December is an alluring time to travel in search of much-needed warmth. There is something of an air of extravagance to the idea of being abroad for Christmas, shunning turkey bones and dirty plates for Santa hats on the beach – and with the school holidays also appearing as part of the equation, the thought of seeing your children swap sleet and 3pm darkness for paddling and sunsets will always be tempting.

Of course, you tend to pay a premium for holidays in the festive period – but with the Caribbean out of its hurricane season and into full swing, this is a cost worth considering.

Auckland

New Zealand’s biggest city is the king of the country’s North Island – a busy metropolis which stands in contradiction to the idea that the place which framed the film versions of The Lord Of The Rings is little more than rolling hills and bucolic countryside. Visitors can watch rugby icons the All Blacks at Eden Park, try a spot of fine dining amid the chic restaurants of Viaduct Basin – or take the ferry to Waiheke Island for wonderful wineries.

Reader offer: A 14-day self-drive “New Zealand Uncovered” tour which spends time in Auckland and Wellington, before exploring the South Island in depth, costs from £3840 a head via Audley Travel (telegraph.co.uk/tt-audnz; 0330 037 5687).

Fuerteventura

The second largest of the Canary Islands (after Tenerife) only dangles a leg below the 20C mark in the coldest weeks of January, but is otherwise a haven for sunshine at any time of year. Corralejo, at Fuerteventura’s northern tip, is one of the accommodation hubs, home to a splendid beach which gazes at the neighbouring islet of Lobos. But there is rugged scenery too – not least the protected expanse of the Parque Rural de Betancuria.

The best hotels on Fuerteventura

Reader offer: A five-night stay at Gran Hotel Atlantis Bahia Real, set close to the dunes of the Parque Natural Corralejo, on the east coast, costs from £649 a head via Inspired Luxury Escapes (0333 414 4444;telegraph.co.uk/tt-ilebahia).

Cape Town

South Africa may seem a far-flung choice on any quest for accessible winter sun, but Cape Town earns convenience points for the lack of time difference (GMT+2) to the UK, and its refusal to dip below 20C during the European winter. Throw in its beauty, Table Mountain rising – along with the prettiness of the Cape Peninsula (the beaches of Camps Bay, oceanside towns like Muizenberg and Fish Hoek) – and you have a winning hand.

The best hotels in Cape Town

Reader offer: A 13-day South Africa tour which ticks off Cape Town and the Garden Route before venturing north to Victoria Falls costs from £3295 per person via Africa Travel (0333 122 0546; telegraph.co.uk/tt-afcape).

Orlando

The concept of “starting to look a lot like Christmas” takes a twist in Florida, where Santa has to steer his sleigh through heat that rarely drops below 20C. And the festive season takes a particular spin in Orlando, where the main theme parks – not least Disney World and Universal Orlando – do their best to impersonate a “real” winter via a carnival of artificial snow, repentant Scrooges, talking mice, boy wizards and general merriment.

The best hotels in Orlando

Reader offer: A seven-night self-catering pre-Christmas break at the Reunion Resort Orlando costs from £1609 per person through James Villas (0333 220 7516; telegraph.co.uk/tt-jvreunion).

Read more (source): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/advice/Winter-sun-seeker-where-to-go-in-December/