Korea marks Christmas as a public holiday – but most people use the time to travel, shop, or ski. And in December, the country turns it on: snowy palace gardens in Seoul, glowing LED light tunnels in city parks, and ski fields just a couple hours from the capital.

Ski in the day, eat sizzling street food at night. Try hotteok (sweet pancakes) or bubbling kimchi stew. Wander old palace grounds lit up for winter. Korea combines urban energy with mountain air – fast, fun, and easy to do from Australia.

Our top Korea Christmas travel ideas:

👉 Essential Korea

👉 Korea Highlights

👉 Seoul Stopover

Why you’ll love it: Direct flights, easy ski access, and a fresh take on winter that feels like a cultural deep-dive.

There’s something quietly spectacular about Japan in winter. Couples book romantic dinners on December 25. Children unwrap gifts and eat shortcake. And yes, that KFC dinner thing? It's real. But it's oshōgatsu – Japanese New Year – that defines the season. Shrines overflow with visitors making hatsumōde (the year's first prayer).

With InsideJapan, our sister company, you can join a Small Group Tour through major cities or head to snowy mountain towns, where steam rises from bubbling natural springs.

👉 Must-See Japan Small Group Tour (solo-friendly)
👉 Golden Route (short and sweet)
👉 Mountains & Culture Family Holiday

Why we love it: It’s Australian summer holidays, there’s snow but no need to fly to Hokkaido, and group tours make it easy.

Across Southeast Asia, December traditions mix Catholic mass with Buddhist merit-making and lantern-lit riversides.

In Vietnam, locals haul Christmas trees across the city on mopeds. In Luang Prabang, Laos, you can wake at dawn on New Year’s Day to give alms to monks in saffron robes – a spiritual reset for the year ahead.

Our top Southeast Asia Christmas travel ideas:

👉 Mekong Explorer Cruise

👉 Vietnam’s Landscapes

👉 Laos by Rail

Why we love it: Warmer than home, culturally rich, and great for solos or couples seeking something more meaningful than another backyard BBQ.

Malaysia celebrates Christmas with enthusiasm – and lights. Shopping malls like Pavilion KL deck out their halls with giant trees, glittering archways, and festive food stalls. It’s hot, it’s fun, and it’s inclusive: Malaysians often celebrate multiple festivals, from Diwali to Chinese New Year to Christmas.

After the city sparkle, head to Langkawi or Penang for warm seas and slower days. Wake to the call of hornbills instead of a Boxing Day sales alarm.

Our top Malaysia Christmas travel idea:

👉 City to the Beach

Why we love it: Warm water, short flights, and a low-fuss way to get both city and beach in one.

Thailand is a majority-Buddhist country, but Christmas is visible in its elaborate light displays and hotel tree-lighting ceremonies.

On Christmas Day, you might be eating pad thai on a beach while a local band plays Coldplay covers under fairy lights strung between palm trees. In Bangkok, fireworks arc over the Chao Phraya River, best seen from a rooftop bar or a boat deck.

Our top Thai Christmas travel ideas:

👉 Wild Thailand Family Adventure

👉 Classic Thailand with a Twist

👉 Highlights of Thailand

Perfect for: Families and curious explorers – overland travel options makes avoiding airports easy, if you’d rather, and laid-back beach fire shows are a hit at any age.