Fed up of grey skies? Sick of throwing on your coat and scarf and struggling to pull on those winter boots? If there’s ever a time to escape the cold, grim days and lift your spirits, this is it. Which is exactly why I’ve pulled together a dream list of destinations to travel to in the next couple of months. From balmy beach days in Mexico to cultural thrills in Cambodia and swanky weekends in Paris.

Palma de Mallorca

The Balearics in winter? Yes my friends. Because the thing about the Balearics – even in winter – is those blue skies. It won’t be boiling and you’re more than likely to need a coat. But drizzly grey days are definitely a rarity on the island. And those dark winter nights? Well, who wants to hibernate when you’re surrounded by the fun and liveliness of this ridiculously gorgeous port city? Young, trailblazing chefs are leading Palma’s terrific foodie scene, whether you’re seeking a handful of pintxos and a couple of glasses of Verdejo, or fancy going all out for a posh dinner in opulent surroundings. Then there’s the handful of contemporary galleries, winding medieval lanes lined with indie stores, and plenty of quirky little pit-stops to order a cafe con leche on a sun-dappled terrace.

And if you love a few afternoonies, you’re going to revel in the magnificent concept of Tardeo. Embraced by thirty-somethings who love to party but also love an early night, it sees locals swamping into Santa Catalina’s bars and clubs from 2ish and slinking back home to be tucked up by 10pm.

How to do it? Keep it low-key and cool, overnighting in Nakar Hotel slap-bang in the centre of the city with a twinkly rooftop pool opening to killer views of the city and the sea beyond. Rooms from £100.

Tulum, Mexico

How about fleeing east to the buzzing shores of Mexico? The thing about Mexico is that it can be anything you want it to be – especially in February when the dry season hits. You can find avant-garde art studios and restaurants at the vanguard of cool. Hippie hideaways on some of the best beaches you’ll ever clap your eyes on. Mist-swirled volcanoes and thick jungle. But for a proper holiday feel, it’s gotta be the boho enclave of Tulum. Here you’ll find plush beachy hideaways, swaying hammocks, salty-haired adventure seekers diving offshore, and arty types catching up in tucked-away jungle restaurants. When I was there I spotted Candice Swanepoel frolicking on the sands for a bikini photoshoot! Make sure you nab a table at Hartwood, where ex-New Yorker Eric Werner does wonderful things with just-caught fish and wood-fired meats at a rudimentary looking grill beneath drooping palms.

Where to stay: There are a handful of truly beautiful boltholes, but one of the coolest hangouts is undoubtedly Papaya Playa Project, a pop-up hotel that stayed popped up, where you can bed down in anything from basic beach huts to all-frills villas right on the creamy sands.

Tangier, Morocco

It’s bewildering to think Morocco is just four hours from the UK. There’s something inherently strange about it, yet there’s also lots to feel familiar with – swish hotels, twinkly rooftop bars and designer stores. There are wild beaches with cool surfer vibes, the Atlas Mountains drawing adventure seekers, plush Bedouin camps and the orange dunes of the Sahara with incredible starry skies. The best month to revel in all of this? March – when it’s not too hot but blissfully sunny. Swerve Marrakech and head instead to the eccentric port city of Tangier – the northernmost tip of Africa. A bastion of culture, it’s shrugged off its louche reputation and new life has been breathed into the fabric of the city thanks to reimagined retro cafes, theatres and a spruced-up marina.

Where to stay? It has to be Hotel Nord-Pinus Tanger, an eclectic townhouse pitched high in the Kasbah with drool-worthy views across to the city’s rooftops and slip of blue sea. Rooms from £180 a night.

Havana, Cuba

What happens when you throw together live music, a few cigars and plenty of punchy daiquiris? Everyone has a hell of a good time, that’s what. The Cuban capital may have a weathered beauty, but behind its peeling façade you’ll discover a strong and fun-loving spirit that’s been seducing travellers for centuries. Ditch the map and wander aimlessly around the plazas and boulevards of Old Havana: to catch sight of strumming musicians, to peer behind the colourful doorways, and to marvel at the antiquity, the rhythmic soundtrack and the heady whiff of tobacco and tantalising street food. Catch a ride in a classic Chevrolet; eat in a paladar; and knock back cocktails as you dance in a salsa bar. And when it’s time to watch the sun set, head on over the Malecon – the seaside promenade.

How to do it? Original Travel offers a five-day Havana trip to Cuba from £1,630 per person.

Krabi, Thailand

Ah Thailand – the free-spirited funster that we’re all a little bit in love with. There are the dreamy dots of land conjuring all the clichés: clear seas, soft sand and days of unapologetic beachside R&R. There’s the thrumming hub of Bangkok with its shiny hotels and chaotic pockets of enterprise. And then there are waterfalls, green and serene natural parks, sprawling forests and off-grid villages. Go in February when temperatures hover around a deliciously balmy 30C and days are filled with perennial sunshine. My top Thai beach? Tricky question but I adore Railay Beach in Krabi, backed with tangles of jungle, waters a glittering shade of azure and vast limestone karsts soaring out the water like the humps of a dragon’s back.

How to do it? You can easily slum it in a backpacker-style sort of pad. But if you fancy splashing out, go for the ultra-luxe Banyan Tree Krabi – a sprawling beachy hideaway backed by a lush national park with views over to the Andaman Sea.

Paris

Clearly we all want to go to Paris. And really, there’s no bad time to go. Which is why you should think about nipping over there now, when the crowds are thinner and you can easily lose yourself padding around its mosaic of neighbourhoods (arrondissements) spiralling like a shell from the Left Bank to the right of the Seine. First timers fall for the 1st arrondissement with the Louvre and Jardin des Tuileries. Looking to people watch on leafy terraces? Try Saint Germain-des-Prés. Seeking hipster fun and local Parisian life? It’s got to be Canal Saint-Martin. Though for me I love mooching around the cobbled streets of La Marais. Searching for restaurants hidden behind unassuming doors, rummaging through emerging boutiques in timbered medieval buildings, and filling up on macarons and just-baked pastries at low-key patisseries.

Where to stay? For somewhere ridiculously cool and playful and beautiful, bag a room at Sinner sitting in the hip Marais. There’s a bijou pool and spa too.

Cape Town, South Africa

South Africa basks in gorgeous temperatures in March with long, sunny days to get out and explore. And there’s a helluva lot to seek out. Cape Town keeps it classy with dapper hotels, inventive restaurants and a new creative energy that’s fluttering around its galleries, spaces of local enterprise and pop-up stores – all lorded over by Table Mountain.

How to do it: For dream views of Table Mountain and the city below, bag a room at the cool and contemporary Atzaro Cape Town.

Maldives

Spring signals the end of the busy tourist season in the Maldives before the rains move in and lash the archipelago for several months. Go in March, however, and you’ve still be able to revel in the superb tropical weather but with dwindling visitor numbers. And it’s all knockout: the kaleidoscopic reefs, white-sand beaches, breezy palms, super-luxe hotels, just-caught seafood, and for those who dare to venture beyond their resort, a sprinkling of beaches where barely a footprint marks the sand.

How to do it? Design aficionados will adore minimalist Alila Kothaifaru Maldives with its low-rise villas and treetop spa, surrounded by turquoise water for swimming, snorkelling, kayaking and paddle boarding.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

February sees the country of the Khmers at its loveliest. There are balmy days and cool nights thanks to the tail-end of the northeast monsoon. There won’t be torrential downpours transforming roads into mudbaths, and the heat is not too sweat-inducing, making it an ideal time to get out and explore. The extraordinary temples of Angkor always turn up on Cambodia itineraries and for very good reason. Set your alarm stupidly early on your first morning – I promise a dawn trip will be worth it. The best place to your base yourself? Make it a twin centre and kick things off in the green city of Siem Reap with its whizzing motorbikes, orange-robed monks pootling around, a burgeoning foodie scene and a new breed of top hotels. Before heading south to its untapped coastline for some chilled beach time.

How to do it? Splash out for an elegant stay at Park Hyatt Siem Reap before heading to Song Saa – a unique and sustainably led private island resort where high design comes to the fore.

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