Less than six hours by flight: the best swimming destinations for winter

What to do with the rest of the vacation? Many people ask themselves this question at the end of the year. It’s getting colder outside and the longing for sun and warmth increases. If you don’t want to go on a long-distance trip to exotic countries, you don’t have too many options: November is still too early for winter sports. Usually too late for hiking and cycling in many regions. City trips are not for everyone.

But staying at home and letting the precious vacation days pass is not an option either. But beach vacation! We show six sun targets that can be reached in less than six hours by flight.

1. Tunisia: Djerba – South Sea region in the Mediterranean

In just three hours by flight from Germany to the east coast of Tunisia: Djerba is currently the fastest destination to be reached when it comes to the maximum amount of sun and sand. The flat island is also known as the “South Sea region in the Mediterranean” because of its white beaches, the turquoise sea and the many palm trees.

At seven hours sunshine During the day and temperatures of around 22 degrees Celsius, it is pleasantly warm in a deck chair. The sea feels almost as warm at around 20 degrees. The winter escape to Djerba has two big advantages: Many activities such as cycling, beach volleyball or beach hikes are only possible outside the main season, as it is much too hot for them in summer.

2. Israel: Three seas in four hours of flight

Since November 2021, after a 20-month corona break, the small country has been open to tourists (fully vaccinated and recovered with PCR test) again. Before that, it played a rather subordinate role in terms of beach holidays. But if you want to discover something new, you will be rewarded with seven hours of sunshine a day and temperatures above 20 degrees. Because the Holy Land has access to three seas – the Mediterranean, Red Sea, and Dead Sea – and has many beaches, vacationers have plenty of options.

In Tel Aviv, for example, there is a 14-kilometer-long Mediterranean sandy beach, the most beautiful sections of which include the “Hilton Beach” and “Frishman Beach”, which are protected by breakwaters. The coastal city of Netanya, located between Tel Aviv and Haifa, has an eleven-kilometer-long, golden-yellow sandy beach. In Haifa, in the north of Israel, the “Bat Galim Beach” is considered to be dreamlike, as it stretches in a bay between rough rock formations.

The seaside resort of Eilat in the very south of Israel is a paradise for divers and kitesurfers and is known for its coral beach. And if you are already in the country, you should definitely not miss the Dead Sea. Floating on the extremely salty water at the lowest point on earth is an unforgettable experience.

3. Canary Islands: 24 degrees air and 21 degrees water temperature

The year-round bathing destinations can be reached in four to five hours by flight: The Canary Islands are 100 to 500 kilometers west of the Moroccan coast and also attract visitors with fantastic weather during the German winter. On the seven islands in the Atlantic – Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro – daytime temperatures rarely drop below 20 degrees, even in winter. That is why they top the list of quick and easy reachable and safe swimming and sunbathing destinations.

La Palma has been ruled out since the volcanic eruption. But other islands are better suited as a bathing destination anyway. Tenerife alone, the largest and most contrasting Canary Island, offers around 40 beaches. These couldn’t be more different: rugged cliffs and gorges in the west. A Caribbean beach in the northeast. Coastal deserts with red volcanic sand in the southeast. And pitch black lava beaches in the northwest. Everyone will find their favorite beach here.

Wind and kite surfers are drawn to El Medano on the southeast coast and tourists who are particularly sensitive to the cold love the Playas de Granadilla. These consist of large black lava rocks, which the sun heats up and turns into preheated berths. The lava towers reaching into the sea also provide natural wind protection and form small pools protected from the surf.

4. Egypt: picture-perfect beaches in the high-risk area

In five hours of flight in the bathing paradise: Although Egypt has been classified as a high-risk area by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) since January 2021 and has been issued with a travel warning by the Foreign Office, the demand for flights is high. This is probably because the selection of bathing resorts on the Red Sea is huge, the sun shines nine hours a day at more than 25 degrees and the water temperatures are barely less than 24 degrees. And there is a fantastic underwater world. And perfect conditions for windsurfers and kitesurfers – especially in El Gouna and Safaga in November.

Beach resorts also include Hurghada, Dahab, El Queseir, Makadi Bay, Sharm el Sheikh, Lahami Bay or Marsa Alam. The latter was a sleepy fishing village around 20 years ago. Meanwhile, the small town with its own airport, which is a good 300 kilometers south of Hurghada, and its palm-fringed picture-perfect beaches is a popular place for sun worshipers and water sports enthusiasts.

5. Cape Verde Islands: Welcome to eternal summer

Shake off the bad weather blues in just six hours of flight time: With 350 days of sunshine per year, Cape Verde is also known as the “Islands of Eternal Summer”. The best travel time is from November to March, when the air warms up to a pleasant 23 to 28 degrees. And the water temperature is still well over 20 degrees. The islands of Sal and Boa Vista have zero rainy days, which makes the hearts of beach holidaymakers beat faster, also given the kilometers of fine sandy beaches.

The independent island republic, located 570 kilometers off Africa’s west coast, has other advantages for a quick sun holiday: the large number of tourists has not yet discovered the islands of volcanic origin. Active vacationers and outdoor fans will find numerous playgrounds here – from windsurfing and kite surfing to sailing, diving, mountain biking and hiking to whale watching.

6. United Arab Emirates: Well-known Dubai, unknown Sharjah

A different direction, but the same flight time: four of the seven emirates can be reached in around six hours and are considered the ultimate destinations for winter refugees. Like the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi. Dubai with its man-made islands. And the two lesser-known emirates Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah. There is plenty of sun here, endless sandy beaches with a bathtub-warm sea and many unusual attractions.

Sharjah, for example, which translates as “lit by the sun”, is an insider tip for beach holidaymakers. The prices in the small emirate are much cheaper than in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Sharjah has two coasts: Its kilometer-long beach paradises with powdered sugar sand, palm trees and the sea in turquoise tones lie between the Persian Gulf in the west and the Gulf of Oman in the east.

People have helped a little with the most beautiful bays in the city: Khor Al Mamzar, Khor Al Khan and Khor Khalid are artificially created sea bays. A few years ago, Unesco named Sharjah the cultural capital of the Arab world because it is committed to preserving Arab traditions. Palaces, the historic old town with narrow streets, 20 museums, camel races or the bird of prey center in Kalba bear witness to this.