Plan your winter sun holiday – time to head for Bali, the Canaries or the Caribbean

As the earthy reds and oranges of crisp autumn days give way to long dark grey wintery weather you may be longing for some sunshine. A winter sun holiday could be the answer and while a lot of summer destinations are shutting up shop for the winter, there are still plenty of places around the world that are just starting to warm up.

From the luxurious beaches of Bali to the exotic Caribbean or the Canaries closer to home, this article from HomeAway.co.uk brings you some ideas for your winter sun break. With apartments in the city or luxury villas by the beach, staying in a holiday rental gives you all the comforts of home and you can find lots of ideas for where to go and what to do on your next winter sun holiday on their winter sun holiday ideas pages.

Bali and Lombok

Often grouped together these two islands are the jewel of Southeast Asia. They may be small islands but they are a big destination year round for those looking to catch some sun on idyllic tropical beaches. Stretched around the coast there are many palm fringed beaches with pristine white sand. For tranquility and a some peace and quiet check out Candidasa beach which is close to cultural sites such as Bali’s mother temple, the Pura Besakih. Bali’s temperature remains relatively constant through the year. Though December through to March brings the rainy season, don’t be too put off by this, as most of the rainfall will be through the night and pass quickly. Although Bali and Lombok are often grouped together they are worlds apart. Bali is bustling and lively, from the thrills of surfing, to gorgeous beaches, to the nightlife of Denpasar. Check out the capital for shopping in the markets (always a treat for the senses in Asia), museums and arts centers.

Lombok is the contrast to Bali and a great place to go if you’re looking for a more relaxing holiday. Whilst its larger cousin is seen as a destination for partying, Lombok is the quieter of the two islands, though not for long so it’s best to visit before it becomes the big destination it deserves to be. It’s a beautiful island with some unspoilt corners where you can see the island’s natural beauty. One place you have to visit is the extinct volcano, Mt. Rinjani, a bit of a trek but the views are amazing and climbing a volcano (even if it is extinct) is always fun.

Canary Islands

With year round sun and just short hop of four hours from the UK, the Canary Islands are enduringly popular as a summer hotspot. During the winter the temperature rarely dips below 20, so whilst it’s not too hot it’s still warm enough for some sunbathing. The Canaries are made up of seven islands with four being holiday spots, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. In the summer the islands are full to the brim with holiday makers so visiting in the winter is a great option to have a more intimate holiday where you can enjoy the beaches and attractions without the crowds.

Each of the Canary Islands has its own characteristic. Gran Canaria is the largest of the islands. Here you can find large resorts stretched out along its sandy beaches. Tenerife is a lively spot and is known for its buzzing nightlife. If you are looking for a lively holiday it is definitely the place to visit! Fuerteventura is the flip side of Tenerife. It’s quieter than it’s cousins and is known for its golden beaches, it’s probably the best place in the islands for some peace and quiet, perfect if you want to get away from it all. Lanzarote is the nature lovers island being formed from extinct volcanoes it has fertile soil and some great nature reserves. The resorts are less developed without the high rise more modern hotels and the whole island had a more intimate and traditional feel.

The Caribbean

The Caribbean combines the luxury accommodation of Bali and Lombok with the family friendly resorts and mix of upmarket and budget of the Canary Islands. Just as the cold and wet weather of winter is at its worst in the UK, the Caribbean is seeing its best summer sun. If you travel in the early winter the weather is hot but not too hot so you can still take advantage of all the activities like scuba diving in the clear turquoise waters. With the Caribbean being made up of 7000 islands you are guaranteed to find the perfect winter sun destination.

Amongst the island groups are some perennial favourites which are always popular with holidaymakers from around the world. The islands are home to gorgeous white sand beaches lined with gently swaying palm trees. The biggest question when planning a trip to the Caribbean is which of the island groups to visit?

Barbados is one of the most widely known of the islands and has a well-deserved reputation for being a paradise with gorgeous beaches that are great for sunbathing. The clear waters here are perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving below and water sports above. Though the beaches and sunsets are spectacular don’t forget to venture inland to towns like Bridgetown for shopping in the markets or take a trip to the wildlife reserves.

Amongst the other islands of the Caribbean such as Puerto Rico, The Dominican Islands and Cuba are the Bahamas. Here aside from the beaches and beautiful natural landscapes you can also try your hand at racing an Americas cup yacht around the islands, hike through the Christoffel National park or explore ancient Mayan ruins.

The Caribbean is a huge destination spread across the islands and archipelagos off the American coast and HomeAway has a wide selection of  holiday homes in the Caribbean from budget apartments to luxury villas and everything in between.

My thanks for this article to HomeAway, the UK’s number one holiday rentals website with over 320,000 holiday homes worldwide.

Photo credits: Bali beach by  GOC53, Arecife Lanzarote by Kevglobal, Bridgetown Barbados by garybembridge, Mount Rinjani by Trekking Rinjani, and Bahamas Gazebo by bryce_edwards.

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com - Read more travel articles at Travel Blog Home

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Carnivals, jazz and nightlife – the sounds of St Lucia

We’re taught to associate the Caribbean with music, quite literally in my experience. Even before discovering Peter Tosh and Bob Marley along with the still popular sounds of reggae music, the British curriculum had me creating my own Caribbean rhythms (Calypso and Reggae particularly) slightly before it had even pointed out to me where the region is on the map. And though I’m now a lot better at reading maps than I am at reading music, the message has been drummed into me with a characteristic percussive power: the atlas may as well declare “Here be Music”.

Different Islands, different musical styles

Despite the region-wide image, the three power-houses of Caribbean music are surely Cuba, Jamaica and Trinidad / Tobago. Cuba gave us Mambo and Salsa, Jamaica gave us Ska and Reggae, Trinidad / Tobago gave us Calypso and Soca. There are many other genres and sub-genres created and advanced by these islands. The other islands are usually influenced by whoever they’re closest to, and in Castries, the capital of Saint Lucia, the music of Trinidad and Tobago has travelled north up the Lesser Antilles.

The specific origins of a musical style matter little to the tourist, and it would be unwise to ignore an island purely for the fact that its own genres have been pushed to the sidelines in favour of popular music from a number of islands away. The same is true of most nations, after all. Besides, the influences of Kwadril music and forms of folk  – especially via the banjo and cuatro – are still felt in Saint Lucian music. And for the tourist, I have found that St Lucia holidays offer a fantastic opportunity to hear regional music – especially at events like the St Lucia Jazz Festival.

The St Lucia Jazz Festival

The website for the island’s annual jazz festival is rather refreshingly honest about the origins of the Jazz festival – it apparently “started as a marketing event to boost tourism industry arrivals during a low period”. Given the big names in the line-up, the “Jazz” credentials of the event sometimes get legitimately questioned. Nevertheless, you quickly find out that this is a versatile festival that draws you in with international megastars whilst laying on some quality jazz artists and a dash of Calypso and Soca.

This year, the ticket shifting name is Lionel Richie – his only real link to Caribbean music surely being the Soca-influenced 1983 hit “All Night Long” – with Ziggy Marley providing a Reggae set and the Catalonian Gipsy Kings providing a Spanish edge. If you can tear yourself away from these treats on the main-stage (located in the beautiful surroundings of the Pigeon Island Nation Landmark, in the north of the island) I can personally recommend the Jazz in the South programme at the Coconut Bay Resort and Rudy John Beach Park if you’re after a little more local ‘authenticity’ (though local names are still found on the Pigeon Island bill).

The Saint Lucia Jazz Festival is held every year in later April and early May. In 2012, it starts on Monday April 30th and finishes with the Lionel Richie headline event on Sunday 13th May.

St Lucian Carnival

Carnivals are an important tourist draw on most Caribbean islands and the Lucian Carnival is no exception. Held in 2012 between Monday 28th May through Tuesday 17th July, the music popular on the island – especially Calypso – is the cement that holds the carnival period together. Obviously, music accompanies the main parades, but this is hardly an environment in which to absorb the best music – even if you were to follow the best sounds, the wild atmosphere of J’Ouvert and the Parade of the Bands is only really a way to sample the scene. At any rate, the parades have a reputation for being most fun for younger, tipsier revellers rather than those after something solely cultural.

The parades are an after the fact event for the musical side of the carnival anyway. Starting in late June, the island’s Calypso Association holds a competition to determine the ruling “Monarchs” of Calypso and Soca. The song-contest format judges each artist on their lyrics, music and performance of the song they bring, considering wide ranging aspects such as the “Strength and party appeal of the song” and “The use of the microphone”.

It goes without saying that for exploring the contemporary music scene, the finals are the place to be, and the competition encourages some fantastic showmanship. If you’re unfamiliar with the music, I’d say that the Calypso monarch event is the most accessible: you can probably tell from the name that Power Soca is a bit more hectic and contemporary (it fuses Hip Hop and Soca) whereas Groovy Soca has a more electronic / pop feel to it. Thanks to the internet, you don’t have to go into this experience blind – there are plenty of YouTube videos for past winners of the festival, though atmosphere is a crucial ingredient in really getting into the rhythm of the songs! (And yes, I never did quite get the Saint Lucian way of dancing down).

Year Round Entertainment

Whilst the Jazz Festival and Lucian Carnival offer the most obvious events to latch onto if you’re exploring the Saint Lucian music scene, the island doesn’t go silent as soon as they think nobody is looking. In my own experience, a lot of the best venues are in the relatively youthful town of Gros Islet in the north, which plays host to the Marina. A favourite venue for some casual listening is the Fire Grill and Lounge, which focuses on Jazz and Blues all year round. I also enjoyed the unassuming Jungle Cafe with its Live Music on Thursdays (just don’t let the shabby hut scare you off). One final bar recommendation: the Rodney Bay Marina’s Boardwalk Bar does a mix of great live music on Fridays with All-Day EC $8 Margaritas, all accompanied by friendly service and those sea views you’re probably in the Caribbean for by default.

If you want something more lively, either visit Gros Islet on a Friday for “The Jump-up” for street-vendors and a messy night of revelling in the streets, or visit the nightclubs (Taboo, Pulse and the Loft are just a few names). Seeking out live performances, the nightclubs can be a mixed bag, but are always good if you just want to let off some steam. In general, you should just keep an eye out for promising looking events – there’s always something going on!

Thanks to Steph Wood for this article brought to you by Tropical Sky a UK-based Tour Operator who offer travel to tropical adventures in not just the Caribbean, but in the Indian Ocean and the Far East too.

Photo Credits: Pigeon Island from Tropical Sky, St Lucia Jazz Festival from St Lucia Jazz, St Lucia Carnival by Fergysnaps

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com - Read more travel articles at Travel Blog Home

You’ll also find our sister blog with tips on how to build a successful travel blog at My Blogging Journey

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Canadian Travellers’ Favourite Winter Sunshine Destinations

If you live in Canada and are thinking about getting away for the winter, or at least a week or two, you are probably thinking about heading to Cuba, the Dominican Republic or Mexico. A recent survey says that these are the most popular destinations for Canadian travellers and there has never been a better time to head south for the winter. Seek out the vacation packages available that enable you to save so much that you may be able to stay an extra day or two.

Winter Sunshine in Cuba

Cuba has some beautiful beaches where you can relax and enjoy yourself. Cayo Coco has private resorts, 5 star hotels and fantastic vacation deals that will not break the bank. Varadero is one of the most popular resort destinations and is extremely comfortable. Stay at the Iberostar Laguna Azula which is an all inclusive resort that has 6 pools, 8 restaurants and bars, a nightclub, theatre and a kids club. Have a massage at the spa or workout in the fully equipped fitness room. Located on a small private island, Hotel Barcelo Cayo Libertad Club Premium has everything you need for a spectacular holiday. You can go snorkelling, play beach volleyball or enjoy cocktails at the pool-side bar.

Winter Sunshine in Mexico

Another popular southern destination for Canadians is Mexico. The weather is beautiful all year round and you can find some excellent vacation packages that will leave you with plenty of spending money for your trip. Head to Los Cabos in Baja and catch that elusive marlin that you have been dreaming about, or book a flight to Riviera Nayarit which is the newest destination in Mexico. Stay at the Hotel Emporio and get a room with an ocean view. You can dine on fresh seafood as you bask in the sun on your own private beach.

Winter sunshine in Dominican Republic

Vacations in Dominican Republic are known for white sandy beaches and relaxed lifestyle. Get out of the cold and book an affordable vacation deal. You can stay at the newest inclusive resort in Punta Cana. The Hotel Riu Bavaro has plenty of activities which include windsurfing, kayaking, snorkelling and sailing. If you want to get away from the crowds for the day take a drive to Constanza. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the region of La Vega which is 1200 metres above sea level.

Start planning your winter holiday and book your tickets. With so many vacation packages at your fingertips you will have a hard time deciding if you want to go to Cuba, Mexico or the Dominican Republic.

My thanks for this article to Bernard Prince from travel agency VarVacation.com. You can also reach him on Facebook and Twitter

Photo Credits: Los Cabos, Baja by memoflores, Varadero, Cuba by Iker Merodio, Royal Decameron, Riviera Nayarit by EtienneT, and Cordillera Central by raunov.

More places to visit for Winter sunshine

Swimming, surfing, snorkeling – best beaches of the Dominican republic
Our top 5 Sights on Awesome Aruba
Spotlight on Cabo San Lucas in Mexico – what to do and where to stay

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com – Read more travel articles at Travel Blog Home

You’ll also find our sister blog with tips on how to build a successful travel blog at My Blogging Journey

Don’t miss out – subscribe to Heather on her travels

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