Winter sun holidays: The best bargain deals on offer from the Caribbean to Greece

Face masks, temperature checks, endless forms, Covid testing, ‘approved’ accommodation, travel corridors, quarantines … the world of travel is bewildering.

Yet there is a silver lining: bargain-basement holiday prices. Deals abound, especially in the Caribbean, much of which is quarantine-free.

But for peace of mind, do book an ATOL-bonded package holiday, which provides the best protection in the unlikely (but possible) event of a tour operator going bust. Here are some of the best winter-sun deals.

LONG HAUL

Make it to the Maldives

To enter the Maldives, pictured, holidaymakers must present a negative Covid test on arrival taken within 96 hours of departure

SAVE 50 PER CENT – Seven nights all-inclusive at the Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa in April from £1,599 pp (with a £99 pp deposit) including flights (travelzoo.co.uk).

SAVE £850 – Or seven nights’ half board at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi Resort in December from £1,699 pp including flights (trailfinders.com).

NEED TO KNOW

Must present a negative Covid test on arrival taken within 96 hours of departure. Health screenings are conducted on arrival, with quarantines for any suspected cases. It’s now a UK travel corridor so there’s no need to quarantine for 14 days on return. Face masks in public are mandatory. Worth checking resort rules before making a booking.

Luscious St Lucia

SAVE 51 PER CENT – A week’s all-inclusive at Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa, on trips until January 2, 2022, from £1,279 pp including flights. Must book by October 31 (tropicalsky.com).

SAVE £746 – or seven nights’ all-inclusive at Mystique St Lucia by Royalton in November from £760 pp including flights (firstchoice.co.uk).

NEED TO KNOW

A negative test taken within seven days of flying is required as well as completing this form: stlucia.org/en_UK/covid-19. Reservations for a Covid-19 certified hotel (which the above are) must be presented at the airport. Guests can only leave their hotel for activities organised by the accommodation.

AHOY ANTIGUA!

Guests holidaying in Antigua, pictured, can leave the hotel but face masks are mandatory in public areas

Guests holidaying in Antigua, pictured, can leave the hotel but face masks are mandatory in public areas

SAVE £3,075pp – A week’s half-board at Jumby Bay Island in December is from £2,339 pp including flights (elegantresorts.co.uk).

SAVE 35 PER CENT – Or seven nights’ B&B at Blue Waters Resort & Spa between now and January 6 from £1,739 pp including flights (caribtours.co.uk).

NEED TO KNOW

A negative test taken within seven days of flying is required and the completion of a Health Declaration form. Visitors will be monitored for 14 days and further testing could cost £76. Guests can leave the hotel but face masks are mandatory in public areas.

BACK TO BARBADOS!

SAVE 70 PER CENT – Seven nights’ B&B at Fairmont Royal Pavilion in November from £1,775 pp including flights. Must book by October 31 (elegantresorts.co.uk).

SAVE £750pp – Or a week room-only at Bougainvillea Barbados between now and December 31, 2021, from £1,049 pp including flights. Must book by October 31 (tropicalsky.co.uk).

NEED TO KNOW

Online immigration form (travelform.gov.bb) must be completed 24 hours before arrival and a negative test 72 hours before travel. A free second test is needed four or five days after the first. While waiting for the result, visitors must remain in their hotel.

HOT IN SEYCHELLES

In the Seychelles, pictured, face masks are required in shops, on public transport and outdoors

In the Seychelles, pictured, face masks are required in shops, on public transport and outdoors

SAVE 45 PER CENT – Seven nights’ B&B at the H Resort Beau Vallon Beach for selected dates from November to April 17 from £1,869 pp including flights (caribtours.co.uk).

SAVE 20 PER CENT – Or a week’s B&B at Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort & Casino in January from £955 pp, including flights. (awayholidays.co.uk)

NEED TO KNOW

A negative test is required taken within 48 hours of arrival. Visitors must isolate for five days at their hotel before a second test on the fifth day (results take 24 hours). Guests are free to roam their hotels while isolating. Face masks are required in shops, on public transport and outdoors.

JOY OF JAMAICA

SAVE 35 PER CENT – A week’s B&B at Sandy Haven Resort, Montego Bay, from £1,069 pp in March including flights. Must book by October 28, with extra £125 pp off bookings made before Wednesday (ba.com).

SAVE 34 PER CENT – Or seven nights all-inclusive at Excellence Oyster Bay from £2,009 pp for travel until December 31, 2022, flights included. Book by October 31 (xclusivity.co.uk).

NEED TO KNOW

All travellers must complete a Travel Authorisation form before checking in. Face masks are to be worn at the discretion of your resort. It’s not a UK travel corridor so you must quarantine on return.

SHORT HAUL 

SPANISH SUNSHINE

Spain is not a UK travel corridor, so a return quarantine is in place. However, the Canary Islands is now quarantine-free. Pictured is Papagayo beach in Lanzarote

Spain is not a UK travel corridor, so a return quarantine is in place. However, the Canary Islands is now quarantine-free. Pictured is Papagayo beach in Lanzarote

SAVE 59 PER CENT – Seven nights’ B&B at H10 Rubicon Palace Lanzarote in December from £533 pp including flights (jet2.com).

SAVE 56 PER CENT – Or four nights’ self-catering at Esmeralda Suites Apartments Costa Blanca in November from £293 pp including flights (tui.co.uk).

NEED TO KNOW

A form must be completed at spth.gob.es 48 hours before departure. Not a UK travel corridor, so a return quarantine is in place. Masks for indoor and outdoor public spaces, but restrictions vary. The Canary Islands is now quarantine-free.

PORTUGAL PRIMED

SAVE 33 PER CENT – Seven nights’ all-inclusive at Pestana Royal Hotel Funchal in November from £531 pp including flights (travelsupermarket.com).

SAVE 34 PER CENT – Or seven nights’ half- board at VidarMar Resort in January is from £408 pp including flights (broadwaytravel.com).

NEED TO KNOW

Negative test required before arrival for Madeira, Porto Santo and the Azores. Mainland Portugal not a UK travel corridor. In Madeira face masks must be worn in public.

GREEK TREAT

To enter Greece, travellers must complete a passenger locator form 24 hours before travel. Pictured is the island of Kos

To enter Greece, travellers must complete a passenger locator form 24 hours before travel. Pictured is the island of Kos 

SAVE 40 PER CENT – Seven nights all-inclusive at Blue Lagoon Resort in Kos in November from £595 pp including flights (tui.co.uk).

SAVE 30 PER CENT – Or a week’s all-inclusive at TUI BLUE Atlantica Aegean Blue Rhodes in November from £526 pp including flights (firstchoice.co.uk).

NEED TO KNOW

A passenger locator form must be completed 24 hours before travel (travel.gov.gr). Rules for Scotland and Wales: gov.scot or gov.wales. Face masks mandatory in public indoor spaces.

CYPRUS FOR ALL

SAVE 37 PER CENT – A week’s all-inclusive at the Royal Apollonia in Limassol in November from £737 pp including flights (firstchoice.co.uk).

SAVE 30 PER CENT – Or seven nights’ all-inclusive at Louis Sofianna Resort in Paphos in November from £423 pp including flights (tui.co.uk).

NEED TO KNOW

Must show proof of a negative test taken within 72 hours of travel and complete a Cyprus Flight Pass form 24 hours before departure (cyprusflightpass.gov.cy). Face masks must be worn in enclosed public spaces.

DOM REP OPEN

In the Dominican Republic, pictured, you may be required to take a Covid test on arrival if you self-declare symptoms

In the Dominican Republic, pictured, you may be required to take a Covid test on arrival if you self-declare symptoms

SAVE 55 PER CENT – Seven nights’ all-inclusive at Ocean El Faro El Beso from £899 pp including flights. Book by October 31 for travel until December 23 (caribbeanwarehouse.co.uk).

NEED TO KNOW

May be required to take a Covid test on arrival if you self-declare symptoms. Quarantine on return for 14 days.

FRENCH FANCY

SAVE 53 PER CENT – Overnight stays at the Hotel West End in Nice are from £35 pp B&B for selected dates until March. A two-night trip including flights is from £118 pp (travelzoo.com).

NEED TO KNOW

Travellers must complete a declaration that they are not suffering from symptoms on arrival. Quarantine on return for 14 days.

ALL GO MEXICO

Holidaymakers to Mexico have to have their temperature checked on arrival. When they return to the UK, they must quarantine for 14 days. Pictured is the resort of Cancun

Holidaymakers to Mexico have to have their temperature checked on arrival. When they return to the UK, they must quarantine for 14 days. Pictured is the resort of Cancun

SAVE 52 PER CENT – Seven nights’ all-inclusive at Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa until December 31 from £1,079 pp including flights. Book by October 31 (tropicalsky.com).

NEED TO KNOW

Temperature checks on arrival. Quarantine on return for 14 days.

AND DUBAI? 

SAVE 60 PER CENT – Seven nights’ B&B at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Dubai from £672 pp including flights on January 27 (awayholidays.co.uk).

NEED TO KNOW

Covid-19 test required within 96 hours of travel. Those deemed a risk will need to take a second test on arrival. Quarantine on return for 14 days.

LATEST COVID COUNTRY GUIDE: WHERE TO GO AND WHERE TO AVOID 

MALDIVES

The honeymoon islands can now be enjoyed quarantine- free as they will be added to the UK travel corridor list tomorrow. If you transit to the Maldives via a hub such as Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi, you would still need to quarantine for 14 days on returning the UK. So a direct BA flight is the answer.

GREECE

Mykonos, Greece’s most glamorous party island, will be added to the UK travel corridor list tomorrow.

CYPRUS

Cases have surged, reaching 111 cases per 100,000 yesterday — up from 30 a week ago. The majority of tourists testing positive on arrival are British. It remains quarantine-free.

GERMANY

As of last night, British tourists entering Germany have to quarantine for 14 days and present proof of a negative test on arrival. German officials said the country faced a ‘very serious’ situation this week as cases reached 11,287 a day, a record high. Berlin is bracing itself for a second lockdown.

FRANCE

France is still on the UK quarantine list. Nearly 70 per cent of the French population is now under a 9pm-6am curfew

France is still on the UK quarantine list. Nearly 70 per cent of the French population is now under a 9pm-6am curfew

Nearly 70 per cent of the French population is now under a 9pm-6am curfew after the government more than doubled the regions covered by the measure. On Monday the number of Covid patients in intensive care passed 2,000.

SWEDEN

The country, which favoured herd immunity over lockdown, has eased restrictions for at-risk groups despite the country seeing a rise in coronavirus cases. Sweden remains quarantine-free for British tourists.

CARIBBEAN

Many islands, such as St Lucia, Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines, are open. However, tourists must isolate in a certified resort for part of their stay. Antigua is quarantine-free.

DENMARK

It will be added to the UK travel list tomorrow. But British tourists are currently banned.

BY HARRIET SIME