Best travel deals for December, from Sri Lanka to Peru

Mary Novakovich rounds up the best holiday deals this month

Book now to spend March exploring Ho Chi Minh City on a tour of Vietnam (Getty/iStock)

Christmas seems to get earlier every year, and sometimes you need a break from the ceaseless cheer. Escape somewhere hot and tropical, or snuggle up somewhere wintery and embrace the cold. And if you’re planning ahead for March, these ideas might inspire you.

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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s beaches do good sunsets (iStock)

December brings the dry season to the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka, which is perfect timing for a lazy week on the beach. Avani Kalutara Resort is on a little peninsula on the mouth of the river Kalu Ganga between Colombo and Galle, and has a pool and watersports to go with easy access to sandy beaches. The Holiday Place has a week’s B&B from £879pp departing 9 December, including flights and transfers.

Italy

Gressoney is a family-friendly ski resort in Italy (iStock)

If you’re looking for an alternative place to spend Christmas, take the family to the friendly resort of Gressoney within Monterosa Ski. This small village in Italy’s Aosta Valley combines excellent nursery slopes for beginners with some challenging off-piste for the more adventurous. Esprit Ski has a week’s catered accommodation at the Chalet Hotel Valverde from £599pp, based on two adults and two children, including flights, transfers and meals, departing 22 December.

Isle of Wight

Escape to the Isle of Wight in December (iStock)

Grab some friends and spend New Year’s Eve in a cosy cottage on the Isle of Wight, where you can kick off 2019 with a bracing walk on the beach. Classic Cottages has 23 Coastguard Cottage in Bembridge available over the new year period, with a five-night break starting at £791. The cottage has three bedrooms and a fireplace in the sitting room, as well as a garden. And it’s only a five-minute walk from the beach.

Peru

Machu Picchu in Peru (iStock)

For a truly unforgettable way to see out the year, join a group hike along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. This seven-day trip, departing 26 December, offered by On the Go Tours begins and ends in Cusco and includes a walk in the Sacred Valley as well as the Inca Trail. The starting price of £1,595pp includes transfers, most meals and guided hikes, but excludes flights.

Book now for March

Venice

The Grand Canal in Venice – better in March (iStock)

March brings a smidgen of respite to perpetually busy Venice once the madness of the February carnival and half-term holiday is over. Take in the regal splendour of five-star Ca’ Sagredo Hotel, an elegant palazzo on the Grand Canal where the bars and restaurants of Cannaregio are a short stroll away. Citalia has a four-night break at Ca’ Sagredo from £699pp, departing 11 March. The price includes flights, transfers and breakfast, as well as an early booking discount and one free night.

Northern Cyprus

The harbour town of Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus (iStock)

Discover the sights, smells and tastes of Turkish Northern Cyprus on a guided walking holiday. You’ll be based in the attractive harbour town of Kyrenia, with daily walks exploring the island’s architectural and natural wonders, including the 12th-century Bellapais Abbey and Kaplica Beach. Headwater has a seven-night guided walking holiday from £849pp for a 9 March departure, including flights, breakfast, most lunches and guided walks.

Vietnam

Halong Bay is one of Vietnam’s most beautiful spots (Getty/iStock) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Get to know this endlessly fascinating country from the vantage point of a bicycle over a leisurely two weeks. Explore has a 14-night group cycling holiday in Vietnam that takes in Hanoi, Halong Bay, Saigon and Hoi An, as well as the waterways of the Mekong Delta and quiet rural regions. It’s classified as easy cycling, as it’s over mainly level terrain, with average daily distances of 23km. The starting price of £2,255pp includes flights, B&B accommodation, internal transport and bike hire (including the option of ebikes), for departures in early March.

Mary Novakovich is editor at large at 101holidays.co.uk