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2011 travel planner: Where to be, when to go, what to do
Make 2011 your greatest travel year ever with this compilation of the world's biggest events, splashiest parties and most outrageous festivals
So much to see, so many dervishes to whirl, so many bulls to outrun.
Here's your essential travel planner for 2011. Get booking.
January 5 to mid February: Harbin Ice Lantern Festival (China)
Harbin Ice Festival. Cold, but spectacular.
At this annual freeze fest held in China’s northernmost province (-40°F temperatures and Siberian winds), the 2,000 plus intricate icicles carved in honor of the Lunar New Year include ephemeral masterpieces like the Great Wall toboggan ride and a 10-story high Arc de Triomphe.
The most colorful ones are lit from within, making night the ideal time to tour, for those unafraid of a little frostbite.
More information: Harbin guide.
February 3: Lunar New Year (China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam)
Celebrating Chinese New Year in Shanghai's Longhua temple.
Their ancestors believed a fierce creature called the Nian would otherwise come down from the mountains to hunt villagers around this time of year. Even now they beat drums or gongs and set off fireworks to symbolically conquer the legendary monster.
Celebrations include festive street parades and illuminated displays of large sculptures of mythical characters like the God of Fortune and Chinese zodiac animals plus a nightly explosion of fireworks to scare off any Nian.
More information: Traveling in China? Be advised it can be tough.
March 5-6: Rio Carnival (Brazil)
No one does carnival better than the Brazilians.
Carnivals are held around the world, but none outshines Rio’s with its jam-packed parade of outrageously frocked hot bodies and over the top floats, each from a different school of samba, a sexy, rhythmic African dance originally brought to the New World by slaves.
Percussion music only enhances this madness, encouraging barely clad hips to swing and sway among the ultra-energized masses.
More information: Rio Carnival
March 5: Nyepi (Indonesia)
Strange red guy rides again.
Then the island itself must be purified, an excuse for everyone to run amok through the villages all night, smashing effigies and clanging the kulkul, a traditional bamboo bell.
The next day, Bali is completely silent to ‘trick’ the malicious spirits into believing the Hindu isle is now uninhabited so they will leave for another year.
More information: Balifriend.net
March 20: Holi (India)
Holi water.
Though the origins of this madness can be traced back to several centuries before Christ and is associated with the Lord Krishna, these days it’s all about letting loose.
Even the usually buttoned up drip in a rainbow of paint, throw water balloons and sip “bhang lassi” made with cannabis.
More information: holifestival.org
Click "NEXT" for 20 more travel plans for 2011.
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User Comments and Reviews
Pusan International Film Festival (South Korea)
#1: ERRORS: Date is October 6-13, 2011
#2: link is not working, use this instead:
<a href="http://www.piff.org/intro/default.asp" title="http://www.piff.org/intro/default.asp">http://www.piff.org/intro/default.asp</a>
My take:
I've covered PIFF for 2 years now and I'm REALLY looking forward to covering it this year because of their newest facility Dureraum. I live in Busan and pass by this building every week (folks it's IMPRESSIVE!). As for films, every year I continue to be amazed by the talent within Asia and the continue increase in European films.
A MUST ATTEND EVENT (especially if you live in ASIA).
-Melvin Francisquini
<a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/people/HonduRican" title="http://ireport.cnn.com/people/HonduRican">http://ireport.cnn.com/people/HonduRican</a>
@Cafecito No naked ladies? You do realise you just killed the Brasilian tourist industry?
Amazing compilation
Very PATHETIC! Like all simple people, you focus on the very few semi-nude women in carnaval here in Brasil. You mention sexy three times more than music and dance which is what carnaval is all about. There are MILLIONS of people celebrating and you choose, as most foreign media chooses, to focus only on a few. We do celebrate the beauty of the human body, it's true, but we celebrate much more!
What do you think?
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