The countries of South and Southeast Asia are the most popular for vacations in the cold months: excellent climate, affordable prices and convenient logistics (direct flights, charters, many options for connecting) ensure mass demand.
If you are planning a vacation in Asia in winter, but do not know where is the best, I will tell you about the most popular destinations for travel for every wallet.
Phuket
Where: Thailand, Southeast Asia
Phuket, the largest and most visited island in Thailand, is in the highest demand. The island of Phuket is represented mainly by low-rise buildings. The tallest is the 23-storey building of The Royal Paradise Hotel & Spa.
Phuket is an island of contrasts. There are no complex road junctions and glass high-rise buildings as in other parts of Thailand, and among the beaches you can still find wild ones. At the same time, Phuket has large shopping centers, upscale restaurants, European standard hospitals and hotels for every taste and budget.
What to see
On the island you can find untouched nature like in the Central Amazon region, coral reefs like in Egypt, limestone cliffs like in Baikal, and white sand beaches like in the Maldives. The most famous beach not only in Phuket, but also in Thailand is Bang Tao. It is an 8-kilometer coastline covered with white sand, where surfing stations, villas, beach clubs, restaurants are located.
When staying in Phuket, be sure to add the Big Buddha, Wat Chalong Temple, which houses a Buddha bone, and Bangla Street, the Thai answer to the Dutch red light district, to your list of must see places.
When to go
The ideal time for a vacation in Phuket is from November to March, also called the dry season. There is almost no rain and the heat is easily tolerated. The average temperature is +32 °C. The period from mid-May to mid-October is not the best time. During these months it rains and tropical cyclones occur.
Where to stay
If you need to save money. You can rent an apartment or a room between Patong Beach and Phuket, the capital of the island. Renting a property there is cheaper than in the resort areas. But be prepared that you will have to go to the beaches by bike or bicycle.
If you want to know how the locals live. If traveling is all about immersing yourself in the culture and getting to know the locals, rent an apartment in the area between Ko Kaeo and Phuket Town. It’s not the center of the island, but it’s a great place to observe local life, go to the market for the tastiest mangoes, and try authentic pad thai.
If comfort is important. Vacations in the Bang Tao Beach area are considered expensive and the most comfortable. Golf clubs, surf schools, spas, stores, cafes and restaurants are all within a couple of minutes drive. You can rent here both apartments and a huge villa with several swimming pools.
If you like to party. In the morning, enjoy the warm sea, at lunchtime discover the local cuisine, and in the evening go to the hottest club. If your ideal daily routine looks like this, rent an apartment or villa in the Patong Beach area. It’s always fun and full of vacationers.
Bali
Where: Indonesia, Southeast Asia
This island, where the Pacific and Indian Oceans meet, has its own magic. It is the place where all visitors fall in love and come back again.
As you cycle past the rice paddies, you can glimpse picturesque lakes, secret canyons, sacred rivers and waterfalls.
What to see
Bali is a Mecca for surfers and a top wellness destination that attracts millions of travelers from all over the world. Head to the beaches of Kuta, rent a board, then choose the right yoga studio and experience the beauty of shavasana.
When staying on the island, be sure to put on your list of interesting places the monkey forest in Ubud, Tirta Empul Palace, where water flows from a holy spring, Jatiluwih rice terraces, the soil of which is more nutritious than a can of the best protein, and Pura Lempuyang Temple – this is where you get the most beautiful photos.
Pura Lempuyang Temple is one of the main shrines of the island. It is located 600 meters above sea level.
When to go
The rainy season in Bali falls between November and April. During this time, prices for apartment rentals drop significantly and tourist traffic decreases.
It is worth saying that the rains here are not as bad as, for example, in Goa. They start suddenly and end just as suddenly. They can last for a few hours, but it happens that they go on for a day or two. During this period, the greenery grows vigorously and the puddles dry up quickly under the rays of the scorching sun.
The dry season is from May to October. Prices for accommodation in these months are the highest.
Travel to Bali with connections takes from 18 hours to two days. Travel time depends on the city of departure, the number of connections and their duration. A comfortable number of transits is up to two. If you choose a ticket with more connections, be prepared to have to rent a hotel room or sleep in a capsule.
Where to stay
If you’re looking for enlightenment. In Ubud you can open chakras, learn to see with the third eye and learn Zen during shavasana. If you want to become better and organize a yoga retreat, I advise you to choose this city for your vacation. But you will have to get to the beaches by bike.
If you want to master the surfboard. Want to stand confidently on your board and conquer wave after wave? Book an apartment in the Kuta area – here you will be able to understand what line up and bottom turn are. There aren’t many villas in Kuta, but there are plenty of budget hotels.
If you plan to vacation with a large group. You can rent a villa in Seminyak for the price of a good hotel room. You can stay here with friends, children or all of them at once. Seminyak offers luxury villas, cool stores and entertainment for all ages, tastes and wallets.
If you want to know what Silicon Valley looks like in Balinese. Changgu is a neighborhood of entrepreneurs, freelancers and IT workers. Local coffee shops make the most delicious avocado toast and matcha lattes, and Aussie surfers crash the waves on the beaches. Changgu is quieter than Kuta and Seminyak, and the roads are free of traffic.
Sri Lanka
Where: island nation Republic of Sri Lanka, South Asia
Sri Lanka is called the Blessed Land: it is one of the few islands on Earth visited three times by Shakyamuni Buddha. There are sixteen places sanctified by his presence.
This is not the only reason why thousands of tourists fly to Sri Lanka: the country is rich in natural and man-made monuments, which constitute the golden fund of world culture and are protected by UNESCO.
What to see
In the list of must-see places in Sri Lanka, add the colorful, as if drawn in a child’s imagination, temple of Koneshwaram, nine-arched bridge, where they make “those” photos, the English village in the jungle – the city of Nuwara Eliya, and the ancient city of Polonnaruwa.
If time remains, visit the Dambulla Cave Temple, Buddha’s Tooth Temple and Adam’s Peak, where Adam took his first step on earth.
In addition to temples and forest reserves, the island offers the chance to see huge elephants in their natural habitat, meet whales in the middle of the ocean, or spot rare leopards on safari.
When to go
Traditionally, the best time for a vacation in Sri Lanka is from November to April. During these months, the air temperature rises to +34°C, the weather is clear, there is almost no rain, and the ocean is calm and clean.
It should be understood that vacation in the winter period in Sri Lanka will cost more expensive than, for example, in the summer, when the island is attacked by monsoons.
On the plus side: in summer, tropical animals and birds – monkeys, peacocks and others – often come to the small settlements. It’s like a mobile zoo.
Where to stay
If traveling with children. For a family vacation travelers advise to choose the area from Unawatuna to Habaraduwa. The beaches here are clean, the infrastructure is considered developed by the standards of the island: hotels, stores and cafes are located in complexes.
If you’re looking for privacy. Places from Tangalle to Kalameti Lagoon have few tourists. The main advantage of local hotels is the comprehensive spa programs and full-fledged yoga sessions.
If you want to surf. You come to Veligama to catch a wave. There are schools, cafes, hotels – everything with the word “surf” in it.
If you’re looking for adventure. Mountains, temples, ruins, all in one. This is what Kandy or Anuradhapura is all about. You can spend a night or two in a bungalow or hotel in the middle of the jungle, and then change locations to keep yourself busy.
