Best Beach Vacations in February

February is a great month. Punxsutawney Phil either sees his shadow or doesn't, Valentine's Day sells a lot of flowers and chocolates, and some amazing beaches wait for the people who hate cold weather. While there may be snow covering the ground where you are right now, you can rent a place a stone's throw away from a warm, gorgeous beach where the only thing covering the ground is sand and towels.

Aruba

Some of the best beach vacations in February involve a lot of wind, and the wind is rarely better than Aruba in the month of February. The winds can pick up to 25 knots, which is pretty solid. If you love to kite surf, wind surf or just ride some waves the old-fashioned way, this is the time to do it. Just be aware that the early part of February can be a little rainy there.

Florida Keys

The Floida Keys may be so laid back they're nearly comatose, but that doesn't mean the area just hibernates between the holidays and Spring Break. If you love scuba diving, do it in the waters of John Pennekamp State Park. If fishing is your game, try Islamorada. If you get tired of the water, have a cocktail in Key West.

Mexico

Tulum is an area where there's water aplenty. The beaches are naturally great to lounge about on, but the ocean is perfect for snorkeling through the reefs and checking out the local wildlife. An interesting local feature is the cenotes, which are clear blue pools that can be hundreds of feet deep in the Coba jungle. Between the shade and the water, you can cool of easily.

Costa Rica

Manual Antonia ranks among the very best beach vacations in February, and unfortunately a lot of people are well aware of this. The views of the spires jutting from Manual Antonio National Park are unbelievable, and the way the water massages the shore just adds to the ambiance.

Hawaii's Big Island

Green Sand Beach is an obscure location that isn't too well traveled, but the view of green sand and the excellent isolation is worth the effort of getting to the place.

Maldives Islands

This area on the Indian Ocean basically consists of extremely soft sand resting on coral atolls. The resorts are ridiculously over-priced, so rent a vacation home instead. The experience is excellent, and you can have fun independently.

East Coast, South Africa

You have a lot of beaches to choose from down the eastern coast of South Africa. If you love the city lights, check out the beaches of Durban. If you're more into the natural style of beaches, check out Nature's Valley. There aren't many crowds during February, and the jet lag is only as bad as it is when you travel to Europe.

Canary Islands

Like most points in the southern hemisphere, this area is in full summer while the northern climes are covered in snow and cloaked in gray skies. Every kind of beach you can imagine is available here, including family beaches, nude beaches and coves so isolated that you might be the only person for half a mile in any direction.

Boracay Island

One of the best beach vacations in February happens to take place on this small Philippine island. White Beach has sand that deserves its name, which carries the advantage that the sand never gets hot. From your rental, you can stroll barefoot over this soothingly soft sand, and take a dip in these crystal clear waters.

Malapascua Island

This is another gorgeous Philippine island near Cebu, known for some of the world's best scuba diving.