LAST-MINUTE CHRISTMAS

Cast aside your crackers and crosswords, and take a last-minute trip to an unexpected Christmas destination with Alex Andersson

Going anywhere an at Christmas is usually us a bit of a mission, especially especia for the spontaneous (read: ead: disorganised) d sorgan last-minute travellers among mong us. Everyone and their mother is on the h move – long-haul flights are fully booked months in advance and regional sun-soaked hot spots are teeming to the brim. But for the adventurous spirit, there are some out-of-the-wrapped-up-box destinations that remain up for grabs, right up until the season’s advent. But forget trying to score a flight back to popular destinations such as Europe and the US this late in the game.

“Flights to Europe, Australia or North America will be chockablock, since expats returning from Asia will have booked these well in advance, ”says Matet Lester of Flight Centre travel agents. “So there’s no point going there, or anywhere via there.”

“Cape Town and Johannesburg, however, have good connectivity and will not be as fully booked, ”she adds. This leaves swathes of Africa wide open for those who are partial to a wilder xmas. Also, it’s summer below the equator and is the perfect time to go.

Although visas can take a while, India is an attractive Christmas alternative for many reasons. “In terms of the weather, it’s a good time of year to go to India, flight availability is pretty good and they don’t celebrate it, so it shouldn’t be a problem to get a room for a reasonable price.”

Regional, lesser-known locations are also an attractive option, since the masses will have been diverted to the usual hot spots. Although less frequented, such destinations can have just as much experiential value at a lower price tag. “Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are both wide open. I guess it’s because the mainstays such as Phuket, Bangkok, Hua Hin and Krabi are the go-tos,” says Lester. With these factors in mind, Business

Traveller has compiled a list of the top 10 last-minute festive locations still available, to offer you a number of options for an alternative xmas outing.