In need of some sun but fancy something just a little bit different? JILL STARLEY-GRAINGER picks alternative winter hot spots

INSTEAD OF: Madeira
TRY: La Gomera, the Canaries Winter high: 19C
Why? Magical walking in forested hills, with better weather and fewer crowds than Madeira.
Walkers and nature lovers will enjoy the lesser-known Canary Island of La Gomera. After relaxing on the black sand beaches head inland for the main attraction, a dramatic landscape of lush ravines, spectacular gorges and prehistoric-looking lava formations.
A subtropical laurel forest covers 70 per cent of the Garajonay National Park and you may even spot a Giant Lizard, an endangered species unique to the island.

Inntravel (01653 617000/ www.inntravel.co.uk) offers a seven-night, self-guided walking tour from £795pp (two sharing), half board. Price includes accommodation in three hotels en route, luggage transfers and maps. Excludes flights.

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Monarch (0871 940 5040/ www.monarch.co.uk) offers return flights to Tenerife South airport from £89.50.
Ferry crossing from Tenerife to La Gomera takes just over half an hour, £59 return.

INSTEAD OF: Seychelles
TRY: Lamu, Kenya Winter high: 32C
Why? A mere four days of rain per winter month, compared to the Seychelles' 18.
For hot, cloudless days on pristine beaches it's hard to beat Kenya's Lamu archipelago, favoured by celebrities such as Sienna Miller, Mick Jagger and Ewan McGregor.

Only six of the islands are inhabited, with locals and tourists mingling happily.
Lamu Old Town is the oldest and best preserved Swahili town in East Africa and a Unesco World Heritage site with a mix of African and Arab architecture.

There's also a donkey sanctuary, the much-loved animals being the main form of transportation on the island.
The unspoilt nature of Lamu means you won't see highrise hotels or touristy eateries.
Instead, pristine near-empty beaches await.

Until recently Lamu has been the preserve of intrepid backpackers so accommodation is mostly of the basic guesthouse variety.
However, tucked into a beachfront rainforest, with sea views and butler service, Red Pepper House is the hotel of choice for stylish travellers.

With only five thatched houses that blend seamlessly into the forest canopy, it feels more like a small village.

To Escape To (0207 060 6747/www.toescapeto.com) offers four nights at the Red Pepper House from £1,685pp (two sharing), full board.

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Price includes return flights from Heathrow to Nairobi with Kenya Airways and all transfers.

INSTEAD OF: Koh Samui, Thailand
TRY: Koh Kood, Thailand Winter high: 30C
Why? The same perfect weather and pristine waters of Koh Samui but without the parties and backpackers.
If you don't fancy partying your holiday away with the likes of Sam Fox, Jenson Button and the Beckhams on hedonistic Koh Samui escape the wild nights to little-known Koh Kood (also spelled Ko Kut).

This island near the Cambodian border maintains an air of old-world Thailand. Sleepy fishing villages and rustic rubber plantations provide most of the work for the island's 2,000 residents, with a blossoming but still bijou, tourist industry.
The island is fringed with a mix of mangroves, rainforests and secluded beaches. The clear sea is perfect for hours of leisurely swimming and snorkelling or wander inland to check out the waterfall.
One of the top resorts is the new Soneva Kiri by Six Senses.

Kuoni (01306 747008/www.kuoni.co.uk) offers seven nights in an eco village at Soneva Kiri from £3,300pp (two sharing), half board. Price includes return flights from Heathrow to Bangkok and transfers.

Bridge & Wickers (0207 483 6555/www.bridgeandwickers.co.uk) offers seven nights at the four-star Away Koh Kood from £1,565pp (two sharing), B&B, including return flights from Heathrow to Trat via Bangkok and transfers.

INSTEAD OF: Sharm el Sheikh
TRY: Soma Bay, Egypt Winter high: 21C
Why? A more exclusive and low-key watersports experience than Sharm.
The Red Sea is a scuba-diver and snorkellers' mecca with good reason. Even at its chilliest, the water is rarely below 20C and the reefs and sea life are quite extraordinary.

Upmarket Soma Bay has access to the same Red Sea wonders, along with its share of fine beaches.
However, unlike busy Sharm, you'll find just a handful of upmarket hotels along with a huge Thalasso spa and an impressive 18-hole golf course.

If you fancy a break from the beach, the pyramids of Luxor, Roman ruins and medieval monasteries are all close by to explore.
The two best places to stay are both on the waterfront. La Résidence des Cascades has a golf course and huge Thalasso spa, while waterbabies might prefer the new Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay with its 7,000sq m of pools, fountains and lagoons.

ITC Classics (01244 355 570/ www.itcclassics.co.uk) offers seven nights at the Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay from £969pp (two sharing), B&B, including return flights from Gatwick to Hurghada and transfers.