Viator picks: Winter in Japan, New Year's Eve in Hong Kong, or a New Year in New Zealand
Viator, a TripAdvisor company and the world’s leading provider for tours and experiences worldwide, offers tours in Asia Pacific region such as sledding and strawberry-picking in Japan. The
Ski Resort Sledding and Strawberry Picking Day Trip including Crab Lunch Buffet experience in Shinjuku, Japan is an 11-hour day trip from Tokyo that includes playing with snow at the winter wonderland of Norn Minakami Ski Resort, an included buffet lunch of fresh seafood and all-you-can-eat strawberry picking at a local farm.
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| Source: Viator website. Enjoy sledding as part of Viator's Ski Resort Sledding and Strawberry Picking Day Trip including Crab Lunch Buffet experience. |
For a taste of winter in Asia, consider whiling away New Year's Eve in Hong Kong. The 2017 Hong Kong New Year's Eve Fireworks Cruise puts you on board a three-deck vessel in the middle of Victoria harbour for a ringside seat of the fireworks on New Year's Eve. Enjoy the drinks and buffet-style snacks hospitality onboard and savour the skyline before the action begins.
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| Source: Viator website. The 2017 Hong Kong New Year's Eve Fireworks Cruise will provide an unbeatable view of the fireworks against the city's skyline. |
Or be one of the first people to welcome the new year with an overnight cruise by luxury catamaran in New Zealand. The Auckland Harbour and Hauraki Gulf Overnight Cruise includes sunset and sunrise over the Hauraki Gulf from the privacy of an ocean-view cabin. See the Auckland Harbour Bridge, Bean Rock Lighthouse and Devonport from Waitemata Harbour, then sail past Hauraki Gulf islands including Rangitoto and Waiheke. There will be time to snorkel, kayak or relax the sundeck while the craft anchors in a sheltered cove. Afternoon tea as well as dinner and a full breakfast are served on board.
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| Source: Viator website. Enjoy sunrise and sunset on board the Auckland Harbour and Hauraki Gulf Overnight Cruise, |
Interested?
The Ski Resort Sledding and Strawberry Picking Day Trip including Crab Lunch Buffet trip (tour code: 43454P2) costs US$100.10 and up. Book
The 2017 Hong Kong New Year's Eve Fireworks Cruise (tour code: 17423P13) costs US$280. Book
The Auckland Harbour and Hauraki Gulf Overnight Cruise (tour code: 3910HBOC) begins at US$216.90. Book
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End the year at Samujana, Koh Samui
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| Source: Samujana. The hilltop location of this boutique villa estate in Koh Samui, Thailand, affords guests spectacular views. |
Those who prefer to stay in one place from Christmas to New Year, a stay at Samujana, Koh Samui’s boutique villa estate, may be the answer. At just over three hours by air from Hong Kong and 90 minutes' flight from Singapore (plus a 10-minute drive from the airport), Samujana promises a hassle-free festive experience.
Guests are welcomed to join a number of celebrations happening at Samujana throughout the festive period, including pop-up barbecues, kickabouts on the lawn, volleyball tournaments, sunrise yoga, Muay Thai, arts and crafts sessions, and more. Fireworks will light up the estate’s hilltop location as Samujana ushers in 2017 in style, providing a fitting end to the year.
Amrita, one of the islands’ leading detox experts, will provide a wide range of beauty and relaxation for guests to recover from the celebrations in the privacy of their villa. For something more adventurous, guests can take advantage of exclusive charters with a choice of various sailing and motorboats - ideal for water-skiing, picnics on hidden beaches, snorkelling, sightseeing or for pure sailing pleasure.
Samujana’s selection of villas, including the newly unveiled and largest eight-bedroom villa, ensures ample space to entertain and celebrate. Bespoke Christmas and New Year escapes can be arranged.
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Christmas and New Year’s Eve at The Slate, Phuket
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| Source: The Slate, Phuket. Christmas celebrations at The Slate, Phuket. |
The Slate’s festive season kicks off with a visit from Santa and his Santarinas as they drop by The Slate’s Christmas Eve buffet dinner, and continue with festive music at Christmas dinner. The festivities continue with a circus-themed gala dinner for New Year’s Eve. Clowns, magicians, and stilt walkers will be on hand to greet guests. An after-party on the beach will usher in 2017, culminating in a blaze of fireworks.
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Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort has prepared an all-out festive season celebration for 2016, from Christmas celebrations to a year-end gala and New Year’s Eve party.
On Christmas Eve, sofitel patrons can revel in a Christmas Eve Buffet Dinner at Kwee Zeen, which will serve a seafood extravaganza among other festive favourites at IDR499,000++ per person. Cut Catch Cucina will be putting up a five-course degustation dinner which includes Christmas drinks, live acoustic band entertainment, and dinner starting from IDR799,000++ per person.
Cut Catch Cucina will feature a children's choir on Christmas Day. The brunch package starts from IDR899,000++ per person, inclusive of pool access.
The New Year’s Eve gala dinner includes an intimate acoustic performance from Indonesia-born Anggun, one of Asia’s most recognised performing artists and the embodiment of Indonesian charm and French elegance. Tickets to the gala start from IDR3,000,000++ per person. A lavish five-course dinner at the resort’s Gamelan Grand Ballroom starts at 8pm, after which guests proceed to the 2017 countdown party at Nikki Beach, where the resort’s beachfront will be illuminated by fireworks.
Interested?
Call +62 361 849 2888 or email H9078 at sofitel dot com with questions
Beach activities at the Maldives for Christmas and New Year
On Christmas Eve, sofitel patrons can revel in a Christmas Eve Buffet Dinner at Kwee Zeen, which will serve a seafood extravaganza among other festive favourites at IDR499,000++ per person. Cut Catch Cucina will be putting up a five-course degustation dinner which includes Christmas drinks, live acoustic band entertainment, and dinner starting from IDR799,000++ per person.
Cut Catch Cucina will feature a children's choir on Christmas Day. The brunch package starts from IDR899,000++ per person, inclusive of pool access.
The New Year’s Eve gala dinner includes an intimate acoustic performance from Indonesia-born Anggun, one of Asia’s most recognised performing artists and the embodiment of Indonesian charm and French elegance. Tickets to the gala start from IDR3,000,000++ per person. A lavish five-course dinner at the resort’s Gamelan Grand Ballroom starts at 8pm, after which guests proceed to the 2017 countdown party at Nikki Beach, where the resort’s beachfront will be illuminated by fireworks.
Interested?
Call +62 361 849 2888 or email H9078 at sofitel dot com with questions
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| Source: The Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort. |
The Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort has announced a festive programme of beach activities for Christmas and New Year. The beach resort in the south Maldives has organised activities from 19 December to 2 January, most of which are free.
The activities include complimentary yoga, guided snorkelling trips, morning meditation, fishing trips, beach barbecues, water polo, sushi making, a Southeast Asia culinary night, romantic sunset dinners, chilling by the pool (with an in-house DJ), discovering nearby castaway islands, a Moroccan evening, Japanese night, taichi on the beach, kayak racing, dolphin trips, snorkelling with a marine biologist, open air movies, and more.
The activities include complimentary yoga, guided snorkelling trips, morning meditation, fishing trips, beach barbecues, water polo, sushi making, a Southeast Asia culinary night, romantic sunset dinners, chilling by the pool (with an in-house DJ), discovering nearby castaway islands, a Moroccan evening, Japanese night, taichi on the beach, kayak racing, dolphin trips, snorkelling with a marine biologist, open air movies, and more.
Guests can also renew their vows on the beach, cross the equator to the ‘other side of the world’, surf, visiting local islands, including a private island for the day (with food and drinks), dining on the beach, as well as cook classes for Maldivian, Indian, Sri Lankan or Japanese cuisine.
Interested?
Interested?
Prices start from US$760/£621/€698 (plus 22% GST and service charge) per night for a 211 sq m beach villa with private pool, accommodation for two adults and two children, daily gourmet breakfast, and a daily three-course dinner. Prices are higher for Christmas to New Year's. View the 2016 Outrigger Konotta Holiday Campaign pricing
Call +960 790 2786 with questions, or email reservation dot konotta at outrigger dot mv.
Exclusive seasonal experiences around the world with Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas
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Exclusive seasonal experiences around the world with Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas
December
Take a galaxy-gazing journey in Oman on the rim of a canyon at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort. Revel in the vast night sky with a special movie night under the stars with popcorn and candy canes being served around the fire pit.
Christmas
Christmas
In Thailand, guests of Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort can step aboard an antique rice barge for Christmas dinner on a moonlight river cruise, or take in the Christmas sunset at Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas on a yacht cruise.
In Vietnam, Anantara Hoi An Resort guests will be invited to light a candle in a coloured lantern and make a wish as they release it on the river. Afterwards the riverside setting transforms into a fashion show of intricate Vietnamese costumes, and a sumptuous Christmas dinner ends in roasted marshmallows and chestnuts.
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
In Abu Dhabi, UAE, New Year’s Eve will be marked by a moveable feast at Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara with a ballroom gala dinner erupting into courtyard revelry with DJs, fire artists and fireworks lighting up over the desert of the Empty Quarter. For a uniquely exclusive way to ring in the New Year, Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara, also in Abu Dhabi, is offering the ultimate private party in its luxurious penthouse, which includes a banquet for up to 25 guests and access to the resort’s Pool Deck NYE Party.
Along one of Bali’s trendiest beaches, Anantara Seminyak Bali Resort is going all out on New Year’s Eve with a rooftop dining celebration to acoustic music as the sun sets on rushing surf, magician tricks and fabulous lucky draw prizes, getting party goers in the mood for a DJ pool party with free flow drinks and a beach bash to beats and fire dancers.
In Thailand’s cultural north, Anantara Chiang Mai Resort pays tribute to its 1920s colonial origins and heritage with a Gatsby New Year’s Eve gala, including Lanna street food and shows by an award-winning indigenous performer.
Along one of Bali’s trendiest beaches, Anantara Seminyak Bali Resort is going all out on New Year’s Eve with a rooftop dining celebration to acoustic music as the sun sets on rushing surf, magician tricks and fabulous lucky draw prizes, getting party goers in the mood for a DJ pool party with free flow drinks and a beach bash to beats and fire dancers.
In Thailand’s cultural north, Anantara Chiang Mai Resort pays tribute to its 1920s colonial origins and heritage with a Gatsby New Year’s Eve gala, including Lanna street food and shows by an award-winning indigenous performer.
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| Source: Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas. Elephants from the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort. |
The jungle midnight countdown at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort starts with views of three countries, seguing into a lavish poolside banquet and fireworks illuminating the hills of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.
In Bangkok, Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel’s choice of steakhouse, Italian, Thai and Japanese dining packages end with a late night celebration in the grand lobby to local DJ soundtracks while Anantara Sathorn Bangkok Hotel’s rooftop dining sashays into a pulsing after-party of live music, fire shows, and DJ beats and bubbles, overlooking a 360-degree view of the city.
New Year's Day
New Year’s Day culinary experiences make hangover cures a gourmet treat, inspired by iconic views – from the natural world wonder of Zambia’s Victoria Falls at The Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara, and Bali’s spectacular surf at Anantara Uluwatu Bali Resort, to free roaming Arabian wildlife at Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Resorts off the coast of Abu Dhabi.
A Maldivian seafood feast takes diners into 2017 with a selection of seafood caught fresh from the Indian Ocean accompanied by views from across the lagoon at Anantara Dhigu Resort. And to help revitalise and start the year well, Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort will be offering urban pampering to a whole new level with the advanced technology of Cool Shaping packages for the festive period.
A Maldivian seafood feast takes diners into 2017 with a selection of seafood caught fresh from the Indian Ocean accompanied by views from across the lagoon at Anantara Dhigu Resort. And to help revitalise and start the year well, Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort will be offering urban pampering to a whole new level with the advanced technology of Cool Shaping packages for the festive period.
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| Source: Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas. Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort. |
Interested?
Create a 2016 festive escape with Anantara
Read the WorkSmart Asia Singapore Year-end Gift Guides 2016 for technology and food
Create a 2016 festive escape with Anantara
Read the WorkSmart Asia Singapore Year-end Gift Guides 2016 for technology and food
