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If you live in the northern hemisphere, by January you can already feel like “it’s been a long, cold, lonely winter” (as the Beatles put it), and traveling to Asia is a great reboot. Of course, it is far more than that too. The continent’s 49 countries (depending on how you count!) harbor innumerable riches in culture, geography, and biodiversity.
You can find spectacular festivals as well as breathtaking – and breathtakingly varied – landscapes. There are powdery ski slopes, historical cities, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and gastronomical delights. And there are excellent beaches. So, if you are lucky enough to spend some January days in Asia, here are fifteen ideas of places to go.
Fire and Ice Festivals
Mt. Wakakusa Yamayaki
On January 27th in Nara, Japan a mountain will burn. This is the festival of Mt. Wakakusa Yamayaki. Hundreds of Buddhist monks will use handheld torches to set fire to Mt. Wakakusa.
As if that weren’t dramatic enough, the controlled burn will also be accompanied by a fireworks show. To get the full experience, arrive by noon because there is also an array of smaller events that lead up to the final blaze of glory.
Harbin Ice and Snow Festival
The Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, in Heilongjiang Province, China, is the self-proclaimed biggest ice and snow festival in the world. Although its opening ceremony is scheduled for January 5th, a trial opening kicks off in late December. So you can go throughout January and February. And there’s a reason that approximately 30,000 attendees per day are anticipated this year: this is a spectacular event!
Five theme parks are filled with ice and snow sculptures, entertainment, carnivals, sports, and other winter activities. You can find multi-story ice buildings lit up in technicolor. You can go skiing, ice sliding, or ice fishing. The entertainment ranges from song and dance to acrobatic performances. So you can expect to leave with impressions to last a lifetime. Just be prepared to brave frigid temperatures–while daytime highs can reach 12 F, the lows can descend to -24 F!
Niche Options
Hwacheon Mountain Trout Ice Festival
Located 25 km south of the North Korean border, the small town of Hwacheon will receive an estimated 1 million guests from January 6-28 for the Hwacheon Mountain Trout Ice Festival.
Organizers have released 160 tons of Sancheoneo trout into the river in preparation. Although visitors come mainly for ice-fishing, there are also ice sculptures and activities like sledding and ice skating to enjoy. It’s an adventure!
Macau Fringe Festival
This year, the Macau Fringe Festival runs from January 17-28. Its guiding theme of “artistic playground” will be highlighted in performances dealing with subjects like the carnival, AI, and the body and distance.
Given that this festival is run by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, though, it might be a better opportunity to learn about art and culture than to experience boundary-pushing avant-garde or fringe performances.
International Kite Festival
The annual International Kite Festival in Gujarat, India, takes place from January 8-14 this year. People come from near and far to cover the skies with vibrant colors, and to watch. This festival draws kite flyers of all ages and skill levels.
One master kite maker has established a reputation for his capacity to fly 500 kites simultaneously. The trick is that they are connected, one after the other, to a single string. Not only are the skies patterned with bright colors during the day, but they are lit up with paper lanterns at night.
For a bit of sport, there are also kite-fighting events. Kite strings are lined with glass shards, and the kites are strategically flown to slice through each other. Every participant is gunning to have the last kite flying!
Winter Activities in Japan
Fujisan
January is the month with the best visibility for seeing Fujisan (Mount Fuji) in Japan. You’re likely to see its slopes strikingly covered in snow and to reckon with fewer crowds in the process.
Fujisan is the tallest mountain in Japan, one of the Three Holy Mountains of Japan, and a cultural property on the UNESCO World Heritage List. If you haven’t seen it in person, yet, you’ll likely have seen the woodblock print series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai.
While January is a great month for viewing Fujisan, you will not be able to access the mountain. Instead, you might plan to go to the nearby Fuji Five Lakes region to catch a view from the north shore of Lake Kawaguchiko, for instance, with the mountain also mirrored in the water. Another iconic view of Fujisan is from the Chureito Pagoda in Fujiyoshida.
Snow Monkey Park
The famous Snow Monkey Park (Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano, Japan), is also best visited in winter. This is the time to go if you want to see the Japanese macaques soaking in the hot springs, ideally with snow behind them. Check out this live webcam to see what the current conditions are!
The ideal time to see them is as soon as the park opens in the morning and before crowds of tourists arrive. Heads up: you’ll need to walk 1 mile each way, to and from the Monkey Park, in temperatures that can be as low as 5 Fahrenheit! Please note that this is not a wheelchair-accessible destination.
Niseko United Ski Resort
If you are looking to ski powder, consider a trip to Niseko in Hokkaido, Japan. January is the best month for powder accumulation there, and the Niseko United Ski Resort operates four resorts for you to choose between.
When it comes to the slopes, though, you don’t have to choose between them: they are all on the same pass. English is spoken pervasively, and the skiers are a cosmopolitan mix from Australia, Singapore, Europe, America, and more.
The nightlife can get raucous, but the resorts here are also family friends. Also, this area is famous for its soba noodles, so don’t miss out on trying them! The restaurant Rakuichi Soba comes highly recommended, and you can get lunch at the Ichi Ichi with Hokkaido Wagyu Burgers.
Popular Tourist Beaches
Goa, India
Restore your vitamin D levels by visiting the famous – or infamous – beaches of Goa, India. Goa has long been associated with ashrams, raves, hippies, and gap years. It is a hyper-popular tourist destination, and January is the peak tourist season. This is because it falls during the dry season, with warm but moderate temperatures.
In Goa, different beaches are popular with different crowds. Palolem Beach is lauded for its scenic beauty, while Calangute Beach is known for its night scene. Candolim Beach has a reputation for its resorts (not that they are lacking elsewhere!), and Anjuna Beach for its trance music (“Psy Trance”). Speaking of trance music, and parties, do take sensible precautions about drugs, with consideration for your safety and respect for the local communities and laws.
Phuket, Thailand
Another option firmly on the beaten path is the island of Phuket, in Thailand, which is renowned for its stunning beaches. Here, white sand shores and the stunning blues of the Andaman Sea are complimented by limestone cliffs soaring above the water. The Thai cuisine accompanying this experience is gobsmackingly delicious. Plus there’s a very happening nightlife.
Hot tip: because Phuket is so popular, prices tend to be higher here, so if you want to save a little money consider staying on the less-popular side of the island–and looking into other nearby options.
Palawan, Philippines
Visit the province of Palawan, in the Philippines, to explore natural wonders and do some island hopping. The province comprises 1,780 islands and shares a name with the largest one. A highlight for visitors is the Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park.
This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the Cabayugan River cuts through a system of caves on its way from mountains to the sea. Boat tours can take you to see the rock formations and cavernous systems that this river passes through.
Some tour options even include caving and zip-lining! Also in Puerto Princesa is Honda Bay, a group of islands that you can travel between for snorkeling, catching rays, and spotting wild marine life. Lastly, scuba divers can check out the Japanese shipwrecks of Coron Island, which is hailed as one of the world’s best dive sites.
Snorkeling
Misool Marine Reserve
The archipelago of Raja Ampat, in Indonesia, boasts some of the greatest marine biodiversity in the world. Along with its clear waters, this makes for exceptional snorkeling. Although Raja Ampat comprises more than 1,500 islands, shoals, and cays, there are 4 main islands (“Four Kings”): Misool, Waigeo, Batanta, and Salawati. Each of these “Kings” has its attractions, but the main snorkeling center is the Misool Marine Reserve.
This conservation area covers 300,000 meters, accessible for snorkeling and diving, and it is home to a range of marine life. So, you have a real chance at seeing black tip wing sharks and Epaulette sharks, sea fans and corals, seahorses and sea turtles, nudibranchs and flatworms, parrotfish and octopuses, Oceanic Mantas, and the brilliantly colored Mandarin Fish.
Maldives
For a more conventional excursion, visit the Maldives. The Maldives are made up of approximately 1200 islands and 22 atolls, and the atolls are amazing geographic formations. They result from volcanoes that have erupted under sea, leaving behind a ring-shaped rim outside the island center.
After the island center erodes into the sea, it is replaced by water – a lagoon – which the outer rim protects from the movement and currents of the open ocean. This is an atoll! They are so large, though, as to encompass numerous (for instance over 80!) islands. As a result, these islands are surrounded by peaceful “lagoon” waters, in the open Indian Ocean!
If you go snorkeling in the Maldives, there is an incredible variety of marine animals and plants to see. There are whale sharks, many species of coral, sea turtles, reef sharks, manta rays, mangroves, sea grasses, and more. The biodiversity in this area is so notable that Baa Atoll was made into a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.
Capital Cities
Hanoi, Vietnam
Visit Vietnam! You can see the current capital, Hanoi, in the North, and then bop down to see the old capital of South Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City (previously called Saigon). Although Hanoi will be cold, HCMC should be temperate at this time of year, cooler than the usual scorching heat.
Since it is the dry season, you also shouldn’t have to worry about big rainstorms putting a damper on the bustle of the city. Things to do include visiting Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum. Pick up some refreshing beers at a Bia hoi; go to the Opera House in the Old Quarter, which bears the strong imprint of the French colonial past; and visit the Temple of Literature, which students have long visited to pray for the outcomes of their exams.
If you decide to also hop down the country to Ho Chi Minh City, which is arguably the cultural and economic “capital”, there is much more to see. There are landmarks to visit such as the Saigon Opera House, Jade Emperor Pagoda, the Giac Lam Pagoda, and Notre Dame Cathedral. Another “must-see” is the Remnants Museum. This is a sobering, but worthwhile, museum on the Vietnam War (or the war with America) that highlights the perspectives of Vietnamese victims.
Otherwise, get off the beaten tourist track in HCMC and eat seafood in District 4. Or take a cruise on the Mekong. Lastly, although this year the Tet festival is in early February, sometimes the lunar new year falls in January. This draws large crowds of visitors, and can be an argument for or against visiting then!
Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand, is an incredible city unto itself with an incredibly robust tourist industry. January is a good time to visit Bangkok if you want temperate weather. You’ll always find amazing street food and street markets there, as well as the famed Thai massages, Buddhist temples, and a royal palace.
In terms of logistics, there are good connecting flights from Bangkok to other parts of Asia, and you can find very affordable lodging here. Plus, there are also river cruises to temples in other parts of Thailand, and you can easily access popular beaches.
Traveling in Asia is a wonderful luxury, for which to maintain great gratitude to your host community. You can find gems of cultural interest, mind blowing food, natural beauty, winter activities, and sun. Let us know what you do during your trip, and how you feel about it!