Although Christmas in not a public holiday in China; it is celebrated with the same grandeur and glamour exhibited in more opulent nations. Like Valentine’s Day or any other commercial festival, Christmas brings with it plenty of decoration and a whole festive holiday spirit. When you look at the many streets lined with sparkling Christmas trees and hear Christmas carols echo in the distance, you would really be surprised that Christmas is not a religious festival in China. Despite Christianity not being a primary religion in China, the country houses a substantial amount of churches. After all, China does have a population of 1.3 billion people and the Christians, according to statistics, make about 2 % of this population. Nevertheless the younger generation of China …

December heralds the festive season and even in a tropical paradise like Sri Lanka one can enjoy Christmas and New Year celebrations. A great place to experience these festivities is at a Sri Lanka beach hotel where you can herald in the New Year amidst stunning coastal landscapes. Located along the shores, Mermaid Hotel & Club is one such option and is an ideal Kalutara hotel which gives one a chance to have ceremonies on the beach too. The best place to visit during the Christmas season is the commercial capital Colombo. The city is decked out in a variety of decorations and colourful lights as shops, malls and retail outlets go all out when it comes to festive décor. During this period one can also find a wide …

Christmas time in the Maldives is a good a time as any to celebrate the festive season and enjoy fun times with loved one. Finding the right kind of accommodation during this period is all important and a good choice would be to stay at Maldives spa resorts where you can enjoy some rejuvenating treatments. One of the leading Maldives resorts in this regard is Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas which is an ideal place for a family holiday too. During Christmas time in the Maldives it is customary to see some homes adorned with various colours and decorations including pine branches. Families are known to get together on Christmas day and share in a meal, while kids love the customary exchanging of gifts. The resorts …

Sri Lanka is a beautiful island paradise that has to be on a travellers list. Without this place, any list is deemed incomplete. The people, the culture and so much more is something all tourists look forward to. Through not hailing from a Christian culture, Sri Lanka has strong influences of the Christianity and Catholicism due to colonial rule that governed the island in the past. There is a rich heritage left behind and therefore many Sri Lankans today celebrate the globally renowned festival of Christmas. Christmas in Sri Lanka is a great time of the year owing to the wonderful tropical climate and beautiful island. Christmas and New Year celebrations happen mostly on beachside simply because Sri Lanka is an island paradise and surrounded …

Renowned as Asia’s Christmas epicenter, the metropolitan landscapes of the Lion City transforms into a winter wonderland, come the month of December. Perfectly suited for those who wish to spend a Christmas in a tropical paradise, the month-long programme of festivities organized by the city this year offers visitors from around the world a rage of yuletide attractions infused with plenty of Christmas spirit. One of the must-have experiences in Singapore during the Christmas season is of course a tour of the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ “Walk the Trees of the World” enclosure where the pathway from the Bandstand to the Tanglin Core showcases an impressive 200 Christmas trees. Dubbed “tropical” Christmas trees, the elaborately decorated trees each represent a culture and country displaying the national …

The colourful celebration of Deepavali is one of the most significant festivals for Hindu communities around the world. The Hindu faithful form a significant proportion of the residents of Singapore and are concentrated in the neighbourhood of Little India. Deepavali or the Festival of Lights as the occasion is also known occurs in the latter part of the year and is much looked forward to. The festival celebrates good overcoming evil and the victory of light over darkness. There are many legends associated with this occasion. The story goes that there was once a tyrannical ruler called Narakasura who oppressed his subjects. The people appealed to Lord Krishna for help and the deity duly vanquished and killed the tyrant. To welcome the victorious Lord Krishna …