If you’re suffering from the onset of winter, look no further than this collection of affordable and, more importantly, toasty warm travel destinations.
We’re very lucky in Australia – it’s not necessary to travel overseas to reach the warmer weather. This means lower cost travel insurance, cheaper flights and access to Medicare-funded health services wherever you go. Why not consider the Whitsundays (less than $200 flight from Sydney to Hamilton Island), Darwin (less than $420 from Sydney) or Broome (less than $600 from Perth). Alternatively, you could pack up the car and take a driving tour north – the east coast is dotted with picturesque towns, friendly locals and beautiful beaches, and the further north you go, the warmer it gets.
Outside of Australia, Laos can be visited from as little as $30 per day including food and accommodation, if you’re prepared to discover the joy of hostels, and although it’s the rainy season, the rain often comes at night and in the early morning, leaving you with sunny days around 25°C. Flights in August start at $520 from Australia.
Many international travellers consider the weather in Japan in August to be too hot for comfort, but for Australians these temperatures are our norm. With weather ranging between 20–30°C, there is a drop in international tourism due to the ‘hotter’ weather in this month, and flights start at $500 from Australia. You can expect to spend your time with local Japanese tourists rather than English-speaking travellers, and therefore, find yourself more immersed in the local culture.
Further afield, you might want to consider taking in the most popular festival in Edinburgh – the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Held in August, when the weather is at its peak (although still on the cooler side by Australian standards), you can get a flight to London from $920, and then take a picturesque train ride north into Scotland to catch this engaging event.
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Finally, there’s that faithful holiday destination – Indonesia. July and August are the dry season, so you can enjoy the beautiful warm weather without fear of getting rained out. Bali, in particular, is well set up for tourists, so you can be sure of comfortable accommodation and good food – just make sure you check the reviews before you book. Flights from Perth start at $270, and from Sydney, they start at $450.
Where do you go to escape winter? Are you planning a trip to warmer climes?
Related articles:
Five Aussie winter warmers
Warm and wonderful destinations
Escape the winter chill
