Finding the beach in the heart of winter, enjoying a summer break away from the cold of the West... September is the ideal month to think about this winter's trips and guarantee availability in the most beautiful accommodations. Below are some ideas for destinations that offer great seaside resorts to complete your winter trip in style.
SOUTH AFRICA: CULTURE AND BEACHES
Without promoting again everything that satisfies travellers in South Africa (exceptional safaris, wine tastings in the vineyard, exciting arty cities, no time difference), let's stay on the beaches. Around Cape Town, they will delight surfers and lovers of beautiful wilderness. Going up to Durban and then to the Mozambique border, the coasts bordered by the Indian Ocean offer very beautiful sandy beaches and particularly pleasant waters (around 26°C).
BRAZIL: BEACH FESTIVITIES!
Among the events to be experienced once in a lifetime, Brazilian carnivals hold a special place. Whether you choose the more international Rio (for which we can show you, with a samba school, on the mythical sambodrome) or the more authentic Salvador de Bahia, your trip will very easily be enhanced by a few days to enjoy the pleasures of the seaside. Our favourite is Fernando de Noronha: this small island off the Brazilian coast, listed as a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site, is a true Eden with a very well preserved environment. The rainbow island rhymes with tropical forest, small heavenly beaches and diving sites often considered to be the most beautiful in all of South America.
OMAN: DESERTS, OASES AND BEACHES
Ranked first among the destinations to be discovered in 2017 by the newspaper Le Monde, Oman was ranked 4th in the ranking of the safest countries in the world. An excellent family destination, accessible in 7 hours by direct flight from Paris, the country alternates deserts, fjords and coastlines to offer a wide variety of trips. In winter, the 25°C generally observed is perfectly suitable for young travellers who should be enchanted by a whole culture linked to the tales of the Thousand and One Nights, from Sinbad the sailor to the Queen of Sheba.
For swimming, head for the wadis to enjoy the crystal clear waters of these oases in the heart of the desert, or the beaches of the coast: light sand, waters worthy of those of the Indian Ocean and exceptional seabed make Oman a perfect seaside destination.
SOUTH INDIA: KERALA OR ANDAMAN ISLANDS?
Strolls in the tea plantations, cities with historical treasures worthy of the great cities of the North (Cochin and Pondicherry at the top), exceptional Hindu temples (Hampi, Madurai), houseboats in the backwaters... To discover all these wonders of South India can perfectly be added a few days of seaside pleasures in Kerala: idleness and ayurvedic massages, observation of the still lively fishing returns... Another alternative, more unusual and really off the beaten track: the Andaman Islands, 2 hours flight from the eastern cities. Capable of competing with the most beautiful islands in the world, these small paradises lost in the middle of the Indian Ocean will delight travellers in search of authenticity.
COLOMBIA: BEFORE ANYONE ELSE
While Colombia is not the star destination between October and December, a season marked by heavy rains, it is expected to be back in January. The country, which has been open to travellers for some years now, is beginning to be particularly popular. And for good reason! It has a strong cultural identity, landscapes unique in the world (the Cocora Valley and its wax palm trees, Tayrona Park, the Sierra Nevada which dominates the coast), cities with a rich colonial past and a warm welcome from Colombians.
BURMA: TEMPLES AND BEACHES
Well known for its thousands of ginned temples in the Bagan Valley, the country also offers great opportunities to enjoy the beach. After discovering Mandalay and, why not, a cruise on the Irrawaddy, a few days of rest can be envisaged in Ngapali, in the south of the country, which gives pride of place to exclusive accommodation on beautiful beaches. Another option, to deepen your discovery of Burma while enjoying an idyllic setting: sailing to the Mergui Islands to meet the Mokens, nomads of these South Seas.
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