Best places to escape the winter gloom

The clocks have gone back. It’s now officially winter – which means shorter days, darker evenings and colder temperatures.

Ergo, it’s a pretty miserable time of year. Here are the best places to beat the winter gloom over the next few months.

Costa Rica

One of Lonely Planet’s best countries to visit for 2020, this Central American nation is also one of the world’s most biodiverse. Costa Rica, which recently anointed the Miravalles Volcano National Park-Jorge Manuel Dengo as its 29th national park, is eyeing a sustainable future: it is aiming to be the first carbon-neutral country, as it announced plans this year to get to zero carbon emissions by 2050 as part of its National Decarbonisation Plan. It’s also one of the best places in the world to spot sloths and red-eyed frogs.

Average November daily high temperature: 26C

Charleston, US 

Billed as the friendliest city in the US, Charleston is one to watch right now. It helps that during the winter months temperatures rarely dip below 15C, which is perfect weather for exploring its birthday cake-coloured historic downtown streets, swaying gently on a porch of an old clapboard house with a mint julep in hand or clopping around town in a horse and cart. Charleston’s location, on a peninsula in the low-lying South Carolina flatlands, is handily just 20 minutes from the beach – should the days warm up enough to lie on it. British Airways now flies direct twice a week from Heathrow.

Average November daily high temperature: 20C

Essaouira, Morocco 

Wind-blown Essaouira, on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, is becoming more accessible this winter with twice-weekly flights from Stansted using Ryanair. If your only taste of Morocco has been Marrakech, then Essaouira is a good counterpoint. There’s a pretty blue and white medina surrounded by 18th-century ramparts and while the miles-long beach is the best thing about this port city, the strong winds means it’s ideal for surfers of all kinds. Kick back at boutique hotel Jardin des Douars.

Average November daily high temperature: 22C

Dubai, United Arab Emirates 

There’s always something new going on in bombastic Dubai, and it basks in more manageable temperatures throughout the winter. This winter it’s gearing up for Expo 2020, which begins next October. As well as the ever-more luxurious hotels (new openings this year include Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah Beach and the Waldorf Astoria DIFC) and beach clubs, Dubai is swivelling towards a more design-friendly offering ahead of next year. The new(ish) D3 Design District, which aims to incubate local design talent, is worth a morning wander, while the city wants to become the world’s 3D printing hub in the next decade.

Average November daily high temperature: 31C

Margaret River, Australia 

While the slated London to Sydney flights with Qantas’ Project Sunrise grab all the headlines, it’s easy to forget that the Australian national airline already flies direct from the UK to the biggest city on the western coast: Perth. In just 17 hours in the air and three hours on the road south of the city, you’ll be flung into the heart of western Australia’s best wine and food region, Margaret River. Take a leisurely drive around top-class vineyards such as Vasse Felix (the oldest in the region) and Cape Leeuwin, sampling the best cabernet and chardonnay blends the country has to offer, before blissing out on its beaches.

Average November daily high temperature: 25C

Singapore 

There’s no escaping the rain in humid Singapore – it rains 167 days of the year on average – but you can escape the cold, with average temperature highs hitting a balmy 32C in November. In addition to basking in the heat, visitors this year get the extra incentive of experiencing a range of temporary exhibitions and attractions put on to celebrate the 200-year anniversary of Stamford Raffles arriving in Singapore. The headline act is the Bicentennial Experience, a no-expense-spared, immersive exhibition-cum-show – which is also completely free of charge – that sweepingly relays not just the last 200 years, but Singapore from its earliest known origins, beginning in 1299. Add into this mix Michelin-recommended street food at the city’s many hawker centres, plus the chance to swig a Singapore Sling in the newly reopened and revamped Raffles hotel, and it makes for the ideal autumn getaway.

Average November daily high temperature: 32C

Aqaba, Jordan

The port city of Aqaba isn’t quite so blisteringly hot come November, but still has average temperature highs of 27C. And with easyJet doubling the number of direct flights from London Gatwick last month, it’s a cinch to get to. Great for adrenaline junkies, the city is home to beach resorts offering plenty of watersports, plus scuba diving at sites such as the exquisite Yamanieh coral reef in the Aqaba Marine Park. After all that water, visitors can escape to the desert by making the 1hr 18m drive to Wadi Rum. Also known as The Valley of the Moon, this otherworldly landscape of dunes, canyons and sandstone cliffs is the perfect playground in which to take a jeep tour or ride a camel. Day trips are possible from Aqaba, or spend the night at a traditional Bedouin camp.

Average November daily high temperature: 27C

Phu Quoc, Vietnam

Vietnam’s answer to Thailand’s Phuket has tropical-paradise levels of white sand beaches and clear seas. The previously undeveloped island has undergone quite a transformation over the last five years, with international hotel chains like J W Marriott opening luxe outposts alongside local brands. The primary thing to do here is set up shop on the beach or by a hotel pool, gently baking in average temperature highs of 30C. But tear yourself away to visit the thrilling night market, the quaint fishing village of Ham Ninh and the wildlife-stuffed Phu Quoc National Park. Or simply head to Turtle Island in the north or Dragon Rock in the south, don a snorkel, and observe the plethora of marine life under the waves.

Average November daily high temperature: 30C

Cape Town, South Africa