10 best places to go during the Southern Hemisphere’s summer
Earth may be a fairly uniform sphere, but the Northern Hemisphere has the lion’s share of landmass at an estimated 68%, while the Southern Hemisphere’s solid ground clocks in at 32%. Even more striking, approximately 87% of the world’s population lives up top, while just 1.04 billion people (13%) reside below the equator.
Arguably, less land, more water and, yes, even less humanity make the austral half of our planet all the more special and worth the long flight to get there. With so few people and far less development, landscapes tend to be delightfully wild, customs intriguingly unique and wildlife fascinatingly rare.
Of course, traveling to the Southern Hemisphere during its summer — December through February — has the added benefit of being warm when it’s cold on the other side of the globe. That said, check the weather because in certain places, it’s monsoon (read: the super rainy) season.
As a Southern Hemisphere dweller, living just eight-odd degrees south of the equator in Bali, Indonesia, I highly recommend venturing southward during these months for warm temperatures, natural wonders and world-class hospitality. Here are 10 of the best places to start planning a trip for next year during summer in the Southern Hemisphere, aka America’s winter.
Sydney
There is nothing quite like summer in Sydney, an Australian city that can, in one moment, feel like one giant beach town and at the next seem like an urban center of cool fine dining and chic fashion. There are dramatically beautiful cliff walks, scenic spots for lawn bowling with a drink in hand and Sydney Harbour cruises. Plus, the Sydney Festival dishes out dance, theater and musical performances each January. You can’t miss Bondi Beach, the iconic Bondi Icebergs swim club with its above-the-ocean pool and a visit to the storied Opera House.
TPG tip: In a reimagined circa 1912 sandstone Department of Education building downtown, the glamorous and culturally connected Capella Sydney — bursting with inspiring art, including large commissions by Indigenous talents — is a plush place to rest your head, dine and spa it up when not gallivanting around the radiant city and its suburbs. Rooms start at $692 per night in the summer.
Chilean Patagonia
Chilean Patagonia is a region of breathtaking beauty spanning some 177,600 square miles, or about half the long, skinny country. Summer is the ideal time to visit the epic destination, where you can hike in Torres del Paine, go white water rafting, kayak in fjords, view Perito Moreno Glacier and spot wildlife like penguins and whales. With highs typically in the 60s, the weather is mild, but the thrills are anything but.
TPG tip: Blending into the landscape just enough to let the Torres del Paine peaks shine, Tierra Patagonia overlooks Sarmiento Lake and comprises 40 rooms that celebrate the staggering natural vistas above all else, well, besides luxurious creature comforts. All-inclusive rates start at $3,000 per night next December.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
If summer in Uganda is best for one thing, it’s gorilla trekking since the highlands of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park — designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site — are cooler than the rest of the country, which sprawls across the equator. The remarkable and endangered mountain gorillas’ home is in the Southern Hemisphere, where the dry season of December to February results in less dense foliage that makes it easier to view them in their untamed natural habitat. Planning for this kind of thing is key, considering the need for gorilla trekking permits, which are limited.
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TPG tip: When it reopens in 2025, Gorilla Forest Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary will put guests of its 10 sumptuous suites as close as humanly possible to the wildlife they’re seeking since the sustainable lodge is immersed in the national park itself. Rates start at $520 per night, per person, based on double occupancy.
Related: The most exciting hotel openings of 2025
Sao Paulo
You’ll need to like — or, rather, love — heat to swing down to Sao Paulo, Brazil’s most populous city, in the summertime, as daytime temperatures hover in the 80s and the humidity and chance of rain are rather high. Yet it’s well worth the steamy atmosphere to explore the vibrant metropolis with its eye-catching aesthetics. There’s plenty of architecture to take in — a guided walking tour is recommended — and culture and art, too.
Each February or March, the main event is Carnival (Feb. 28 to March 4, 2025, and Feb. 13 to 18, 2026), an explosion of colorful parades, samba performances, music, street parties and the most fabulously over-the-top costumes imaginable.
TPG tip: Close to the Carnival festivities in the Bela Vista neighborhood, the 180-room and -suite Rosewood Sao Paulo is an elegant option for a cultural immersion, thanks to the hotel’s 450-plus-piece collection of works by Brazilian artists. Rooms in the summer season begin at $620 per night.
Queenstown, New Zealand
Calling all adrenaline-fueled adventurers! Queenstown, set amid the Southern Alps and cerulean Lake Wakatipu, is all about excitement, especially in its warmest months. Yes, theoretically, a person could travel all that way with a mind to enjoy the region’s wine and the views — and there are many, especially if you fly down to Milford Sound in a teeny airplane for a morning spent aboard a waterfall-strewn cruise. But active pursuits are what many come for: bungee jumping, white water rafting, hiking, paragliding, jet boating and skydiving.
TPG tip: Rustic luxury is on tap on the shores of Lake Wakatipu at Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa. There are cozy fire pits, an indoor pool and a water taxi to reach town. Summer rates begin at $244 or 50,000 Hilton Honors points per night.
Cape Town
Breathtaking mountains, innovative and affordable Michelin-quality dining, and sandy beaches with turquoise waters await in this South African city. You can also enjoy live music, explore wine country, immerse yourself in wild spaces and partake in outdoor activities like surfing, free diving and hiking. And the hotels: Cape Town has some of the best of any city, thanks to the attention to detail and plush design. This city is worth way more than a quick jet lag stopover before or after a safari. Just a little warning: However many days you decide to give it, they’ll never be enough.
TPG tip: An icon on the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Grace, A Fairmont Managed hotel reopened in 2024 with an entirely new look, one that cements it as a dynamic destination for not only slumbering sweetly after hours in one of its 112 cushy rooms but also tasting native, generational recipes and flavors, drinking in a see-and-be-seen waterfront bar and taking in South African art, too. Rooms start at $1,035 per night.
Antarctica
The mysterious and intriguing White Continent, Antarctica, is so darn wintery that we lay folk can only visit during its summer season. In December, you’re looking at midnight sun and penguin hatchlings, while the chicks fluff up by January and, by February, are molting and growing their adult feathers. Not to mention the whales; there are so many. Cruises provide the opportunity to stay warm and see amazing sights while enjoying activities like kayaking, penguin watching and glacier viewing — all depending on the specific cruise line and ship.
TPG tip: Silversea’s Antarctica Bridge fly-cruise option lets guests fly straight to Antarctica instead of sailing the long and sometimes stomach-churning Drake Passage. It makes a compelling case for taking an uber-luxurious expedition ship, with voyages starting at $17,500 per person.
Jose Ignacio, Uruguay
As in-the-know beach towns go, Jose Ignacio is one of the coolest. The windswept Uruguayan paradise is a hot ticket in the festive season of the country’s summer and just beyond. In fact, much of the former fishing village is closed for the rest of the year. But when it’s open for business, it’s something special (think: yoga, gallery shopping and long alfresco beachside lunches by day with even longer dinners under the stars accompanied by abundant wine from nearby producers, such as Bodega Garzon). Foodies should be sure to journey to chef Francis Mallmann’s romantic Restaurante Garzon, while design fiends should take a short drive to the seaside city of Punta del Este.
TPG tip: The 49-room Bahia Vik Jose Ignacio has everything you might need to enjoy a relaxing beach holiday, but when it’s time to explore the rest of town, its complimentary bikes are ready to ride. Rates start at $500 per night in the summer.
Tasmania, Australia
Known best for its Tasmanian devils, this island off the coast of Australia is fabulous in the summer. Its warm, long days — like 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. — allow visitors ample time to get active on a bucolic beach, river or mountains, eat and drink something delicious, take in some culture and spy on native wildlife like wombats. There will probably also be time to make it to a festival, of which there are many, dedicated to everything from folk music to local wine.
TPG tip: Set between Hobart’s central business district and Derwent Harbour, The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart occupies an architectural marvel spanning three centuries, with original artwork and windows, as well as restored fireplaces throughout. As appealing as it would be to stay in, the hotel’s programming entices guests to venture out for activities like a Fire + Ice wellness walk full of mountain stories or oyster harvesting. Rates start at $180 or 37,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night in the summer.
Tanzania
While much of Africa’s southeastern coast and islands are entrenched in the rainy season come summer — Mozambique, Madagascar and the Seychelles, for example — Tanzania’s tropical hot spot, Zanzibar, is enjoying its annual short dry season. For memorable beaches trimmed in coral reefs, sunset dhow cruises, turtle visits and historic Stone Town, it’s a lovely choice.
It would be a sin to go all that way without embarking on a safari, too. January is known as wildebeest calving season in the southern Serengeti, which means the big cats are on the prowl more than ever, seeking food. Since it’s dry in the bush as well, wildlife can be more easily tracked down around watering holes.
TPG tip: Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti is a legendary option in the Serengeti because of its infinity pool that overlooks a large watering hole where elephants and other wildlife are constantly drinking and playing. All-inclusive rates start at $1,600 per night in December 2025. Book your stay through American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts for early check-in, a room upgrade upon availability and a $100 property credit.
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