Valentine's Day may make February the month of love, but the UK winter season is still very much in effect. Why not get away from the gloomy, chilly days and ring in the new year with a revitalising getaway? Here, we've compiled a list of the top destinations for February vacations to inspire your travel.
Maldives
Never pass up a chance to visit the Maldives, even during the rainy season (May to
November). But if you have a choice, one of the greatest times to travel is in February, when the skies are bright and blue, the days are long, dry, and not overly humid, and the light transforms the water into a stunning shade of turquoise that is difficult to look away from. This is the time of year to see manta rays, tiger sharks, and whale sharks, and the seas are clean enough for snorkelling and diving.
There are many fantastic hotels in the Maldives; the trick is choosing the one that best suits your castaway fantasies, whether you prefer fine dining or action-packed adventures, stunning architecture or low-key Crusoe elegance.
Temperature: 29°C high; 25°C low
Season: Dry
Travel time from UK: 10 hours 30 minutes
Time difference: GMT +5
Chile
Nowhere else in the world is as multifacetedly astounding and awe-inspiring in its majesty as Chile. There are towering volcanoes, limitless deserts, and majestic mountains that are mirrored in crystal-clear glacial lakes in this enormous, epic continent that spans two time zones. The night sky is an amazing display unlike anywhere else on earth thanks to its pure skies and vast uninhabited stretches, including Patagonia, Atacama, and the Andes. In addition to being the end month of summer, February is the ideal month for stargazing and is still warm enough for hiking, horseback riding, and wild swimming in the breathtaking Torres del Paine and other national parks.
Temperature: 19°C high; 5°C low (Torres del Paine)
Season: Summer
Travel time from UK: 14 hours 30 minutes to Santiago
Time difference: GMT -3 (south); GMT -4 (north)
Antarctica
Antarctic summer lasts through February. The best time to cross the Antarctic Circle is now,
when fluffy baby penguins are toddling around making hay while the sun shines—for up to 24 hours a day. Temperatures can reach as high as just above freezing. It's one of the greatest months to go on Zodiac excursions to witness the breathtaking white icescapes against the blue skies and spot whales, including humpback, minke, and orca.
Temperature: 1°C high; –11°C low
Season: Summer
Travel time from UK: 19 hours 30 minutes
Time difference: GMT +13
Paris
February should be the perfect time to visit the City of Love, but the weather all-too-often turns away would-be suitors.
Travel during the winter months when everything is open, crowds are lighter, making reservations is simpler, and prices are lower. The best attractions—adorable bistros with candlelight, reverberant art galleries, and bo-bo (bourgeois-boho) bars—are all indoors anyway.
Temperature: 9°C high; 3°C low
Season: winter
Travel time from UK: 1 hour 15 minutes
Time difference: GMT +1
Finnish Lapland
Although February in Finnish Lapland can be brisk, there is still a lot of activity going on.
Consider boarding the world's only sauna gondola, a wooden cable car that offers riders a steamy ride over the Ylläs Ski Resort slopes. Christmas is obviously the busiest time of year, but February offers just as romantic a setting without the high costs or crowds.
Temperature: -6°C high; -13°C low
Season: winter
Travel time from UK: 5 hours 20 minutes
Time difference: GMT +2
Bahamas
Replace the snow outside your door with a pristine beach in the Bahamas. For the pristine
sands, laid-back lifestyle, and 18th-century streets travellers in the know travel to the islands in peaceful February, just after the holiday crowds have dispersed and before the boisterous spring breakers approach in March. Use the peace and quiet to your advantage by taking a barefoot stroll down Pink Sands Beach, thinking about taking a diving class after a leisurely lunch on Harbour Island, or simply spending the afternoon with a cocktail and a book.
Temperature: 25°C high; 17°C low
Season: dry
Travel time from UK: 10 hours 15 minutes
Time difference: GMT -5
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