Final Call: Get Out of Beijing for Chinese New Year to These Awesome Travel Destinations

If you've got no money, click away from this blog now. We mean it, because prices to get out of Beijing are astronomical at the moment. But, did you get a massive bonus? Did you just get paid? Have you discovered you're not as broke as you thought? Take a look at these destinations for your final chance to escape Beijing this Spring Festival.

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Where to Indulge in the Malaysian Capital: Tips to Enjoy Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia, a tropical country in South-East Asia. Depending on one’s perspective, the country is either enriched with sunshine and people are blessed with sun-kissed skin, or it’s cursed with year-long summer weather and people are suffocating in the humidity. Nevertheless, the locals love living there and tourists flock to the city to get a feeling of the relaxing lifestyle. KL, as it’s more commonly known, is a melting pot of mouthwatering food, world-class shopping, outdoor adventures, culture and history. Don’t know where to start? Read on and begin planning your next trip.

Awe-Inspiring Temples and Bohemian Living With a Short Break in Siem Reap
Siem Reap is the main jumping off point for the UNESCO World Heritage listed Angkor Archeological Park, home to the ancient cities and temple complexes of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom (and many more). The town itself is understandably touristy, yet maintains a relaxed, bohemian vibe, with world-class wining and dining options, and a thriving creative scene. A four-night stay is enough to visit the majority of the major temples and fit in some quality time shopping and relaxing in the town center.

Chasing the Sun: The Best Short-Haul Winter Getaways from Beijing
There are plenty of things to love about winter in Beijing – ice skating on Houhai, a glass of mulled wine after a stroll in the hutongs, shopping for thermal underwear in Uniqlo – but there’s no denying that the sub-zero temperatures and bone-chilling winds can wear you down. While Beijing isn’t as well positioned for short hops around Southeast Asia as, say, Guangzhou, there are still plenty of destinations within an easy four to five hour direct flight that afford a sunny getaway.

November and December can be tricky months to travel in Southeast Asia. Towards the beginning of November, many cheap and cheerful destinations will experience their final month of monsoon rain. December is better, although note that this is considered high season for many Asian destinations, so prices are higher.

Heritage and Hospitality with a Short Break in Hoi An
Just a four-hour flight away from Beijing, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed ancient town of Hoi An is the ideal destination for a short break from Beijing, offering a blend of beaches, sight seeing, and incredible food. The nearest airport is Da Nang International Airport, a short 45-minute drive away from central Hoi An. China Eastern flies direct to Da Nang twice a week, or alternatively Vietnam Airlines flies to Da Nang via Hanoi.

Thong Lor: Bangkok's Hot Old Neighborhood
Bangkok has a lot of cool nightlife areas, and its relaxed atmosphere and warmer weather make it an easier place to hang out after hours than our fair city. Of late, no neighborhood in Bangkok has sucked up as much heat and light as Thong Lor. It’s not exactly a new area, but some new bars and restaurants are drawing the spotlight back on this part of town. It’s a bit like Zoolander: Thong Lor is so hot right now. 

Osaka: The Best Place to Eat in Japan? Let Your Tastebuds be the Judge
Although it is the second or third largest city in Japan, depending on which metric you go by, Osaka doesn’t make it onto the itineraries of as many tourists as Japan’s other megacity, Tokyo. As a result of comprehensive bombing during World War II, Osaka is a mostly modern city (even its castle is a concrete reconstruction) but its bustling commercial character and outstanding food makes for a welcome break from the historical sites of nearby Kyoto. ANA, JAL, and Air China all offer direct flights to Kansai International Airport, 38km southeast of Osaka. The flight takes around three and a half hours, the perfect length for a weekend break.

Kyoto: A Short Break in the Thousand-Year-Old Capital
Indisputably Japan’s most beautiful city, and formerly capital of Japan for more than one thousand years, it’s hard to sum up the cultural and historical riches that Kyoto has to offer on one short page. From iconic temples and shrines to hidden Zen gardens, and on to winding alleyways where geisha still entertain guests, Kyoto should be top of the itinerary for any visitor to Japan. The best times to visit Kyoto are fall and spring, during the fall foliage and sakura viewing seasons, respectively, but the climate is temperate enough to make year-round visits a possibility.

We love Kyoto: read our secondary guide here.

Hiroshima: A Once Devastated City Now Rich with History, Warmth, and … Okonomiyaki
It is unlikely that Hiroshima will shake its reputation as the first city to be the victim of a nuclear bomb, but far from tumbling into despondency as one might after such extreme shock, the city shows few signs of the trauma that devastated it 70 years ago. Instead, the Japanese coastal municipality has woven the events of August 6, 1945 into its conscious narrative while embracing outside influences, which posits it as the perfect getaway, rich with history and modern touches, and surrounded by smaller cities of exceeding beauty.

A Precarious Balance Between Wildlife and Metropolis: Four Things to Do in and Around Nairobi
The capital of Kenya, Nairobi, is rather verdant, especially to someone coming in straight from a loufang inside the rather concrete Second Ring Road. The shift from the occasional hutong weasel eating trash to lions eating larger things was exactly the change of scenery I was looking for. 

The Caucasus: Unmatched Hospitality, Stunning Architecture, and Deep House
Upon announcing to my friends and family that I’d be spending my summer vacation in the Caucasus, the general reaction was “where in the hell?” Admittedly, the three countries that sit on the Caucasus Mountains – Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia – nestled between Turkey, Russia, and Iran as well as the Black and Caspian Seas, are not the world’s biggest tourist hotspots, but that’s not to say that each is not brimming with its own charm, arising from the territory’s tumultuous history. The region is a breeding ground for warring states battling over resource-rich and strategic land (some ongoing), making it one of the most ethnically and religiously diverse places on the planet. When coupled with its extremely sumptuous ecology and the unmatched hospitality from its people, the 10-hour flight from Beijing (approximately RMB 2,200 each way) is more than worth it.

Visiting Corfu, Xanadu of the West with Sea, Beaches, Mountains, and Local Delicacies
When you spot “A” for August in your calendar, your office is empty, and everyone is posting holiday pictures, one thing becomes clear: it is the season to get out. This year, the summer itch beckoned stronger than most, so I put aside my usual Southeast Asian antics, and headed to Corfu in Greece with the coolest family, a 13-hour flight west plus an hour from Athens.

Ethiopian Escapades: What to See in Northern Ethiopia
During Spring Festival, I spread my wings beyond the usual Southeast Asian travel destinations, and went on a tour of East Africa. In Ethiopia, we decided to visit the northern part of the country using Awaze Tours. They took us from the busting capital of Addis Ababa to the mysterious northern city of Axum in six days.

Visiting Yunnan: A Bountiful Paradise South of the Clouds
Flanked by Tibet, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam, China’s southern province of Yunnan presents a stunning mixture of Tibetan and Southeast Asian cultures. Yunnan holds 25 of China’s 55 officially recognized ethnic minorities and a plethora of rich topographical sights and weekend escapes, making it infinitely explorable, wonderfully diverse, and permeating it with a vibe that can only be described as laidback.

– Robynne Tindall, Steven Schwankert, Tom Arnstein, and Tracy Wang contributed to this blog.

More stories by this author here.

Email: margauxschreurs@truerun.com
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Photos: Robynne Tindall, Stephane Bidouze, Margaux Schreurs, Tom Arnstein, Tracy Wang, Annie Lin