Top Exotic Beach Destinations to Visit This Winter

Tropical beach with flowers, Moorea, Tahiti

2min read

Published 28 January 2025


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It's that time of year when the nights seem neverending, you're permanently wearing oversized jumpers, and you curse yourself for not buying enough car deicer for those frosty mornings.

That's when your mind wanders to warmer climes, a mental escape to somewhere sunnier. An exotic holiday to a tropical paradise is certainly one solution to banish those winter blues and help you survive those long, cold months.

Thankfully all of the Experts here at Flight Centre have plenty of exotic places up their sleeves to suggest. Without further ado...



Nusa Dua Beach is one of the best beaches in Bali
Nusa Dua Beach is one of the best beaches in Bali
Nusa Dua Beach is one of the best beaches in Bali

1. Bali

Bali may be lauded for its jungle-fringed temples, steaming volcanoes and holistic slow pace of life, but it also has some of Southeast Asia's most beautiful beaches. You can easily combine both for a sense of adventure and relaxation in a single tropical vacation.

What few realise, though, is the diverse mix of picturesque beaches that Bali offers. Thanks to the island's volcanic nature, Bali's south-west coast boasts charcoal-black beaches that feel as if they would be more at home on the surface of the moon. They're ideal for a beach stroll, or plodding along on the back of a horse, but these sands are surprisingly powder-soft too, so you can still kick back and soak up the sun.

Head further south to Canggu and the sands turn a shade of chocolate-brown, with the waves here perfect for surfers. Head further south, to the likes of Jimbaran, Seminyak and Sanur, and you'll get the golden hues you'll have seen splashed across postcards, with each beach fronted by luxury resorts that act as perfect bases for total beach relaxation.

lady sitting on edge of cliff overlooking mountains in phuket
lady sitting on edge of cliff overlooking mountains in phuket
lady sitting on edge of cliff overlooking mountains in phuket

2. Phuket

There aren't many places in Southeast Asia that you think of as a beach getaway ahead of Thailand's largest island, Phuket. Here, its hidden chain of tropical coves and bays pique the interest of even the most well-travelled visitors, while its stunning beaches adorn Instagram feeds and Pinterest boards of holidaymakers long before they visit.

But Phuket's reputation means there are plenty of well-established resorts that you can base yourself at, whether you're seeking pure relaxation or something more intrepid.

Phuket is also a scuba diving springboard to discover some of Thailand's most magical underwater worlds, like among the limestone cliffs of Phang Nga Bay, with coral-encrusted submerged boulders and reef gardens alive with rainbow-hued fish, awaiting those who fancy taking the plunge.

A group of tall, small islands covered in trees and surrounded by bright, blue water
A group of tall, small islands covered in trees and surrounded by bright, blue water
A group of tall, small islands covered in trees and surrounded by bright, blue water

3. Raja Ampat

The volcanic archipelago of Raja Ampat is, simply put, a diver's paradise. Journey beneath the waves of these 1,500 Indonesian islands and you'll be greeted by city-sized coral reefs teeming with reef sharks, abundant tropical fish, dugongs, turtles, manta rays and much more. With over 200 dive sites to choose from, Raja Ampat boasts plenty of vivid underwater scenery to explore. It's little wonder that Raja Ampat is dubbed the 'Amazon of the seas'.

If diving isn't your thing, then there's plenty to do in Raja Ampat besides, from kayaking its limpid-blue lagoons to grabbing your binoculars for some birdwatching, especially in the rainforests of Waigeo. Here, the headline act is the brightly coloured bird of paradise that you can see fluttering in the canopy.

When you need to wind down, the beautiful islands of Raja Ampat have you covered. Its curving sandy bays, like Saleo and Camara beaches, offer the kind of natural beauty you thought you'd only find on a Bounty advert.

Novotel Lombok Resort
Novotel Lombok Resort
Novotel Lombok Resort

4. Lombok & the Gili Islands

Looking for a relaxing vacation a little quieter than the beaches of Bali? Well you don't need to look far, for Bali's neighbours are the exotic islands of Lombok and the Gili Islands.

Originally popular with surfers for its impressive breaks, Lombok is now luring visitors who seek pristine beaches and a more untouched way of life in comparison to its sister Bali, as well as a rich Islamic culture. When you've got itchy feet from lazing on its powder-soft sands, make a beeline for its lush rainforests and refreshing waterfalls.

Dangling off Lombok's north-western tip are the Gili Islands, a trio of idylls fringed by flour-white sands and gin-clear waters teeming with marine life. Motorised vehicles are forbidden on all three islands, so you can just imagine what the pace of life is like here on an island-hopping adventure: a way of living that moves no quicker than the metronomic sway of a palm frond. Bliss.

Couple watching the sunset in Punta Cana
Couple watching the sunset in Punta Cana
Couple watching the sunset in Punta Cana

5. Punta Cana

The reputation of the Dominican Republic as an iconic beach destination needs no introduction, no matter where you are around the world. That's particularly true of the country's southeast corner, where turquoise seas, cashmere-soft sand and sunshine are virtually guaranteed. Luxury resorts offer prime bases to enjoy this classic of tropical trios, while the dozens of palm trees that stand sentry at its beaches have earned Punta Cana the moniker the 'Coconut Coast'.

While it's tempting to while away your days lazing in this kind of scenery, Punta Cana is far from one-dimensional. You can go diving among shipwrecks, swimming with whale sharks and gliding among the crayon-coloured reefs or, if you prefer to stay dry, take a buggy tour through Punta Cana's emerald-coated jungle.

For a slice of Dominican Republic's heritage, Higüey is a town that was once visited by the likes of Christopher Columbus and Juan Ponce de León and now boasts the pretty cathedral Basílica Nuestra Señora De La Altagracia.

An aerial view of Costa Rica rainforest and beaches
An aerial view of Costa Rica rainforest and beaches
An aerial view of Costa Rica rainforest and beaches

6. Costa Rica

More famed for its incredible biodiversity, Costa Rica has an ace up its sleeve when it comes to its kudos as a beach destination: it has two distinct coastlines.

On one side, the Pacific coast boasts slender strips of golden sand that feel as if they've been torn straight from a travel brochure. The lush rainforest of Manuel Antonio National Park exchanges handshakes with the glittering Pacific waters in the form of a series of pale-gold beaches while further north, a series of sugar-white curves embrace the shallows of Papagayo.

On the opposite side of Costa Rica, the Caribbean Coast couldn't be more different. Its jewel are the jungles of Tortuguero National Park, a healthy breeding ground for green, leatherback and hawksbill turtles (from July to October only), while Cahuita National Park offers encounters with howler monkeys, sloths and a rich bounty of birdlife. Its beaches are varied, too, from the golden sands of Playa Cocles to the soot-black beaches of Playa Negra.

Tuamotu
Tuamotu
Tuamotu

7. Tuamotu Islands

Most people associate French Polynesia with Bora Bora, but for those in the know the Tuamotu islands more than rival its better-known island sibling. This is where blue lagoon meets Crusoe-esque scenery, a dreamy snapshot of the South Seas and home to the second-largest atoll in the world in Rangiroa. You'll even find gin-clear waters lapping pink sands in the atoll of Tikehau.

Rangiroa is home to some of the planet's best snorkelling and diving experiences. Speckled with 240 tiny islets (known as motus), dive beneath the surface of Rangiroa and you'll encounter kaleidoscopic coral reefs alive with marine wildlife like dolphins, hammerhead sharks, manta rays and schools of tropical fish.

It's no wonder famed explorer Jacques Costa claims this has the highest density of fish in the entire Tuamotus. So don't forget to pack that snorkel mask...

Cook Islands
Cook Islands
Cook Islands

8. Cook Islands

The Cook Islands archipelago is one of the South Pacific's hidden gems, especially when you consider the region's limelight often focuses on Fiji and French Polynesia. Why it doesn't get more attention baffles us, but this just means you get more of the islands to yourself.

The Cook Islands has two main islands: Rarotonga and Aitutaki. The former boasts an emerald core of unspoiled nature that's ringed by white sandy beaches, while also enforcing one of the best government laws we've ever heard: no building can be higher than the tallest palm tree.

Aitutaki slows down the pace of island life even further, promising an idyllic collection of secret sandy cays, lagoons of turquoise waters and such a raw way of life that you'll feel like the first to stumble upon it. Don't forget to pop over to One Foot Island to be awarded a footprint-shaped stamp in your passport (no, we're not kidding).

Bora Bora is one of the best honeymoon destinations in the world
Bora Bora is one of the best honeymoon destinations in the world
Bora Bora is one of the best honeymoon destinations in the world

9. Bora Bora

Is there an island that's more synonymous with the term 'island paradise'? If so, we're yet to come across it. This is where overwater bungalows float over crystal-clear waters and Bora Bora's necklace of tiny islets, are blessed with luxury resorts where you can step straight out on white-sand beaches. Resorts in the Indian Ocean might be more associated with overwater bungalows, but Bora Bora was the original trendsetter.

There are plenty of ways for you to amplify your tropical surroundings and take them in, whether that's being delivered breakfast on a traditional Polynesian pirogue, admiring the lush views of the island's volcanic peak, lofty Mount Otemanu, or hopping on a boat tour to spy humpback whales.

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