Top 5 places in Asia to experience winter wonderland

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas . . .” Back on my childhood, listening to the lyrics of this song, as my eyes closed and the fan on “high”, imagining playing in the cold, making snowman, throwing snowballs etc. are the only things that I can do so my mind can create an illusion that I was not living in the tropical paradise of the Philippines. I know not only me, but other Asians as well love to experience the cold weather and the snow that we can only feel when we travel somewhere in northern Asia.

Researching online is my way to feed my wanderlust and to feed my mental focus. I came into these 5 Asian destinations that you could go to experience a cold Christmas.

Number 5 – Northern Philippines
(Sagada mountain province)

A 12 hour rough bus ride from Manila will take you this lush countryside, in the mountainous province of Cordillera. Here you can experience a cold temperature with the highest point of 20C all year round and much colder from November to February. In this province it can take your mind into the lives of early Filipino mountain people in terms that you will learn how the live, make clothes as well as being mesmerised by the famous Hanging Coffins (yes you heard it right, Hanging Coffins!) inside the caves. Surely this province is worth the hassle!

Number 4 – Baguio City (Benguet province)

A closer 6 hour bus ride from Manila, will take you to this city. As Manila is the known capital city of the Philippines, Baguio City rather is known as the summer capital of the Philippines. In this mountain region, you will experience a temperature that will range from 8 – 20C daily. This city is famous from the world renown Flower Festival and known for their award winning vegetables and strawberries. As well as housing the summer house of the President of the Philippines and a gateway for most of the Philippine Military, the PMA Philippine Military Academy. Don’t forget to try the famous sweets that you could only buy in this city!

Number 3 – Cameroon Highlands (Pahang, Malaysia)

3rd on our list is one of the most visited places of the locals as well as foreign tourists to experience the cold. If you love a sip of the freshest tea of all as well as jungle and walking and early morning walk, this is the place to be. Did you know that you can see the world’s biggest flower, the Raffalesia can also be seen in this place!? It’s just a 35 Ringgit (roughly 275B) and less than 5 hours to travel by bus from Kuala Lumpur to the Cameroon Highlands in Pahang. Come on let’s go!

Number 2 – Hanoi (Vietnam)

This place for me is my 2nd to top choice if you want to feel cold weather without leaving Southeast Asia. Hanoi is often called the “Paris of Asia” as you can see the Parisian influence in most of the buildings and structures in this glorious city. This city is the coldest from October to February, I can still remember the first time I visited Hanoi and I was not prepared for the cold weather that really put chills to your bones! Some of the places that you could visit in this city are the Hanoi Opera House, President’s Palace and the very famous Dong Xuan market. Oh, did I forget, try exploring Hanoi by renting a motorbike to be sure to complete the experience.

Number 1 – Chiang Rai (Northern Thailand)

The top of my list belongs to the place that I really fell in love with especially the cold breeze and the cold winter weather. This place is somehow unknown to most tourists as they know more about Chiang Mai. If you’ve never been to this place, book your tickets now as I know you will be missing an enchanted view in your lifetime. This province is a more countryside view of Chiang Mai that will give you picturesque view of the Sunrise at the Fu Chi Fah Cliff and see the Mekong River and parts of Laos, maybe it will entice you to see the Boon Rawd Farms in which you can zipline into trees, flowers and tea plantation around. I could not say more as you really need to visit that place and enjoy it the same as I did. I can still remember sitting on the bench of my rented house as I was drinking a cup of Chiang Rai’s finest tea leaves. Ahhhh . . . .

How bout you? Why don’t you try to visit the places on my list? As most of this you’ll just spend less than 500USD to do your own adventure. Now, as I was writing this article, I am now sitting at Suvarnabhumi Airport together with my wife Angelika and our expat friends, Quinton and Colleen as we are off to explore Krabi! Byeeeeee!