15 Can’t Miss February Vacation Destinations in Asia

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The year of the dragon is nearly upon us!  Why not welcome it from Asia? This year the Lunar New Year falls on February 10th, and in many Asian countries, celebrations come to life with dragon dances, fireworks, family feasts, and a paper lantern finale. There will be couplets calligraphed on red papers proclaiming bounty and good fortune. 

You might read, “The gentle spring rain moistens all things. The red plum blossoms adorn the mountains,” accompanied by the anticipatory, “Spring is in full swing” (see this website). So consider experiencing firsthand the excitement and good vibes of one of the most important celebrations in Asia this February.

I’ve already mentioned how important and exhilarating Lunar New Year celebrations can be. Yet traveling during this time also raises challenges. Prices can go up. Modes of transportation can become overburdened and roads congested with people journeying to their home of origin to celebrate with family. 

Then, during the actual festivities, cities effectively shut down with most residents away – and bunkered down – at their family home. For these reasons, it’s important that travelers manage their transportation, food, and health needs neatly in advance. Hot tip: to get the fullest experience of the Lunar New Year, eagerly accept if you are invited into a family’s home to celebrate.

Chinese New Year

Gong xi fa cai!  Welcome the Chinese New Year from Beijing with proclamations of prosperity on February 10th. There are Spring Temple Fairs at the major temples, dragon dances, red papers ornamented with calligraphy, and fireworks. Or, if you opt to go south to a Cantonese context, shout out a hearty Gung hay fat choy! 

Otherwise, if you are looking for a city that doesn’t shut down for the holiday, try multicultural Hong Kong or Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Although they have strong Chinese communities, many residents will also be going about their daily lives keeping stores, restaurants, and transportation lines open.

A little more on the Chinese celebration of the Lunar New Year though. Chinese New Year’s Eve kicks off a fifteen-day period called Spring Festival, which concludes with a Lantern Festival. Even before that, there is house cleaning to do.

People are then given the first week of Spring Festival off work to focus on feasting, visiting family, giving out money in red envelopes, and paying respects to their ancestors. During the concluding Lantern Festival, the streets are illuminated by paper lanterns–some released into the air, others paraded about by kids.

Tết Nguyên Đán

But maybe you would rather bring in the Lunar New Year from Hanoi, Vietnam?  The Vietnamese celebration is called Tết Nguyên Đán, or Tết for short. Naturally, it also falls on February 10th this year. And this holiday is a big deal in Vietnam; it is the most important national holiday. 

Not only does it usher in the new year and welcome spring, but Tết is the official day on which all Vietnamese people turn another year older. Again, if you can find a homestay or an Airbnb where the host arranges to include you in the celebrations, do it!  That’s how you will get the most out of this experience.

Here are some other hot tips though. To get the full vibe, arrive a week or so before the holiday. The streets buzz with anticipation as people make their preparations. There are also public celebrations, accented with firecrackers, and you can find an overabundance of flowers for sale, as residents begin to decorate their homes for the celebration.

However, travelers should be prepared to hole up for the week of the Lunar New Year itself, unless invited to join a family celebration, because little will be open. One travel company even produces an annual “Tết Survival Guide”, albeit for Ho Chi Minh City, because of all the closed restaurants and stores!

Seollal Celebration

Alternatively, this year in Seoul, South Korea, you can experience the Seollal Celebration between February 9th and 11th. Although Lunar New Year celebrations are once again based in the home, there are some great public displays of festivities.

For instance, during the holiday admission is free to four of the Great Palaces in Seoul: Deoksugung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and Changgyeonggung Palace. They have special performances and activities introducing traditions associated with this festival.

Also, between February 7th and 11th, the National Dance Company of Korea will perform folk dances associated with the holiday. Plus, Namsangol Hanok Village hosts traditional activities and performances. And the National Folk Museum of Korea has a special exhibition on the dragon, in honor of the year of the dragon. It is closed for Seollal itself though, so that one you’ll need to catch another day.

Lunar New Year with a Twist: the Chingay Parade in Singapore

Singapore is tremendously international. A country that is a city on an island, with a cosmopolitan citizenry, it’s a great place to experience the Lunar New Year… with a twist.

Chingay Parade

Come to Singapore to watch the Chingay Parade on February 23rd and 24th. This parade is part of the Chinese New Year celebrations, but it also highlights Singapore’s multiculturalism. The theme is Blossom, this year, and it is all about flourishing! 

Alongside a narration by the “Gardener” and the “Flower Fairy,” you will find fabulous flowers, an interactive floor projection, art installations, group dances (including dragon dances), and floats. Oh, and the Malaysia Chingay Parade is also very popular!

Bedazzling Ice and Snow Festivals in Japan

Japan has mind-blowing ice and snow festivals. Visiting one of these is a great way to embrace winter for those travelers not running to a beach. (As an aside, if you are looking for an ice and snow festival in China, check out the Harbin Ice Festival, which is open in February too. You can read more about it in 15 Places to Visit in Asia This January.)

Chitose – Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival

Chitose – Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival is open from January 27th to February 25th in Shikotsuko Onsen, Chitose City, in Japan. The ice structures are mesmerizing. Here’s a drone video of the finished products in 2021. 

They are so large that you can walk through them. Along the way, pay attention to the details. You might even find fish frozen into the walls. 😳 Once you have seen your fill, make your way to Snow Land in Chitose, which offers winter activities such as tubing and driving mini snowmobiles in association with the festival.

Sapporo Snow Festival

The Sapporo Snow Festival is the largest winter festival in Japan, and it runs from February 4th to 11th. Join more than 2 million visitors to see sculptures that, in some instances, loom so large as to simply dwarf the viewer. In the previous years, these sculptures have ranged from replicas of buildings to pop culture icons to “Hokkaido in the Cretaceous Period” (think T-Rex!). These sculptures are illuminated from dusk until 10 pm.

There are three sites in the Sapporo Snow Festival. The Susukino Site and the Odori Site have ice sculptures of various sizes, jazzed up with neon lighting. The Tsudome Site is an area designated for snow play and activities. Public Service Announcement: trains to the Sapporo Snow Festival can be very full and the accommodation prices spike during this time. Also, it’s really cold!

Festivals of Lights – and Beans – in Japan

The golden glow of candlelight on the snow is magical, and in Japan, there are full festivals devoted to it. Those festivals, and one where people welcome spring by chasing out bad forces by throwing beans, are more minor attractions that could be strung together in a rich travel itinerary through Japan.

Yokote Kamakura Festival

Expect to feel enchanted as you explore the Yokote Kamakura Festival in Yokote, Japan between February 15th and 16th. Kamakura are snow houses that look similar to igloos, and you’ll see hundreds of them at this festival. 

There are large kamakuras with candles and offerings to deities inside. There are also many small kamakuras studding the landscape and lighting walkways, giving this religious festival its popular charm.

Otaru Snow Light Path

Walk historic streets illuminated by candlelight with the Otaru Snow Light Path in Otaru (which is in Hokkaido, Japan) from February 10th to 17th. Candles don’t just line the streets; they are pervasive. 

There is a canal filled with floating candles. Plus, there are snow sculptures and candles in snow-sculpted candle holders along an unused Japan National Railways Temiya Line. You can find even more candles on a river walk in the village surrounding the Asarigawa Onsen (hot spring).

Setsubun

Now to the bean-throwing festival of Setsubun, which will be celebrated on February 3rd this year. During this festival, spring is welcomed and oni (think demons or ogres or trolls) are chased out by throwing beans.

If you want in on the experience, here are some recommended sites with public festivities in Tokyo: Ikegami Honmonji, Sensoji Temple, and Zojoji Temple. In Kyoto, consider visiting Yoshido Shrine to observe the celebrations.

Plum Festivals in Japan

Enough talk about snow, ice, and the cold of winter though. The plum blossoms in Japan are a fragrant, colorful herald of spring. Consider making space in your travel itinerary to experience the whites, pinks, and purples of plum blossoms as well as their olfactory delights.

Mito Plum Festival

To see thousands of plum trees in bloom, visit the Mito Plum Festival between February 11th and March 19th in Kairakuen Garden (Mito, Japan). This is less a festival and more a massive flowering event. While many people flock to Japan for the cherry blossoms a little later in the year, plum blossoms are also incredibly beautiful. 

Plus, the Kairakuen Garden is one of the three great gardens of Japan, and worth a visit in its own right. As well as boasting thousands of plum trees, it has hundreds of different varieties. This is, apparently, one reason the blooming period lasts for so long.

Setagaya Plum Blossom Festival

Also, in Hanegi Park, in Tokyo, there is the Setagaya Plum Blossom Festival between February 10th and March 3rd. This has a little more of a festival feel. You can expect to find plum-flavored foods sold by vendors on the weekends and to watch performances amongst hundreds of blooming plum trees.

Sky Lantern and Fireworks Festivals in Taiwan

Here are two festivals with “flare”. (Get it?)  So follow the glow between them and watch Taiwan light up the night!

Sky Lantern Festival

The Sky Lantern Festival in Taiwan takes place in two venues, Pingxi and Shifen, on February 17th and 24th, respectively. Come and buy a lantern to release into the sky, with a wish written on it. 

Hot tip: get there early in the morning because demand for lanterns can be high. Also, the towns of Pingxi and Shifen are both on the old single-track Pingxi railway line, so catch a ride on this retro railway to get between the venues.

Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival

Join a crowd with firecrackers getting shot into it at the Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival in Taiwan from February 23rd to the 24th. It is said that the festival’s name comes from a likeness between the experience of firecrackers shooting off all around you and being swarmed by bees. Yikes! 

Attendees don fireproof suits with helmets to walk through exploding firecrackers and fireworks, which are shot to ward off evil spirits or bad luck. Legend has it that the festival originated during a cholera plague when citizens decided to take drastic measures to turn the tides of their fortunes.

Jaipur Literature Festival in India

For a change of pace from the East Asian and Southeast Asian festivals I’ve been highlighting, here’s a South Asian festival focused on a different side of culture: books!

Jaipur Literature Festival

If you love books and big ideas, hit the Jaipur Literature Festival!  It’s on between February 1st and 5th this year. Proclaimed “the greatest literary show on earth,” this is a book festival with big aspirations. Don’t take it from me though–consider the list of speakers. As ever, they include cultural celebrities, politicians, intellectuals, artists, and dare I say, controversialists.

Here’s a sampling of the names you can find on this year’s list of speakers. You can find the novelist Vikas Swarup, whose debut work was the basis for the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire. There is the Booker Prize-winning author Paul Lynch. 

There is also the University of Cambridge classicist, Mary Beard. (Her work extends far beyond the ivory towers through her capacities as classics editor for The Times Literary Supplement, popular author, and documentary-maker.)  And you can attend a presentation by classical dancer Sharmistha Mukherjee.

For the politically minded, Malcolm Turnball is on the list, the 29th Prime Minister of Australia. Plus, there is the Italian ambassador to India, Vincenzo de Luca. Or, for a different approach to political problems, you can consider attending a talk by Harvard Professor Vincent Brown who teaches American History and African and African American Studies at the Center for Government and International Studies.

Beaches – and More! – in Sri Lanka

There is a lot to be said for cultural festivals, of course, but there is also a lot to be said for a sunny beach in the middle of a cold winter. 

Independence Day of Sri Lanka

Visiting southern Sri Lanka in February is a great option. You might base yourself in the capital city, Colombo, for exposure to cultural events and easy reach of the beach. Since February 4th is Independence Day, you can catch the main celebrations, which take place in Colombo.

Then, from Colombo, you can take to the beach. At this time of year, there’s good beach weather in southern Sri Lanka. Recommended beaches include Mirissa, Mawella, and Unawatuna. As an aside, it’s also a good time to spot wildlife in UdaWalawe, Yala National Park, and Wilpattu National Park. Maybe you’ll even see a tiger!

So whether you are looking for a wintery wonderland of ice and snow or a beach, a literature festival, a beach, or blooming plum trees: visit Asia this February. Just be mindful that the Lunar New Year is going to loom large, especially in East Asian and Southeast Asian countries. But wherever you go – from Japan to Sri Lanka, Taiwan to Singapore, India to Hong Kong – you will find fabulous things to do.