SE Asia stop-overs?
Discussion
The current plan for our honeymoon next year is to visit Australia via SE Asia, most likely 3 weeks in Australia seeing as much of the country as we can without making it too rushed. The other week can be split to spent some time in 2 different Asian cities. This is about the only remaining part of the world we want to see and haven’t before life gets complicated we have kids, and it gets more difficult (and expensive) to do this kind of trip.
There are several options it seems available as stop overs, some don’t appeal so can be ruled out (such as Dubai, Mumbai). Current line of thinking is Hong Kong on the way out and Bangkok on the way home, but there are many other options such as Tokyo, Singapore etc. We’ll be going mid-may and returning aprox a month later so prob not the best time weather wise for that part of the world.
There are several options it seems available as stop overs, some don’t appeal so can be ruled out (such as Dubai, Mumbai). Current line of thinking is Hong Kong on the way out and Bangkok on the way home, but there are many other options such as Tokyo, Singapore etc. We’ll be going mid-may and returning aprox a month later so prob not the best time weather wise for that part of the world.
RTW tickets often come up as a decent price, so maybe worth adding San Fran to the list?
Tokyo out of your options would be on my list, although I've not been and might not get on with it if/when I get there.
I spent 3 weeks last Jan in SE Asia, and Bangkok was my least favourite of the cities I visited. Probably because it was more modern and western and less different than the others.
Sadly they might be a stretch for stop-offs.
I enjoyed Cambodia and Vietnam far more, but that's probably a separate trip!
Tokyo out of your options would be on my list, although I've not been and might not get on with it if/when I get there.
I spent 3 weeks last Jan in SE Asia, and Bangkok was my least favourite of the cities I visited. Probably because it was more modern and western and less different than the others.
Sadly they might be a stretch for stop-offs.
I enjoyed Cambodia and Vietnam far more, but that's probably a separate trip!
If you want cities, then my 2p is:-
- Bangkok is fantastic - the Royal Palace is truly beautiful, and the place has such a cool mix of modern and traditional
- Saigon is really interesting
- Hanoi isn't - much less welcoming
- HK and Singapore we haven't done but they're popular for a reason, and are probably more 'westernised' than the others.
- Tokyo is a really interesting place, and the Japanese are lovely, but it's more 'off the route' than the others, and if you've not done any of Asia yet then I'd probably put Bangkok above it. Although you could fly into Kansai and do Kyoto instead, which is the 'heart' of Japan.
- Bangkok is fantastic - the Royal Palace is truly beautiful, and the place has such a cool mix of modern and traditional
- Saigon is really interesting
- Hanoi isn't - much less welcoming
- HK and Singapore we haven't done but they're popular for a reason, and are probably more 'westernised' than the others.
- Tokyo is a really interesting place, and the Japanese are lovely, but it's more 'off the route' than the others, and if you've not done any of Asia yet then I'd probably put Bangkok above it. Although you could fly into Kansai and do Kyoto instead, which is the 'heart' of Japan.
HK and Singapore are good stopovers if you want first world living. I'd be tempted to do a few days in Singapore and then fly to either Thailand, Cambodia or Vietnam for a few days. Or you could go via Bali on the way up.
Tokyo is a long way out of the way, and Japan deserves it's own visit in my opinion. There's quite a few of us out here who can point you round SE Asia.
Tokyo is a long way out of the way, and Japan deserves it's own visit in my opinion. There's quite a few of us out here who can point you round SE Asia.
There is a lot more to see in SE Asia than Australia (IMO) so would consider a stop over in SInga as a staging post to Thailand / Vietnam / Cambodia / Indonesia (whatever takes your fancy) then 2 weeks in Oz followed by a stop over in Honkers then on to China / Taiwan / Korea / Japan, whatever takes your fancy.
It is the hot and Humid time of year for SE Asia as opposed to the Hot and wet
It is the hot and Humid time of year for SE Asia as opposed to the Hot and wet
andrew311 said:
most likely 3 weeks in Australia seeing as much of the country as we can without making it too rushed.
What are your plans for Oz ?Bearing in mind, by plane its BNE - PER - 4hrs ish with 2hrs difference in time zones.
You could quite easily spend more than 3 weeks just on the eastern seaboard
Thanks for the replies, as others have said SE Asia is a destiantion in itself so we'll paln to do that as one holiday rather than just trying to see a snippnet or trying to squeeze too much in a short space of time.
As for Aus, the 3 weeks will probably be spent split seeing 'a few highlights' We've only just got a guide book but so far fancying the idea of the Whitsundays, Ayres Rock, Great Barrier Reef and a couple of cities like Sydney, Perth (mostly due to family).
May is a bit of an awkward time of year it seems weather wise in the destinations we want to see, a tour of Thailand and surrounding countires could have been on the cards but don't think the weather will be great, while Norther Aus should be dry and hot, while the south is cooler but still pleasent. One thing that had put me off Aus is the exchange rate, floating around $1.5 to the £ it's the lowest I've ever seen it. We almost went for a holiday in Thailand last September, but between the weather and political unrest we decided against it and did a 3 week driving holiday in California. Travelling quite a bit has limited our honeymoon options and don't like the idea of doing the same holiday twice.
As for Aus, the 3 weeks will probably be spent split seeing 'a few highlights' We've only just got a guide book but so far fancying the idea of the Whitsundays, Ayres Rock, Great Barrier Reef and a couple of cities like Sydney, Perth (mostly due to family).
May is a bit of an awkward time of year it seems weather wise in the destinations we want to see, a tour of Thailand and surrounding countires could have been on the cards but don't think the weather will be great, while Norther Aus should be dry and hot, while the south is cooler but still pleasent. One thing that had put me off Aus is the exchange rate, floating around $1.5 to the £ it's the lowest I've ever seen it. We almost went for a holiday in Thailand last September, but between the weather and political unrest we decided against it and did a 3 week driving holiday in California. Travelling quite a bit has limited our honeymoon options and don't like the idea of doing the same holiday twice.
Bangkok or Hong Kong on the way out but definitely Tokyo on the way back. Amazing city, with the bonus because of the latitude the plane goes over the North Pole making the flight only 10 hours instead of the 13 or 14 from other Asian stop overs.
As far a OZ is concerned.....because you only have three weeks (which is obviously a decent amount of time but not where Australia is concerned), I would save the Whitsundays for another trip, cause you really won't want to leave. I would stick to; Sydney, up to Cairns (Barrier Reef), onto Ayres Rock(Uluru)/Alice Springs then Perth.
IMHO obviously.
As far a OZ is concerned.....because you only have three weeks (which is obviously a decent amount of time but not where Australia is concerned), I would save the Whitsundays for another trip, cause you really won't want to leave. I would stick to; Sydney, up to Cairns (Barrier Reef), onto Ayres Rock(Uluru)/Alice Springs then Perth.
IMHO obviously.
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