Best Winter Holiday Destinations - Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt

With summer slowly slipping away before our very eyes, it won't be long until the leaves are falling from the trees, the dark nights start drawing in and Slade are back on the radio once again. If you think you might have a few pennies left over from your annual Christmas shopping, then you should think about jetting off for a week or so in search of some winter sun.

One destination that isn't likely to disappoint is the Egyptian Red Sea Resort of Sharm el Sheikh. This holiday destination has soared in popularity over the last decade or so and is now a well-established holiday resort on the south coast of the Sinai Peninsula. In 1980, there was practically no sign of any tourist industry at all – it was just a small port town. However, in the 80’s large sums of money was invested in the area, resorts were constructed and large chains of restaurants and up-market hotels, such as the Marriott, Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton, were persuaded to start up in the area, helping to begin pull in tourists from abroad.

Today, roughly 100 resorts exist in the area, compared to just 3 in 1982. Of course, it wasn’t just the opening of hotels and restaurants that led to a boom. The area needed a wide portfolio of qualities to become a major player in the tourism industry. The hot, dry climate was one major factor – as well as the miles and miles of natural sandy white beaches. The dramatic terrain, with Mount Sinai part of the backdrop, was another draw that gave the area an attractive, romantic image rather than just being another town in the middle of the desert.

Being on the Red Sea, Sharm el Sheikh has a wide variety of water sports on offer, including water-skiing, paragliding and jet skiing. However, it is largely via the help of world-class scuba diving and snorkelling that holidays in Sharm el Sheikh have become one of the best holiday destinations in the world for water sports. Countless varieties of fish, including reef sharks and hammerheads, and beautifully diverse coral reefs make the undersea kingdom here extremely varied and enjoyable to swim in.

Hammerhead Sharks, Sharm el Sheikh

 

In terms of the weather in winter, temperatures average around 20°C in December-February time, so temperatures are much cooler than the summer months, however days still have long periods of sunshine making it a pleasant contrast from the grim British winter.

Sharm el Sheikh's many virtues ensure tourism in the area continues to thrive, attracting visitors from around the world. You can find return flights to Sharm el Sheikh for under £200 this winter which is great value. So if you are looking to get away this winter, choose Sharm el Sheikh - one of the best holiday destinations in winter.

Best Winter Holiday Destinations - Tenerife, the Canary Islands

With August Bank Holiday fast approaching already, it seems like the summer never really kicked off. Luckily, to help cheer us up, there are a wealth of great holiday destinations you should look into when planning your Christmas holidays.Tenerife is one of the best holiday destinations around for a spot of winter sun. The Canary Islands, off the North West coast of Africa, have year long sunshine and high temperatures - because they are near the equator there are no distinct seasons. In December/January, temperatures average 20˚C and around 28˚C in August. Cheap package deals have made holidays here hugely popular all year round, combined with just a 4 hour flight and you are onto a winner. Being a Spanish island the locals speak Spanish but most know some English so you should be able to get by, if not the obligatory tourist hand signals should do the trick.

There are several main resorts in Tenerife. The first is near the airport in the South of the island, and is split into 3 areas, Los Cristianos, Las Americas and the Costa Adeje. This large resort attracts most of Tenerifes tourists, as the South gets the best weather and generally has nicer beaches than the North. Tenerife is a volcano and as a result it tends to be rainier and cooler in the North due to the winds, however it is windier (but sunnier) in the South. There is plenty to do in this area - a newly opened waterpark, Siam Park, is one of the main attractions and is much more impressive than anything found back in the UK. There are also a variety of tour operators that specialise in dolphin and whale watching.

The main disadvantage of Los Cristianos etc. is that the 18-30's flock there on lads holidays, and as a result the area has become slightly tacky. Drinks offers can be found in force, with a large array of bars and clubs perfect for youngsters. Gary Lineker's brother even owns a bar here and is one of the top draws come sunset - the creatively named Lineker's Bar.

The North of the island is slightly less developed, including Puerto de la Cruz. The town has a couple of decent black sand beaches - the main attraction here is Loro Parque, an impressive zoo which also has live dolphin, sea lion and killer whale shows - well worth a visit no matter what your age.

I would recommend getting a hire car if you wanted to explore the island, the best beaches are out of the tourist hotspots - for example Playa las Teresitas, just east of the capital, Santa Cruz (see photo below). Although the beach is artificial, it has white sand (imported from the Sahara) unlike the natural Tenerife beaches and is probably the best beach on the island, and rarely gets crowded.



Overall Tenerife has alot to offer - a trip up to the top of Mount Teide is a must as well - and is definitely one of the best holiday destinations for some winter (or summer) sun.