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Holiday guide

Our top 50 winter holiday destinations for every type of traveller

The world is divided into two types of people: those who relish the cooler months and those who don’t. The first group looks forward to invigorating walks, open fires, red wine and fluffy doonas. The second type of traveller, like a migrating bird, prefers to fly, drive or cruise to warmer places. Here, in this special guide, is a multitude of ways to get going in mid-winter, whether you want to head to a place where the mercury is up or to one where you’ll need to switch up the temperature yourself.

5 stories
Dive into island culture - Tahiti.

Best winter holiday escapes: Islands

Why not escape to an island where the water’s warm all winter, and the locals are even warmer?

  • Craig Tansley
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Lanterns at a pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City.

Best winter holiday escapes: Cities

Some cities shine in winter, others offer a perfect escape for the shivering masses.

  • Julietta Jameson
Warm welcome: ESCA at Nest and Nature South Australia.

Best winter holiday escapes: Country

Heading to the country provides relaxation for the mind and the soul - in all types of weather.

  • Sheriden Rhodes
Treble Cone Wanaka, New Zealand, offers challenging terrain for the adventurous.

Best winter holiday escapes: Snow

Cold weather spells one thing for skiers and snowboarders: holiday time.

  • Jim Darby
Explore the South Pacific on board the Carnival Splendor.

Best winter holiday escapes: Cruises

Swap winter blues for those of the Pacific on a cruise for all seasons.

  • Brian Johnston

More holiday guides

Victoria’s Great Ocean Road.

Australian road trips

Our writers share some of their most memorable Aussie road trips that invariably involve getting lost, discovering somewhere new and eating too many snacks.

  • 26 stories
Railway with Jungfrau mountain Switzerland
Photo: Lonely Planet/Supplied
Handout image supplied for use in Traveller. No syndication. Use must be related to "Lonely Planet's Guide to Train Travel in Europe"
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Train journeys

Environmentally friendly, spacious, and often delivering you to the centre of your destination with ease, any train journey is an adventure in itself.

  • 44 stories