Simple tips for bagging a winter-sun bargain

Our expert delves into the whens, wheres and hows of finding an affordable dose of sunshine

This week saw the first signs of autumn. There was a chill in the air – not cold enough to warrant turning on the heating, perhaps, but sufficient to remind us of the dark days and grey skies to come. And also, maybe, that it is already time to think about one of the things that makes winter more bearable – a week away in the sun.
But, in these straitened times, how do you find the best value and the best places to escape to when the evenings draw in? Your choice of destination and how much you have to pay depend on many factors, but there is plenty you can do to make your winter break more affordable – as long as you start to get organised now. Here is our strategy for getting the best winter holiday at the lowest price.
Timing is everything when it comes to hunting down a deal, and you have two things to think about: when you want to travel, and how far ahead you should book. 
The first question is easy to answer. The cheapest winter-sun holidays (both long and short haul) are most likely to be those taken right at the beginning of the season – during November and the first two weeks of December. That is generally when demand is lowest – people are preoccupied with the build-up to Christmas and perhaps haven’t yet become worn down by the winter weather. 
Operators, airlines and hotels know they won’t sell out during these weeks; they set prices low in the first place and are likely to drop them further in the three or four weeks before departure. So, if you want certainty, book now. If you are willing to be flexible for the sake of a lower price, wait a month.
Departures immediately after new year and on into January also tend to be good value, and while hotels and tour operators will do their best to tempt you into booking as early as possible, there is also a good chance that prices will fall closer to the departure date. So, again, if you are happy to be flexible about destination and exact departure date, you may do well to play a waiting game and book in early December. If you prefer to commit yourself farther ahead, you will probably still get a great deal by booking now. Keep an eye on tour operators’ websites for the latest deals (Kuoni is a good starting point for an overview of classic winter-sun destinations and has a useful offers page).
If you can only travel at Christmas and new year or February half term, you will already be prepared for much higher prices – perhaps as much as three times the low-season rate. If you lack flexibility in advance (and assuming you can afford it), don’t delay. Get it booked now. If you are willing to be completely flexible about your timing and destination, however, there will always be a few last-minute deals available from early December.
So much depends on the sort of holiday you are looking for – your budget, how hot you want it, how far you are prepared to travel, how important is the cuisine or the culture – but my own shortlist would be as follows:
Luxor, Egypt. The hot, dry climate is near perfect and it’s only a five-hour flight away, with some excellent hotels and lots to see and do.
Seville. It’s a fascinating city, and it has a wonderful winter climate and fabulous food.
Lanzarote. For value, convenience, decent weather and good choice of accommodation, head for Playa Blanca in the south of the island.
Thailand. There’s a huge roster of flights to Bangkok, a big choice of island resorts, and a properly fascinating culture. It’s a long way to go, but worth it.
We have become so used to booking our flights and accommodation separately and independently for city breaks and summer holidays in Europe, that it is easy to slip into the habit for long-haul travel, too. Be wary, however. If things go wrong when you are far from home, it is likely to be much more expensive to sort them out, and you are more likely to be in unfamiliar surroundings. Booking a package holiday with an Atol-licensed tour operator will give you much more financial protection and someone to turn to if things go wrong. If you want to make it more of a bespoke experience, you can get the same protection by booking tailor-made arrangements through a specialist agent such as Trailfinders.