WINTER HOTSPOTS

If plunging temperatures leave you, well, cold, then take your winter break closer to the equator in a couple of less-visited places where the season’s main shift is to bring drier weather.

Cambodia: Most people’s first trip to the country revolves around Angkor and a visit to Phnom Penh’s Pol Pot-era memorials. But rather than focus on what lies behind us, why not look forward, putting your money into projects helping today’s young build a brighter future?

One example is the Song Saa Foundation, supported by the south coast private island resort of the same name that aims to preserve the coastal environment while also supporting education and livelihoods in local villages ( songsaa.com).

Inland, Betreed in Kampong Thom is a rustic jungle getaway where you spend your days in the company of sharp-eyed local guides, learning about the forest, the animals that call it home and the Angkor-era ruins that it conceals ( betreed.com).

Myanmar: It may seem like everyone you know in Asia has already been, but the possibilities here are just beginning to be tapped. Bagan, Popa and Inle Lake are inevitable highlights for most first-timers, but what about chaining them together by bike with an operator such as Grasshopper ( grasshopperadventures.com) or Spice Roads ( spiceroads.com)?

In a country where oxen are more common than private cars outside the biggest cities, pedal power is ideal for moving at the pace of locals. Say hi to farmers and teachers on the way to work, expect to wave more in a day than you do in a year back home, and just try to keep from grinning when an entire school playground runs over to high-five you as you pass by.