Christmas travel swaps to help you escape the crowds
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Okay, so Christmas is less than three months away.
Let me guess: in your mind, you’re sitting somewhere between joy for a week or two off and dread at the domestic drudgery masked in a thin veil of Christmas spirit.
If you’re in the latter camp, you might just be thinking of escaping it all. A nice little holiday, a cute cocktail piled high with some skewered fruits, a quiet beach and a saucy work of fiction, or maybe even a European Christmas market or two.
The only problem is, you’re not the only one with this brilliant idea. Christmas, hands down, is the most chaotic time to travel, and finding a quiet beach will be like finding fairy lights that don’t tangle.
Let’s go around the globe and look at some destination swaps that might just find you a little room to breathe during the silly season.
Philippines
Forget El Nido, head to Dinagat Island.
El Nido in the Philippines is hands down one of the most stunning places on Earth. Limestone cliffs towering over aquamarine lagoons, incredible street food and island-hopping adventures galore. The downside? Everyone else knows it too. At Christmas, the town is teeming with Christmas dropouts just like you.
With more than 7000 islands in the Philippine archipelago, one small tweak to your final destination can change everything for you.
This Christmas, why not consider Dinagat Islands, a quieter archipelago off the coast of Mindanao? It has the same rugged cliffs and hidden lagoons as El Nido, but without the bustle of tour boats queuing at every cove. You can discover pristine white sand beaches, snorkel coral reefs and hike lush forest trails, and at this under-the-radar Christmas gem, you will feel like you’re actually on holiday and not just one of the crowd.
Europe
Forgo Rome for its quieter neighbour Ljubljana.
Italy is an eternal favourite, and for good reason. Nothing on planet earth comes close to the ancient grandeur of its capital, Rome. But at Christmas, it’s anything but serene. Packed with international and Italian travellers, you’re going to need some patience. Queues, crowds and high costs could ruin your dream holiday.
Yet just across the border sits Slovenia. It might come as a surprising alternative but hear me out:
Slovenia is wonderfully diverse, like a pocket-sized Europe all in one country.
Ljubljana, its capital, has one of Europe’s most charming Christmas markets, set along the Ljubljanica River. Lake Bled at Christmas looks like a scene from a snow globe, with its tiny island church and medieval castle dusted in snow, and Slovenia’s Julian Alps rival the Dolomites, but with a more laid-back vibe.
Slovenia will deliver all of Europe’s Christmas magic minus the mayhem, and you won’t even spare a thought for the queue at Rome’s Trevi Fountain.
South Pacific
Cook Islands instead of Fiji.
Fiji has really become the default South Pacific escape for Australians, and it’s understandable. The resorts are world-class, and the Fijians are well-versed in tourism. But during the Christmas period, you’ll take one look at the kids; clubs thronging with screaming four-year-olds and wish you were elsewhere.
If you’re looking for palm-fringed beaches, vibrant Polynesian culture and a more relaxed pace, consider the Cook Islands. With no multinational resort brands, tourism here is different. It’s more personal, and it’s on a far smaller scale.
Rarotonga, the main island, has a ring road you can circle in a car in under an hour. Small guest houses and boutique resorts are dotted on the pristine white beaches and are backed by mountainous jungle terrain that makes for a picturesque scene to your tropical escape.
All you’ll need to do here is grab that book and settle into the rhythm of the Pacific.
The United Kingdom
Make a beeline for Wales and forget England and Scotland.
I’d be lying if I said that London and Edinburgh at Christmas weren’t spectacular, but with that magic comes packed streets, insane hotel prices, and a sense that you’re competing with millions of others for every experience.
For something quieter but just as enchanting, head to Wales. Its compact cities and dramatic countryside offer a Christmas experience that blends history, culture, and landscapes, and all with fewer tourists.
Cardiff dresses up its castle and shopping arcades with twinkling lights, while smaller towns like Conwy or Hay-on-Wye feel like living fairy tales with stone walls, cosy pubs, and frosty hills.
Wales feels like the UK in miniature: festive, welcoming, and wonderfully unhurried.
Japan
Skip Kyoto and Osaka and head to Hokkaido.
Osaka is fast becoming known as a street food paradise, and Kyoto’s cobbled streets, history and picture-book temples are certainly bucket-list worthy, but maybe just not at Christmas when tourism hits a crescendo.
If you head north, the island of Hokkaido offers a different kind of Japanese holiday, especially if you want to don a pair of skis and hit the slopes.
Renowned for its powdery snow, resorts like Niseko and Furano are world-class for skiing, but beyond the slopes, you’ll find steaming outdoor onsens where snowflakes melt into the water around you and seafood markets where you can try the famous Hokkaido crab, as well as Christmas markets and illuminated festivals that will have you wondering if you’re actually in Europe. It’s festive, cosy, and a considerably less crowded way to spend the festive season.
