10 days in Asia in December - suggestions?

Hi there,

I'm on a school exchange in Shanghai at the moment. At the end of the exchange, I have about 10 days before my flight is scheduled to leave the country. And I'm looking for suggestions of where to go. My preference would be to stay in China, but I'm also happy to go abroad somewhere in Asia.

I was thinking Harbin - but the ice festival doesn't start until January, I was then thinking Tibet, but that's difficult as a solo traveller with the current passport limitations, and I was also thinking North Korea, but I haven't found any tour companies offering tours in December.

I've already travelled extensively through Shaanxi, Hunan, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Sichuan provinces, so I don't want to return there. I've also travelled through Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia, so am not so keen to return there either.

I don't mind the cold and am not seeking a beach destination. Although I'm also happy travelling to warm places too. A bit of culture, a bit of the outdoors, and some unique experiences are what I'm after. Laos seems like a good option. But what would you suggest?

Thanks in advance,
James