If you live in the UK then the thought of winter quite literally sends a shiver down your spine, cold days, dark nights and even colder mornings. In fact, a study by The Weather Channel and YouGov discovered that 29% of the UK population suffers from some form of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) in Winter.
What are the symptoms of SAD?
You may be suffering from some form of Seasonal Affective Disorder without even realising, the symptoms are much more common than people think but there is plenty of advice on how to combat them available from the NHS.
According to the NHS, symptoms of SAD can include:
- a persistent low mood
- a loss of pleasure or interest in normal everyday activities
- irritability
- feelings of despair, guilt and worthlessness
- feeling lethargic (lacking in energy) and sleepy during the day
- sleeping for longer than normal and finding it hard to get up in the morning
- craving carbohydrates and gaining weight
If you think you have SAD then follow the advice from the NHS here https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder-sad/.
How Can A Holiday Help?
Taking a holiday can be excellent for your mental and physical wellbeing. It’s important to maintain a good work/life balance and taking a break is one great way to do it. The holidays you’re given by work aren’t a benefit, they’re to ensure you’re able to maintain a healthy and safe lifestyle and by law, you’re entitled to them.
As travel insurance experts, we understand all there is to know about great holidays, and we’ve outlined a few favourites below. Remember, to take out travel insurance when you book your holiday, enter your details and compare the cheapest quotes on our new online quote comparison page.
Where Is Hot In Winter?
So, if you want to get away for winter then you may be wanting to visit somewhere with warm weather and plenty of sunshine to top up that all-important vitamin D, but where is hot during winter?
Plenty of countries are blessed with warm weather over our winter period and the below list shows what temperatures you can expect:
Canary Islands (Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Gran Canarias) – Average temperature over winter 21°. Tenerife has plenty of amazing attractions like Siam Park, voted the number 1 water park in the world 6 years running in the Trip Advisor Travellers Choice Awards!
Cancun – Wonderful year-round temperatures with December being the coldest month averaging 30°. With a booming nightlife and endless amounts of delicious restaurants, Cancun is brilliant for couples.
Barbados – due to its Caribbean location, Barbados is wonderfully warm with temperatures averaging 29° over winter. Picturesque white sandy beaches with crystal clear water making the perfect backdrop for any selfie, you’ll be left in awe of the beauty in Barbados.
Dominican Republic – Another Caribbean destination that benefits from warm weather year-round, temperatures do tend to drop over winter, but they average around 29°. Also, blessed with beautiful beaches and stunning ocean reefs, snorkeling or scuba diving is a must for any holidaymaker in the Dominican Republic.
How You Can Get The Best Deals
If you’re on a budget but still want to get away over winter, then you may want to consider getting a late deal which can often be heavily reduced in price. You have less control over where you end up going on holiday and the options are limited but this only adds to the excitement.
One provider of last-minute holiday deals is TUI. They regularly offer deals for under £170 per person!* They even have a page dedicated to offering these brilliant offers on their website. You can access it here. https://www.tui.co.uk/holidays/last-minute.
Another popular site for last-minute holiday deals is Icelolly. They also have a page dedicated to late holiday deals and you can find it here https://www.icelolly.com/deals/last-minute.
Things To Be Careful Of – Thomas Cook
After the recent collapse of Thomas Cook, it’s more important than ever to ensure your holiday is covered by travel insurance. Many people lost out on thousands of pounds due to them not having holiday insurance in place from the minute they booked their trip to ensure they were covered for potential issues such as cancellation.
If you were affected by the collapse of Thomas Cook, you can visit https://thomascook.caa.co.uk/ which was set up by the CAA(Civil Aviation Authority) to provide advice and guidance on your rights.
You can compare prices for travel insurance with us and pick the perfect insurance to suit your needs at a price that’s fair
Beach Or City Break?
Winter City Break
If you’re not fussed about getting some winter sun, then a stunning city break may suit you best. One of the most popular winter city breaks is New York. With an abundance of shops and restaurants, you’ll never be short of something to do. If you visit around Christmas, you’ll be starstruck by the winter wonderland that is NYC. Christmas markets and decorations turn this busy city into a scene straight from the movies. You can spend a dreamy winter evening ice skating in Central Park or visiting the Rockefeller Christmas Tree!
Winter Beach Break
If you’re looking for a delightfully hot winter paradise, then the blissful 30° temperatures in Cancun will have you itching to book your flight. With over 22 kilometres of beautiful white sandy beaches and crystal-clear tranquil ocean water, Cancun is even better in person.
There’s also tons of amazing excursions you can try whilst in Cancun, like visiting the ancient ruins of Chichen Itza, the Mayan City, famous for its glorious pyramids and also one of the New Seven Wonders Of The World.
Although it can be on the expensive side, these holidays are value for money with some hotels having up to 12 restaurants to choose from during your stay. If relaxation, luxury and hot weather is what you’re after then look no further.
Best Winter Skiing Holiday
Looking for a winter holiday that will get your adrenaline flowing? A skiing holiday may be for you. Skiing holidays are excellent options for a winter getaway, and you don’t need to be an Olympic skier to take part. Most ski resorts cater for all levels of experience and you can rent everything you need to get yourself on the slopes. One of the most popular destinations in Europe for skiing is France, with ample ski resorts to choose from with varying degrees of difficulty. One of the prettiest is Val-D’Isere, France. You need to ensure you are fully insured for winter sports on your travel insurance as this is often an optional extra, you can get an idea of the cost for travel insurance with winter sports cover here.
Winter Cruise
Going on a cruise during winter is a sure-fire way to get some sunshine. With the ability to wake up in a different port each day, it’s clear why they’re so popular with holiday makers. It’s great for visiting lots of cities on a holiday but lugging around your baggage and changing flights makes everything a little less fun. Those problems don’t exist on a cruise, as you unpack once and simply get off the boat and come back each day. This allows you to experience many different parts of the world with a lot less effort!
When people think of cruises, they often think expensive, and they’re not wrong… you can go on some very pricey cruises spending months on board. However, for shorter holidays of 7 days, prices are much more reasonable, and you can easily pick up a late deal for under £1000 with TUI.* One thing to remember when booking a cruise is to ensure you’re travel insurance includes cruise cover. You can get and compare quotes for travel insurance with cruise cover here.
So there you have it, let us know where you end up this winter on our Facebook and Twitter! Or tag us in your amazing Instagram photos so we can enjoy some holiday envy.
*Prices correct on the date of writing 28/10/2019.
