WARM REGIONS: WHERE TO GO WHEN IT IS WINTER IN UKRAINE

In the harsh winter weather, we all dream of how to quickly throw off the down jacket and find ourselves on a golden beach bathed in the sun. Outwitting the weather in our century is as easy as shelling pears: a few hours on the plane – and you are already on the shores of the warm sea. Where to go to sunbathe when there is snow and frost in Ukraine?

Liza magazine will tell you warm countries that are perfect for a winter escape – snowdrifts and puddles give way to golden sand, dull gray clouds to clear blue skies, and hot tea with lemon to a Pina colada cocktail in a coconut.

Sri Lanka

Well, who does not dream of eating lobsters from the belly in the middle of winter while the skin is covered with a bronze tan? In the romantic resort of Bentota in the southwest of the island, you can have a great rest for both your body and soul: you bask all day on the beach, bask in the warm sun, and think what an amazing invention these planes are.

You can go to see how Ceylon tea grows on the Khandunugoda plantation and elephants bathe in the Pinnawala orphanage, or you can entertain yourself with surfing for beginners at the Hikkaduwa resort.

For those who prefer diving, welcome to the underwater beauty of Weligama in the very south of Sri Lanka. Whom you just don’t see here: toothy moray eels, arrowhead fish, and even giant turtles!

Tip: the most expensive month for flying to Sri Lanka is December: this month, tickets go up by a quarter of the average annual price, but in January and February you can save up to 10%. P

When visiting temples, dress modestly and do not take scandalous selfies with the Buddha: in Sri Lanka, religion is taken seriously, and if they notice a tattoo depicting a deity or a disrespectful attitude towards him, they can even be deported.

India

When gray dull everyday life and frost outside the window are already quite enough, bright and contrasting India will definitely add a pinch of spices to your life.

For a reboot of boring everyday life and signature Goan sunsets, head to the northern beaches of Arambol and Anjuna, which have been chosen by hippies and budget travelers.

On the southern beach of Palolem, rest is more wasteful: those who are willing to pay for their own sunbed on the beach and a glass of ice cocktail come here, so long as no one sings mantras under their ears.

The chic beaches of Kerala are not as popular among ordinary tourists as the resorts of Goa. Here you will be met by the sandy expanses of Varkala and Kovalam, comfortable exoticism, and the hands of an Ayurvedic massage therapist.

Tip: in order not to overpay for tickets to Goa 72% of their average cost, reschedule the trip from December to January or February, when prices are below the annual average.

And although most of the “terrible travel stories” about India are not true, nevertheless, minimal precautions will not interfere: wash your hands and fruits well, do not drink tap water, do not eat in frankly unsanitary places, and watch your belongings in the market.

Thailand

Holidays in the resorts of Thailand are the best medicine for winter blues. There you will find the coconut beaches of Koh Samui with a zen atmosphere, sea and soft sand, or flighty Pattaya with exotic beach bars and cheap shopping, as well as beautiful Phuket with romantic sunsets on the secluded Freedom Beach.

At the Full Moon parties on Koh Phangan, you will dance like never before in your life: ankle-deep in the sea, under the moon, drinking a bucket of whiskey and cola.

Tip: it is better to go to Thailand for the winter in January or February when air tickets are slightly cheaper than the average price for the year. For tickets for December, you can overpay up to a third of their average annual cost.

On New Year’s Eve, the consequences of the rainy season are still felt on Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, but since January the sea is calm, and the sky is cloudless overhead.

Vietnam

If you want a sunny relaxing exotic for reasonable money, then fly to Vietnam.

Most often, tourists land in the resort of Nha Trang, where a strip of sandy beaches stretches across the road from fish restaurants. Lovers of noise and fun settle in the center, and families with children and seekers of silence – in the north, closer to nature.

In winter, in the resort village of Mui Ne in southeastern Vietnam, winds blow just right for kitesurfers. During the day, the sky above the beach ripples with colorful kites, and in the evening it vibrates with reggae waves from the surrounding surf bars.

Romantics are advised to go to the southern island of Phu Quoc, where postcard beaches hide behind tropical thickets. There you can rent a bungalow by the sea, lie on a sun lounger and sip a mango smoothie from a straw.

Tip: in December in Mui Ne and Nha Trang it is stormy and it is dangerous to swim. Better postpone your trip to January-February and save a little: air tickets to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, or Nha Trang on New Year’s Eve can cost 1.5–2 times more than a flight in the second half of winter.

Cuba

Half a day on a plane to Cuba is like traveling in a time machine: people here still ride Soviet Muscovites, furnish their houses with familiar furniture, and believe in the victory of communism. However, what is not at all like the USSR is the laziness and unhurried enjoyment of life inherent in Cubans: just pour yourself a glass of Cuban rum and quench their thirst for some kind of vigorous activity.

If you like when “all-inclusive”, then go to the popular Cuban resort of Varadero, where kilometers of snow-white beach stretch behind sprawling palm trees and cacti.

You can have a luxurious rest at the elite resort of Holguin: sit under a straw umbrella and repeat the Cuban mantra “do not put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.”

Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy the famous Cuban diving spots. Connected by a bridge, the tropical islands of Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo in northern Cuba are surrounded by a coral reef. Divers who were lucky enough to dive there makeup legends about meter-long groupers and reef sharks.

Tip: the most expensive month for a flight to Cuba is December: you will overpay for tickets by 48%, and the most profitable of winter months is January: you will save 19% of the average price for the year.

Cuba is still bad with the Internet because free Wi-Fi appeared relatively recently, but for those who want to stop time and escape from the daily hustle and bustle, offline is only at hand.

Philippines

Holidays in the Philippines are beautiful sunsets, palm-sized shrimp, gambling cockfights, and pop-eyed tarsiers. By the way, you can play with these kids on the tropical island of Bohol.

The main trump card of the Boracay resort is the amazing White Beach with fine sand and clear, like a baby’s tear, water.

Jacques-Yves Cousteau would advise diving enthusiasts to move towards Palawan, where sunken Japanese ships lie at the bottom. Scorpionfish, clownfish, and seahorses keep watch in the coral-covered holds day and night – such beauty should not be overlooked.

Tip: it is better to take flights to the Philippines for January or February: a December flight will cost 51% more than the average ticket price for the year.

Tropical typhoon season in the Philippines is in the summer, although they can hit the islands at any time – even in winter, so keep an eye on the weather forecast.

Indonesia

All the winters and holidays in a lifetime are not enough to visit each of the 17,000 islands of Indonesia, but you can at least try.

Let’s start with the most famous: hyped Bali, which became even more popular after the acclaimed book and movie Eat Pray Love. Spas and yoga schools in Ubud are guaranteed to bring beauty to the long working months ahead. Fans of parties and outdoor activities prefer Kuta.

On the tiny islands of Gili east of Bali, it is incredibly beautiful and peaceful: you can wallow on clean sand, swim with giant turtles, and drift in clear water on a bright air mattress.

Collectors of unforgettable sights can float to the neighboring island of Lombok with its formidable volcano and bewitching waterfalls.

Tip: the most expensive winter month for a trip to Bali in December, with an overpayment of 35%. For tickets for January and February, you will give only 5-9% more than the average, so it’s better not to rush.