Philippines only Southeast Asian destination in list of best places for Christmas

By Hoang Vu December 8, 2024 | 09:23 pm PT

Christmas lanterns of San Fernando in the Philippines. Photo courtesy of San Fernando City Tourism Office

San Fernando in the Philippines was the only Southeast Asian destination to make it onto CNN's list of 15 best places to visit for Christmas this year.

"If Asia were to have a Christmas capital, San Fernando in the heavily Roman Catholic Philippines would be a top nomination," CNN wrote.

Located northwest of Manila, San Fernando, with a population of 350,000, is known as the "Christmas Capital of the Philippines" and is famous for its annual giant lantern festival each December, where large parol (star lanterns) are displayed.

These lanterns, which come in various colors and sizes, symbolize light and hope for Filipinos.

Thousands of locals and tourists flock to the town during the Christmas season to witness the grandeur and intricacy of the giant lanterns.

"The highlight of a visit to San Fernando is the parol, a colorful, electric Christmas lantern that symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem," CNN described.

Other destinations on the list included Rovaniemi in Finland, Barcelona in Spain, Nairobi in Kenya, Nuremberg in Germany, San Miguel de Allende in Mexico, and Strasbourg in France.

Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on Dec. 25 as a religious and cultural celebration by billions of people around the world.