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Less-travelled destinations to consider for a wintry holiday

Stephanie Zheng

·Lifestyle Editor

Updated 1 December 2022 at 3:24 am·4-min read

I believe travellers are split definitively across three types of groups concerning temperature preferences. There are the warm and cool-weather people, and then there are the let-it-go, 'the-cold-never-bothered-me-anyway' people.

I fall firmly into the latter category, where anywhere with snow stirs my soul. My perfect vacation is one where the horizon stretches further than the eyes can see, snow-capped mountains bridging land and sky, with a generous layer of snow covering everything like icing on a cake. My best vacation was in Svalbard, the northernmost part of Norway, where -12 degrees Celcius during winter was considered "pleasant weather".

Perhaps it's the classic case of the grass is greener (or the snow is whiter) on the other side: tourists love coming Singapore for our summer vibes. And I love going to colder countries to break out the winter jackets and sweaters I got on sale.

If you identify with this wintry destination obsession, here are some lesser-known places you should put on your travel bucket list!

Food, alpine and romance in Austria

Aerial view of Hallstatt, traditional austrian wood village during snow falling in winter season, UNESCO world culture heritage site. Alps, Austria. Image contain of dust from snow. Select focus. — Aerial view of Hallstatt, a traditional Austrian wood village during snow during winter, also a UNESCO world culture heritage site. (Photo: Gettyimages)

Check it out for: Food trails, Christmas markets and pristine alpine scenery that have made its way into James Bond movies!

Keywords to research: Vienna, Innsbruck, Graz, and Salzburg. Food trails and wineries in Austria.

An overview of Austria's culinary festivals and food trails (Photo: Austrian National Tourist Office)

How to get there: Fly into Vienna and explore the city with its robust transportation system, or take connecting flights or trains into Innsbruck, Graz, and Salzburg. The cities are well connected via the railway.

Activities to do in Austria

Walter Mitty moments in Iceland

Aurora borealis over Skogafoss waterfall and cheerful tourist woman standing in travel famous place on summer in Iceland — Aurora borealis over Skogafoss waterfall in Iceland (Photo: Gettyimages)

Check it out for: An impressive amount of black beaches, waterfalls, volcanoes and landscapes quite unlike anywhere else. And when conditions are right, the Northern Lights will be visible as they dance across the sky.

Keywords to research: Iceland, Reykjavik, geothermal baths, Iceland road trips, Iceland nature.

How to get there: Fly into Reykjavik, and the easiest way to get around the country is via car.

Activities to do in Iceland

Get a taste of the nomadic life in Mongolia

Mongolia Horseman with his horses in the plains of Mongolia (Photo: Nicole Ang)

Check it out for: Centuries-old Mongolian culture that has remained relatively unchanged, such as the Dukha people, Altai people and more tribes with their unique way of living.

Keywords to research: Outer Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar (Ulan Bator)‎, Altai Mountains, Gobi Dessert

Pro-tip: Don't mistake it for Inner Mongolia, which is under the administration of China. Outer Mongolia exists as a separate country on its own.

How to get there: Fly into Ulaanbaatar, and get a reputable tour company to bring you around.

Activities to do in Mongolia

Get ready for winter adventures in Norway

Svalbard offers up a plethora of experiences, from the midnight sun, ice-caving to northern lights (Photo: Stephanie Zheng) — Norway offers up a plethora of experiences, from the midnight sun, ice-caving to northern lights (Photo: Stephanie Zheng)

Check it out for: Being the nearest country to the North Pole, Northern Lights, vast snowy landscapes and more.

Keywords to research: Norway, Oslo, Bergen, Tromso, Svalbard, Norway hikes

How to get there: Fly direct into Oslo, before taking advantage of the railways into different regions such as Bergen, Tromso and more. Some train tracks are closed during winter, so a good alternative would be travelling by car and domestic flights.

Things to do in Norway

White Christmas and Ski Vacation in Graubunden, Switzerland

Valbella Resort, Lenzerheide. The Arosa-Lenzerheide skiing region is one of the largest in Switzerland. (Photo: Heavens Portfolio)

Check it out for: Swiss Alps and the various quaint villages that dots the alpine area of Graubunden, plus plenty of family-friendly ski resorts!

Keywords to research: Switzerland, Graubunden, Swiss Alps, Swiss railway, rocksresort Laax, Valbella Resort Lenzerheide, Grand Hotel Kronenhof Pontresina, Kulm Hotel St. Moritz, Chasa Montana Samnaun

How to get there: Fly direct to Zurich and explore the country via the robust transport system and/or car. Don't miss the railway experience, where trains with 180-degree and more windows weave through the various cantons and mountains in Switzerland, letting you check out the Swiss Alps views in comfort.

More things to do in Switzerland

Experience the freedom of winter sports in Colorado, United States

Powdery snow and incredible mountains in Aspen Snowmass, Colorado, United States (Photo: Aspen Snowmass)

Check it out for: Powdery snow, skiing, hikes and more activities in the alpine areas of Colorado.

Keywords to research: Skiing in Colorado, Aspen Snowmass

How to get there: Fly direct to San Francisco and take advantage of the exciting things to do in the culture capital of United States, before taking a 1-hour flight to the ski town of Aspen Snowmass.

Other activities you can do in San Francisco

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Get a taste of the nomadic life in Mongolia

Experience the freedom of winter sports in Colorado, United States

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