The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
It’s time to ditch the fly-and-flop
From horse riding to hiking, go beyond the beach towel and get more from your winter sun escape, says Teresa Machan
Winter is coming. Half-term is around the corner. Soon it will be Hallowe’en, which will sound the Christmas klaxon and before you know it you’ll be Googling: “How hot is Seville in November?”.
And if summer holidays are about switching off and flopping onto a beach, winter sun is increasingly about adventure: stepping out of your comfort zone, while still getting that hit of Vitamin D.
It won’t come as a surprise that this is a charge being led by midlife travellers, who are seeking deeper, richer experiences from their holidays. According to a survey of 300 senior travellers by the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, their most preferred holiday activities were city sightseeing (89.3 per cent), visiting historical places (88.1 per cent), dining (85.7 per cent) and shopping (77.4 per cent). And sunbathing? Just 1.2 per cent. After all, who has time to be supine on the sand when there’s so much holidaying to be done?
“Since the pandemic, many customers have traded in the ‘fly-and-flop’ winter holiday in favour of something richer,” says the general manager of Intrepid Travel, Hazel McGuire. “Many of these are what we call ‘victory-lap’ travellers – people who may have visited as backpackers or on a budget and want to revisit at a slower pace.”
The co-founder of Original Travel, Tom Barber, agrees, saying customers are trading typical fly-and-flop spots for sunshine in more exciting destinations. “In 2021, the Maldives was our second most popular destination, and Grenada and Mauritius were in the top 10,” he says. “This year, our most popular winter-sun destinations are Egypt, Indonesia and South Africa, and there is no Caribbean in the top 10 at all.”
So where should you head for adventure and enrichment this winter? If budget is a consideration, long haul is your best bet (a Post Office travel money report released this week shows the pound currently goes furthest in Asia), though there’s the lure of new tours and itineraries to consider, too – both of which can be found on most continents this winter. The Eastern and Oriental Express train will resume service for the first time since the pandemic, for example, while on oft-ignored La Gomera, there are spectacular new hiking trails.
Why settle for a lounger in Lanzarote, therefore, when you could be sipping malbec in Argentina, riding the rails in Malaysia or surfing in Sri Lanka? Here’s some inspiration to get you started…
One scenic step at a time
Walk in mountain gorges and along scenic coastal trails sublime with the sun on your back on the Canarian island of La Gomera. A good option is Pura Aventura’s new week-long walking break, which offers a mix of self-guided and private walks that visit Europe’s largest tract of ancient cloud forest, the Garajonay National Park, and an impressive ravine at Valle Gran Rey. The two longest walks take around five to six hours and there is plenty of opportunity to sample the local wine. The trip begins in San Sebastián, a city famed for its pintxos and multiple Michelin stars.
Six nights’ B&B from £1,450pp, including some meals and guiding, luggage transfers between hotels, private transfers, return ferry to Tenerife and walking notes (01273 676712; pura-aventure.com) . A donation is made to Turismo Sostenible en La Gomera to offset flights (not included)
Mid-haul emirate fun
A flight time of less than seven hours makes travelling with children do-able – and well worth it for the guaranteed sunshine on arrival in Abu Dhabi. With several strands of sand, white-knuckle thrills and family resort hotels, the emirate is an easy win for families. But there’s far more to this destination than sun and sand. Abu Dhabi’s Mangrove National Park accounts for around three quarters of the UAE’s mangrove forest and its saltmarshes, mudflats and mangroves are home to turtles, herons, flamingos and dolphins. The Abu Dhabi Louvre has a children’s museum and things rev up a little at Formula 1 Yas Marina Circuit, with karting, circuit-racing and dragracing. Visit Ferrari World for a roofwalk experience and a ride on the world’s fastest rollercoaster.
An October half-term package at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr costs from £1,249pp (£879 per child), including flights (020 7749 9220; kenwoodtravel.co.uk)
Authentic Algarve
Think the Algarve is all about golf and golden beaches? This sunny corner of Portugal offers natural parks, rewarding coastal hiking paths, historical villages, including Alcoutim and Tavira, and some of Europe’s best seafood. Book an Algarvian wine-tasting and dine in the vineyards at family-owned Morgado do Quintão; learn how to make traditional Portuguese stew at Cataplana’s Place, in Old Town Faro; and visit Culatra Island, a sandbar in the Ria Formosa Natural Park, to sample the succulent Ria Formosa oyster. For views of the postcard sea arches and famous Praia da Marinha beach, follow the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail around sculpted coastal cliffs and then slip into the sparkling sea.
A week at the Domes Lake Algarve at Falesia Beach costs from £582pp in November 2023 and £590pp in March 2024. Both include breakfast and flights (britishairways.com)