Help please. we really want a gorgeous beach holiday long haul in july /august but everywhere shows dodgy weather.

[ihatethecold]

This is the only time we can go due to school hols and exams.
Mexico looks rainy,
Mauritius poss a bit chilly and windy.
Florida looks boiling hot!

Poss Koh Samui will be dry?

I'm driving myself nuts trying to organise this.
We are going for a special occasion so we want to go long haul and have a budget of about 6K for 4 of us.

please help me!

There's an island in the caribbean that's mozzie free, can't remember which one but I'm sure you can google it.

Also Mnemba island in the Seychelles, but that's vv expensive.

Maybe it was this one

www.theguardian.com/travel/2002/nov/11/userstraveladvice

that island looks fab

Take a look at Kota Kinabalu in Malaysian Borneo. We stayed at the Rasa Ria hotel, right on the beach, which is white sands and gorgeous. It has an orang utan reserve, you can be guided into the jungle and watch the orang utans come down from the hills and eat when they are called. Probably need to transit through Singapore or KL.

If you are more into jungles, you can go proper jungle trekking for a day or longer, hard core types (I know several who have done it) climb Mount Kinabalu, takes a couple of days but apparently it's amazing.

You could combine Borneo with Malaysia.

Friend of mine goes to Borneo every year and a few years ago I met up with her in Malaysia. I loved it.

Culture (Malay, Chinese, Indian), friendly people, beautiful nature, great food (cheap!), fabulous islands. KL is great too. Your kids will love the trip up the Petronas Towers!

If you are going at that time of year why on earth go long haul? Pick a top notch 5 star hotel in the med.

A few of us have asked the same question. Apparently the Med isn't special enough for a special occasion.

Nice PA comment there Bunbaker!
The med doesn't have what I want from this hol.
Don't really know why you care so much to keep mentioning it.

I came on to ask advice. Lots of people have shown me that it's possible.

As long as El Niño doesn't appear in September like the BBC have just reported.

The trouble with the med in July/August is that it's packed.

Beaches that may be a gem in May/June/September are often heaving masses of skin the colour of handbags in high season. The sun beds side by side like a seventies youth hostel.

And the prices in the med at that time of year are also often absurd. The hotels and restaurants etc simply don't get the year round footfall so they hike in July/August.

El Nino looking likely atm, and probably good thing too. California is desperate for rain.

not everywhere in the Med is packed in high season. Plenty of Greek beaches and smaller islands don't look as you describe, and most don't have sunbeds. You bring your own towel and picnic and spread out.

I haven't read all six pages of the thread so please excuse me if my suggestions are unsuitable. Before mortgages and babies dh and I always went long haul in August - KL, Bali, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Honestly the weather was fine in all locations we had the odd rainy day in Thailand but this provided respite from the intense heat and didn't stop us doing any activities (white water rafting, canoeing, cookery school etc). Sri Lanka has monsoons in the south coast during our summer however all this means in real terms is the sea isn't suitable for swimming so you can head for the stunning beaches further north. Look up a place called jungle beach in trinco - absolute heaven. Hope that's helpful

It's is. Thanks.
I'm going into town today to pop into Trailfinders to ask about some of the suggestions on here.
Obv. Budget will come into it.

I agree, specialsubject! I love the Mediterranean in July and August for the perfect weather and there are endless places to go that are peaceful and quiet (musts for me on holiday). I absolutely never use travel agents, however, and suspect that you probably won't get the peaceful options if you buy the industry options.

Bonsoir would you mind sharing? (By pm if you want to keep them quiet!) Though I'm guessing perhaps Corsica is involved? I know the French love to holiday in 'France' !

Well after speaking to someone in Trailfinders,
I think the best option for us will be Koh Samui.
We can have a free stopover somewhere like Hong Kong for a couple of days, I can show the kids where i went to school!
Or Singapore.
Its slightly cheaper than Mauritius, and I'm concerned the sea wont be clear in August there.
So any recommendations for Hotels in Koh Samui would be appreciated.

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/VacationRentalReview-g293918-d7002619-Wonderful_beach_house_with_garden-Ko_Samui_Surat_Thani_Province.html

My place in Koh Samui is still available. We stayed at the 4 seasons on Samui before our place was built. It's really gorgeous..... Bophut is anothe nice resort, Maenam too. Give Chaweng a miss, it's a bit like Benidorm with Pizza Hut etc... We built our villa when we lived in Singapore, which I love. You can spend a week there and still not see it all. I would do Gardens by the Bay, Zoo or Night Safari, Universal Studios and Aquarium on Sentosa, Little India ..... Flights from Singapore to Samui are direct with Bangkok Air or SilkAir.

Thanks myfriends
We may look at a villa. Thanks for the heads up regarding areas.
The rep in trailfinders said the quiet end of Chaweng is ok.
I did say we don't drink or party!
I will look for some ideas in bophut.

We stayed here on Samui in a 2 bed villa. It's a lovely hotel and Trailfinders can get good discounts.
Probably not up there with the Four Seasons though.

Where dailyfix?
4 seasons will be out of our price range.
We are deffo getting 2 rooms now the kids are older.

Sorry, thought I'd linked
www.sixsenses.com/resorts/samui/accommodation/villas-and-suites
Not a budget option, but a lovely splurge.

Don't know if you have booked yet. We have just been looking for our summer holiday and are looking at Sulawesi with a stopover in Singapore.
Saw flights to Sing for £650 return and then separate flight booking with Silk Air to Manado on Sulawesi for £240 return.
The beaches look amazing if you google and you also get to see these :)
www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2719534/So-DO-monkey-selfie-Inside-world-British-wildlife-photographer-macaque-snaps-sparked-bizarre-copyright-battle.html

Thanks. I won't book until sept.
I will check your link out.
I haven't heard of Sulawesi before.