Opinions vary when it comes to value. Even the most luxurious holiday can fit this category if there’s plenty packed into the price. But a range of elements have to line up to qualify. A hotel may go the extra mile with complimentary inclusions, but other costs including airfares, car hire, eating out and excursions can negate the savings.
Conversely, cut too many corners and you run the risk of booking the holiday nobody else wants. The trick is to find a destination where all the ingredients combine to offer all-round value while still punching high on enjoyment factor.
We’ve compared the costs, raked through the rates and quizzed the travel insiders to find five of the best sun-drenched destinations which promise to offer all-round value in 2026.
Summer sun
Turkey
A favourable exchange rate continues to make Turkey a great choice for holidaymakers looking for good value in 2026.
“Picking an all-inclusive holiday, as a cost-effective way to budget, is a popular option here and widely available across the regions of Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman and Izmir,” says Zoe Towers of Jet2holidays.
Try the resort of Marmaris, a 56-mile transfer from Dalaman Airport, on Turkey’s underrated and affordable south-west Turquoise Coast, with its busy marina, castle-dominated old town and promenade lined with cafés and restaurants.
Locally produced beer, wine and fresh produce means eating and drinking out is affordable, and the competitive prices of activities and excursions also helps keep the holiday budget in check.
What to book
Jet2holidays (0333 014 0236) offers stays at the four-star Cettia Beach Resort, an adults-only hotel on the beachfront near the resort of Marmaris with a spa and a programme of activities, from £989 all-inclusive, including 22kg hold luggage allowance. Departs June 28, 2026.
Portugal
Our oldest ally has long been a winner when it comes to making money go further, topping the Post Office’s 2025 holiday survey for best-value destinations.
But regions can vary. Eating out in the Algarve is competitively priced, but high demand can push up accommodation prices in peak months, so instead head to the Costa Verde in northern Portugal.
“This area of small beach resorts and rural villages is strong on villas with pools which can work out at half the price of a similar property in the south,” says Adam Butler of Vintage Travel. “But it still delivers on excellent, low-cost seafood restaurants and sandy beaches”.
The region is served by a choice of airports and a range of budget airlines so it’s possible to shop around for good fares, and public transport is cheap and efficient so hiring a car isn’t always essential.
What to book
Vintage Travel (01954 261431) offers stays at Casa da Horta, a self-catering villa in the coastal resort of Moledo do Minho with private pool and sea views, sleeping six, from £1,130 rental only. Departs June 12, 2026.
Malta
“Malta is shaping up to be one of the best-value Mediterranean destinations for 2026 because it offers a combination of year-round sunshine, short flight times, great infrastructure and variety – all without the premium pricing you often see in more established hotspots,” says Emilia Berni of Olympic Holidays.
High-quality four-star resorts or all-inclusive properties, particularly in areas like St Paul’s Bay, Mellieha and the north of the island, are the destinations which offer larger pools and good facilities while still keeping costs competitive.
Excursions to Malta’s affordable neighbouring island, Gozo, won’t break the bank either. Jump on a ferry to explore the Neolithic sites, the spectacular rocky coastline and the island’s capital, Victoria, with its atmospheric citadel.
What to book
Olympic Holidays (020 8492 6868) offers stays at the the Pergola Hotel and Spa in Mellieha, near the island’s longest beach, Ghadira Bay and with two pools and spa, from £948 half board based on a standard room. Departs June 6, 2026.
Winter sun
Canary Islands
The larger Canary Islands including Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote offer best value when it comes to making your money stretch further. A combination of high flight volumes and big resort hotels with plenty of rooms to fill means that fares and accommodation remain competitive.
The onsite entertainment and activity programmes offered by the large UK operators including Tui also ensure that there’s plenty to keep families occupied without having to spend extra on car hire and days out.
Lanzarote offers a better choice of quieter, low-rise resorts than other islands, and is home to some alluring white-sand beaches around its southern nature reserve of Papagayo. It’s also the home of the archipelago’s top wine region, La Geria.
What to book
Tui (0203 451 2688) offers stays at the H10 Rubicon Horizons Collection, with five pools, a spa and a wide choice of restaurants on the outskirts of Playa Blanca, from £792 half board, based on a room with garden view, including 20kg hold luggage. Departs February 8, 2026.
Dominican Republic
This Caribbean island, which neighbours Haiti on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles, is one of the biggest and produces much of its own food, so is therefore less reliant on the pricey imports which can push holiday costs up significantly on smaller islands.
“A large number of international flights combined with a wide choice of all-inclusive resorts also means prices, even for top-end accommodation, remain reasonable,” says James Fernando of Trailfinders.
Head to the resort of Punta Cana on the east coast where you can take boat trips to nearby Saona Island or excursions to Higüey, with its modern basilica and good shopping. And spend a day in Santo Domingo, the island’s capital, with its historic old town and 16th-century cathedral.
What to book
Trailfinders (020 7368 1317) offers stays at Dreams Onyx Resort and Spa, with kid’s clubs, on-site activities and 11 restaurants on a palm-backed beach near Punta Cana, from £1,499 all-inclusive based on a standard room. Departs February 6, 2026.
Food, flight and car hire prices according to the Post Office Holiday Money Report 2025 and Skyscanner. Package prices are per person, based on two sharing, including flights from London airports and transfers unless otherwise stated and are subject to availability.