Beach Holiday Packages

From November to April, the strongest choices are Phuket, Krabi and the Phi Phi Islands on Thailand’s Andaman coast, the Maldives from December, Sri Lanka’s west and south coast around Bentota, Galle and Mirissa, Goa, the Andaman Islands, Langkawi and Phu Quoc. The Philippines, including Boracay, Cebu and Palawan, is driest from December to May. This is the main window for winter school holidays.

In June, July and August, Bali is in its dry season and Sri Lanka’s east coast at Trincomalee, Pasikuda and Arugam Bay is at its best. Koh Samui and Koh Phangan on Thailand’s Gulf coast are also good, and Da Nang and Hoi An in central Vietnam are hot and dry. Phuket, Krabi, Goa and Sri Lanka’s south-west coast are in their monsoon then, with rougher seas and more boat trip cancellations.

Dashain and Tihar fall in October and November, when several coasts are changing season. Bali is still in its dry season through October, and from mid to late November Phuket, Krabi, Pattaya and Goa settle into their drier months, with the Maldives following from December. Koh Samui, Da Nang and Hoi An are at their wettest in these months, and Sri Lanka gets heavy inter-monsoon rain. Book early, because festival dates fill fast.

For a modest budget, look at Pattaya with Coral Island, Goa, or a Maldives stay on Maafushi, a local island with guesthouses and day excursions. For a splurge, choose a private resort island in the Maldives with a beach or overwater villa, or the Maldives Premium Tour reached by seaplane. The Maafushi and Private Resort Island Tour splits the stay, giving you both. Each package shows its price for your group size.

Couples often choose the Maldives for privacy, Bangkok with Koh Samui for a mix of city and island, Bali with Nusa Penida or the Gili Islands for scenery, or Kuala Lumpur with Langkawi for a relaxed pace. Manila with Boracay suits couples who like lively beaches. All of these work for couples as well as honeymooners, and most can be adjusted on request.

Choose one base and short transfers. Pattaya is reached by road from Bangkok, Goa has a relaxed pace, and a Maldives resort keeps everything on one island. Island-hopping trips in Thailand, the Philippines and Bali involve speedboats that can be bumpy, so limit those days for elders. Tell us everyone’s ages and any mobility needs, and we will suggest the calmest option.

Goa suits travellers who want lively beaches, Portuguese-era churches, markets and nightlife, and its season runs from mid October to May. The Andaman Islands are quieter, with clear water at Havelock’s Radhanagar Beach, Neil Island and the history of Port Blair’s Cellular Jail, and are best visited outside the monsoon, roughly October to May. Andaman island transfers are by ferry and depend on sea conditions.