Each year the Post Office Travel Money Winter Sun Report reveals the best-value destinations for winter sun.
This year has seen Africa top the charts – but with a surprising Asian capital sneaking into the top three, and many intriguing European picks.
Based on eight holiday costs including coffee, beer, cola, wine, water, sunscreen, insect repellent and a three-course dinner, but excluding flights and accommodation, here’s the Post Office’s top five spots for sunshine on a budget – plus some affordable spots in Europe for those wanting to stay closer to home.
Escape to the Cape
For the second year running, Cape Town takes top prize. With its dramatic landscapes, fine wineries and top-tier attractions, the city promises a varied break buoyed by temperate weather.
Prices have fallen 9.7 per cent since March with a three-course meal for two with wine costing £39.26. Our tips? Try pizza joint Borruso’s on Kenilworth Main Road for a ‘Dillon Special’ of bacon, ham and chicken for £7.84, or head to trendy suburb Woodstock for fish sliders and ceviche tacos at Pot Luck Club from £7.55.
Coffees average £1.76, or enjoy a bottle of beer from £1.86. Butter All Day, a buzzy joint in the city centre, is great for both.
Book it: British Airways Holidays offers seven nights’ B&B at The President Hotel, Sea Point, from £1,776pp including flights (britishairways.com).
Tokyo’s shrugged off its reputation as a pricey destination, with the Post Office’s new research saying it’s possible to buy a bowl of ramen for less than £7
Cheap in Kenya
Another spot for sun without splurging is Mombasa, Kenya’s oldest city. A glass of wine in this relaxed seaside resort costs £3.17, and a meal for two £42.78, including wine. Buzzy beach bar Char-Choma, on Mombasa beach, has visitors raving about its seafood and upbeat atmosphere.
Book it: Spend seven nights’ all-inclusive at the Voyager Beach Resort from £1,505pp, including flights (tui.co.uk).
Tokyo for less
Despite its reputation as expensive, Tokyo has muscled into third place. While not a traditional ‘winter sun’ destination, the city gets 520 hours of sunshine in the colder months, making sampling the city’s myriad delights all the more pleasant.
A three-course meal for two here totals £48.50, with Michelin-starred joints such as Nakiryu, in Otsuka, even included in this category, where steaming bowls of shoryu ramen are priced from £6.72.
Whether you’re into matcha or coffee, sampling Tokyo’s caffeinated offerings is also an affordable venture, with prices from £2.33. Make like Tokyoites and head for Onibus Coffee in chichi neighbourhood Nakameguro, or Fuglen in Shibuya.
Book it: Spend four nights in Tokyo at the Shiba Park Hotel from £1,132.50pp, including flights (britishairways.com).
A bottle of beer in Sri Lanka costs £2.27 according to the latest report
Join the discussion
Should winter sun getaways be all about finding the cheapest deals or once-in-a-lifetime experiences?
Sri Lankan bargains
For those after a more traditional dose of beach bliss, Colombo in Sri Lanka offers an affordable break, with a barometer cost of £74.79 a day. A bottle of beer costs £2.27, while a bottle of water is 66p.
Book it: Stay in Colombo’s five-star Mandarina Hotel from £63 a night in January (mandarinacolombo.com). Return flights to Colombo from £741 (britishairways.com).
Tempting Thailand
Thailand’s lively island Phuket similarly fits the bill – start the party with a bottle of beer for an average of £2.09. A three-course evening meal for two with house wine comes to £51.30.
Book it: Doubles at the Blu Monkey Boutique in Phuket start at £37 (blumonkeyboutiquephukettown.com).
What about the rest?
Portugal’s Algarve was sixth cheapest in this year, with a barometer cost of £82.35 a day. Putting in a similarly strong performance were Spain’s popular Costa del Sol, where a cup of coffee is just £1.75, and Tenerife in the Canary Islands, with a barometer cost of £87.62. Penang, Malaysia and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic rounded out the top ten.
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