Beach vacation in winter: You can go on a beach vacation in February at these 5 destinations
It shouldn’t just be winter fans: If you’re tired of little daylight, snow, ice, mud and cold, you have to fly far in February. We present the five most beautiful beach holiday destinations around the equator.
The one with one
Links marked with a symbol or underline are affiliate links. If a purchase is made through this, we will receive one
commission – at no additional cost to you! More info
It still feels like an eternity until the beginning of summer. No wonder that thoughts tend to drift towards sun, beach, palm trees, bikinis and the sound of the sea. If you want to turn your dreams into reality, we have some inspiration here – exotic beach holidays that will quickly make you forget winter.
1. India: Exotic insider tip with fantastic temperatures
Beach holidays in India are so exciting because the second largest country in the world combines so many contrasts. It is rich and poor at the same time. Old and modern. Beautiful and ugly. Has mountains up to 8000 meters high in the Himalayas, river plains, national parks and megacities, temples, palaces and slums. And also many beaches. India’s 7,000 kilometer long coastline is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the north, the Bay of Bengal to the northeast and the Indian Ocean to the south, southeast and southwest. In February this boasts water temperatures between 27 and 29 degrees. One of the most famous beach destinations is Goa, where it is never scorching hot from mid-October to the end of March, but is wonderfully warm with daily temperatures around 30 degrees.
If there’s too much going on there, you can explore the beach life around 100 kilometers further south – in the state of Karnataka. Things are much more Indian here – without nightlife and partying. The best-known beach resort among travelers is the pilgrimage site Gokarna with its large Hindu temple and Om Beach. The golden-sand beach on the Arabian Sea is shaped like the sacred Om symbol of Hindus and Buddhists and consists of three interconnected bays.
2. Cape Town: Summer, sun and surfing in southern Africa
While it’s the depths of winter here, it’s summer in the southern hemisphere. Like in Cape Town, the second largest city in South Africa, which lies on a peninsula at the Cape of Good Hope in the far south of Africa. The Mediterranean climate with dry and sunny summer months from December to April attracts visitors there, with two oceans with many beaches, and a colorful mix of 2.3 million residents of various origins. And the world-famous Table Mountain massif, vineyards and safaris. Not to forget the time difference, which is only one hour, so there is no risk of jet lag on the return flight. South of the city center is the seven kilometer long Noordhoek Beach, the longest stretch of beach on the Atlantic.
One of the most beautiful beaches is Bikini Beach, 50 kilometers from Cape Town in the fishing town of Gordons Bay at the foot of the Hottentot Mountains. Surfers will find one of the windiest places in the world on the Cape Peninsula, which stretches from Cape Town to the Cape of Good Hope. Combined with the Atlantic swell, this creates world-class conditions for windsurfers who are not afraid of sharks. Kite surfers find ideal conditions on Sunset Beach, where the southeast wind blows at four to seven forces.
3. Koh Samui: Palm island in the Gulf of Siam
On the east coast of Thailand, island paradises such as Koh Chang, Koh Tao, Koh Samet, Koh Phangan and the well-known Koh Samui attract visitors. The third largest island in the country is also called Palm Island because the locals attach great importance to preserving their palm forests (there are said to be three million coconut palms) and no building on the beach is allowed to tower over the palm trees. Koh Samui’s microclimate makes the 26 kilometer long and 21 kilometer wide island a popular seaside resort, and not just in February. The best travel time is from Christmas to March and mid-July to mid-September. There are more than 20 beaches to discover, which is a day-filling pleasure along the 50-kilometer ring road around the island.
Speaking of fun: If you don’t just want to spend time on the beaches with the finest, soft sand, in the massage stalls and cafés under palm trees and on the many water sports on offer, you can go on adventurous excursions. For example, kayak through the Aung Thong Marine National Park, which consists of 42 mini-islands. Or visit the Wat Khunaram temple, where the mummified body of a Buddhist monk can be seen in a glass shrine. Or go to the Magic Buddha Garden, a garden with impressive stone figures in the mountains up to 600 meters high.
4. Tasmania: Lonely sandy beaches on the other side of the world
The flight is long, but what Australia has to offer is extraordinary: tropical rainforests, red desert landscapes, unique coral reefs, 6,000 kilometers of coastline, two oceans and many cities with a laid-back lifestyle. And an island that is one of the most unusual travel destinations in the world: Tasmania, the southernmost state in Australia. The island is roughly the size of Bavaria and is 250 kilometers from Sydney – and easy to reach with daily flights.
In addition to rainforests, mountain landscapes, lakes and rugged cliffs, Tasmania also has 394 natural beaches. These include some of the most beautiful beaches in the world: with powder white sand, crystal clear water in turquoise tones and completely secluded. Example: Wineglass Bay. If you go sea kayaking in the crescent-shaped bay on the Freycinet Peninsula, you can watch dolphins. The Bay of Fires is a good 50 kilometers long and gets its name from the colored granite rocks, which are covered with orange-red lichen and protrude from the white sand. Or Hopground Beach, another dream beach that very few people in the world have visited.
5. Bahamas: Swimming pigs and sensational Caribbean beaches
Caribbean without unbearable heat and oppressive humidity: welcome to the Bahamas! The 700 islands, of which only 30 are inhabited, lie 80 kilometers southeast of Florida and 100 kilometers north of Cuba in the far north of the Caribbean. The secret of the flat sand islands are the cool winds from North America, which prevent the great tropical heat, and the warm Gulf Stream in the Atlantic, which ensures mild temperatures in winter. This means that the daily temperatures in February are 25 degrees and the sun shines from the sky for nine hours. And the water temperatures are around 23 degrees.
The most beautiful beaches include Santa Maria on Long Island, Gold Rock Beach and Banana Bay on Grand Bahama, Princess Cays on Eleuthera or Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island. If you want to experience something bizarre, head to the uninhabited islands of the Exumas, where the famous swimming pigs live on Staniel Cay. The months of January and February are ideal for divers, as this is when huge schools of groupers can be observed spawning around the islands of Andros, Long Island, Cat Island and Berry Islands. And there is another big advantage to a beach holiday at this time of year: the hurricane season is long over, it usually lasts from June to November.