Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Christmas in Sydney or Bangkok

I want to spend Christmas in Asia or Australia but I don't know which one I should choose. Which is better: Sydney or Bangkok at Christmas time? Will everything be closed on Christmas day in Sydney?

I want to spend Christmas in Asia or Australia but I don't know which one I should choose. Which is better: Sydney or Bangkok at Christmas time? Will everything be closed on Christmas day in Sydney?

What kind of experience are you looking for during the Christmas season?

Just a non-Christmas experience. If I want Christmas, I can stay home in the States. I just want to get away to explore Australia. But I don't want to spend my Dec. 25 in a hotel room just because everything is closed because of Christmas.

Public transport runs in Sydney on Christmas day and many restaurants will be open for Christmas lunch. Most attractions will be closed however. There's plenty to do in Sydney without paying to go to an attraction though ...

Public transport runs in Sydney on Christmas day and many restaurants will be open for Christmas lunch. Most attractions will be closed however. There's plenty to do in Sydney without paying to go to an attraction though ...Head for Bondi. Big Orthodox Jewish community. To them, December 25th is just another Tuesday; business as usual in lots of places. (Since Hanukkah doesn't overlap Xmas this year, you won't get to see an outdoor Hassidic Menorah lighting just steps from a topless beach, but still ...)

Head for Bondi. Big Orthodox Jewish community. To them, December 25th is just another Tuesday; business as usual in lots of places. (Since Hanukkah doesn't overlap Xmas this year, you won't get to see an outdoor Hassidic Menorah lighting just steps from a topless beach, but still ...)

Hmm I'd say avoid Bondi. Big British backpacking community. Unless you want to spend the day with a bunch of legless tourists. Really the Christmas Day at Bondi Beach for British backpackers is a big event something they look forward to and, but unless the OP wants to be in such a state of merry that he can't remember much of what happened past midday I'd say avoid.

You might find in Bangkok that all of your Christmases come at once....


(Somebody had to say it).