10 Great Beach Destinations for Fall & Winter

When the weather gets colder and the leaves fall from the trees, wouldn’t you rather be lounging on pristine white sands and feeling the ocean lap at your feet? Of course you would! That’s why a beach vacation in the fall and winter is always a good idea.

Just remember that the Caribbean is not the be all and end all for beach destinations. There are fantastic beach destinations just across the ocean or a little further to the south that you should consider for a fall or winter trip.

As well, you can stay in a Goway Idyllic Retreat in these destinations. Goway Idyllic Retreats are our collection of ultra-luxe and exclusive properties in warm and sunny destinations around the world. With Idyllic Retreats, the accommodation is the highlight! Pampering services, intimate settings, lush designs, and some of the world’s most unique ways to stay. You can even sleep in an underwater hotel room! You can find a list of all our Idyllic Retreats in exotic beach destinations in this article.

When planning a beach vacation for this fall and winter, consider a trip to one of these 10 destinations.

What are great beach destinations for fall and winter that aren’t in the Caribbean?

The Algarve, Portugal

The south of Portugal is renowned for its rocky beaches, golden sands, and year-round warm temperatures. Book a few weeks at a resort or apartment stay and spend your days on the beaches and your nights enjoying fresh seafood in historic villages.

Bali

The southern beaches of Bali around Nusa Dua and Denpasar are famously popular with surfers and beach goers alike. But the Indonesian island is also one of the unsung foodie destinations of Southeast Asia. Furthermore, the resorts of the interior offer you a chance to explore rice terraces, visit remote jungle villages, and hike up volcanoes for spectacular sunset views. Pair it with Hong Kong for the ultimate city, beach, and jungle escape.

Hawaii

Hawaii is the quintessential winter destination in the Pacific. Choose an island, stick to the coast, and enjoy long days of warm sun, warmer waters, and natural delights. Swim with green sea turtles, drive epic coastal highways, and enjoy the bounties of this Polynesian paradise.

The Islands of Tahiti

The Islands of Tahiti offer idyllic visions and the comforts of paradise. These islands, including the honeymoon haven of Bora Bora, have waters so blue, they don’t seem real. Stay in an overwater bungalow and explore the peaceful environment by land and sea.

The Maldives

Relax on a private beach with powdery white sands and soft blue waters stretching out to the horizon. When you retire to your room, you’ll sleep right over the water in an overwater bungalow. The waves are mere feet from your door and your room has all the intimacy you could ever hope for. Sounds ideal? Sounds like a beach vacation to the Maldives.

Queensland, Australia

Queensland offers the surf havens and sandy beaches of the Gold Coast right outside Brisbane, the year-round warm temperatures of the Whitsundays, the rainforests of the tropical north, and the majestic underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef. It’s an adventure haven in the fall and winter, which coincides with Australian spring and summer.

Panama

Bridging North and South America, Panama is a place to search for exotic wildlife, including sloths, in the jungle before retiring to the sandy beaches of either the Caribbean or Pacific. A tour of the Panama Canal is an added bonus in a country boasting some astounding natural environments.

Phuket, Thailand

This iconic beach destination in southern Thailand has everything you could want in the winter: gorgeous resorts with access to clear waters; large, sandy beaches with coral reefs and hidden caves just off the shore; and a cultural cornucopia of everything from historic temples to celebrated restaurants to some of the hottest nightlife in the region. Pair Phuket with Dubai for a few days in the famous desert metropolis, spending your days shopping and dining out.

The Red Sea, Egypt

Did you know that Egypt is home to arguably the best beach resort in the Middle East? You do now. Sharm El Sheikh on the Red Sea is a gorgeous resort area with year-round warm waters and some of the best dive sites in the region. You can see the pyramids in Cairo and cruise the Nile before you jet to the Red Sea for a few days of relaxation.

The Seychelles

This island chain in the Indian Ocean offers an intimacy and quiet environment unmatched by most places in the world. Remote resorts straddle the coastline. Travellers can spot rare endemic wildlife, including giant tortoises, lounge on beaches with some astounding rock configurations, including the famous beach of Anse Source d’Argent, and enjoy an atmosphere away from all the worries and cold of the fall and winter months.