Traveling around Asia in December is a great escape for the holidays, but you’ll have to do a lot of searching for a White Christmas if it’s a priority. After packing the proper clothing, there are plenty of events, festivals, and activities to keep any visitor busy throughout the region.
Asia Weather
Temperatures in Southeast Asia will be even more pleasant than usual, with inclement weather less of a concern than at other times of the year. December is a comfortable month to travel to Thailand and neighboring countries, as the monsoon season ended in November. Rain is not a serious disruption, and the days are not as hot as they will be in March and April.
China, Japan, Korea and the rest of East Asia will be cold. You will have to escape to the southern parts of these countries to enjoy a more temperate climate. Seoul’s average temperature in December is 32 degrees, in Beijing’s cold, an average of 28 degrees is expected, and Tokyo does slightly better with an average temperature of 46 degrees.
Although Singapore maintains a fairly stable climate and receives rainfall throughout the year, December is usually the rainiest month of the year. Destinations like Bali and much of Indonesia will receive heavy rains in December. Bali and the neighboring islands are best enjoyed in the spring and summer months.
The Himalayan destinations in northern India and Nepal will be plagued with snow. Many mountain passes and trails are closed, but if you’re willing to brave the weather, low humidity and fresh snow provide the most impressive scenery on earth.
India
December is one of the best months to travel in much of India. Not only will the monsoon season be over, but the temperatures will also be bearable. You may be able to survive on just three showers a day instead of the usual four needed to survive the daily temperature of over 100 degrees in New Delhi. Rajasthan (desert state of India) enjoys pleasantly cooler nights than usual during December. As long as it doesn’t get too high, almost all of India enjoys pleasant weather in December.
If India is too busy, December is a good time to catch a low-cost flight to Sri Lanka to spend some time on the beach in the southern part of the island.
Better climate
During December, these countries offer warm, sunny days and cool, comfortable nights.
- Thailand, especially the west coast (Koh Lanta and other Thai islands)
- Vietnam
- Laos
- Cambodia
- Burma
- Southern Sri Lankan beaches like Unawatuna
- Langkawi Island and the western side of Malaysia
- India
- Rajasthan, India (the weather is more comfortable than usual)
Worst time
Pack a parka and an umbrella if you are heading to these places that are likely to be cold and rainy.
- Malaysian Borneo (rain)
- Sumatra (rain)
- Kuala Lumpur (rain)
- Bali (rain)
- Perhentian Islands in Malaysia (rain)
- Central China including Beijing (cold)
- Northern parts of Japan (cold)
- Korea (cold)
- North India (cold / closures)
- Highest elevations in Nepal (cold / closures)
Festivals and events
Any of these big festivals and vacations in Asia can affect your travel plans if you are in the area. Note that December 31 is celebrated as New Years Eve by expat communities and some Asians, however not with as much enthusiasm as the Western world. The real celebration begins about a month later with the start of the Lunar New Year, commonly called the Chinese New Year.
- Christmas: (December 25) Christmas is celebrated with enthusiasm in some Asian countries, especially the Philippines.
- King’s Birthday in Thailand: (December 5 and July 28) King Bhumibol’s birthday on December 5 is an annual event in Thailand. After his death in 2016, the birthday of the new King of Thailand is July 28. The monarch is honored with fireworks, candles, and a moment of silence.
- Dongzhi Festival in China: (Dates vary, but around December 22 of each year). The Winter Solstice Festival in China welcomes the arrival of winter.
- Thailand Full Moon Party: (Monthly; one party for Christmas and one for New Year’s Eve on December 31) Although the party is held monthly, the December party is especially loud.
- Shogatsu in Japan: (starts around December 30) The Japanese New Year is one of the favorite festivals in Japan. The epicenter of the celebration is in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
- Emperor of Japan’s Birthday: (December 23) The Emperor of Japan’s birthday is one of two days a year that people have access to the palace grounds in Tokyo.
Christmas in asia
Although mainly adopted from the West, Christmas has become something of a “thing” in Asia with Christmas celebrations throughout Asia. Goa in India has a considerable Christmas celebration, as does the Philippines.
For the most part, December 25 is just another work day, but there are still a few places to celebrate the holidays. Without a doubt, the Philippines, the largest Catholic country in Asia, is the most enthusiastic about celebrating Christmas . The country kicks off the Christmas spirit with Christmas music and sees decorations in early October. Singapore has many expats, foreign workers, and many Western-influenced trends, making it another good location to get into the Christmas spirit.
While Christmas in Asia is certainly not the large-scale commercial event that it is in the United States, large malls can give Christmas a thank you by decorating trees or holding special sales.
