Chichén Itzá is worth setting an alarm for. Arrive when it opens, and you'll see the pyramid before the coach tours roll in and before the Yucatán sun starts behaving aggressively.
Cenotes are everywhere across the Yucatán Peninsula, but many first-time visitors don't realise they exist until they arrive. These freshwater sinkholes were sacred to the Maya and are often the most refreshing place to spend a hot afternoon.
Table Mountain dominates the skyline for a reason. The cable car is the easy option, but the views from the top are still worth every minute spent queueing.
The V&A Waterfront is touristy, but for good reason. It's one of the easiest places in the city to combine restaurants, harbour views and a sunset drink.
The penguins at Boulders Beach get all the attention, but the stretch of coastline between Simon's Town and Cape Point is just as memorable. Leave time for unplanned stops. The best views are often found between the attractions marked on the map.
Cape Town's food scene has become one of the strongest in the Southern Hemisphere. The smartest strategy is to book one standout dinner and leave room for the places locals recommend on the day.
Many locals head to Koh Larn when they want a break from Pattaya. The ferry takes around 45 minutes, and the water is noticeably clearer than anything you'll find along the city shoreline.
The Sanctuary of Truth sounds like a tourist attraction and looks like a fantasy novel come to life. More than forty years after construction began, craftsmen are still carving new details into the towering wooden structure.
Explore Nong Nooch Botanical Garden, 500 acres of themed gardens, cultural shows, and tropical plant collections, south of the city, easily combined with a beach day.
Pattaya's seafood restaurants are at their best in the evening. The places packed with Thai families are usually a safer bet than the ones covered in neon signs and promotional offers.
Best for: Overwater villas, diving, honeymooners, and total immersion in doing nothing
The Maldives is the answer to a simple question: what does the opposite of a British winter look like? The answer turns out to be 26 coral atolls with white sand, warm seas, temperatures of 27–30°C, and a horizon that rarely contains anything more stressful than a passing boat.
The dry season runs from November to April and brings with it calm seas, clear skies, and underwater visibility so good that snorkelling feels like swimming in an aquarium. That the water is also as warm as a bath is the cherry on top of your winter escape cake.
Each resort occupies its own island. There's no sharing a beach with the next hotel, no wandering between properties (and no reason to leave). It's easy to see why the Maldives remains a favourite for honeymooners and anyone in need of a complete reset.
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Passenger
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Overwater villas with direct lagoon access are the accommodation of choice, available at most price points within the premium tier. The time difference from London is just five hours, manageable enough that jet lag is not the obstacle it can be on trips of this length.
Nobody goes to the Maldives once, so don't be disappointed if you feel like you're not fully done with the place after the trip; it's par for the course.
Our Top Tips:
Manta ray season varies across the islands, but several atolls provide the chance to swim alongside these gentle giants. It's one of the few travel experiences that really exceeds expectations.
Best for:World-class skiing, winter landscapes, hot springs and the most atmospheric mountain town in North America
Sometimes, true joy means accepting reality as it is and making the most of it. In this case, it means not every Avios winter trip needs to be about escaping the cold. Banff is the argument that you might as well go somewhere where the cold is actually enjoyable. The Canadian Rockies run at full dramatic capacity in winter: snow-covered peaks, frozen lakes, pine forests under white skies, and the town of Banff itself, atmospheric, cosy, full of good food, sitting at the foot of mountains that look like they've been borrowed from a film set.
Lake Louise is at its most dramatic in winter, when the famous turquoise lake freezes over and becomes a natural skating rink surrounded by snow-covered peaks.
Walk the Johnston Canyon Icewalk, a guided trail through a frozen limestone gorge to two dramatic waterfalls. The Upper Falls are 2.5 kilometres in and worth every step.
Layering matters more than expensive gear. Temperatures can swing dramatically between a sunny afternoon and a clear evening, especially at higher elevations.
Wildlife sightings are common, especially early in the morning. Elk regularly wander through Banff itself, often looking far more relaxed about the encounter than the tourists photographing them.
An off-peak Premium Economy return from London to Vancouver costs 104,500 Avios plus £400 per person and Business Class costs 198,000 Avios plus £499. A domestic flight of about 1 hour from Vancouver connects to Calgary Airport, from which Banff is a 90-minute drive along the Trans-Canada Highway. Calgary is the more convenient arrival airport for Banff, and flights from Vancouver are frequent.
Chichén Itzá is worth setting an alarm for. Arrive when it opens, and you'll see the pyramid before the coach tours roll in and before the Yucatán sun starts behaving aggressively.
Cenotes are everywhere across the Yucatán Peninsula, but many first-time visitors don't realise they exist until they arrive. These freshwater sinkholes were sacred to the Maya and are often the most refreshing place to spend a hot afternoon.
Table Mountain dominates the skyline for a reason. The cable car is the easy option, but the views from the top are still worth every minute spent queueing.
The V&A Waterfront is touristy, but for good reason. It's one of the easiest places in the city to combine restaurants, harbour views and a sunset drink.
The penguins at Boulders Beach get all the attention, but the stretch of coastline between Simon's Town and Cape Point is just as memorable. Leave time for unplanned stops. The best views are often found between the attractions marked on the map.
Cape Town's food scene has become one of the strongest in the Southern Hemisphere. The smartest strategy is to book one standout dinner and leave room for the places locals recommend on the day.
Many locals head to Koh Larn when they want a break from Pattaya. The ferry takes around 45 minutes, and the water is noticeably clearer than anything you'll find along the city shoreline.
The Sanctuary of Truth sounds like a tourist attraction and looks like a fantasy novel come to life. More than forty years after construction began, craftsmen are still carving new details into the towering wooden structure.
Explore Nong Nooch Botanical Garden, 500 acres of themed gardens, cultural shows, and tropical plant collections, south of the city, easily combined with a beach day.
Pattaya's seafood restaurants are at their best in the evening. The places packed with Thai families are usually a safer bet than the ones covered in neon signs and promotional offers.
Best for: Overwater villas, diving, honeymooners, and total immersion in doing nothing
The Maldives is the answer to a simple question: what does the opposite of a British winter look like? The answer turns out to be 26 coral atolls with white sand, warm seas, temperatures of 27–30°C, and a horizon that rarely contains anything more stressful than a passing boat.
The dry season runs from November to April and brings with it calm seas, clear skies, and underwater visibility so good that snorkelling feels like swimming in an aquarium. That the water is also as warm as a bath is the cherry on top of your winter escape cake.
Each resort occupies its own island. There's no sharing a beach with the next hotel, no wandering between properties (and no reason to leave). It's easy to see why the Maldives remains a favourite for honeymooners and anyone in need of a complete reset.
Search BA Reward Seat Availability
Find available reward seats with British Airways and Iberia.
Passenger
1
Overwater villas with direct lagoon access are the accommodation of choice, available at most price points within the premium tier. The time difference from London is just five hours, manageable enough that jet lag is not the obstacle it can be on trips of this length.
Nobody goes to the Maldives once, so don't be disappointed if you feel like you're not fully done with the place after the trip; it's par for the course.
Our Top Tips:
Manta ray season varies across the islands, but several atolls provide the chance to swim alongside these gentle giants. It's one of the few travel experiences that really exceeds expectations.
Best for:World-class skiing, winter landscapes, hot springs and the most atmospheric mountain town in North America
Sometimes, true joy means accepting reality as it is and making the most of it. In this case, it means not every Avios winter trip needs to be about escaping the cold. Banff is the argument that you might as well go somewhere where the cold is actually enjoyable. The Canadian Rockies run at full dramatic capacity in winter: snow-covered peaks, frozen lakes, pine forests under white skies, and the town of Banff itself, atmospheric, cosy, full of good food, sitting at the foot of mountains that look like they've been borrowed from a film set.
Lake Louise is at its most dramatic in winter, when the famous turquoise lake freezes over and becomes a natural skating rink surrounded by snow-covered peaks.
Walk the Johnston Canyon Icewalk, a guided trail through a frozen limestone gorge to two dramatic waterfalls. The Upper Falls are 2.5 kilometres in and worth every step.
Layering matters more than expensive gear. Temperatures can swing dramatically between a sunny afternoon and a clear evening, especially at higher elevations.
Wildlife sightings are common, especially early in the morning. Elk regularly wander through Banff itself, often looking far more relaxed about the encounter than the tourists photographing them.
An off-peak Premium Economy return from London to Vancouver costs 104,500 Avios plus £400 per person and Business Class costs 198,000 Avios plus £499. A domestic flight of about 1 hour from Vancouver connects to Calgary Airport, from which Banff is a 90-minute drive along the Trans-Canada Highway. Calgary is the more convenient arrival airport for Banff, and flights from Vancouver are frequent.
Kayleigh
