Between the post-Christmas blues, heading back to work, and the dark, cold days, January can be a bleak time.
It's for that reason that some people look to have a short winter getaway in the first month of the year.
This January could be especially popular, given the UK's travel rules to get back in to the country have just been relaxed.
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But what about the rules for going abroad? The online booking platform Hoo has researched the cheapest destinations with the least stringent Covid restrictions at present, for those looking to get away from it all and try to forget about coronavirus. The prices are based on economy flights and a hotel for two people for 14 nights, so may not be precisely right when you come to book your holiday.
Top of the list is Budapest, Hungary, for which Hoo says has an average price of £47 per person per night. Tourists from the UK should face no restrictions on entering Hungary as long as they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
Colombo in Sri Lanka is close behind on £65 per person per night, with Cancun, Mexico, rounding off the top three.
Check out the full list of destinations in the report at the bottom of this story. You can get to each of them from Bristol Airport, though only Budapest and Cancun have direct flights from Bristol; to get to the others, you'll need to change somewhere en route, such as Amsterdam, Dublin, or Frankfurt.
Hoo's co-founder Adrian Murdock commented on the company's findings by saying: “We hoped 2021 would be a better year after 2020, but really it was much the same. Very difficult for lots of people and the rise of Omicron halted many planned Christmas celebrations. With any luck, however, 2022 really is going to be better, so what better way of putting the hard times behind us than with a January getaway?
“Whether it’s sun or snow you’re looking for, there are some great locations that are not only affordable but also accessible thanks to eased travel restrictions and increasing vaccination levels.
"Add to this the fact that hotels around the world are keen to attract winter customers with generous room discounts and there’s never been a better time to take an early break from reality. Just be sure to check the current travel guidelines before booking."
- Budapest, Hungary - £47 per person per night
- Colombo, Sri Lanka - £65 per person per night
- Cancun, Mexico - £69 per person per night
- Oslo, Norway - £70 per person per night
- Cape Town, South Africa - £76 per person per night
- New Delhi, India - £77 per person per night
- Marrakech, Morocco - £78 per person per night
- Hanoi, Vietnam - £95 per person per night
- Sydney, Australia - £113 per person per night
- Los Angeles, California, USA - £114 per person per night
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