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Winter

Destinations at their best in winter: where to go, what the weather and crowds are like, and practical tips for planning a winter trip.

Destinations linked to winter: Cancún and the Riviera Maya, Phuket, Machu Picchu, the Great Barrier Reef, Sossusvlei, Zanzibar, the Swiss Alps, the Blue Lagoon and the Galápagos Islands.

Destinations

Coral of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Australia

Great Barrier Reef

The world's largest coral reef system, off Australia's northeast coast.
The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
Iceland

Blue Lagoon

A geothermal spa set in a black lava field, minutes from Reykjavík.
Traditional wooden boats on a palm-lined white-sand beach in Zanzibar
Tanzania

Zanzibar

Spice-island beaches and Stone Town's Swahili-Arab history.
White-sand beach and turquoise Caribbean water in Cancún
Mexico

Cancún & the Riviera Maya

Caribbean beaches, cenotes, and Mayan ruins on Mexico's Yucatán coast.
Promthep Cape and the Andaman Sea, Phuket
Thailand

Phuket

Thailand's largest island, and its most developed beach destination.
Giant tortoise, Galápagos Islands
Ecuador

Galápagos Islands

Unique wildlife found nowhere else, and the birthplace of Darwin's theory of evolution.
The Machu Picchu citadel, Peru
Peru

Machu Picchu

The Inca citadel in the clouds, and South America's most iconic ruin.
Sossusvlei dunes, Namibia
Namibia

Sossusvlei

Towering red sand dunes in the heart of the Namib Desert.
The Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps
Switzerland

Swiss Alps (Interlaken & Zermatt)

Iconic peaks, scenic trains, and classic alpine adventure sports.