Top five escapes

Make winter sun interesting

The power of the British climate is apparently a much stronger influence than the recession, as record numbers of British residents are escaping to warmer climes for Christmas. According to statistics just released by new hotel website Hotelly.com, 47% of Brits are booking accommodation in destinations such as Egypt, the Canary Islands and India - despite this being one of the toughest financial years in decades.

“It seems like people have had enough of the weather and constant gloomy economic reports, so they want something to finally look forward to,” said Vishal Jain, Director at Hotelly.com. “We’ve witnessed a sudden surge in bookings for Christmas week. The destinations of choice suggest that Brits would rather be on a cultural adventure or having a BBQ on the beach than staying home for a traditional Christmas.  There are some really good value deals going to these warmer climates so it’s no real surprise.”

Hotelly.com revealed that the most popular destinations currently being booked are:

1.       Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
2.       Tenerife, Canary Islands
3.       Goa, India
4.       Lanzarote, Canary Islands
5.       Gran Canaria, Canary Islands

They're warm, and popular - but if these don’t do much to inspire you, here are WideWorld’s top five more challenging escapes for Christmas. 

1.  The Atacama Desert, Chile

Whilst the driest place on earth might not instantly appeal, the Atacama desert is know as one of the most beautiful and extraordinary places on earth. A favourite with astronomers and silence-seekers this is one of the more unusual, other-worldly destinations on the planet.

2.  Quirimbas Archipelago, Mozambique

The Quirimbas Archipelago in Northern Mozambique is a chain of 32 coral islands, containing some of the richest coral reefs in the world.  Not only a hot-spot for diving, Mozambique has a rich cultural history and – for now – is unscathed by tourism.

3.  Mount Teide, Tenerife

If a holiday in the Canaries seems too safe, think again. Mount Teide is the third largest volcano in the world from its base and is the highest mountain in Spain. It takes just 8 minutes for the cable car to get you to the top, but a far more rewarding experience is to ascend on foot.  Make sure you walk the extra hour further than the cable car station to the actual summit.

4.  Montserrat, Caribbean

Although this is one of the few Caribbean islands that has not been damaged by mass tourism, it was devastated by the Soufriere Hills volcano between 1995 and 1997. The volcano, and the lack of infrastructure has always protected Montserrat from swarms of sun-seekers – and yet the island contains some of the most extraordinary and exciting wildlife in the Caribbean – the galliwasp, the oriole and mountain-chickens that are actually frogs.

5. Bijagos, Guinea-Bissau

The Bijagos Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean consists of 88 palm-fringed-islands, only 23 of them inhabited, off the coast of the troubled, yet intriguing, Guinea-Bissau in West Africa. Political unrest, drug-running problems and troubled history as a Portuguese colony make this an unconventional winter sun destination – but its abundant wildlife, unspoilt beaches, unusual customs and friendly locals make it a unique destination.