Barbados

Famed for its powdery white sands, sparkling turquoise waters and sun-drenched climate, laid-back Barbados has long been a tourist trap for those wanting sun, sea and sand. No one’s going to judge you here if you spend your entire holiday sunning yourself on the beach with a rum punch in hand – particularly if you’re holidaying on the west of the island on the ‘Platinum Coast’, where you’ll find endless luxury resorts and a glamorous dusk-to-dawn nightlife.

This Caribbean island has plenty to offer adventure-seekers too, whether that’s catching waves at the Soup Bowl, Bathsheba’s ultimate surf spot, swimming with turtles in Folkstone Marine Park, or exploring the island in a 4x4 safari tour. Barbados is at its most popular November-March, when people are trying to escape the wintry weather at home. But airlines know this, which is why you get the best Barbados flight deals at the start of the year – but book fast, as this island is, quite literally, hot property.