It’s a new year, which means you’re probably thinking of where to head to in the next 12 months. In case the next seat sale comes up, we’ve provided you a calendar of happenings this year to help you narrow down and choose your next destination.
So mark your planners and get ready to file your vacation leaves because here’s where and when you should travel this 2019:
January
Head to Ilo-Ilo on January 25-27 for the famous Dinagyang Festival. Prep yourself because you’re going to be spending a whole lot of time outside your hotel—street parades, dance performances, and competitions are all a spectacle to see so don’t forget to bring sunscreen!
February
Travel north this month! To Taiwan, to be exact. On February 19, the annual Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival begins. Send your wishes and hopes up into the heavens and watch this beautiful 19th-century-old tradition light up the night skies.
March
Festivities are a-plenty this March. The Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan starts at the end of March and lasts until the middle of April. Snaps for your Instagram are going to be Sakura-filled and envied by many for sure.
If you want to join a colorful celebration, India’s Holi Festival will be held on March 20-21*. Also known as the “festival of love”, this experience will bathe you in the most vibrant colors. And speaking of colors, there’s absolutely no shortage of it in Brazil’s infamous Rio Carnival.
From March 1 through 9, the streets of Rio De Janeiro will be filled with revelers, floats, and dancers in extravagant costumes. It’s considered the biggest carnival in the world, so this is something you’d want to experience at least once.
April
If you don’t mind a party that gets wet and wild, the Songkran Water Festival might be something you’ll be into. Thailand celebrates this event during the Buddhist New Year, from April 13-15 where everyone gets splashed with water.
May
The famous Thrissur Pooram Festival in India is a temple festival that has been going on for 200 years. Flocks of devotees gather at the Vadakkumnathan temple on May 13 where a procession of elephants, orchestra, and fireworks take place.
June
Care to throw wine at people and be showered in wine yourself? The Haro Wine Festival in Spain is exactly that. After a procession and mass, the Battala de Vino (Battle of Wine) commences while the Mayor joins in while riding a horse. This epic battle happens on June 29. Game to get soaked?
July
The Boryeong Mud Festival is one hell of a fun festival in Korea—its big international attendance can attest to that. Taking place in a sleepy town called Boryeong around July 12 – 21*, people come en masse for some mud swimming, mud sliding, and just general mud fun.
The Boryeong mud is apparently high in minerals like germanium and bentonite, which are good for the skin. But aside from the skincare benefits, tourists come here for the fun and the people as it has become a sort of Spring Break-esque event.
August
Knights in shining armor, fair damsels, and swords make up the unique Medieval Week in Gotland Island, Sweden. Every year at August 5 to 12*, people do a re-enactment of Denmark’s King Valdemar IV’s ransacking of Visby.
Meanwhile, in Italy, a festival of good ol’ folk music happens in Valfino Al Canto on Aug 9-11. Musicians and buskers will be everywhere performing while everyone enjoys a hearty banquet of lamb stew.
September
Fly to beautiful Venice for a fancy tradition called Regatta Storica that takes place every first Sunday of September. Regatta Storica involves a boat parade and a rowing race, among other historical programs.
October
It’s insane to think that over 7 million people attend Oktoberfest in Germany and consume over 6 million liters of beer. The popular drinking fest starts Sept 21 and lasts until Oct 6—that’s a LOT of beer! Look for a place called Theresienwiese in Munich, where you’ll find tents that serve brews.
November
Much like the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival of Taiwan, the Loi Krathong Festival of Thailand is celebrated by sending up lanterns made of banana trunk and leaves. Thais see it as a way to say goodbye to misfortune, rid the sins of last year, and make wishes for the coming year.
If you want to get a headstart on your new year wishes, book a flight to the Land of Smiles on November 13.
December
No other place puts up a dazzling firework show quite like how Sydney does. Australia is the first to ring in the New Year so if you want to be one of the first ones to celebrate it with a bang, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is the place to be.
*Dates may vary
