Here’s where to get away from it all next Christmas

By MiNDFOOD

Beautiful beach with palm trees lounge chairs, beach volleyball net and beach huts on Castaway Island under blue summer sky. Mamanuca Islands, Fiji, Melanesia, South Pacific Ocean.
Beautiful beach with palm trees lounge chairs, beach volleyball net and beach huts on Castaway Island under blue summer sky. Mamanuca Islands, Fiji, Melanesia, South Pacific Ocean.

If Christmas 2018 was just all too much for you, and you vow to get away from it all this year, consider these six dream destinations.

By Carla Grossetti

Claus and effect: not everyone enjoys a jolly good knees-up with the extended family. Here are six destinations to put on your Christmas wish list for 2019.

Krabi, Thailand
A short break in Krabi, Thailand allows time for proper relaxation. Being mainly a Buddhist country, the Thais don’t really celebrate Christmas but they are happy to join the party and cater to tourists.  Instead of stressing about cooking the turkey, book into the Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort and outsource the Christmas feast before exploring the spectacular karst-studded seascape.

Castaway Island, Fiji

Want to spend Christmas Day in paradise? Holing up on Castaway Island in Fiji with your immediate family is one way to ensure you escape the yuletide frenzy. The island puts on a fab festive spread – a gala lunch buffet and a la carte dinner – and includes family activities such as pool volleyball and an international frog race. Expect a cameo from Santa, who arrives Fijiian style.

Waikiki Beach, Hawaii

The Hawaiians are pretty chilled. What pleases the residents also thrills visitors and what we love is that Christmas here has a Hawaiian touch. If your vision of Hawaii revolves around surf and the sand that vision will be realised at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort. Hold the Christmas pud in favour of hula pie at Duke’s Restaurant and put Christmas dinner on your wish list at the Reef Bar & Market Grill.

Colorado, US

Suppress your inner Grinch and head to Colorado for a white Christmas. Here, you can dip your toe in the water at 19 different hot springs dotted around the region, which is surrounded by national forest and the world’s deepest geothermal aquifer. The biggest luxury of all is not having to help with the washing up. 

Keramas Beach, Bali

Komune is located at Keramas on the East Coast of Bali and far from the craziness of Kuta. Christmas here is all about beachside relaxation with yoga, surfing, swimming the order of the day. There is a beach cub, health hub, night surfing, massage facilities and a mostly Aussie crowd so expect a merry Christmas with your new extended fam. Note: Santa may well be sporting a Bintang singlet and a braided white mane.

Kitzbuhel, Austria

Experience the Tirolean Christmas spirit in Kitzbuhel, a small mountain village that looks like a scene inside a snow dome. Each year visitors are invited to wend their way around the wintry wonderland via a Christmas themed trail. From open fireplaces to rustic log cabins and a market festooned with fairy lights in the main square, this is a top spot to enjoy some yuletide cheer. Here, the big day is Christmas Eve: embrace Tirolean tradition and enjoy a few glasses of gluhwein. 

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