Top Places for Canadians to Visit this Winter
6 winter escape destinations that’ll give you sun, spirituality, and the sweetness of slow living.
The weather is getting colder. The days are getting darker. It’s time to get out of here!
Toronto is a vibe in the summer. The people, the park hangs, the festivals, the camping. But as soon as the last of those sun-filled days trickle away, everything that the city lacks begins to feel magnified and seasonal affective disorder seeps in.
If your creativity, inspiration, and motivation wane in the winter months and you feel like hermitting up and hibernating, it’s because you were meant to. Living in alignment with the seasons and according to Ayurvedic principles in the winter should look like taking more time to rest and retreat. However, the country’s hustle and bustle culture makes it hard to listen to and honour the need to slow down causing us to feel chronically sick, stressed, and burned out in the winter months. So many Canadians leave the country in the winter months and escape to warmer destinations purely to escape the winter blues.
Snowbirds are definitely onto something with picking up and skipping town when the colder weather arrives. Travelling in the winter not only comes with the benefits of lower prices and fewer crowds; it also is good for our physical and mental wellbeing. Allow yourself to slow down during the colder months by booking yourself a winter escape. There are so many great places Canadians can visit this winter that offer the healing medicines of vitamin D and slow, intentional living - even if just for a little while. Here are some of our fav winter escape destinations!
Calca, Peru
Located in the Sacred valley of Peru, just a bus ride away from Cusco, you’ll find yourself in Calca. The town of Calca offers quintessential Peru landscapes and culture, including beautiful mountains and sacred experiences. Peru is a spiritually potent country, rich with traditional knowledge and medicines, and Calca is the perfect place to visit to soak it all in. Be captivated by the power of the mountains on a hike, get energetically charged at the thermal baths of Minas Moqo and Machacancha, or visit nearby Inca towns to learn more about indigenous Andean culture. Calca is a peaceful, non-touristy village, allowing you to easily ground into the land like a local and receive all of its gifts . Winter in Calca is rainy season, which means you’ll see highs in the low 20s and lows around 10°C, so you will still need to pack a jacket for the evenings, but the refreshing mountain air is sure to revitalize you. Looking for people to travel with? Join us on our Peruvian Soul Retreat February 1-10 2024 to connect with a group of other women looking to escape the cold and reclaim their power on sacred land.
Ko Pha-ngan, Thailand
Ko Pha-ngan is a tropical paradise with lush jungles, beautiful beaches, magical sunsets, and cheap (and we mean cheap) massages. A massage in Ko Pha-ngan can cost you about only $10 CAD, and if that’s not enough reason to pack your bags, then we don’t know what is. Located in the gulf of Thailand, Ko Pha-ngan draws in backpackers, partiers, and spiritual wanderers. Many of these travelers head to the island to gather on the shores of Haad Rin Beach to experience the Full Moon Party that occurs every full moon. Ko Pha-ngan has over 30 beaches, so whether you’re looking to party or just want to relax, you’ll have no trouble finding the perfect spot. Ko Pha-ngan has an endless amount of natural attractions, such as waterfalls, mountains, and trails. You can choose to stay on the coast or venture into the interior to explore the jungle. The main town, Thong Sala, offers a night market where you can enjoy fresh fruits and try local foods. For those looking for a spiritual experience, you can visit one of the Buddhist temples on the island. There is also a growing yoga community here with many retreat centres and schools popping up. With temperatures reaching a high of around 29°C and a low of around 26°C, Ko Pha-ngan promises ideal weather conditions for fleeing the cold.
Madeira, Portugal
If you’re more of a hiker than a beach person, then head to Madeira this winter for a subtropical holiday. Madeira belongs to an archipelago of islands in Portugal that goes by the same name. This mountainous island is defined by its pebbly beaches, stunning coastal cliffs, exotic flora, and tropical forests. There’s no shortage of amazing hikes that offer unforgettable viewpoints of the island’s dramatic scenery. Madeira is recognized as a Nature Reserve because of its number of protected land and sea areas. The island is even home to the largest surviving laurel forest, Laurisilva Forest of Madeira. This enchanting forest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has trees that are up to 500 years old. Madeira is known as the island of eternal spring because of its mild spring-like weather year round. As Madeira is located off the coast of Africa, it also experiences milder ocean temperatures. The winter months on the island are slightly cooler and wetter, but this weather comes with some perks; it means that the island will be more lush and the numerous waterfalls that dot the island will be more abundant. In Madeira, you can expect to enjoy fresh fish and produce, especially bananas since there are banana plants all over the island. And if you drink, make sure to try the famous Madeira wine, a fortified wine made on the island.
Puerto Morelos, Mexico
Puerto Morelos is located between Playa del Carmen and Cancun, and unlike its lively neighbours, it’s not known for its nightlife. Instead, this quaint beach town offers a quieter, slower taste of life in the Riviera Maya. This lesser-known tourist spot is the perfect place to go to learn the meaning of slow living. Wake up, wander the cobblestone streets, and be greeted by the gentle chatter at the pier as the sun starts to rise. Puerto Morelos is a small town where it feels like time has paused and everyone you meet presents a friendly face. Spend your days lounging at the beach along the beautiful Caribbean sea where you can discover part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second largest barrier reef in the world. Or go for a refreshing dip in one of the many cenotes in the area, which are freshwater sinkholes thought to be sacred portals into the Maya underworld. Close to a number of ancient ruins, Puerto Morelos puts you in the perfect location for exploring the Yucatan Peninsula and learning about Mayan culture. This side of Mexico is a popular snowbird destination because of its warm winters, and if you book now to join us for our upcoming 200 hr YTT, you may even be able to avoid the first snowfall. Leave behind the chaos of home, surrender to slow living, and deepen your yoga practice at the same time at Soul School’s Mexico YTT in Puerto Morelos November 13th - December 8th 2023.
Bali, Indonesia
Bali is one of most popular travel destinations in the world, and for good reason. It has every type of natural beauty you can dream of – volcanic mountains, coral reefs, flower gardens, gorgeous beaches, lush forests, dreamy rice terraces, sacred rivers and lakes…the list goes on. It also is an enclave for all things spiritual, with no shortage of yoga classes, meditation retreats, sound healing workshops, ecstatic dance parties, energy work practitioners, and shamans. There are 6 key lines passing through Bali, which may explain why it’s a mecca for healing. Key lines are like Mother Earth’s veins of chakras, so the places they run through are like energy vortexes that people feel magnetically drawn to. Housing tens of thousands of Hindu temples, Bali is known as the Island of the Gods. Over 80% of the population in Bali are Hindu and they honour their spiritual roots and cultural traditions through a great number of celebrations and ceremonies throughout the year. Galungan, a Balinese holiday celebrating the victory of dharma over adharmam, and Nyepi, day of silence commemorating Balinese New Year, are just some of the celebrations you may witness if you visit Bali this winter. Bali has also become the ultimate destination for vegans thanks to its number of trendy vegan restaurants and mouth watering plant-based dishes. Rainy season in Bali lasts from November - March, but temperatures stay high, ranging from 24°-29° C, so if you can brave some tropical showers, you’ll still be able to enjoy all the surf, sun, and soul the island has to offer in the winter months.
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
Santa Teresa is a remote surf village located at the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. This laid back beach town is great for work from homers and digital nomads, offering plenty of restaurants, cafes, and co-working spaces that’ll have you considering extending your trip and staying the whole winter. Santa Teresa is known for its white sand, palm-tree lined beaches that are perfect for surfing, snorkeling, sunbathing, and watching the sunset. When you’re not in the mood to surf, you can visit one of the local tide pools and go for a dip. Surf and yoga often go hand in hand and the same rings true in Santa Teresa. You can find great yoga classes at the town’s hostels. When you’re not hanging at the beach, be sure to explore Santa Teresa’s lush jungle. Go horseback riding, hike the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve to explore the wildlife, or visit Montezuma, one of Costa Rica’s most iconic waterfalls. It’s not hard to find a friendly face who speaks English here as Santa Teresa is home to a community of expats, families, and backpackers. The Nicoya Peninsula is also one of the world’s blue zones, which means it has all the ingredients for living a long life that are hard to find in Canada during the winter: connected community, slower paced lifestyles, and local wholesome eats.