Asia - 2 weeks - Singapore / Bali - where to go next?

[Ynox]

Off to Asia in October for 2 weeks.

So far I've got 3 days in Singapore and a week in Bali sorted. Looking for something to do for the final 3 days (the last night of the trip is back in Singapore).

Anyone got any suggestions? Was thinking Cambodia / Vietnam but it's rainy season there then?

Cheers.

[Jackleman]

When in October? the weather is pretty good towards Nov.

[Ynox]

Will be around 20th October.

[Jackleman]

Northern Vietnam will possibly be quiet cold and wet.

I think you could look at Cambodia and southern Vietnam, it does take time to travel around there so don't plan to try and fit in too much.

[hesnotthemessiah]

Tokyo would be my choice.

[Bing o]

hesnotthemessiah said:

Tokyo would be my choice.

You do realise that Tokyo is as near to Singapore as New York is to London right? So it's a bit like saying that you are spending 3 days in Paris, a week in Italy and then going to New York on the way back.....

Vietnam takes a while to travel around. I would go to Thailand for a few days, as it's cheap and easy to get to and from Singapore. Either Phuket or Bangkok.

[AJS-]

Bali to Cambodia/Vietnam is a long way for 3 days.

I'd go somewhere in Indo either looking at Orangutans or some other jungle kind of activity, or go and have a look around Jakarta for a few days if you fancy a bit of city.

Phuket would be doable, but coming from all the way from Bali to end up on another nice beach?

[Moose.]

If you want to see some orangutans up close and personal in their natural environment, and you don't mind a bit of an adventure to get there, check out Bukit Luwang in Sumatra:

http://www.sumatra-indonesia.com/BukitLawang.htm
http://bukitlawang.com

You can fly into Medan from Bali and take a bus or private driver to Bukit Luwang. The place is amazing and well worth the effort. Guides can be hired very cheaply who'll help you find the orangutans and you can take a tube ride back from within the jungle back to the main town.

And when you're done, flights from Medan to Singapore are pretty cheap and daily. Should fill those 3 days perfectly

[Carl_Spackler]

Could you not get your fights changed and fly back from Hong Kong, spend your 3 days there?

[Ynox]

Some good ideas here - thanks all.

Not sure on heading back to BKK - was in Thailand in 2009. It's a possibility though.

Leaving HK for a future trip - going out to Singapore to see family so the final night there is through choice (as well as convenience for return flight).

[hesnotthemessiah]

Bing o said:

hesnotthemessiah said:

Tokyo would be my choice.

You do realise that Tokyo is as near to Singapore as New York is to London right? So it's a bit like saying that you are spending 3 days in Paris, a week in Italy and then going to New York on the way back.....

Vietnam takes a while to travel around. I would go to Thailand for a few days, as it's cheap and easy to get to and from Singapore. Either Phuket or Bangkok.

Well durr!

But what's wrong with spending 3 days in Paris, a week in Italy and then going to New York on the way back? Sounds like an amazing holiday.

'Vietnam takes a while to travel around'. Well durr again!

Thank you Captain Obvious!

[MR Kirbyz]

I'm not sure about the last three days of your holiday but when you're in singapore make sure yo go to sentosa island! its a wonderful place

[Jackleman]

hesnotthemessiah said:

Well durr!

But what's wrong with spending 3 days in Paris, a week in Italy and then going to New York on the way back? Sounds like an amazing holiday.

'Vietnam takes a while to travel around'. Well durr again!

Thank you Captain Obvious!

NO... Perhaps I did not word it well.

You can spend a lot of time on a bus or train in Vietnam. I travelled from Da Nang to Siem Reap in Cambodia a few months back, it was a ball ache in the 18 days I had as I spent a lot of it on very bad busses.

For anything less than a week I would try and base myself somewhere and just do short trips from it.

[Bing o]

hesnotthemessiah said:

Well durr!

But what's wrong with spending 3 days in Paris, a week in Italy and then going to New York on the way back? Sounds like an amazing holiday.

'Vietnam takes a while to travel around'. Well durr again!

Thank you Captain Obvious!

There may be a reason why you live in Sheffield and I live in Singapore. You utter end of a bell.

[XJSJohn]

at Bing o

OP - you are going to spend a week on a beach in Bali and see plenty of wild life around the island anyway.

I have done Siem Reap a few times in late october / early december and prefer it then anyway, not as many tourists, not as hot and the rain keeps the smell of the hippies and student backpackers down.

If you are not likely to come back to asia for a holiday in the near future then this could be an option - just expect to get a bit wet and muddy.

Otherwise City Break in Singapore - Bali - City break in Bangkok perhaps?

[hesnotthemessiah]

Bing o said:

There may be a reason why you live in Sheffield and I live in Singapore. You utter end of a bell.

Hey...Easy with the insults tiger. You started it with your smart ar*e comments. Just because you currently live in that part of the world, you presume you are the only one who knows the geography.

I might have to report you to the Singapore authorities for not flushing a public loo.

I guess there is a reason why I live in Sheffield and you live in Singapore. Maybe because I prefer fresh air and open countryside and you prefer to live in a big shopping centre?

I have been to Singapore and I didn't enjoy it (and I'm not just saying that because people like you live there). Too clean and sanitised for my liking. The best bit was catching a boat from Changi Village over to Pulau Ubin for a couple of dollars and spending to day riding round on the dirt tracks on a couple of hired bikes, had a great day. It may have changed a lot since we were there......

[phumy]

hesnotthemessiah said:

Bing o said:

There may be a reason why you live in Sheffield and I live in Singapore. You utter end of a bell.

Hey...Easy with the insults tiger. You started it with your smart ar*e comments. Just because you currently live in that part of the world, you presume you are the only one who knows the geography.

I might have to report you to the Singapore authorities for not flushing a public loo.

I guess there is a reason why I live in Sheffield and you live in Singapore. Maybe because I prefer fresh air and open countryside and you prefer to live in a big shopping centre?

I have been to Singapore and I didn't enjoy it (and I'm not just saying that because people like you live there). Too clean and sanitised for my liking. The best bit was catching a boat from Changi Village over to Pulau Ubin for a couple of dollars and spending to day riding round on the dirt tracks on a couple of hired bikes, had a great day. It may have changed a lot since we were there......

Now now girls


I think Vietnam is good, in my onest hopinion, but then i am biased....

[Du1point8]

if you like island life... go to gili trawangan, its a 2 hour speed boat journey and is a dive resort and quite cheap if you want it to be.

http://www.gilitrawangan.org/

I stayed at this place:

http://www.manta-dive.com/diving-accommodation-gil...

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g6646...

dived with these guys:

http://www.bluemarlindive.com/blue-marlin-dive-cen...

however you can do better.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g664666-A...

possibly get both at the same place and get it all cheaper.

you can book with:

http://www.asiarooms.com/en/indonesia/gili_trawang...

http://www.laterooms.com/en/p1301/pv503825s/hotel-...

however we just walked up the beach and got these for circa £30 a night for the bungalow.

Very nice if you like party life and diving for only a couple of days

[oblio]

I'd head up to KL for the last few days. Not too far to travel and loads to see/do; relatively cheap as well - fantastic place

[XJSJohn]

hesnotthemessiah said:

I have been to Singapore and I didn't enjoy it (and I'm not just saying that because people like you live there). Too clean and sanitised for my liking. The best bit was catching a boat from Changi Village over to Pulau Ubin for a couple of dollars and spending to day riding round on the dirt tracks on a couple of hired bikes, had a great day. It may have changed a lot since we were there......

Just come back from beers on Ubin ... (it hasn't changed for 50 years) and there is a lot of singapore just like that .... its crap if you just follow the SIngapore Tourism Board recommendations for what tourists should do, because they still think that everyone wants to go to Orchard Road and shop the integrated resorts and gamble. There is much more (look on the Asia forum here for starters)

To other suggestions ... i really like KL but to incorporate that as a short city stop in Asia with Bali etc ... its low on the list, Bangkok, HCMC, Jakarta etc way higher on my recommendations list if you going to make the effort to travel this far to start with.

edit - sorry corrected for updated tourist information guides

ohh and you don't get arrested / fined for not flushing the bog ... we have auto flushing ones now

You can even buy chewing gum these days, very cosmopolitan dont'cha know

Edited by XJSJohn on Thursday 30th June 16:49