Are you longing to escape the winter cold? Get as far away as possible? How does the Caribbean, Asia or India sound? Tempting but pricey? Go for it! Seriously. You may be surprised to find that they’re a whole lot cheaper than you might have thought
Winter’s not going anywhere fast: The view from your window moves from dark to grey and then back to dark again. And you don’t need to check your wallet or bank account to know what the situation is. Christmas always costs a pretty penny, and the postman keeps on bringing those infamous January bills.
If only you could, you would have already started making plans to chase the sun; to go somewhere where the skies are as blue as the days are long, and the temperature as mild as your spirits are high.
Multicultural Singapore, green Hong Kong
Well – you can! How does Singapore sound to you? Or Hong Kong? Or Jakarta?
If animals are your thing you can check out one of the best zoos in the world (Singapore), go hiking in the green hills that surround Hong Kong or take a ferry to one of the 240 outlying islands like Lantau, Peng Chau, Cheung Chau and Lamma, which can easily be reached from Central District.
✈ 27th February – 13th March, flights from London to Hong Kong from £273
✈ 7th – 21st March, flights from London to Singapore from £290>
Indonesia: Shopping in Jakarta
Ok, both Hong Kong and Singapore are well known for their shopping opportunities, but what about bargain hunting in Jakarta? – Get pleasantly lost at the Pasar Baru (a local market, the size of a small village, specialising in textiles, fashion, jewellery, cosmetics, etc.; totally car free and pedestrian-friendly). Plus, it doesn’t cost you a fortune to get there meaning more spending money. Check out the amazingly cheap offers, they’ll make you want to leave right away.
✈ 7th – 21st November, flights from Manchester to Jakarta from only £310
Dominican Republic: Palm trees and sandy beaches in abundance
Ok, we tried to find tempting destinations for under £320. But £320 as a starting price for Caribbean sun and fun sounds pretty spot on to us. Get on board, fly to the Dominican Republic (Punta Cana), grab a car hire and explore this wonderful, colourful island. Listen to the sounds of Bachata, Merengue or Reggaetón, taste some rum and enjoy the colonial architecture of the cities and, of course, the beaches (not necessarily in that order).
✈ 6th – 20th March, flights from Manchester non-stop to Punta Cana from only £320
LA: Glamour, beach life and hot springs
Have you always wanted to see Los Angeles? March 2017 could be the perfect time to go Westside, with airfares as low as £265 from London to LA. Beverly Hills, Venice Beach, Huntington Beach, Santa Monica, Malibu. You name it, you’ll see it. Enjoy the nightlife, strut your stuff at Muscle Beach or go sunbathing at the Pacific Ocean. Explore the surrounds, hire a car and take a day trip to Desert Hot Springs and sit in the pools filled with water from, well, hot springs.
✈ 27th March – 4th April, flights from London to Los Angeles from £265
Shanghai: Welcome to the future
Talk about a buzzing metropolis; Shanghai is something else. Orientate yourself in one train ride; take the Maglev train from the Pudong International Airport to Longyang Rd. Station. The sheer amount of towering skyscrapers is overwhelming, as the old contrasts with modern Shanghai, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped onto the set of a sci-fi film. If you need to get back to the simple life, plan a day trip to the ancient water villages just west of the city, where canals still outnumber roads.
✈ 29th April – 13th May, flights from London to Shanghai from £301
India: The best of both worlds
India is also within reach. Fly from London to Mumbai for as low as £291 and be astonished by old buildings like the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus or the Gateway of India. Immerse yourself in the bar and food scene and hang out in artsy neighbourhoods like Kala Ghoda (where old meets new and where you’ll find no end of galleries, cafés and amazing shopping opportunities).
✈ 28th February – 13th March, flights from London to Mumbai from £291
Alternatively, head for the east coast of India, to Chennai for a mere £303. The fourth largest Indian city lies on the Bay of Bengal’s Coromandel, and it’s the liveliest city in South India. Make sure to be a tourist and check out the Thousand Lights Mosque, the Government Museum (one of India’s oldest museums) or the St. George Fort, which was built by the British East India Company in 1640 AD, and is thought to be the first British establishment in India – now that that’s out of the way, head to the ocean; it’s beach time.
✈ 24th January – 6th February, flights from London to Chennai from £303
Kenya: Nairobi for animal lovers
Kenya is, of course, famous for both its safaris and its beach life. But why choose one when you can do both? It makes for a pretty stunning combination. Firstly, fly to Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, where you don’t even have to leave the city to take a safari. Nairobi National Park is one of the very few (if not the only) wildlife parks that you can visit by public transport. Inside the park, you can take pictures of lions, leopards, hippos, buffaloes, zebras, cheetahs, giraffes, gazelles and more. Next, head to Mombasa on the coast for the kinds of beaches you normally only see on postcards.
✈ 23rd February – 9th March flight from Manchester to Nairobi from only £313
✈ 10th – 24th March, flights from Birmingham to Nairobi from £314
Azores – far-flung islands in the Atlantic
If tropical Kenya sounds a bit too wild, you might want to check out the Azores. Flights to the archipelago used to be quite hard to find but due to some regulation changes getting to the cluster of nine volcanic islands is both easier and cheaper to reach than ever. If being surrounded by nature completes you, and you love the active life (we’re talking surfing, horse riding, golfing, canyoning, etc., etc.) then these islands, some 1,300 km west of continental Portugal, and about 1,900 km south-east of Newfoundland, are be the right place for you.
✈ 14th – 24th March, flights from London to Horta from £161
And if that’s not enough, here’s some more places to go:
✈ 13th – 27th March, flights from Manchester to Malaysia from £308
✈ 3rd – 16th May, flights from London to Phuket from £295
Note: These rates are based on search queries made on KAYAK.co.uk on January 10th, 2017. The prices are quoted in GBP. Flight prices are based on results for a return economy flight search. Prices are subject to change, may vary or no longer be available. Prices may change at any time and are subject to certain offers may no longer be available.
