Best place for some wintersun?

Myself and a couple of friends are wanting a holiday possibly early next year however we're not sure where to go. Love to go to the caribbean again but we're on a slight budget and need somewhere cheaper. Any ideas? I've never been away in winter so I don't know where's hot and where's not

I was about to mention Dubai but then remembered how expensive the place has become. What about Sharm El Sheikh?

[Neil]

Sharm is perfect for winter sun, and still quite well priced, although way more so than when we went in 2004. Other option would be somewhere like Tenerife.

[Nottingham Nick]

Agree with Tink, if you are looking for cheap, then Dubai is not the place to go.

Sun is great, but unless you stock up in the duty free on arrival - there isn't much cheap booze about and eating out is very dear.

Nick

In work we have a fair amount of Egypt requirements and the guys draw straws in order to avoid the place, especially Costa del Sharm. Unless its the Four Seasons there expect dodgy belly syndrome and constant hassle outside of the hotel.

As a kid we spent many a summer in Tenerife and I loved it. A recent visit for Telefonica had us in Costa Adeje and it's nothing like Las Americas - think 5 star hotels around a designer shopping mall! Well worth a look. We stayed in Bahia Del Duque which was stunning.

Tinkerbelle is bang on with the Dubai comment, it's getting cooler here every day and therefore the price of holidays is rising as we reach peak season.

Tinkerbelle is bang on with the Dubai comment, it's getting cooler here every day and therefore the price of holidays is rising as we reach peak season.

As well as entrance prices to Wild Wadi going up seemingly on every visit!

[Darren Wheeler]

I'm looking at Sharm for Jan/Feb but it's not set in stone yet. Late deals I thing.

Tinkerbelle is bang on with the Dubai comment, it's getting cooler here every day and therefore the price of holidays is rising as we reach peak season.

As well as entrance prices to Wild Wadi going up seemingly on every visit!

It's all about Aquaventure these days for us! We have annual passes so it works out pretty cheap as we go most Fridays. Wild Wadi lost us when they closed the family ride for construction earlier this year.

I wouldn't agree it's expensive to eat out, unless you drink alcohol. I had a three course meal in Trader Vics at the Madinat for 230dhs with two cokes for drinks and it came to 34GBP. That's in a 5* tourist resort. Venture into the older areas and you can eat like a king for under 10GBP!

Well, we have been thinking egypt, we're hoping to get dead cheap tickets with monarch (friends dad works for them) not to mention we'd get decent seats as we all check it in! Not too sure though.
With regards to TFS, how warm/hot is it usually around January to March time?

What about Tunisia?

Mum and dad are there are the moment at an AI resort but close to a town not sure where they are staying but it looked good when Ilooked it up on the interwebnet for them.

Well Im off to Dubai in 3 weeks fo a long weekend an Sharm in March for the family hols. Hopefully sunshine both times.

Iain

[Neil]

With regards to TFS, how warm/hot is it usually around January to March time?

My parents usually go to Tenerife end Jan/early Feb each year and whilst the weather does vary, it is usually early 20's.

We did Sharm early Feb and it was late 20's/early 30's.

Neil

Well Im off to Dubai in 3 weeks fo a long weekend an Sharm in March for the family hols. Hopefully sunshine both times.

Iain

When I say getting cooler, it's a good thing! Summer temperatures raw unbearable for most and reflected in the cheap hotels/flights at that time of year. This morning it's 35oC and a little misty

If you want any advice or tips just let me know!

With regards to TFS, how warm/hot is it usually around January to March time?

My parents usually go to Tenerife end Jan/early Feb each year and whilst the weather does vary, it is usually early 20's.

We did Sharm early Feb and it was late 20's/early 30's.

Neil

Now, being my grand old age of 20, going on 21, I get cold very easily and would need it to be going on for around 30 for me to be happy!
Also, erm, due to my lack of geographical knowledge I'm not too sure where Tunisia is?

At least I know I'll probably be off to Vienna again for my birthday, that's a simple choice!

Thailand. As a more adventurous alternative. Cheap as you like when you get there. Phuket, Phi Phi, Lanta, or stay in Bangkok. Can't really compare to carribean, been to both, completely different experience. Really good flying with Etihad.

[Neil]

Also how about the Dominican Republic? Not the best or most luxurious of the Caribbean Islands, but still nice and can be quite reasonably priced.

Tunisia is North Africa, just tap it in to Google for it's exact location, but if you went from the toe on the 'boot of Italy' and drew a straight line South West, you hit Tunisia.

It sounds like Sharm would be perfect weather wise for you.

We can't really afford Thailand!
My problem with somewhere like Sharm is, an all inclusive deal with say Thomas Cook is not that much cheaper than somewhere in say Cuba or the Dominican (I'd love to go back there but would like to try something different!) so unless we can get staff travel I may be swayed towards the caribbean somewhere again!

We can't really afford Thailand!
My problem with somewhere like Sharm is, an all inclusive deal with say Thomas Cook is not that much cheaper than somewhere in say Cuba or the Dominican (I'd love to go back there but would like to try something different!) so unless we can get staff travel I may be swayed towards the caribbean somewhere again!

There is always a sale fare on the MCO route out of MAN, plus bet there are some good deals on accommodation? Only down side is you likely need one of you to drive when you get there..
Nh

[Neil]

We didn't do an all inclusive in Sharm. We stayed right on the sea front about a 5min walk from Naama Bay centre, it was dirt cheap to eat out on a night.

I might have a look into VS sales, see if there's anything good. We do like all inclusive though, speaking for myself virtually my entire wage goes on bills because I live alone so spending money on top of a holiday, however cheap means me figuring out how much money I need for everything. Maybe it's because we're young but all inclusive suits us better. I'm sure we'll find somewhere!

Another vote for somewhere in the Canaries, Lizz. Have had a couple of decent winter breaks in Lanzarote, as well as Teneriffe, although you do have to be quite selective regarding location.

We can't really afford Thailand!
My problem with somewhere like Sharm is, an all inclusive deal with say Thomas Cook is not that much cheaper than somewhere in say Cuba or the Dominican (I'd love to go back there but would like to try something different!) so unless we can get staff travel I may be swayed towards the caribbean somewhere again!

There is always a sale fare on the MCO route out of MAN, plus bet there are some good deals on accommodation? Only down side is you likely need one of you to drive when you get there..
Nh

Mmm we tried that this year, 1st till 14th Jan in SW Florida. Was one of the coldest "cold snaps" on record . Even the fish were dying as a result of the cold. Exceptional, granted but I would say its far from guaranteed reasonable temperatures.
We go to Gran Canaria some years in January and find temps usually around the low 20's. Very pleasant but hardly roasting hot. Lizz, if you want to guarantee high temperature's I'm afraid it's got to be long haul (well, over 5-6 hrs anyway)
We went to St Lucia last year in January and in doing research on the weather before we went I discovered that the all time record low temperature recorded was 18 degrees C and that was at night!


NOC

Hmm, looks like it might have to be somewhere abit further afield. We have been looking at Cuba, some pretty good deals on there, any idea if it's any good there?

Ok so, a cheap close holiday's kind of gone out of the window, although Thomas Cook are doing some good deals again.
We've decided on Cayo Coco in Cuba, has anyone got any experience/tips of it over there?

Costa Verde?