Cape Verde: Property experts predict this North Atlantic suntrap could rival the Canaries as Europe’s top winter-sun destination in a few years’ time. So far, getting to the archipelago has been the problem — flights only went via Lisbon. Still, direct flights from the UK begin later this year, and prices — from £40,000 for a one-bed flat to £300,000 for a four-bed villa — already reflect the hoped-for rental earnings in those balmy year-round temperatures.

Six hours’ flying time from the UK, Cape Verde is a former Portuguese colony that was once a trading centre for African slaves. That cultural legacy makes for a vibrant and distinctive musical scene, and if you love the great outdoors, this is the place to buy in. A downside is the risk of severe drought.

“Sleepy unspoilt charm” probably best describes the laid-back lifestyle. Independent since 1975, it is a stable but impoverished democracy that sees tourism as an economic lifeline. Developers have been welcomed with open arms, sparking fears that its rich marine life and wildlife will be harmed.

Goa: Ageing baby-boomers are heading back to their Swinging Sixties haunt — and they are snapping up big new-build villas for between £40,000 and £100,000 while they are there.

“You can get all the comforts of home, for a fraction of the price,” says Stuart Law, managing director of property investment specialist Assetz. “It’s early retirees in particular who are buying there. And for that price, these properties are also lock-up-and-leave.”

It’s that winter sun again: temperatures from October to February are between 25C-30C. And the more adventurous people become, the less irritating a 10-hour flight to this jewel on India’s west coast becomes.

China: Yes, it’s a 10-hour flight, but 2007 won’t only be the year of the pig: it’s also tipped to be the year of the property investor. “It’s beginning to move and will get a lot more press this year,” says Law.

The build-up to 2008’s Beijing Olympics are well underway, and with China the next big thing in tourism, experts list it as a property market to watch.

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