Last-minute beach holidays

Best beach destinations for last minute holiday

The Dominican Republic is the largest island in the Caribbean and has a huge selection of resorts, making it a fantastic choice for last minute trips. Punta Cana in particular has a lot of large, beachfront resorts with late deals. You may also strike gold in Samana as, although there aren’t as many hotels here, it is less of a tourist hot spot.

At the other end of the spectrum, Antigua is a small island, stretching for 14 miles and, with a curated selection of hotels to choose from, there's no need to spend time planning your itinerary! Focus on finding your accommodation and be spontaneous with activities when you get there. If it's just relaxation you;re looking for, there are 365 beaches to while away the balmy days.

Made up of over 700 islands, the Bahamas has a vast selection of accommodation. Nassau and Paradise Island have a fantastic choice of mega-resorts, Eleuthera is home to stunning pink and white sand beaches and waterfront hotels and Grand Bahama has a variety of wonderful 4-star hotels.

Best time of year for a last minute beach holiday

When it’s raining in the UK, there's a sunbed on an idyllic beach calling out to you somewhere in the world! Places like the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and South-East Asia are generally hot all year round, whilst most of Europe and North America have the best weather from May to September. All destinations have their more popular periods due to school holidays, festivals or public holidays and they all have their off-peak times of year too when bargains can be booked. Speak to one of our travel experts to find the best deal and last minute destination for your getaway.

For a spontaneous trip to the Caribbean during the school-holiday weeks of Christmas, New Year. Easter and peak month of January, we're on hand to help you bag a bargain. These are the busiest periods, so book early if you can! You’ll have have the best luck with late-deals during the low season between May and November, and get the very best bargains in the hurricane season of September and October. We think the sweet spot for (i) getting a great deal, (ii) avoiding crowds and (iii) making the most of the best weather is travelling in May or November.

The Maldives is warm and sunny year-round making it a wonderful destination to visit nearly anytime in the year. Similar to the Caribbean, the best weather is between November and April but this is also the busiest time of the year so expect higher prices. May to October is considered the wet season with increased rain and sometimes strong winds. The weather is still mostly sunny and hot, and any bad weather is generally brief, quickly followed by sunshine.

Prices in all destinations do rise during school holidays, so travelling in term time helps for finding the best last minute holiday deal.