Do you know that we will have TEN long weekends in 2015 because of public holidays in Singapore? That means you only need to take about 3 days of vacation leave from work to enjoy 30+ days of holidays and you can do so almost once a month in 2015 (except for March and October when there are no public holidays).

Wilderness Associates Travel offer last minute public holiday travel deals with no surcharge and prices start from S$480 inclusive of flight and stay. See http://www.eatplaysurf.com.sg/promotion.aspx for Good Friday, Labour Day and future public holiday travel promotions.

I will share with you SIX destinations in Asia (including Australia) you can consider for holidays over these long weekends next year. It is good to plan ahead as many others will have the same idea as you i.e. travel over the long weekends and push up demand for flights and hotels, thus making travel during these long weekends expensive.

You should, of course, always be prepared for contingencies e.g. delayed flights, lost luggage, illness – always remember to get travel insurance to cover yourself and your travelling party.

2015 Holiday Number 1: Chinese New Year Long Weekend (4 Days) – Australia (Melbourne)

The Chinese New Year holidays last for 2 days – 19 Feb (Thursday) and 20 Feb (Friday) and you can extend your holiday over the weekends – making it a 4 day long weekend. I suggest going somewhere far e.g. Melbourne in Australia. Do consider taking a few more days leave from work to make it a week long holiday. There is so much to do in Melbourne which is one of the most family-friendly destination in Australia, from the Great Ocean Road drive to the Dandenong Ranges (where you can take the Puffing Billy Steam Train).

Your itinerary should include a day out at the Mornington Peninsula where you can get lost at the Ashcombe Hedge Maze and pick strawberries at the Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm. We have a few suggested Melbourne trip itineraries that you can download to plan your vacation.

2015 Holiday Number 2: Good Friday Long Weekend (3 Days) – Hong Kong Disneyland

Hong Kong Disneyland is definitely one of the most kid-friendly destination in Asia. Make full use of the Good Friday long weekend to check it out – fly off to Hong Kong on 3 Apr (Friday) and spend a 3-Day 2-Night Disney holiday there. Besides the Disneyland theme park with its amusement rides, Disney Parade and evening Disneyland fireworks, do also check out Disneyland Hotel’s Breakfast with Disney Characters at the Enchanted Garden restaurant. Do try the interesting dim sum lunch at the Crystal Lotus restaurant in Disneyland Hotel too!

I am sure your kids will love it – even some adults like myself loved the whole Disney experience! We have a suggested Hong Kong Disneyland itinerary that you can use in planning your Disney holiday.

2015 Holiday Number 3: Labour Day Long Weekend (3 Days) – Thailand (Bangkok)

I suggest flying to Bangkok over the Labour Day long weekend from 1 May (Friday) to 3 May (Sunday). May is about the right period to go just before Bangkok weather gets very hot. There are so many things to do in Bangkok and we have a few Bangkok trip itineraries compiled from my various trips there. Besides shopping in Bangkok, I always plan for a day or two sightseeing outside of Bangkok e.g. the Maeklong Train Market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market.

2015 Holiday Number 4: Vesak Day Long Weekend (3 Days) – Philippines (Cebu)

You are now at your mid-year mark – Vesak Day falls on 1 Jun (Monday). It has been a hectic 2015 so far – so maybe you want this holiday to be just one where you can chill out by the beach and relax with a cocktail and read a book. Then you should consider a resort vacation – Cebu is well-known for their beautiful beaches and it is just a short 3-hour flight away from Singapore.

We stayed at the Plantation Bay resort in Cebu where there is a huge man-made lagoon in the middle of the resort and you can kayak and swim within the resort! You can also choose to play the many activities in the Plantation Bay resort or just sit back and relax by the beach.

2015 Holiday Number 5: Hari Raya Puasa Long Weekend (3 Days) – Indonesia (Bintan)

Now that you know how relaxing a resort holiday can be – why not check out another resort destination closer to home – Bintan. There are so many things to do in Bintan – good food and lots of activities to play e.g. an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) ride around the resort or Evening mangrove tour.

2015 Holiday Number 6: National Day Long Weekend (3 Days) – South Korea (Jeju)

You will probably need about 4 days for an exciting and fun trip in Jeju. You can plan a roadtrip around Jeju island – I recommend self-driving as you won’t be constrained so much by tour schedules and activities to see. Just do whatever you want on your own time. If you need help planning, I have listed down a set of GPS coordinates for you to plan your sightseeing around Jeju island. You can also download our Jeju self-drive trip itinerary – we also have a Seoul trip itinerary if you are planning to extend your trip further.

You should set aside some time to visit the Jungmun Resort where there are a lot of interesting museums and attractions – one of our favourite is the Jeju Jungmun Resort Alive Museum with their optical illusions. We have a version of the Alive Museum in Singapore but you should check the Jeju version out too since this is the original museum that kick-started it all.

Bonus Holiday Tip for 2014: Christmas Day Long Weekend (3 Days) – Macau

Since everyone is out on vacation leave, why not extend a few more days for your holiday during the upcoming Christmas Day long weekend in 2014. I suggest Macau because of its cultural history, great food (Portuguese egg tarts and Macanese cuisine) and its proximity to Zhuhai and Hong Kong where you can further extend your trip to do more shopping!

Regardless of your travel plans, you should always ensure you have sufficient travel insurance coverage for yourself and your travelling party. Travel insurance provide coverage with reimbursement for travel inconveniences, disruptions and medical expenses incurred while travelling.

OCBC is running a promotion for TravelWise travel insurance from 20 November 2014 to 15 December 2014 — enjoy 20% off on annual plans.

So plan ahead for your 2015 long weekend holidays – if you intend to check out all six of our 2015 long weekend holiday suggestions, then you should definitely get a TravelWise annual plan and enjoy 20% off now!

(TravelWise is underwritten by OAC. T&Cs apply.)