazza in Rome full of tourists, ideal for Honeymoons

The other important factor to consider is crowds. Certain months see high crowds for a reason. Everyone is excited to experience the best weather the destination has to offer! Think about whether it’s more important to you to have the best weather possible (despite the crowds). Or would you prefer to risk some less-than-ideal days in exchange for having a sense of seclusion?

[Photo credit: Ann via Shared Adventures]

With these answers in mind, have a look at our monthly guide! We’ve split the destinations into two categories: “High-season” is the best weather with potentially the biggest crowds. “Best balance” has decent weather balanced with smaller crowds.

January

St. Lucia– high-season
Costa Rica- high-season
Aruba – high-season

Norway high-season
Swiss Alps- best balance

Beachy Honeymoons: For the best weather, look to the equator. Destinations in the Central America region ( including the Caribbean) will be beautiful. They will also be in peak season. January offers clear blue skies, warm seas, and a perfectly idyllic beach vacation. It’s just a bonus that you can escape from the cold!

Snowy Honeymoons: Consider just how cold you truly want it to be. The further north you go, the darker and colder it gets, which gives you the brilliant opportunity to see the Northern Lights. January also tends to be less busy than February in top ski destinations due to the shorter days.

February

Mexico– high-season
New Zealand- high-season
Hawai’i – best balance

Swiss Alps- high-season
Norway- best balance
California- best balance

Beachy Honeymoons: February is a peak month for tropical travel. The Caribbean, and Mexico are popular with everyone trying to escape the winter cold, including families on school vacation breaks. Hawaii can be a good option, because the weather is temperate year round and spreads the crowds out. And French Polynesia might work, as long as you’re okay with some passing rain showers.

Snowy Honeymoons: How important is skiing? How cold is too cold? If you want to hit the slopes every day of your honeymoon, then February is prime ski season in many winter destinations! If you’re looking for other winter activities, you’ll find the extra cold temps mean a lot of opportunities to snuggle up, fewer crowds, and more daylight hours for adventuring!

March

The Maldives– best balance
New Zealand- best balance

Iceland- best balance (for snow)
Japan- high-season (mid-March)

Beachy Honeymoons: March is a great honeymoon month to avoid crowds if you don’t mind a little unpredictability. It’s the last month of the dry season in many places. So look more closely at the weather reports and consider spots where a few small showers and cooler nights will enhance your trip.

Snowy Honeymoons: This is the last opportunity of the year to enjoy a snowy destination! Consider what winter activities you’re most excited to experience. Because you start to get longer hours of daylight in March, find a destination that has a lot of outdoor adventures. 

a view of the siene, the eiffle tower and the paris skyline in Paris for Honeymoons
[Photo Credit: Ann via Shared Adventures – read about her April in Paris trip here!]

April

The Caribbean– best balance
Seychelles- best balance
South Africa- best for combining different regions

Australia- best balance
France- high-season
Napa, California- best balance

Beachy Honeymoons: April is the bridge between the dry and wet seasons. For the best weather, look into heading a bit further towards the southern hemisphere. If you’d rather stay closer to home, the Caribbean will have some unpredictability, but overall beautiful days and lower crowds. 

City Breaks: April is the beginning of perfectly romantic city breaks. Consider locations that you dream of strolling around, admiring the architecture and the flowers in bloom. Look to Europe and Japan for the most beautiful displays of spring blooms. 

May

Portugal– best balance
Malta- best balance
Costa Rica- best balance
Hawai’i- best balance

Fiji- best balance
Scotland- best balance
Ireland- best balance

Beachy Honeymoons: A perfect shoulder month. If you’re looking to stay closer to home, the Caribbean and Central America will have lower crowds without (yet) the summer rains. Otherwise, you can beat the summer crowds but enjoy the rising temperature on the other side of the globe. Southern Europe and the South Pacific are entering their dry season. Warm weather, low humidity, and the islands practically to yourselves — It makes the long plane trip worth it! 

Sightseeing and Exploring: If you’re not a sunseeker, look into northern Europe. A perfect combination of warm days, cool nights, green countryside, lower crowds, and maybe still a little snow on the utmost mountain peaks. 

lush green mountains of Hawaii an a blue bay on the road to hana. perfect for hawaii honeymoons
[Photo credit: Ann via Shared Adventures Travel]

June

Hawai’i– high-season
Antigua- best balance
St. Lucia- best balance

Fiji- high-season
Greece- best balance
Alaska- best balance

Beachy Honeymoons: June is the beginning of hurricane season in the Caribbean, but it’s still too early for major risk. This is a good month for sun-seekers. Look for spots where you can sneak in before the storm risk increases in late summer.

City Breaks: June is an excellent month for city breaks. Everything is open and waiting, but the true heat of summer hasn’t settled into the cobblestones yet. Look for cities that allow you to get out into nature a bit for a cool breeze.

July

French Polynesia– high-season
Malta- high-season
Italy- high-season

Ireland- high-season
Canada- high-season
Iceland-high-season

Beachy Honeymoons: French Polynesia and southern Europe swell to their peak popularity. Honeymooners in July will almost certainly have to share the beaches with plenty of other travelers.

Outdoorsy Honeymoons: July is the peak month for many cooler-weather destinations that are just coming into their own at this time of year. Look to the north to find green fields, hiking trails, cool mountain lakes, fresh breezes, and unending hours of daylight.

August

Kenya & Tanzania– high-season
Mozambique- high-season
Bali- high-season
Vietnam- high-season

Croatia- high-season
France-high-season

The sweltering temps are reaching their peak and everyone is looking for a beach. August is difficult to avoid crowds, especially in Europe where many countries have their summer vacations. Look to the islands in Southeast Asia and Southern Africa for the peak of the dry season. Beautiful beaches and beautiful clear skies await you there.

driving nin maine
[Photo credit: Liz via Shared Adventures Travel – read about a New England Roatrip here!]

September

Hawai’i – best balance
French Polynesia- best balance
Bali- best balance
Greece- best balance

Croatia- best balance
Italy- best balance
Japan-best balance
The UKbest balance

Beachy Honeymoons: This is the perfect moment to swoop in and enjoy the last warm days without all the crowds. Look to the most popular summer beach destinations. You’ll find amazing weather, still-warm seas, and fewer people.

City Breaks: Like April, September is a perfect month for city breaks. The sweltering heat dissipates and the nights start to cool. Everything is still open and buzzing from summer, but the temperatures and crowd levels are much more pleasant. This is the time to visit Italy, Greece and Croatia!

October

Mauritius-high-season
Vietnam- best balance
Dubai- best balance
Zambia- high-season

France- best balance
Amsterdam- best balance
Canada-best balance
New England- high-season

Beachy Honeymoons: This is the best time to visit those destinations that are almost unbearably hot in summer. While October brings unpredictability, it also brings good opportunities to explore beyond the beach. 

Cool Honeymoons: Stunning fall foliage is the main focus of an October honeymoon in North America and Europe. While you may have a mixture of sun and rain, October’s quiet crispness in the cities will only add to the romantic atmosphere.

November

Thailand-best balance
The Maldives- high-season
Jamaica- best balance

Australia- high-season
Argentina- best balance
Chile- best balance

November is all about the Southern Hemisphere. While the north experiences rain and cloudy skies, the south is right at the beginning of summer. The weather isn’t too hot yet and the crowds aren’t too big, so overall you want to consider the bottom half of the world. It’s also a good time for the Caribbean, as the hurricane risk is nearly past, and crowds ten to be lower.

December

The Caribbean-high-season
Mexico– high-season
Thailand– high-season
Bali- high-season

Copenhagen- best holiday markets
Austria- best holiday markets
Prague- best holiday markets

Beachy Honeymoons: The holiday season sees everyone in the north escaping the cold for beautiful beaches. Consider places near to the equator on both sides of the world- South East Asia, The Caribbean, and Mexico are all in their stride. 

Snowy Honeymoons: The beginning of snow, cold temperatures, and beautiful holiday markets! While snow is a little unpredictable, consider those cold-weather cities with booming holiday markets as the perfect cozy romantic destinations. 

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