Best Christmas market destinations in Asia

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Major East Asian financial hubs have both adopted European-style Christmas markets in recent years, built largely around international expat communities and shopping districts rather than any long local tradition. Other major cities add their own seasonal illumination-paired versions.

The destinations on this list range from shopping mall and hotel-based markets built specifically for an international audience to city centre events that pair stalls with broader seasonal illuminations. Both have grown considerably in scale over the past decade.

Visiting on weekday evenings tends to mean smaller crowds at the region's most popular markets, particularly in the weeks immediately before Christmas. Local tourism offices typically publish exact dates each year. Checking exact market dates each year also matters, since these events tend to run for a shorter window than elsewhere.