Winter sun suggestions

Right, 'er indoors would like a change this xmas[1], from the usual
snowboarding trip to the Alps, and that suits me fine. So I need some
ideas of where to go.

Requirements are:-

* Less than 5 hours flying from preferably Exeter or Bristol
* Likely to have sunshine
* Warm temperatures - doesn't have to be t-shirt/shorts weather, but
pleasantly mild will suffice.
* Has stuff to do - sitting on the beach with a book, drives me mad after
about an hour.

We had thought about Jordan, until we saw the temperature and rainfall for
that time of year. Morocco is a maybe, but could also have a lot of rain
on the coast. So then Canary Islands turned up, but at xmas it's probably
full of beer swilling chavs - or not?

What say the FOAK?


[1] Suprisingly, not from me.

 

I went to Naples/Sorrento in January last year. There was a bit of rain and
even a snow shower on top of Vesuvius. At sea level the temperature was
mostly pleasant. Ideal for wandering around places like Paestum, Pompeii
etc.

Very few tourists at that time of year, which was a huge bonus for me.

 

Madeira.

 

Cape Verde is where I'd love to go. Don't know about Exeter/Brissle
though.

 

Luxor was good for a week. Plenty of archaeological stuff to see.
Cairo and Awsan would be good too but it's best to avoid Rammer Dan.

 

Canary Islands or Algeria.

 

I perhaps should have said that I've done Egypt about 7 times now,
although I've not got down to Abu Simbel yet.

 

My experience of Feurte Ventura is that if you go to where the germans go on
holiday (the south), it's far far nicer than where the Brits go. Where the
Brits go is hellish. OTOH there's not a great deal to do there.

 

Good heavens. Have you tried lying down for a bit?

 

Taormina in Sicily's good if you want a bit of class, & the road up
Etna could keep you amused for days, even in a hire car. Not a whole
lot to do other than people watch though.

Don't write off the Canaries, just make sure you pick Fuerteventura.
It's not totally chav-free (is anywhere?), but the ban on high-rise
hotels, or any coastal development on most of the island makes it
generally more expensive than the other Canaries, which helps keep the
all-inclusive brigade away. The exception to this is Calleta, which as
a purpose-built resort town should be avoided at all costs.

Corralejo's quite nice, with lots of good restaurants around the
harbour, & the usual endless white sand beaches you get in Fuerte. Plus
Flag Beach is a few minutes drive away - great for the wind sports
(it's where I've just come back from). The Rock Cafe has a couple of
really good bands too.

Jandia in the south's also got some fabulous beaches, & it's where
you'll find Sotavento, which I'm sure you're familiar with. That's the
German end of the island though, & unlike the north, not everyone
speaks English.

N.B. I've never been to Fuerte in the winter, when it may indeed become
chav-central for all I know.

--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tiger 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

heh, been there about 12 years ago. Got royally ripped off for taking my
surfboard, which got damaged by the gorillas, spent 3 days getting it
repaired (always mañana), then trundled off to the nearest break to find
it was double overhead running over 2ft of water onto coral, and I shat my
shorts.

 

Um, maybe... not sure of your point here, so I'll go with "I'll sleep when
I'm dead".

 

Doesn't sound like my cuppa tea, thanks though.

Been there, see reply to Doki.

Yup, that's where I went. Probably changed a bit in 12 years though.

I've heard the local kite surfers get a bit pissy with the tourists. I
take it you didn't have any problems of this nature?

That's fine. I speak Spanish, and the Mrs speaks German.

I think my local airports do Tenerife and Gran Canaria over the winter
months, so that may be the deciding factor. I'm getting thoroughly
hacked off with the trapse up to London, so try to limit that trip as
much as possible.

 

It's certainly expanded, but mainly single-storey villa developments.
Funnily enough it's 12 years since I was last there too, although I was
further south then.

Nothing that I noticed, but I skipped the kite surfing in the end &
stuck with the wind surfing. I can't see why it would be a problem as
there's miles of beach to launch from other than the bit in front of
the hire centre.

You'll be fine then, as long as you can cope with all the fat naked
Germans. If you do head that way, make sure you take a trip on the dirt
road from Morro Jable over the mountains to Cofete. The view from the
top is breath-taking.

I'm pretty sure you can do Bristol to Fuerte all year with
Thomson/First Choice, & Ryan Air are supposed to be starting a new
service later this year.

--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tiger 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

Sun instead of snow? You're already dead.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com)
\`\ | /`/
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10
`\|/`
`

 

I was there about 5 years ago - it's totally jammed with "English
Pubs".

It's shit.

 

Acually, the last few years, it's been warmer and sunnier in the mountains
that it has at home. But that's not what I paid for, and don't seem to be
able to get a refund from whomever is in charge of weather.

 

Why? I thought it was all flowers and stuff.

 

Odd, I don't recall seeing any pink Triumphs.

Ah, that's explains it.

Cheers, will consider it.

 

Tenerife is good in parts.
Its one of the larger islands so there is plenty to do and see.
One must is a trip up the volcano, drive up to the cablecar then
leg it up the last bit, which is hard work but worth the trip, on
the way you get to see some BIG telescopes on the mountains.