4 Creative Ways to Spend Your Winter Break in Asia

Forget catching up on laundry. Adventure awaits.

When it comes to winter break, there are two types of people: those who spend it on the couch, catching up on laundry, inhaling whole seasons of Game of Thrones, eating mountains of comfort food and watching the snow fall, and those who strap on the winter gear, fly to Nepal to hire a guide and spend the week picking their way up to the roof of the world. Delightful and rejuvenating as the former may be, this guide is for the latter.

1. Get a dive certificate on the Gili Islands in Indonesia.

These three tiny islands lie just off the northwest coast of Lombok, Indonesia, itself just a hop, skip and jump from Bali. No cars are allowed on the islands, but all three are small enough to walk or bike. If you’re lucky, you might catch a horse-drawn carriage, of which there are a few throughout the area.

The diving around the Gilis is spectacular, with marine life and coral formations in abundance. Divemaster courses, experience programs and other certifications classes are available up to the professional level, at competitive prices. Dive shops pay fisherman not to fish in the area between Gili Trawangan and Gili Meno, making it the ideal place to enjoy the Gilis’ marine magic.

Each of the three islands has its own feel; there’s Gili Trawangan, the party island; Gili Air, the family island; and Gili Meno, the ultra-relaxo quiet island, ideal for lovers or honeymooners. Take the term “party island” with a grain of salt, since even Gili T is quite relaxed.

All three islands have small resorts for tourists, usually with a pool and restaurant. This is a great place to have a rural experience of Indonesia. When you tire of diving and lounging on the beach, hop on over to Bali, which is little more than a boat ride away.

Avoid the southern part of Bali, most of which is built up with nightclubs and resorts for Aussie tourists, so much so that it’s earned a reputation as the Australian Cancun. Just a little further off the beaten track, however, are beautiful temples, rice paddies, serene open fields, funky yoga studios, retreats and many lovely, traditional places to stay.

2. Canoe the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River in Palawan, Philippines.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a two-tiered river and national park in Palawan, Philippines. For a long time the Puerto Princesa was considered to be the world’s longest underground river, before geologists discovered an even longer one in the Yucatan Peninsula.

The Southern Philippines Palawan Adventure from G Adventures is an affordable eight-day tour that  takes small groups on kayaks past kilometres of limestone karst mountains that frame the Puerto Princesa, and into deep caves where ancient stalactite and stalagmite formations hang from overhead, into a secret world of 300-metre wide cave domes and large underground chambers.

Palawan is the ideal place to experience underexplored parts of Southeast Asia, both under and above ground. The tour takes you past miles of pristine beaches with not a soul in sight, over smooth turquoise ocean and past the limestone karsts of El Nido. 

Some would-be tourists are unsure about visiting after the worst typhoon ever to hit the country, but Richard de Villa of the Philippines’ Department of tourism insists, “97 percent of the country is unaffected.” Now is actually a great time to visit, since the country relies heavily on tourism dollars to bolster its economy.

3. Hideaway with your lover in Phu Quoc, Vietnam.

This hideaway island paradise is still relatively unknown to the Western world. There are no crowds, few people and no one to complain when you and yours want to do a midnight skinny dip. There’s good snorkelling, scuba diving and jet skiing in the area, and if you’re on a budget, try squid fishing and barbecuing your own dinner.

The night markets are ideal for a late evening seafood fix. Some say it’s a bit of a tourist trap, but it’s worth at least a walk through after a long day in bed. Hotels are available to suit a range of budgets.

4. Rent a Harley and bike up the coast from Hoi An to Hanoi, Vietnam.

Hoi An is a traditional town with beautifully maintained architecture, which explains why it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This well-preserved Asian trading port is worth a bike tour in itself and, with its abundance of local tailors, is also a good place to have clothes custom made on a budget.

Rent a Harley and do you own DIY bike tour up through coastal towns back to Hanoi. (Inexperienced riders can rent a semi-automatic or a scooter). Bike rental shops will often transport your luggage for you so that you can enjoy the tour fancy free. It takes two or three days to make the trip.

A guide isn’t a bad idea either. Hoi An Motorbike Tours is well-reviewed and does a tour of the Ho Chi Minh trail that circles back to Hoi An. Bikers stay in hill tribe bungalows, explore jungles and mountains, and ride through the central highlands and into Phong Nha National Park.

A good guide can add a lot to the adventure (not to mention keep you from accidentally crossing the border into Laos), take you to some off-the-track gems, deal with the language barrier, and help find the best eateries and shops.

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