Author: Lucy Maher

If your winter landscape of choice is a white-sand beach, your perfect beach holiday may include a full day spent with toes tucked in the sand – just add a good book and ice-cold frothy drinks. Or perhaps it’s thrill-inducing water sports you seek or luxury lodging for yourself and a dozen friends and family.

Whatever your objective, here are our favourite beach destinations for this time of year, with ideas for taking your seaside stay to the next level.

Find your own eternal summer at Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, México, where surfers of all skill levels can catch a good break. November to March is peak season at this Mexican Riviera hideaway, says TropicSurf Program Manager Donna Scherer, who oversees the property’s surfing excursions from a beachside surf shack. The rest of the year, the waves are less steep and longer.

The Resort’s Manzanilla Beach, a three-minute walk from The Surf Shack lounge on Las Cuevas Beach, offers calmer waves so beginners can feel at ease. The Cove, five minutes from the property by boat, is more suitable for experienced surfers, as is La Lancha, a 15-minute boat ride from the Resort.

“The sought-after El Faro is probably the most advanced wave we take guests to,” Scherer says of the cove within walking distance. “El Anclote, 10 minutes away and known as the Mexican Malibu, offers very gentle longboarding that runs for ages and is named after the classic world-class Malibu wave. Burros is about 20 minutes away by boat and can be great if conditions suit.”

All guests who book guided tours or surf lessons with TropicSurf can rent board if they don’t have their own, says Scherer. And “depending on what’s best for the day and guests’ surfing levels,” car trips can be arranged to breaks up to 45 minutes away.

If you’d rather observe the waves than ride them, set out on the Four Seasons Explorer for a sunset cruise, keeping your eyes peeled for dolphins and whales as you sip your champagne and take it all in.

There are many reasons to love Hawaii: its Kona coffee, its traditional luau celebrations, its white-sand beaches and island greenery. It’s also home to the spectacular Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, where couples can tie the knot and extend the celebration across the property’s 800 acres.

“If you are picturing a wedding with a backdrop of lush island foliage, crystal-clear waters and unrivalled beauty by day and illuminated tiki torches, stellar sunsets and sparkly evening stars by evening, there is no destination more perfect than Four Seasons Resort Hualalai,” says Director of Special Events Melina Manchester. “Set on the exclusive Kona-Kohala Coast, it is what Hawaiian wedding dreams are made of.” Think ceremonies atop a black lava bluff and all-night receptions surrounded by royal poinciana trees, plumeria and red hibiscus.

“Hualalai is a little slice of paradise year round, but it’s especially magical during the winter due to warm temperatures and less crowded beaches on the Big Island,” says Manchester. “The quiet of the winter months makes the Resort feel intimate and worlds away from civilization – the perfect time to say ‘I do.’”

Experienced divers can easily rattle off a list of destinations where they’ve taken to the sea in search of the bluest waters and most exotic schools of fish.

The wise ones have spent time at Four Seasons Resort Nevis. “The calm waters of the Caribbean are perfect for a day on the water,” says Kishandra Williams, assistant pool and beach manager. “The turquoise blue waters right off our Resort’s shoreline are like having your own private aquarium. Pinney’s Beach is home to an abundance of colourful fish and sea life waiting to be explored, with everything from starfish, sea turtles and stingrays to colourful schools of tropical fish. It’s truly awe-inspiring.”

Head to the water-sports desk to borrow some complimentary snorkel gear and walk just a few short steps from the beach into the water, where you’ll experience a variegated world of undersea marine life.

Back on land, sample some authentic local cuisine at On the Dune. The beachfront restaurant’s revamped menu features 95% local Nevisian ingredients, including fresh seafood caught straight from the Resort’s shores, plus homegrown vegetables, fruits and other provisions from local partner Indian Castle Farm.

If you’re really looking to unplug this winter, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island is prime territory for a relaxing vacation. It’s the only resort on the island, which boasts 14 kilometres (9 miles) of white-sand beaches, and each guest suite and villa features a private swimming pool and daybed pavilion.

You’ll also have access to bicycles throughout your stay, meaning each day you can explore a new stretch of the coastline and find your very own beach. In addition to the two restaurants on-site, the Resort also offers The Deli, where takeaway picnic baskets can be prepared for each castaway day. Choose from cold cuts, pastries, sandwiches and desserts – and perhaps a bottle of wine.

Sometimes all you need is a little time for just the two of you.

Enter The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, Bahamas. “Our property is made for private celebrations; intimate vow renewals and proposals are very popular here, especially on the beach while the sun is setting,” says General Manager John Conway. During the winter months, he says, couples can still count on 75-degrees F weather and warm ocean waters to swim in.

Enjoy a couple’s massage overlooking the ocean, a private yoga session on the beach or your private balcony, or paddleboarding on the water. Relax together at the adults-only Versailles Pool. Later in the evening, be sure to savour a martini at the legendary Martini Bar and Lounge before beginning your romantic dinner at DUNE by Jean-Georges.

Whether you’re commemorating a special occasion or simply celebrating your time together, a private dinner for two in either the Versailles Gardens or directly on the beach offers a truly unforgettable evening. “It’s a beautiful dinner, set up with many candles and fresh-cut flowers, a four-course meal, a bottle of champagne, dedicated servers, and tiki torches and lanterns surrounding the area,” says Conway. “Whenever guests walk up to their dinner they are always in awe of the beauty of their surroundings – it’s an amazing experience.”

In Maui, you can enjoy sunshine and temperatures that hover in the 80s year round, making Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea a picture-perfect winter retreat. “Our island paradise truly provides a welcome warm break,” says Margaux Pfeiffer, director of Concierge and guest experience.

And while Maui is magical all year, the Resort elevates its offerings for the holiday season. From mid-December through early January, you can expect nightly Hanukkah festivities, Christmas tree room deliveries, Santa arriving via outrigger canoe, Kids For All Seasons themed night events and an unforgettable New Year’s Eve party complete with fireworks, all bound to make lifelong memories with loved ones.

“Beyond our perennial sunny shores, the winter months mark the peak season for humpback whale watching on Maui,” notes Pfeiffer. These majestic creatures return every year to Maui’s warm tropical waters to breed and give birth, providing visitors with a unique opportunity to watch their awe-inspiring displays of breaching, tail-slapping and singing. “Whale watching is a not-to-be-missed winter activity on Maui, and we make personalized recommendations for our guests to experience the whales in whichever way best fits them,” says Pfeiffer. Whether it’s a luxury catamaran for smooth sailing with delicious food and drinks or a private kayak off the shores of Wailea Beach with Maui Undersea Adventures – Pfeiffer’s personal favourite – there is a perfect excursion for every whale watcher.