Seven of the best spring getaways for 2026

From hidden boat-to-beaches in Puerto Rico to carnival street parties in Cape Town, these global escapes will provide a welcome springtime reset for both body and soul.

As March and April approach, many travellers are eyeing a seasonal reset – whether that means sunshine after a long northern winter or making the most of late-summer warmth in the south. 

According to Lucie Kittel of luxury travel agency Domino Travel, these months present an ideal window to plan a trip.

"[Spring] has become a universal reset, not just for families but for adults craving a pause," she says. "It falls outside hurricane season for many sought-after beach destinations, including much of the Caribbean and Southeast Asia, and offers a more relaxed, less crowded experience across Europe."

This year, spring travel demand from her clients has shown a noticeable shift toward destinations that pair sunshine with active pursuits, aligning with an overall trend in experiential travel. "Instead of purely relaxation-focused beach escapes, they're seeking destinations where they can be outdoors, whether that's hiking, tennis, surfing or simply being more active in the Sun."

Here are seven places to consider for a March or April getaway in 2026.

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Puerto Rico, US

Puerto Rico's cultural cachet is bigger than ever, thanks to its native son Bad Bunny and his Spanish-only Super Bowl half-time show. The island's record 2025 visitor arrival numbers show no sign of ebbing, but "travellers should know [Puerto Rico] is not just an all-inclusive beach destination," says Paula Vlamings, chief impact officer for Tourism Cares. "[It has] culture, art and local traditions, as well as beautiful nature and wildlife."

Chef Jose Mendin of Mar y Rosa, a rooftop restaurant at San Juan's Alma hotel, agrees: "Puerto Rico is history, salsa, bomba, reggaetón, land, sea and people all wrapped into one rhythm you feel the moment you step off the plane. [Local tours will explain] why the small kiosks along the roads are sacred parts of our culinary heritage."

Beyond the capital's colourful streets and historic Plaza Colón, the smaller islands of Culebra and Vieques offer hike-in and boat-to-beaches like Playa Carlos Rosario, perfect for snorkelling among clouds of reef fish. On Vieques, the boutique yoga retreat Finca Victoria has undergone property upgrades for the 2026 season, including a refurbished swimming pool and nine new rooms. On Culebra, hammock-lined Villa Boheme offers views of the bay where you can fall asleep to the sounds of coqui frogs.

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Madeira and Porto Santo Island, Portugal

Madeira, a Portuguese archipelago off the coast of North Africa, is a year-round hiking destination that comes alive in spring.

This is when Madeira "bursts into full bloom, offering a truly botanical spectacle", says Andreas Schintlmeister of Eurohike Walking Holidays, which offers eight-day Madeira tours through traditional villages and along the island's historic levadas (irrigation channels).

After devastating wildfires in 2024, the Vereda do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo trail – Madeira's most famous hike – is slated to re-open in late-April 2026. Hikers can look for giant plants like towering Madeira blueberry as well as bird of paradise flowers, originally from South Africa.

Portuguese brand Editory Collection Hotels opened two new Funchal properties in late 2025 including The Editory Ocean Way Funchal with a rooftop pool and Atlantic Ocean views. For the archipelago's best beaches, take the ferry 2.5 hours from Funchal to Porto Santo Island, a favourite destination for scuba divers where turquoise waters lap golden sands said to have healing properties. Hotel Torre Praia has rooms overlooking the beach and is a short walk to the island's main town, Vila Baleira.

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Fort Myers, Sanibel and Captiva, Florida, US

Fort Lauderdale and Miami tend to dominate headlines for March travel to the US. But Florida's Gulf Coast offers a quieter alternative focused on wildlife and nature.

Tourism dollars count more than ever here now, too. Choosing Captiva and Sanibel islands, devasted during 2022's Hurricane Ian, helps the area bounce back. As of this spring, the area's pristine beaches have largely been restored to their former beauty, with most businesses and holiday properties reopened. The 12 A-frame cottages of Sanibel Island's historic Anchor Inn have been bookable again since January, while Casa Ybel Resort, a 23-acre beachfront property, re-opened in December 2025 after a three-year closure.

World-class birding at Sanibel's JN "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge and a boardwalk through the wetlands at Fort Myers' Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve are among the ways to bask in Florida's incredible wildlife. Neo-tropical migratory bird species, including bright pink roseate spoonbills are commonly sighted during spring, alongside the usual slew of alligators.

"People may know us for the beaches, but Southwest Florida is rich in history [and] wildlife, and seashells have been part of the culture for over 2,000 years," says naturalist Brian Holaway, whose eco-tours take visitors to search for seashells including Atlantic deer cowrie and lion's paw scallops on uninhabited islands like Cayo Costa, delving into the area's Indigenous Calusa Indian history.

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Cape Town, South Africa

"This is what we call our Secret Season," says Yassir Ebrahim, head concierge at luxury property Ellerman House. "During these months, the city feels calmer and more intimate after the busy summer period. There are fewer crowds, the weather is cooler and beautifully clear, and the pace of life softens."

The warm late-summer temperature is also ideal for hiking and browsing local markets; this year, Cape Town mainstay Oranjezicht City Farm Market is debuting a new location at the V&A Waterfront, and the highly anticipated Bo-Kaap market opened this February. It's peak grape-harvesting season, too; vineyards across the Cape Winelands are abuzz with harvest tours and wine festivals like Wine & Wild. Reserve a table at FYN, where Chef Peter Tempelhoff's "Experience" menu explores the Cape Peninsula's land and sea bounty.

From 9-12 April, the four-day Lumenocity festival, the first of its kind in Africa, will turn Company's Garden into a canvas of illuminated sculptural installations after dark. And mark your calendar for the city's best street party: Cape Town Carnival (21 March) is a one-day extravaganza of floats, costumes and performances that plays out along the pedestrian-friendly Green Point Fanwalk.

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Máncora, Peru

For a South American holiday beyond the iconic destinations of Cusco and Machu Picchu, set your sights on Peru's northern coastline to the Pacific surf town of Máncora.

"This golden stretch of beach delivers unhurried days, fresh seafood lunches and vivid sunsets that invite relaxation," says Simon Hunt of luxury travel company Scott Dunn. "It's an idyllic escape for travellers seeking a beach vacation without the crowds of more widely known Caribbean or South American destinations," 

Beyond the main beach of Playa de Máncora, quiet coves abound along the coast, including the palm-lined beach at Las Pocitas, where you can check into beachfront KiCHIC for an adults-only stay. Families gravitate to the villas at Arennas, just north. South of town, Vichayito's calm waters are popular with paddleboarders; and you can snorkel with green turtles off the pier at Los Órganos. Peak surf season runs from November to April. If you're new to wave-riding, consider taking surf lessons at the female-owned Pilar Surf School. 

The biggest luxury opening on Peru's northern shores for early 2026 is Inkaterra Cabo Blanco, the Peruvian eco-tourism brand's first beach hotel, an hour's drive south of Máncora.

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Dubai, UAE

Eid al-Fitr celebrations marking the end of Ramadan will take place around 19 March this year, marked by the sighting of the astronomical new Moon. Pair that with March's prime weather window for visiting Dubai, and spring is a fine time to visit the UAE's buzziest city.

"March and April are the best months to be in Dubai because the weather is perfect. It's not overwhelmingly humid, the temperature of the sea is great and the evening is very nice for walks," says Seyma Yigit, a Dubai-based lifestyle influencer.

Yigit recommends booking an overnight desert safari with sustainable-luxury tour operator Platinum Heritage, where guests sleep at a traditional Bedouin camp and rise in the morning for a hot-air balloon flight.

In the month leading up to Eid, iftar (breaking of the fast) dinners take place all over town, adding to the celebratory atmosphere. Booking a table at Al Diwan at Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, a Ramadan tent at the storied seven-star hotel, with live qanun and oud music accompanying a lavish nightly iftar buffet. In 2026, brand new iftar experiences include the beachfront Layalina Majlis at Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, offering a chicopen-air buffet and private majlis. Events like Ramadan Nights by Nara include communal meals under the desert sky, camel rides and more.

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Raja Ampat, Indonesia

March and April mark the end of the dry season in Indonesia's West Papua province, when there's great underwater visibility for snorkellers and divers keen to see Raja Ampat's storied coral reefs. At the heart of the Coral Triangle, the archipelago's karst islands rise from some of the planet's most biodiverse waters, home to manta rays, wobbegong sharks and pygmy seahorses.

Cruise through this Unesco Global Geopark and freshly designated Unesco Biosphere Reserve aboard a handbuilt phinisi (a traditional Indonesian wooden schooner). Lamima and Celestia yachts are luxurious options for private charter, and can accommodate up to 14 guests.

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For divers, spring offers calm seas as well as fewer boats at dive sites since peak season has passed, says Jennifer Tan Phaik Hun, cruise director for Celestia. "Nutrient-rich waters attract manta rays and dense schools of fish, while visibility is between 15 and 30m," she adds.

On shore, consider booking a local-owned homestay through StayRajaAmpat.com. Dayan Dive Homestay offers six bungalows just off Batanta island, a legendary birding locale home to the endemic red bird of paradise and Wilson's bird of paradise. You can snorkel through soft coral gardens or go scuba diving right from your doorstep.

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