Where would you go for a three week adventure in January?

[Evisam]

I have 3 weeks off from 27th Dec - 18th Jan. I want an adventure with my friend from Scotland!

We looked at flying out to Mexico then doing Central America as a group tour. However, we need a visa just to travel through Honduras. That is ok for me (I live near London) but a pain in the a-- for Scottish friend to attend a 5 minute interview at the Honduras Embassy for a £30 visa.

Where would you go for an adventure if you had 3 weeks off in January. Want somewhere memorable for NYE. We are both 30 years old and single.

South Korea or Australia

One of those ice hotels in Norway and explore Scandinavia

We want warmth. We did look at NZ, but at least 4 days would be travelling.

China (3 day stop over), Vietnam (10 day tour) then Singapore (3 day stop over) is an option.

China - Vietnam - Singapore would be great. Or Vietnam and Cambodia. Or Thailand and Malaysia.

If you did reconsider Aus or NZ (your current plans are significantly more travelling time btw)remember those dates are exactly over our ‘summer shutdown’. All offices and schools are closed and it’s peak holiday season meaning most things will be booked up or at the very least very busy.

Driving from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls passing through a huge chunk of Botswana. Lots of safari and Okovango Delta finishing up white water rafting in the Zambezi.

What kinds of things do you like doing? Gentle walking,.challenging hiking, adrenaline activities, sight seeing, culture,.food & drink?

Hiking, sight-seeing, happy to do challenging stuff. I do triathlons/ultra marathons, but not dangerous stuff- hiring mopeds or bungee jumping.

Guatemala and Belize- bit of adventure but then some beach action in Belize? No visas needed
You could do the overnight volcano hike

We did Brazil in January. Amazon, Igaucu, Salvador and Rio

Ooh amazing. January is a great time for much of Asia and Central America. Or South Africa and Mozambique could be great esp if your budget stretches to safari (budget safaris are available).

For NYE if you want a party atmosphere you’ll do best in a city or on a touristy beach. Could do Yucatan, Tulum maybe for NYE and then highlights of Belize & Guatemala as pp said?

Or SE Asia - could do the first week in Thailand (NYE in Bangkok or Koh Phangan say) and then head into Cambodia, could even finish in Hanoi.

Philippines also fab at that time

You want warmth but Shanghai/Beijing will be winter temperatures, Southern China/northern Vietnam would be very pleasant weather wise but not hot. I went that time of year many years ago and am wearing a jumper in Hanoi in most of the photos, t-shirt weather in the Hue region. Ho Chi Minh and Singapore obviously properly hot. Don't get me wrong, I think the concept is a good one, I just don't think it's going to be 'hot'. A Thailand -> Cambodia -> Ho Chi Minh route would give you the hot weather.
Intrepid have a 19 day Mayan adventure tour doing just Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. Maybe you could streamline your original plan a bit to avoid Honduras? Other tour companies probably have similar offerings.

Mexico is quite touristy, but could combine with Belize and bit of Guatemala. Try to avoid flights transiting in US as can be a lot of faff. Colombia is another option I did it as a tour, but dont need too.Thailand and Bhutan (later will be cold and need a tour, but ticks hiking option). Also Thailand and south of Vietnam.
I also second Cambodia as an option combined with other SE countries

Rio de Janerio to Buenis Aires is fabulous - stop at Isla Grande & Iguassu Falls. Then could go via Uruguay (stay on a ranch, then head to colonia del sacramento) to get the ferry across to buenos aires.

Or, do peru (inca trail hike to machu pichu if you fancy) and galapagos islands

Thailand would be amazing that time of year. Or south africa (cape town is really cool for new year and then you could travel around rhe garden route and do a safari ). Or Belize but not sure what that'd be like for a new years eve party vibe.

Learn to scuba dive? Lots of options (I did Mozambique) to combine it with some adventure and some chill time too.

I'd do Costa Rica, there's so much to see and it's a very easy country to travel in. We hired a car and had no problems.

Highly Recommend Thailand. We did 18 days over Christmas last year and was amazing.
We did
Bangkok - Chaing Mai - Koh Lanta - Khoa Sok - Bangkok

Was fantastic.

Booked all flights with sky scanner and all hotels on Booking.com/Agoda

Joined loads of facebook pages for recommendations for excusions.

Something like this. You could do Mozambique combined with South Africa (fly to JNB > safari in Kruger > Mozambique for beach and diving) - coastline in Mozambique is STUNNING.

Or Cape Town and up the coast into Namibia.

As well as amazing wildlife, scenery and people there's the added benefit of no jet lag.

Costa Rica
loads to see and do
especially recommend the Osa Peninsular

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have done Thailand and South Africa about 10 years ago. The Mexico, Belize, Guatemala is my favourite so far. Just seen the volcano 10 miles from Antigua, Guatemala is erupting with local villages being evacuated.😧

Guadeloupe in the Caribbean.

DD did Sri Lanka earlier this year and loved it. The previous year she did the Philippines.

I’d do Cambodia and Vietnam. Central Vietnam temps will be 21-25, although January is coming to the end of rainy season, and there’s beaches in Da Nang and Hoi An. Cambodia will be warmer and also has beaches if you want them.
There’s so much to see in both countries and they both have amazing histories, and the cost of food accommodation etc is very cheap although I’m sure you could splurge if you wanted to.

I would do Chile - great at that time of the year - only 3 hours behind uk so jet lag minimal. Try and get in Easter Island too. Also visited Argentina at that time of the year - Buenos Aires/El Calfate - great for hiking, visiting glacier Moreno, Iguazu, and Barioloche.