Winter Escapes: How to Spend the Festive Season in Asia
When crooner Andy Williams singled Christmas out as “the most wonderful time of the year”, his muses were Xmas perennials like carol-singers, mistletoe and toasted marshmallows.
WINTER ESCAPES:
HOW TO SPEND THE FESTIVE SEASON IN ASIA
When crooner Andy Williams singled Christmas out as “the most wonderful time of the year”, his muses were Xmas perennials like carol-singers, mistletoe and toasted marshmallows. Festive season in Asia doesn’t offer so much in the way of cozy Yuletide classics. But its bounty of unforgettable landscapes and experiences is certain to instil a heart-warming glow. Travelers who visit Asia for the holidays can take advantage of friendly temperatures perfect for everything from trekking in the emerald mountains of northern Thailand to desert safaris in the Middle East, beach time in The Philippines, and skiing in Japan. The options are nearly limitless.
LEARN MORESTARS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
Tegalalang Rice Terrace, Bali
There’s no bad time to visit Southeast Asia. But it’s fair to say that the festive period is one of the best. With the monsoons over in most destinations and temperatures at their most pleasant pitch, it’s the perfect juncture to get acquainted with the many wonders of the area. Many of the region’s spectacular coastal destinations are at their best. El Nido in The Philippines (main photo)—close to the legendary Amanpulo—is a prime place to unwind on a lounger underneath swaying coconut palms. It’s also the launch point for island-hopping trips that encompass some of the most iconic beaches in the region. Also enticing are Vietnam's southern islands of Phu Quoc and Con Dao, and it's the ideal time of year for Phuket on Thailand's Andaman coast. In northern Thailand and Laos winter means taking advantage of cooler weather and trekking through emerald green tracts of forested mountains inhabited by a patchwork of ethnic groups. But our top pick for 2022 is Indonesia, where Raja Ampat remains a bastion of world-class diving during the festive period, and Bali is at its greenest and lushest.
SOUTH ASIA STUNNERS
Jaisalmer Citadel, India
From the cool Himalayan valleys of north India and Nepal to the sultry climes of Sri Lanka and the Maldives, there are multiple winter wonderlands in South Asia. Travelers who don’t mind a little evening chill will find much to love about the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. The cradle of ancient Hindu and Buddhist civilisations has many cultural highlights to explore. It’s also the starting point for viewing nearby peaks such as Everest by helicopter. In India, the festive period is a great time to complete a circuit in Rajasthan spanning mythical cities like Jaipur and Jodhpur as well as desert highlights like Jaisalmer with its distinctive yellow sandstone architecture. From Aman-i-Khas, take a private safari into Ranthambore in an attempt to spy elusive tigers, or venture over the border into Madyha Pradesh for more wildlife-focused adventures in the national parks of Bandhavgarh and Kanha. Equally inviting is the Maldives, which enjoys some of its best weather during the northern hemisphere's winter, with One&Only Reethi Rah and JOALI Maldives providing world-class bases for exploring its gin-clear, coral-rich waters.
MAGIC IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Musandam Peninsula, Oman
Oman sizzles in the cooler weather. During winter, cloudless powder-blue skies frame majestic desert landscapes and endless beaches as they always do. But inviting temperatures make the process of sampling this bounty altogether more pleasurable. By day the beaches, the azure waters of the Gulf of Oman and the numerous shopping options in the capital Muscat provide diversion. Fantastic restaurants and glitzy bars become the focal point when the sun slips into the horizon. The city’s quotient of first-class hotel properties will soon be enhanced by the addition of Jumeirah Muscat Bay. Oman is a cultural heavyweight with some of the most stunning landscapes in the region. Highlights here include luxury desert camps in towering dunes, the fabled fjords of Musandam—home to Six Senses Zighy Bay, the rugged scenery of the Hajar Mountains and the colorful souks and rich history of Muscat: which is one of the region’s most appealing cities.
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