Want to escape Christmas this year? Fancy a festive activity break? Lucky for you we have pulled together 10 of the best Christmas adventure holidays.
While most of us love Christmas for some it is a difficult time, so getting away from it all can make a big difference. Although even hardcore Crimbo fans should consider experiencing something different every once in a while.
Just because you’re abroad it doesn’t mean that Christmas goes on holiday. There’s plenty of destinations that really go all out for the traditional celebrations. Likewise there are places where Christmas is not celebrated at all, or where the celebrations are very different.
So, as much as family feasting is tempting, there’s a whole world out there full of adventures waiting for you. Why not have a Christmas with a difference, throw caution to the wind and get away for a change?
If you are looking for a festive activity break any of the top 10 below will offer something different.
We start with the the five best Christmas adventure holidays if you are looking for a Christmassy Christmas. This is followed by the top five options where you can leave the reindeer and the elves far behind.
Here are five great destinations for a Christmas holiday with all the trimmings.
Fancy a white Christmas? Then head to Finland!
There’s so much snow that skis, dog sledding or a reindeer sleigh is often the best way to get around. Lapland is the spiritual home of Santa, so expect grottos and reindeer, elves and ice hotels and a visit by the big man himself.
If you want to spend Christmas in Lapland there is not much better than Ruka. It is a ski resort with 25 km of slopes, that also offers snowmobiling, ice climbing, dog sledding, snowshoeing, ice fishing, horse riding and much more.
Canada has some of the most majestic mountains and one of the best snow records. Canadians like their Christmas feasts as much as we do, so it’ll be familiar fare, just a lot more exciting.
There are many ski resorts in Canada, but Whistler is well known as one of the world’s best. It is the largest ski area in North America with an excellent snow record and great snowparks.
The southern hemisphere enjoys it’s summer while we are shivering our way through December. So Australia’s Christmas is best for fun on the beach with world class surf and scuba diving.
That’s not to say they forget about Christmas. Aussies are one of the most enthusiastic nations when it comes to a celebration. Mix up Christmas with all sorts of activities in Australia and be sure to grab a Christmas ‘barbie’ on the beach.
Germans love their grub and love Christmas. Even in the middle of winter there is hiking, biking and rock climbing to enjoy. Christmas markets, meat heavy feasts and opening presents on Christmas eve. What’s not to like on this festive activity break!
Nowhere does apres ski like Austria, with Ischgl, St Anton, Mayrhofen and Solden all pretty mental. So if you want to escape the traditional day with the family and party hard there’s no better Christmas experience than skiing in Austria.
Austria also goes in for Christmas in a big way. So you will still get plenty of festive cheer on what is undoubtedly one of the best Christmas adventure holidays.
Want a festive activity break with a difference? These five options offer you a chance to escape from Christmas:
Located near the tropic of cancer the Canaries have the perfect year round climate. Even in the winter night time temperatures rarely drop below 15°C, and it is usually in the twenties during the day.
But for windsurfers and kiteboarders it’s the wind and waves they crave. And the Canary Islands has them in abundance! Some of the best Canary Island kitesurfing and windsurfing can be found in Fuerteventura, but all of the islands have good spots.
Where better to take your festive activity break than on the clean, white shores of a Caribbean island? There are hundreds of these gems to choose from, so it’s always easy to discover your own special hideaway.
Find the right spot and you can avoid Christmas all together – or at least Christmas as you know it. And there are endless water sports to take your mind off any festivities you encounter.
You can try everything from surfing to sailing, kitesurfing to kayaking and SUP to scuba diving and wakeboarding to windsurfing. Plus of course the laid back Caribbean lifestyle is not bad either!
Take the opportunity to visit China and travel around as much of this fascinating land as possible. China is evolving faster than most people can keep up with, but they haven’t started celebrating Christmas – yet.
So take your Christmas presents with you. You can then open them while hiking on the UNESCO world heritage Great Wall of China.
Or visit bustling Beijing to pick up some gifts there. Take in this unique culture on one of the best Christmas adventure holidays to avoid the festivities.
With a fantastic mix of cultural sites and exciting activities to try, you’ll be too busy to bother with Santa and his little helpers. Mexico has embraced eco-tourism so you can have a festive activity break that comes with green credentials.
Inland you should explore the ruins of the ancient Aztec civilisation and head into the jungle. Christmas can be spent on the beach surfing, kitesurfing or windsurfing. Or you could scuba dive in the world famous cenote cave system.
The best time of year to go trekking in Nepal is from September to November. December falls outside this range and winter will be in full swing, but there is still great trekking to be enjoyed.
Obviously winter weather in the Himalayas can be cold, windy and snowy. But if you stay at low altitudes it can be a lovely time to hit the trail in Nepal.
Do you agreee with these best Christmas adventure holidays? Let us know in the comments below. If you fancy a festive activity break then check out our adventure travel discounts as you could save a fortune.