Holidays in Asia / Far East...
Discussion
I'm considering a trip to the Far East for 2015 but there are so many different destinations, so I was hoping for some advice and guidance from fellow PHers.
Key requirements are the ability to combine culture / sight seeing with relaxation - possibly a bit of golf or diving as well as lounging about in the beech.
Probably want to be away for around 14 nights and happy to stay in 2 or 3 different places, but want to avoid spending too much time travelling between countries / hotels!
So:
Thailand
Vietnam
Cambodia
Bali
Malaysia
????
Budget is 'generous'!
Thanks
Sidicks
Key requirements are the ability to combine culture / sight seeing with relaxation - possibly a bit of golf or diving as well as lounging about in the beech.
Probably want to be away for around 14 nights and happy to stay in 2 or 3 different places, but want to avoid spending too much time travelling between countries / hotels!
So:
Thailand
Vietnam
Cambodia
Bali
Malaysia
????
Budget is 'generous'!
Thanks
Sidicks
We did 14 nights combining Bangkok, Koh Phangan, Perhentian Islands (Malaysia) and Borneo (Sabah) a couple of years ago.
It was maybe a bit too much for two weeks, but apart from that was a good combination of relaxing (Perhentian especially) and cultural (climbing Mt Kinabalu, bothering orangutans etc).
There is some good diving off Borneo as well (Sipadan?)
It was maybe a bit too much for two weeks, but apart from that was a good combination of relaxing (Perhentian especially) and cultural (climbing Mt Kinabalu, bothering orangutans etc).
There is some good diving off Borneo as well (Sipadan?)
Sarkmeister said:
We did 14 nights combining Bangkok, Koh Phangan, Perhentian Islands (Malaysia) and Borneo (Sabah) a couple of years ago.
It was maybe a bit too much for two weeks, but apart from that was a good combination of relaxing (Perhentian especially) and cultural (climbing Mt Kinabalu, bothering orangutans etc).
There is some good diving off Borneo as well (Sipadan?)
Sounds interesting - thanks for your response!It was maybe a bit too much for two weeks, but apart from that was a good combination of relaxing (Perhentian especially) and cultural (climbing Mt Kinabalu, bothering orangutans etc).
There is some good diving off Borneo as well (Sipadan?)
All are great destinations with amazing things to see and do, as someone living out here.
Some tips / pointers.
1- Thailand is a bloody big country!!! If going from bkk -samui-phuket-chang mai bkk (or whatever) fly. Domestic flights are very cheap, helped by no airport duty and the domestic carriers are good. £50return all inclusive bkk - phuket takes 1:30 as opposed to 12 hours on a coach!
Check what time of yea you come. Now is not a good time for a beach holiday in Phuket, but Samui is perfect. Its now wet season in BKK. Etc etc.
If you have never been to Asia before, krabi/phuket is worth going to to see the islands in phang nga bay. Alternatively Haolong bay in Vietnam (depending on time of year).
Siam Reap is worth visiting for the temples (as is Pagan in Myanmar if you are feeling more adventurous.
Bangkok, Phnom Phen and HCMC / Hanoi are incredibly different city's and worth visiting for different reasons from culture to Asian hustle and bustle.
Etc etc ..... always available for apissup beer in Bangkok any time ;-)
Sorry for terrible spelling, on my phone.
Eta - Bali is a long way from the rest of your suggestions .....its a 4:30 flight from BKK
Some tips / pointers.
1- Thailand is a bloody big country!!! If going from bkk -samui-phuket-chang mai bkk (or whatever) fly. Domestic flights are very cheap, helped by no airport duty and the domestic carriers are good. £50return all inclusive bkk - phuket takes 1:30 as opposed to 12 hours on a coach!
Check what time of yea you come. Now is not a good time for a beach holiday in Phuket, but Samui is perfect. Its now wet season in BKK. Etc etc.
If you have never been to Asia before, krabi/phuket is worth going to to see the islands in phang nga bay. Alternatively Haolong bay in Vietnam (depending on time of year).
Siam Reap is worth visiting for the temples (as is Pagan in Myanmar if you are feeling more adventurous.
Bangkok, Phnom Phen and HCMC / Hanoi are incredibly different city's and worth visiting for different reasons from culture to Asian hustle and bustle.
Etc etc ..... always available for a
Sorry for terrible spelling, on my phone.
Eta - Bali is a long way from the rest of your suggestions .....its a 4:30 flight from BKK
Some good advice above.
We've done Borneo (more limited culture, some small/artificial beaches at the main resorts, but some first-rate hotels, and good diving off the north point and the main draw is the wildlife (orang-utans, deer caves, turtle island - book this trip in advance). Plus Mount Kinabalu if you're feeling fit.
Also - google Tunku Abdul Rahman national park - they've got wild monitor lizards at the back of the main tourist beach! There you are, just about to relax on your towel when a 2-foot long juvenile runs right past your head, you turn around and there's a pair of 6-foot long adults at the edge of the woods at the back making a bee-line for the catering cabin/trailer!!!
We've done Bali - doesn't really compare to the others, too commercialised. Ubud is a great place to chill, some stunning views just outside (we stayed at the Alila - still one of our favourite hotels), but the rest sadly doesn't match-up.
We've done Thailand twice - love it, and the proximity to Siem Reap/Angkor can't be underestimated (Khmer temples are a must-see...genuinely inspiring and uplifting). Probably the best single-country option for you. The food, the people, colours, temples, food, beaches, people, beaches, scenery, temples. Did I mention the food?!?
We've done Vietnam. A few nice beaches but not to compare to Thailand/Malaysia. South is friendly, North less so, Halong is awesome in any weather. Probably little snorkelling/diving due to the seas, and less obvious 'culture' (it's there but you have to go looking, if you ignore all the war-stuff) to visit than Thailand/Cambodia, where you can't go for a walk without tripping over 10 temples or some ruins!
Japan is another good option - probably more 'doing' and less-relaxing, although if you head to the south or into the highlands you'll respectively find beaches / villages with proper, old-school onsen, depending on your definition of relaxing. Another big thumbs-up here - great people, great food, real culture-shock in Tokyo (try finding a restaurant at night 6-storeys up a non-descript building only advertised in neon kanji!) but so much variety. April or October - sakura or autumn leaves.
When do you want to go, as weather will play a big part as John says - monsoon season WILL impact your holiday if you pick the wrong time/place. Or is time flexible around location?
We've done Borneo (more limited culture, some small/artificial beaches at the main resorts, but some first-rate hotels, and good diving off the north point and the main draw is the wildlife (orang-utans, deer caves, turtle island - book this trip in advance). Plus Mount Kinabalu if you're feeling fit.
Also - google Tunku Abdul Rahman national park - they've got wild monitor lizards at the back of the main tourist beach! There you are, just about to relax on your towel when a 2-foot long juvenile runs right past your head, you turn around and there's a pair of 6-foot long adults at the edge of the woods at the back making a bee-line for the catering cabin/trailer!!!
We've done Bali - doesn't really compare to the others, too commercialised. Ubud is a great place to chill, some stunning views just outside (we stayed at the Alila - still one of our favourite hotels), but the rest sadly doesn't match-up.
We've done Thailand twice - love it, and the proximity to Siem Reap/Angkor can't be underestimated (Khmer temples are a must-see...genuinely inspiring and uplifting). Probably the best single-country option for you. The food, the people, colours, temples, food, beaches, people, beaches, scenery, temples. Did I mention the food?!?
We've done Vietnam. A few nice beaches but not to compare to Thailand/Malaysia. South is friendly, North less so, Halong is awesome in any weather. Probably little snorkelling/diving due to the seas, and less obvious 'culture' (it's there but you have to go looking, if you ignore all the war-stuff) to visit than Thailand/Cambodia, where you can't go for a walk without tripping over 10 temples or some ruins!
Japan is another good option - probably more 'doing' and less-relaxing, although if you head to the south or into the highlands you'll respectively find beaches / villages with proper, old-school onsen, depending on your definition of relaxing. Another big thumbs-up here - great people, great food, real culture-shock in Tokyo (try finding a restaurant at night 6-storeys up a non-descript building only advertised in neon kanji!) but so much variety. April or October - sakura or autumn leaves.
When do you want to go, as weather will play a big part as John says - monsoon season WILL impact your holiday if you pick the wrong time/place. Or is time flexible around location?
I've done Nam with some friends. Started Hanoi, Hao long, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Mui Ne, HCMC.
The north is poor and chaotic, Hoi an and mui ne are beautiful and chilled out, HCMC is richer but still chaotic.
I love vietnam I'll definitely go back but next time I won't bother with nha trang it's a s
thole full of Russians.
The north is poor and chaotic, Hoi an and mui ne are beautiful and chilled out, HCMC is richer but still chaotic.
I love vietnam I'll definitely go back but next time I won't bother with nha trang it's a s
thole full of Russians.I always advise people to avoid Malaysia, dispite living here 20 years, Kl is a shopping city, East Coast the beaches are better in Thailand, Lankowi is dirty outside the hotels (Lived there 2 years), Borneo is OK, I lived there for 5 years,(I'm not surprised at the murders this week as these boys went to a local gangster bar, but things to do are limited see the monkeys and leave. If you've never done a 4000M mountain then Mount KK with a guide is OK, pesonally I don't want the guide for an easy peak so never done it.
Sing again is a shopping city, why sit on a plain to go shopping,
If you want an easy introduction to Asia Malaysia is Ok because of the English, but Thailand, Vietnam are better.(The english is why its a great place to live and work)
If you want to sit on the beach in a 4 or 5 star hotel you can go anywhere and do that, so don't waste your time on the flight.
Thailand is what ever you want, I've had great holidays with the kids, drunken business dinners in Bankok and bike weeks with the boys, it is only as seedy as you let it be.
Now everyone who spent a long weekend in Asia can tell me I'm wrong.
Sing again is a shopping city, why sit on a plain to go shopping,
If you want an easy introduction to Asia Malaysia is Ok because of the English, but Thailand, Vietnam are better.(The english is why its a great place to live and work)
If you want to sit on the beach in a 4 or 5 star hotel you can go anywhere and do that, so don't waste your time on the flight.
Thailand is what ever you want, I've had great holidays with the kids, drunken business dinners in Bankok and bike weeks with the boys, it is only as seedy as you let it be.
Now everyone who spent a long weekend in Asia can tell me I'm wrong.
Can't agree with Berw more. I really didn't 'get' Malaysia at all. Stayed in Llankawi for 5 weeks due to looking after some boats there, not too much to see and the beaches aren't great. Some people seem to love Penang and old Georgetown but i still can't quite see what all the fuss is about. Went to other places too and travelled through the heart of the country by train. I'd struggle to come up with 3 must see things there !!
I reckon Thailand is your best bet for beaches/diving although avoid Phuket, it a Russian tourist island now. Although the Pha Nga Bay is worth going to if you haven't been to Halong Bay, i wasn't blown away by Halong Bay (although still great) because i had just seen Pha Nga Bay. I think the kayaking was better in Pha Nga bay as there seemed to be more caves to kayak into and find the lagoons within.
I would recommened going to dive in Komodo national park in Indonesia but with the time frame you have i just don't think its do-able.
I do whole heartedly recommened going to the temples at Angkor, everybody is blown away by them. Going back there myself next week as meeting my brother there. We were going to go around Kualu Lumpur or Singapore for a long weekend but cities can be done easily on another business trip, i told him to do something completely different and a must see in Asia is the Angkor temples, better than Borubodour (sp?) temples in Indonesia ( which are great by themselves!).
I preferred north Vietnam to the south, Hanoi to Saigon. Nha Trang is another Russian beach town as has been said. Hoi An cute and chilled and not very big. Sapa in the north is a big contrast to most things you see, very simple lifestyle up there with virtually everybody farming the land but stunning scenary and clean fresh air. Its an overnight train from Hanoi and if you spend 2/3 days there its a big chunk out of you time. Halong bay is spectacular.
The beaches of Cambodia aren't great so i wouldn't recommened spending time down in Sihanoukville, very touristy, also the beaches of Vietnam aren't brilliant. Some of the beaches in Thailand are truely stunning.
Thats my 2p for what its worth.
Decisions, decisions........
I reckon Thailand is your best bet for beaches/diving although avoid Phuket, it a Russian tourist island now. Although the Pha Nga Bay is worth going to if you haven't been to Halong Bay, i wasn't blown away by Halong Bay (although still great) because i had just seen Pha Nga Bay. I think the kayaking was better in Pha Nga bay as there seemed to be more caves to kayak into and find the lagoons within.
I would recommened going to dive in Komodo national park in Indonesia but with the time frame you have i just don't think its do-able.
I do whole heartedly recommened going to the temples at Angkor, everybody is blown away by them. Going back there myself next week as meeting my brother there. We were going to go around Kualu Lumpur or Singapore for a long weekend but cities can be done easily on another business trip, i told him to do something completely different and a must see in Asia is the Angkor temples, better than Borubodour (sp?) temples in Indonesia ( which are great by themselves!).
I preferred north Vietnam to the south, Hanoi to Saigon. Nha Trang is another Russian beach town as has been said. Hoi An cute and chilled and not very big. Sapa in the north is a big contrast to most things you see, very simple lifestyle up there with virtually everybody farming the land but stunning scenary and clean fresh air. Its an overnight train from Hanoi and if you spend 2/3 days there its a big chunk out of you time. Halong bay is spectacular.
The beaches of Cambodia aren't great so i wouldn't recommened spending time down in Sihanoukville, very touristy, also the beaches of Vietnam aren't brilliant. Some of the beaches in Thailand are truely stunning.
Thats my 2p for what its worth.
Decisions, decisions........
Yes djc, I agree its great for a weekend, I can do that, but 12 hours on a plane? I love Malaysia, its a great place to live, but as a holiday destination it is just oversold, I can walk to all the big shopping centres in kl but my wife shops in Europe because it is cheaper and products are more current, ok we don't pay vat. Now for piston heads Sepang is great, 50pound for a track day.
Berw said:
Yes djc, I agree its great for a weekend, I can do that, but 12 hours on a plane? I love Malaysia, its a great place to live, but as a holiday destination it is just oversold, I can walk to all the big shopping centres in kl but my wife shops in Europe because it is cheaper and products are more current, ok we don't pay vat. Now for piston heads Sepang is great, 50pound for a track day.
I think it worked out at 16.5 hours to KK from LHR. Cost me a pretty penny too. The things we do for love...Berw said:
Yes djc, I agree its great for a weekend, I can do that, but 12 hours on a plane? I love Malaysia, its a great place to live, but as a holiday destination it is just oversold, I can walk to all the big shopping centres in kl but my wife shops in Europe because it is cheaper and products are more current, ok we don't pay vat. Now for piston heads Sepang is great, 50pound for a track day.
Slightly on topic for the o/p but how do you feel on Penang and malacca for a tourist?
I worked near Penang for a while, it very Chinese, George town is ok, but there is a lot if tidal rip and the water is murky, from the gravel moving, last time I was there was also a jelly fish problem, Malacca is ok for the history for a few days but again the beaches are dirty both from the river and the ships in the straights. I love Malaysia but the problem is that there is not enough to do, most places are weekend places, and I just don't see why you would come all this way to sit in a hotel, if you want to see things you need to move around, not stay in one resort. I find that in Thailand there is more to do and you can stay in one place longer.
Hong Kong for sightseeing and shopping, Okinawa for diving and a cultural and culinary experience. sorted.
If going to Borneo my advice is to stay away from the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park.
Its a bit of a st hole , its like somebody dumped a landfill into the sea ,most sealife is dead and it looked like half of china has descended into the area. There are of course other islands but there is a cost to value ratio to be considered and with the threat of tourist kidnappings around these areas please do a bit of research first
In fact after travelling through malaysia for the last couple of months , it really doesn't do it for me in many ways.
Japan on the other hand , it would be one of the top Asian countries to visit in my book.
We went to Okinawa and the diving is a bit brilliant. Its like diving into a large aquarium the water is so clear. Right or wrong there is also the chance to dive with captive whale sharks in a massive net in the sea. Also diving is half the price of Malaysia for more than double the time in the water
Car rental is also cheap ,17 quid a day is what we paid including the insurance waiver premium.
Eating out is nearly half of what you would pay in the uk.
The place is clean everywhere and the people are so bloody polite .
Hong Kong is so compact you can definitely do most of the sights in a week. The public transport is the best in the world and absolutely everything is signposted in English so you would never get lost.
I'd say its one of the most advanced cities in the world that Tokyo doesn't even come close.
So there you go a return ticket to Hk is about £550 quid from london and a return ticket from Hk to Okinawa is about £150 .
If going to Borneo my advice is to stay away from the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park.
Its a bit of a s
t hole , its like somebody dumped a landfill into the sea ,most sealife is dead and it looked like half of china has descended into the area. There are of course other islands but there is a cost to value ratio to be considered and with the threat of tourist kidnappings around these areas please do a bit of research first In fact after travelling through malaysia for the last couple of months , it really doesn't do it for me in many ways.
Japan on the other hand , it would be one of the top Asian countries to visit in my book.
We went to Okinawa and the diving is a bit brilliant. Its like diving into a large aquarium the water is so clear. Right or wrong there is also the chance to dive with captive whale sharks in a massive net in the sea. Also diving is half the price of Malaysia for more than double the time in the water
Car rental is also cheap ,17 quid a day is what we paid including the insurance waiver premium.
Eating out is nearly half of what you would pay in the uk.
The place is clean everywhere and the people are so bloody polite .
Hong Kong is so compact you can definitely do most of the sights in a week. The public transport is the best in the world and absolutely everything is signposted in English so you would never get lost.
I'd say its one of the most advanced cities in the world that Tokyo doesn't even come close.
So there you go a return ticket to Hk is about £550 quid from london and a return ticket from Hk to Okinawa is about £150 .
rich85uk said:
Berw said:
Yes djc, I agree its great for a weekend, I can do that, but 12 hours on a plane? I love Malaysia, its a great place to live, but as a holiday destination it is just oversold, I can walk to all the big shopping centres in kl but my wife shops in Europe because it is cheaper and products are more current, ok we don't pay vat. Now for piston heads Sepang is great, 50pound for a track day.
Slightly on topic for the o/p but how do you feel on Penang and malacca for a tourist?
whoami said:
XJSJohn said:
. Alternatively Haolong bay in Vietnam (depending on time of year).
Which time of year is best?I did Halong Bay at Christmas time. It was very cold and very misty. Definitely didn't see it at it's best!
I enjoyed Georgetown in Penang and Melaka, and I'd definitely recommend them to people in Malaysia or who are travelling around for a long time, but as has been said, for a two week holiday other things would come first.
I'm also of the opinion that Thailand takes some beating. It has most of the things that it's neighbours offer, just quite often better and more accessible. Especially for first timers to Asia: Thailand is king.
I enjoyed Georgetown in Penang and Melaka, and I'd definitely recommend them to people in Malaysia or who are travelling around for a long time, but as has been said, for a two week holiday other things would come first.
I'm also of the opinion that Thailand takes some beating. It has most of the things that it's neighbours offer, just quite often better and more accessible. Especially for first timers to Asia: Thailand is king.
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