12 Hot Places To Visit In 2020
INSIDE has got your travel plans for 2020 sorted out. Your next holiday is just a few clicks away
CapitaLand INSIDE is going outside! It may be December but we ain’t resting. Laurels? What laurels? We’ve already got your travel plans for 2020 sorted out. Don’t go into the unknown, here are 12 highly instagrammable destinations, one for every month for the coming year.
From the top favourites to some unusual picks set your sights on these exciting destinations for an adventurous and different 2020. Get your passport ready and let's go!
Just a short 30-minute train ride from Shanghai, escaping to Suzhou is much like stepping back in time. Known as the Venice of China, take a walk alongside the many canals in the city and get lost amongst charming houses with grey terracotta tiled roofs.
Up your cultural quotient at the beautiful Suzhou Museum (designed by the late architect I.M. Pei), or live out your Yanxi Palace dreams and take in the gorgeous landscapes at Humble Administrator’s Garden.
It’ll be cold in January, but the snow will only add to the beauty of Suzhou. With Lunar New Year happening at the end of January, imagine red lanterns swaying gently in the drifting snow.
A time for gathering and sumptuous food, get warm and celebrate with your closest friends and family while you’re there.
Be sure to pick up some exquisite silk scarves - Suzhou’s known for them! If you want more, head over to the futuristic looking Suzhou Center Mall and shop to your heart's content!
An architectural masterpiece, the award-winning mall has a mix of some 600 brands across 300,000 square metres, allowing you to shop to your heart's content. Suzhou Center Mall is more than just a mall, it is a destination. It has a wide range of experiential retail offerings such as pony riding, flight simulation and more. If the cold doesn’t bother you in any way, there’s even an Olympic ice skating rink inside the mall!
Stay: Ascott Midtown Suzhou
Sure, you could spend Valentine's Day in Paris, but we’re suggesting that you ride the K-pop wave all the way to Seoul. Birthplace of the ‘finger heart’, this is clearly a city that knows a thing or two about love. Go old school and put on the traditional Korean hanbok with your significant other and walk around the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace - plus it's free entry you’re wearing a Hanbok! For a modern twist, don a pair of matching shades from the impossibly cool and avant garde retailer, Gentle Monster.
Love food? Keep your belly warm with the oh-so-delicious Korean cuisine. Sizzling meats on the Korean BBQ, or the hearty and spicy beef Yuegaejang stew is sure to keep the cold at bay. At night, hit up Gwangjang market for a food trail you’ll never forget. Stuff your face silly on kimchi-jeon, toppoki, hotteok, mandu and more! Still hungry? How about some chimaek (chicken & beer) to round off the night? Geonbae!
The cold weather may wreak havoc on your skin so make sure you moisturise and keep your skin in tip-top condition. Being in K-beauty central - you have no excuse, so just face mask away. Don’t even get us started on the shopping in Seoul. Just pray your luggage ain’t overweight when you’re coming back!
Stay: Somerset Palace Seoul
With Earth Hour happening in March, perhaps it is best to embrace what Mother Nature has to offer and fall in love with the great outdoors. With the island of Tasmania shaped like a heart, we can’t think of a better place.
Sitting some 300 km away from the southern tip of Australia, Australia’s smallest state is proof that small can be beautiful. Embark on a hike through Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park and be blown away by the epic mountain views and shimmering lakes as you traverse through. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned adventure seeker, there is definitely a hike for you.
If hikes are not your cup of tea, how about rafting? The Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park is a playground for many canoeists and white-water rafting enthusiasts. Don’t fret, there are also river cruises available as well. Wherever you may be, while you’re out on your adventures, remember to keep a keen eye for some of Tasmania’s wildlife. You might just spot a Tasmanian devil along the way.
If you’re tired of cafe-hopping and hitting up the same shopping spots, experience a different Bangkok during Songkran. The streets of Bangkok gets transformed into a ‘warzone’ as everyone goes wild wild wet during Songkran.
Happening in mid-April, Songkran is one of the biggest celebrations in Thailand. A festival to celebrate the new year, the pouring of water is meant to symbolise good luck and for one to wash and clean themselves of the previous year and start afresh.
Arm yourself with colourful water guns and water bombs and join the fun. Getting drenched is a certainty. The best spots to hit up include Khao San Road or along Silom Road.
Things may get rowdy so be warned. Just bring along your sense of humour and a water-proof pouch to keep your mobile phone and other essentials dry.
For a quieter Songkran, visit the temples to see how it all began. Traditionally, Songkran is celebrated inside the temples where images of Buddha and the monks from the temple are also bathed in water.
If you've run out of dry clothes to wear, there's always Chatuchak.
Stay: Somerset Ekamai Bangkok
Three words is all it takes. Put together, it is probably one of the most glamourous phrases in the world. It conjures up images of the high life, gorgeous boats and beautiful people. We’re talking about The French Riviera, and arguably the most famous town along the cote d’azure would be Cannes.
In the month of May, movie stars and acclaimed directors walk the red carpet and showcase their films at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. While the public are generally not allowed to be part of the festival, the thrill of spotting your favourite celebrity on the red carpet is an experience open to all.
If you’ve not had enough of the high-life, take a short train ride to Monaco to attend the famed Monaco Grand Prix - possibly the most glamourous F1 race in the entire calendar.
When you’re done chasing celebrities and fast cars, grab the largest straw hat you have and stroll along the La Croisette to take in the sights and sounds of Cannes. Lined with luxury boutiques and posh restaurants, the main street of Cannes is where the town gathers. The Le Vieux Port is also home to some of the fanciest yachts you’ll ever see.
Park yourself at a cafe along the promenade and watch the city go by. Here, even people watching can be enjoyable - the super chic set at Cannes sure knows how to dress. This is a holiday that doesn’t require you rush anywhere, afterall, taking your time is the most accessible form of luxury that everyone can partake in.
Travellers going to Istanbul for the very first time are often overwhelmed. Istanbul is a city that engages your five senses and leaves you wanting for more. There’s lots to see as you lose yourself in the labyrinth of the Grand Bazaar. You’ll find rows and rows of shops selling colourful trinkets ranging from brightly lit lamps, patterned scarves, colourful ceramics and figurines and every imaginable souvenir.
Next, head to the spice bazaar and get sniffing away at the many herbs, spices and powders (all legal). Bring back some delicate rose scented turkish delight for the loved ones at home.
Cross the busy Galata Bridge and take in the sounds along the river. Hear the boatmen and street hawkers calling out to busy pedestrians. Squawking seagulls join in the chorus and the song is punctuated by excited fishermen hauling in their catch. All this, played to the constant beat - the waves and swooshes of Istanbul’s Golden Horn.
To end the day right, get a good splash, scrub and massage at the hammam. The invigorating experience of being exfoliated and covered in bubbles is must-do experience in Turkey. Lastly, one is guaranteed of a good meal at Istanbul. Take your pick of restaurants, serving up spiced grilled meats, fresh fish, delicious fluffy breads and even traditional ottoman cuisine. For those with a sweet tooth, don’t miss out all the desserts like baklavas and kunefes and play along with the dondurma ice-cream man.
Stay: Somerset Maslak Istanbul
It seems just like yesterday when we saw Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dressed up as Super Mario at the closing of the Rio Olympic Games in 2016. Come 2020, the energetic and exciting city of Tokyo, Japan will play host the Summer Olympics.
Happening from the 24th July, the world’s top athletes (and possibly you) will descend upon Tokyo and duke it out for gold. And who knows, while you're there, you might just run into your favourite athlete along the streets. (Hello Naomi Osaka!)
Tokyo is the first Asian city to host the Olympic Games twice and if you’ve always wanted to get close to the action, but not fly halfway around the world, now’s your chance!
If you’re not keen to be part of the sporting action, the rest of Tokyo is still open for business. Lose yourself in shopping districts of Ginza, Omotesando, Shinjuku or Shibuya. Afterall, depending on who you ask, shopping can be an olympic sport too. Refuel at the many delicious cafes across Tokyo and set aside half a day to visit the highly instagrammable TeamLab Bordeless exhibition.
While most of us can’t run as fast as a professional athlete, you can have a chance of being evenly matched when it comes to food. More than any other city in the world, Tokyo has the most Michelin starred restaurants with a total of over 300 Michelin stars distributed across more than 200 restaurants. You’re almost guaranteed of a good meal in Tokyo. Itadakimasu!
Stay: Ascott Marunouchi Tokyo
Travelling can be exhausting. We completely understand. You spend a lot of time and energy (and money!) navigating in a foreign place. When you’re back home, you’ve got loads of laundry and hundreds of unread emails to deal with.
For August, how about simply staying in and being a tourist in your own country? It’s Singapore’s National Day after all. An easy option would be to simply gather up your crew for some delicious hotpot, but we say go forth and explore.
Get everyone to pick their favourite food haunt, put the list together and create your very own food trail. Chicken rice and bak kut teh? YAS.
If you’re a history and culture buff, how about some time travelling instead? Singapore has many heritage and conserved buildings for you to explore.
Get your art on at the National Gallery. The former supreme court and city hall has an amazing collection of Southeast Asian art. Explore Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India to expand your horizons.
At night, grab a drink at Clarke Quay. Once a cluster of riverside warehouses and multi-storey traditional shophouses, they have since been conserved and converted into Singapore’s premier entertainment destination.
Lastly, plan a staycation at Ascott Raffles Place Singapore. Once the tallest building in Singapore in 1955, the facade of the Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority Architectural Heritage Award winner still features its original Travertine marble.
Every 20,000 piece of the original premium marble cladding was hand-polished to restore their former luminosity. Take your time to explore the serviced residence for more heritage secrets!
Stay: Citadines Balestier Singapore or Ascott Raffles Place Singapore
Drink, drank, drunk. Munich transforms into a massive biergarten (beer garden) as tourists march around the Oktoberfest site in lederhosen and dirndls (and huge beer mugs in hand, of course). Hands down (and bottoms up!) the biggest festival in Bavaria's yearly calendar, Oktoberfest alone welcomes more than 6 million visitors a year. Soak up the festivities and booze with plenty of wurst and pretzels.
Don't be mistaken - Oktoberfest is more than just boozy fun. It is actually a folk festival with carnival activities such as rides and candyfloss. Think Bavarian music and traditional folk dance - it gets very lively! Not to mention, very dandy and lovely costumes!
Don't wait till September to plan for your trip. Book early because rooms and flights get filled up fast. Consider taking the public transport to the Oktoberfest grounds, Theresienwiese. The S-Bahn and U-Bahn will bring you back to a hot shower much faster (and cheaper) than taxis.
Even better, stay at Citadines Arnulfpark Munich, which is less than a 20-minute walk to the festival (and maybe a 30 minute stumble back). Get in some steps to burn off some of the calories. If you can't make it to Munich, let Munich come to you in Singapore instead.
If you're not a fan of bier, fret not. Explore the tranquil Englische Garten (English Garden) and watch surfers catch the next wave at Eisbach River. Alternatively, take a day trip out to Neuschwanstein Castle, rumoured to be the inspiration for the castle in Disney's Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.
A popular tropical adventure destination, at Bali, it’s a never ending summer and we cannot think of a better destination to worship the sun.
If you’re thinking of working on your tan while surfing along the sandy beaches, you can do it in Bali. There are plenty of opportunities for your to try surfing along the beach, just pick up your courage and approach the many vendors along the beach and head forth towards the sea.
If you feel like you need to reconnect with yourself, how about booking yourself a yoga retreat? The many yoga shalas and studios peppered across Bali will have a place for you. Challenge yourself to perform 108 sun salutations. The strenuous practice is often performed to welcome the symbolic change in the seasons. Find your own flow and get into a new groove after.
So why October? Well, in October, it is also one of the best time to see famed and rare Mola Mola, aka the sunfish. Measuring up to 3 metres in height and weighing up to 1000kg, this gigantic but docile fish is commonly found in the deep sea, but when October comes around, it makes a cameo apperance in the shallower waters near Bali when the water temperature dips.
If you’re an avid scuba diver looking to cross the mola mola off your ‘must-see’ list, Bali is definitely the place to be. Good luck good luck.
Stay: Harris Hotel Seminyak
Live jazz on the corners, stunning bathhouses and possibly home to one of the world's best cuisine. Tbilisi - the capital of Georgia is the perfect city to wind down the year in. It's an ancient city (See: Chronicle of Georgia) that buzzes with modernity where you can wander cobblestone streets peering at both brutalist and contemporary architecture, allowing you to contemplate both the past and the future.
Start the day with coffee at Fabrika - a former Soviet-era sewing factory transformed into a hip urban complex - and begin a stroll down the beautiful D. Aghmashenebeli avenue. Dotted with shops, galleries and cafes there is always a surprise waiting to be discovered - mosaics, lively courtyards, crumbling yet beautiful buildings and street art. Pause to sample the unique Georgian snack - churchkela - a string of nuts dipped in molasses. Odd looking but addictive. For lunch, try Barbestan - a culinary institution that serves dishes from the recipe book of a 19th century duchess that captures the city's blend of East and West culinary styles. A must have is khachapuri.
In the afternoon, head to the city's best kept secret. Opened in the 1930s, Mtatsminda Park is a hilltop amusement park offering some of the best city views and a roller coaster. Brimming with locals enjoying the city, it is even good fun to get with a funicular ride. End the day at one of the many historic bath houses in the Abanotubani district followed by wine tasting. Georgia is one of the world's oldest wine regions - the wine is affordable, ample and delicious.
Surrounded by its larger European Union (EU) brethren like France, Germany, Italy and Spain, EU’s political and legislative headquarters is often overlooked.
However, there’s more than just moules et frites (mussels and fries) and Tintin in Belgium. Other cities may only have one Christmas market but when in Brussels, be prepared to hit up several markets, getting you well into the Christmas spirit.
All part of the city’s Winter Wonders event, you can take in the architectural charm of Brussels’ many historical buildings, churches and plazas while shopping for christmas gifts, delicious festive sweets, snacks and drinks. If you don’t have time to check out the over 200 stalls throughout the city, head straight to the Grand Place of Brussels. Considered as one of the most beautiful plazas in Europe, the plaza’s opulence and grandeur is amplified further in December. Soak in the atmosphere, catch the stunning light and sound show and of course, snap a photo of the biggest christmas tree you’ll probably ever see.