The drizzle and dark nights are yet to descend, but winter is on the horizon – so if you haven’t already booked a holiday to sunnier climes, now’s your moment. But after a year of perpetual squeezing, where can your beleaguered household budget stretch furthest?
The smart money’s on South Africa, says Post Office Travel Money, which has just released a report comparing on-the-ground expenses in 24 winter sun destinations all over the world. Cape Town came out cheapest, with prices that look like they’ve been plucked from the 1990s. Beers for £1.86; coffees for £1.67; three-course meals for £39 – for two, including wine. Its December highs of 25-27C are the icing on the cake. For the full comparison, including prices in the Caribbean, Europe and South-East Asia, see the table below.
But Cape Town isn’t alone. This year’s winter-sun getaways are looking cheaper than you might think, says Al Murray, chief marketing and supply officer at online travel agency Loveholidays. “We’re seeing some brilliant price drops across a variety [of destinations],” he explains. “Las Palmas in the Canaries is down more than 12 per cent, but long-haul is where the savings really add up, with hotel rate reductions and lower airfares shaving hundreds of pounds off package costs, making them even more accessible than last year.”
For a global perspective, Telegraph Travel quizzed travel agents and industry insiders on their recommendations for low-cost winter sun this year; read on for their verdict.
Mombasa, Kenya
With its palm-lined beaches and all-inclusive resorts, this city on the Indian Ocean is a rising contender for winter sun – often pitched by travel agents as a rival to Sharm El Sheikh and Thailand.
It came second for affordability in the Post Office’s report, and Mombasa’s packages are also highly competitive: its resorts are vying hard for market share, but it looks like they might need to try harder. “Sales of holidays to Mombasa are [currently] down on the same time last year,” says John Sullivan, commercial director of Advantage Travel Partnership, a consortium of UK travel agents. This is good news for bargain-hunters: to boost demand, we can perhaps expect some great Black Friday sales.
Elsewhere in Africa, packages to The Gambia and Tunisia are currently cheaper than they were this time last year, according to holiday comparison site TravelSupermarket.
Skyscanner has seven nights with breakfast at Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa in Mombasa from £1,536pp. Includes indirect flights from Heathrow, travelling January 4-11.
The Canary Islands… or Cape Verde?
The Canaries are “one of the strongest value options available”, says TUI travel advisor Carolyn Reed, citing the abundant flights and strong competition between resorts.
But if you’ve visited the Canaries already, look to Cape Verde, says Gavin Lapidus, director of multi-centre holiday specialist eShores: “It offers more reliable winter weather than southern Europe, but without the flight time or price tag of travelling to the Caribbean. Increased awareness, more availability and its strong all-inclusive market have helped move it from a relatively niche choice into a genuine rival to the Canary Islands.”
First Choice offers seven nights’ all-inclusive at Melia Llana in Cape Verde, from £1,181pp. Includes flights from Gatwick on January 18.
United Arab Emirates
It’s been a nightmare year for UAE tourism, and its hotels are slashing prices in a bid to tempt travellers back this winter. The Foreign Office currently has no warnings against visiting the UAE, but booking a package is wise in case of further disruption.
Of all the emirates, it looks like Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) will be cheapest, with prices currently down 19.4 per cent year-on-year according to TravelSupermarket. RAK is a 90-minute transfer from Dubai Airport, with polished beachfront resorts aplenty and highs of 26C in December. Expect to pay more in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but there’s still decent value available.
However, with some airlines still operating a reduced service to the UAE, prices could rise, warns Martyn Sumners, executive director of AITO – The Specialist Travel Association. “When supply is restricted but demand remains strong, dynamic pricing pushes fares upwards as cheaper fare classes sell out.”
In Ras Al Khaimah, Destination2 offers five nights all-inclusive at Rixos Bab Al Bahr from £989pp, including transfers and indirect flights from Heathrow, departing January 20.
In Dubai, Value Added Travel has five nights all-inclusive at JA Palm Tree Court from £1,849pp, throughout December, including flights.
Phuket, Thailand… or Vietnam?
The Thai island Phuket came fifth in the Post Office’s report, with £2 beers and £51 dinners for two. And it’s a winner for package breaks too, says Murray from Loveholidays, with prices currently down 8.8 per cent year-on-year.
Why so? Yasmin Jewels, a British Airways Holidays destination manager, credits the “fantastic range of high-end hotels and resorts that are competing for business, making rates very competitive”. In December and January, expect abundant sunshine and low-30s temperatures.
Vietnam is also a strong option, says eShores’ Lapidus. “The flight is the expensive component, but hotel, dining and local transport costs remain competitive. For a 10-night or two-week holiday, the overall value can be significantly better than the airfare initially suggests.”
LoveHolidays has seven nights with breakfast at Diamond Resort Phuket Bang Tao, from £899pp. Includes flights from Gatwick, travelling in January.
Sri Lanka
After a tumultuous few years, Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is getting back on its feet – with rock-bottom rates galore. It came fourth in the Post Office’s report, while it’s also a good tip for premium hotel packages, says Jewels – because of “competitive hotel pricing and a wide choice of resorts along the south and south-west coasts”.
You’ll need to be quick, though. Bookings to Colombo are currently “up by a triple-digit percentage”, says Sullivan. As demand rises, expect rates to follow.
Travelsphere’s 13-day Highlights of Sri Lanka tour encompasses Colombo, Sigiriya, Kandy, Yala and Galle, starting at £2,749pp, departing November 2. Includes flights, transfers, accommodation, selected meals and cultural experiences.
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Which Caribbean destinations are offering the biggest package discounts this year? Jamaica’s Montego Bay, says online travel agency Expedia – as well as the Cayman Islands and Nassau in the Bahamas – though it didn’t divulge by how much.
Jamaica’s competitive tourism market makes it a solid choice for value. Winter airfares are currently down 13 per cent year-on-year, says Skyscanner, to around £764 return. It’s best to book a package, though. The Post Office ranked Montego Bay just 16th for on-the-ground affordability. Expect highs of 30C in December.
Caribbean cruises are also competitively priced right now, says independent travel consultant Sorrel Ashton: “I’ve just booked a Caribbean cruise for someone starting in Miami at the end of November, which is cheaper than going to the Mediterranean in September.”
Expedia offers six nights all-inclusive at JOIA Rose Hall by Iberostar in Montego Bay, from £3,215pp – a saving of £1,025. Includes flights, travelling December 7–13.
Agadir and Taghazout, Morocco
Morocco has long been synonymous with cheap late-year sunshine, but look beyond Marrakech to the south-west coast, says BA Holidays destination executive Emilie Proment. “Agadir and Taghazout are destinations to watch for good value. This is primarily due to there being a lot of investment [there] over the last few years, with international hotel brands and resorts. We are seeing some very reasonable opportunities, especially for January.”
Taghazout has a growing choice of resorts, whereas Agadir is a more established package destination. Both offer low-20s temperatures in December and January.
BA Holidays has seven nights with breakfast at Hyatt Regency Taghazout, from £899pp, travelling between January 1 and 31. Includes transfers and flights from Gatwick. Book by October 12.
All prices and offers are based on two sharing, and subject to change.