Big trip ideas

[dontcallmethatyoucunt]

I'm trying to plan for DH 50th and would like a family holiday that isn't 'standard'. I'm lacking inspiration and I'm always wowed jealous where other people go.

Hit me with your trip of a life time triumphs. We're active, like doing and looking, and flexible on location.

Thanks

Thailand great place people are just lovely
Same can be said for Malaysia and Philippines

Trying Vietnam next but will still spend a week in Thailand at the end of the holiday to ready unwind

Hi OP!
I've traveled/lived in all the places I mentioned so v happy to advise.

SE Asia - I found Vietnam too hectic and preferred the pace of Cambodia, love Laos. V special. A holiday pairing Luang Prabang and Ankara Wat would be great. Have a look at www.journeys-within.com for ethical travel.

Stans are amazingly by, but much tougher. Check out Wild Frontiers for ideas.

Colombia has it all! And I'd say it's safe if you follow common sense. I did an Amazon trip to Ecuador when I lived there, kids would love it!

for something really really special check out this place: www.glenburnteaestate.com/

Just seen your Colombia qu - I'd say it's unusual in its diversity. You can go diving in Providencia, island off the coast of panama, carribbean culture in Cartagena, lost city at ciudad perdita, Andes, amazon, old colonial towns, modern crazy cities.... it's got a lot! Have a look at seecolombia travel blog.

Everyone I know is going to Japan. (Including me - went there on honeymoon). In a world where people often travel yet remain very much within the same kind of global tourist culture, it's amazing to go to a place that is genuinely different.

Thanks MrsC really helpful info. .. what do you do!? unfailing nosey
My work colleague is from Colombia so I could really pick her brains. Amazon trip too sounds immense.

I must admit we've been to Japan, it was a brilliant trip so thoroughly recommend. I just didn't want to start with 'apart from these great places, where should I go'.

Now I suppose I should do some work to pay for all this!

Vancouver stay and Alaska cruise
Caribbean cruise
Sri Lanka
Multi flight trip - San Francisco, LA and Vegas.
Chicago

We had a great trip to Belize. Scuba, amazing ruins and if felt exotic and off the beaten trap but safe.
We also enjoyed SE Asia too.
Thinking of Myanmar next year but without the DC, just about to start a thread.

I used to work in the Humanitarian sector OP, but really just live to travel!

Belize is a good one. Placencia for beaches, good diving, amazing seafood, jungle stuff etc, and English speaking! Could add in Guatemala for extra spice, Antigua for colonial architecture, Lake Atitlan, ruins of Tikal, farm stay at Finca Ixbel for the kids!!

Burma - right up there and a fascinating time to go. Beaches along the Andaman coast, Bagan ruins, river trips, trekking from Kalaw to Lake Inle. So much fun deploring and the friendliest people. Go now, you won't recognise it in ten years.

Ah now Burma, that's a great idea.

I love travel too, but really don't want guided experiences unless it seems really essential (for safety or time practicalities). I never did the year back packing so although we've done quite a bit, I have definite gaps!

Have a look at Journeys Within for Burma too. Not necessarily for a guided tour, but to get some ideas. (I'm not a travel agent, but a friend from when I live in Cambodia worked for them and I think they're good.)

You could do an amazing couple of weeks there. I did a 3 week loop solo a few years ago. Rangoon - Bagan - Mandalay - Kalaw - Inle - Andaman coast

Amazing place!

I would LOVE to hot air balloon over Bagan! That truly would be a lifetime memory....

I would LOVE to hot air balloon over Bagan! That truly would be a lifetime memory.... Oh yes, early misty morning or sunset, I'm not fussy.

.

😍

I have lived in China for nearly 10 years and would recommend the following:
Vietnam - sapa for trekking, Hoi an is lovely, hcmc and tunnels, Hanoi for the old town. Food is amazing and prices are reasonable.
Easy to combine with Cambodia or Laos.
Borneo - Kota Kinabalu or Kuching (Kuching is nicer) and combine with long houses, monkeys, kayaking, mt Kinabalu and national parks and perhaps a few days in KL
China - Beijing, Shanghai, xi'an for the Warriors, chengdu for pandas, Guilin for limestone karsts - easy to get about by bullet train or domestic flight. If you want something more challenging - Tibet or Inner Mongolia?
Stans - some are a pain visa wise, but Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are visa free. Kyrgyzstan is great for hiking and great value. Almaty in Kazakhstan is lovely - tree lined avenues, great restaurants, mosques, museums and easy access to lakes and mountains.
What about Vancouver, Victoria and whistler?
Seoul is a fabulous city - clean , efficient, great museums and temples, could combine with jeju Island.

ShanghaiDiva

Your Vietnam itinerary sounds perfect for us but would you recommend it in July? It's the only time we can go next year but I'm not sure how much will be open?

We particularly want to go kayaking in halong bay.

Sapa is not recommended in July as too wet. I have been to Hanoi in July and although it's not ideal then weather wise, we only had one day with rain and there are plenty of museums to visit if weather is not ideal. Halong bay - check re weather. Hoi An, however, will be lovely and sunny in July. There are many flights every day between Hanoi and Hoi and prices are reasonable - viet jet is cheap and friends in hcmc tell me it's pretty good. You need to fly to danang to get to hoi an and then it's 45 mins or so by car.
Vietnam is currently visa free for UK citizens - I think until the end of this year, but it may be extended so check govt website. It was extended last year.

Thanks shanghi that's great info.

Sorry to hijack your thread OP but there are lots of knowledgeable posters here!

We're planning a 3 week trip next summer just me and dd. She will have just finished her GCSEs so I thought the first week we'd go somewhere lovely with a beach, good food and no stress. Ideally where it is safe / hassle-free enough for me to go off for walks etc and leave her on the beach if she wants to.

It could be in Thailand, vietnam, Cambodia or nearby. It will be the second week of July so might need to avoid rainy areas.

We'd then spend 2 weeks doing sightseeing, kayaking, temples etc.

Borneo is amazing if you love wildlife

@dontcallmethatyoucunt

If you want to add a 'fun' twist to your trip then the sleeper train between Hanoi and Da Nang is an experience! Was the same cost as an internal flight.

We flew vietjet air down to Saigon and they were cheap if not a little unreliable- our flight changed time 4 times on the day of departure 🙄

We went in April and it rained in Hanoi and was thick fog in Ha Long bay for much of our time there. We still kayaked in Ha Long and Hanoi is so incredible that the weather diddnt bother us- all the places at beer corner have undercover bits anyway.

Now that does sound good! Accident

When is the best time of year to go to Vietnam? Is it impossible for the whole country to be 'nice'?

Would recommend South Africa, Japan or Australia. All amazing, once in a life time trips.

hoi an and sapa seem to be opposites weather wise in Vietnam. Sapa is too wet in the summer, but Hoi an has excellent weather then. Hoi an can be quite wet in December.
October may be the solution!
You can also take the overnight train from Hanoi to Sapa ( think the station is Lao cai - about 30 mins from sapa by car). There is also a bus that does the trip now, but the train is fun, but slow. I think the bus takes about 5 hours.