Singapore / Bali

[Applejack87]

Hi , we are torn about where to go next July we have been looking at Singapore then onto Bali or Singapore then to Malaysia
We have one 13 year old
Any advice please? Pros and cons

We stayed at hotel Jen orchard gateway in Singapore- if has a great rooftop pool that your teenager may like. The usual sights in Singapore are great for the family.

Bali - we found ubud a bit scruffy although you can see nice parts - paddy fields etc.

Seminyak had a good beach scene and lots going on with decent restaurants.

Gilli trawangen was good but not loads to go for your teenager beyond the beach - and you take your life in your hands on the speedboat trip over there!

Thankyou for your reply , Bali doesn't sound too good we are now thinking Singpore for a couple of days then onto Malaysia & recommendations

You may get a better response on Longhaul was my first thought!

I've done Singapore and then Bali many (many!) years ago so no recent recommendations. I didn't Singapore was the least interesting stop off on a trip that included multiple destinations - it was all a bit sanitised and over built. It does look like they've built numerous new attractions since though but going back has no huge appeal. Bali was gorgeous - by the sounds of it from other posts in Longhaul, it's become too over developed since although parts of the island are still much as they were.

I've always fancied Georgetown and Langkawi personally, maybe in conjunction with KL. Worth a look?

Ok, so this is why you shouldn't talk to a colleague on the phone and type at the same time.

That should have read ' I didn't like Singapore, it was the least interesting'!

Ha ha no worries , my oh really wants to do this holiday but I’m nervous about the humidity in the Summer , I’ve posted on long haul Thankyou

We went to Singapore and Malaysia this summer with kids age 12 and 9. We all loved it. 3 nights in Singapore was enough for the kids but DH and I would have liked longer. Then we spent the rest of the 3 weeks moving around in Malaysia. The east coast is apparently dryer than the west in August so we mainly stayed there. It was very hot in Singapore, because it’s built up I guess. But it meant for lovely balmy evenings exploring. Heat felt more manageable in Malaysia. Have a look at Sea Gypsy, an island resort in Malaysia which is an easy drive from Singapore. It was a mumsnet recommendation I’m very happy to pass on!

We have been to Bali. Ubud was a little bit scruffy - there were holes in the pavements they didn't seem to be getting round to sorting, but aside from that it's very neat and tidy. The Monkey Forest in Ubud was lovely.

We did prefer being on the coast (Ubud is inland) in Legian in particular. That isn't scruffy, it was beautiful and I would love to go back someday. It is humid, but not unbearably so and DH found Singapore rather more so (although he did like Singapore a lot).

Ubud is a shadow of its formal self, completely over run with tourists. The yogis and visitors to the sacred monkey forest. The problem with Bali is that tourism is its major industry and they wholeheartedly accept it, pollution and all.

That said it is my favourite island in the world and I have travelled extensively. The Balinese are the most welcoming, loving community and hospitality is their business.

They would give you their last coconut.

I personally would avoid Ubud now. The last time we stayed we were in N'usa Dua which we chose despite knowing it was a completely westernised, purpose built enclave and not representative of Bali.

We really enjoyed the luxury and from our base we travelled to places like sanur and up into the mountains to see the real Bali.

Avoid Kuta at all costs. Drugs, Australian surfers, climbers etc. And the real crime on the island is there.

Have a read of the book Hotel K which is a fascinating insight into the famous prison on the island. It provides insight into Kuta and also the outlook of the drug tourists.

Singapore is lovely with kids but don't expect to do too much. The humidity slows you down incredibly so don't overpack the itinerary.

Malaysia is next on my list!

I’m just back from Bali and would agree that you should avoid Kuta, it’s horrible. We stayed in Legian, I think I’d try somewhere quieter next time, maybe Sanur, but we had a ball and the Balinese are lovely.

We stayed at Sanur Beach and liked it. Kuta is awful.

Bali is a bit like Majorca for Australians so Kuta is where you head if you are under 30 and want to surf and party but you can access the other parts easily.

Other parts of Bali are more suited to other tourists.

Bali is a bit like Majorca for Australians

That's how I would describe it. Kuta is Bali's equivalent of Magaluf.

I got talking to an Australian girl on the plane from Hong Kong to Manchester, and told her that we were returning home from Bali. She wrinkled her nose and said "why would you want to go there? It's where Australian men have their stag dos"

But, like Majorca, there is Magaluf, and there is anywhere else on the island. You just need to do your research.

Singapore is great for families. I’ve taken mine there several times. Stay near the Bayfront if you want to be in the middle of the city’s attractions - the Merlion, boat trips down to Clarke quay, marina bay sands viewing deck (also lots to see on the bayfront there at ground level - my kids could have whispered at each other all day over the voice amplifier,) then over to the Gatdens by the Bay with its fabulous temperate glass house (you go in a greenhouse to cool down!) and super tree grove. You can eat in hawker markets very cheaply like Lau Pa Sat, Newton Circus or Satay by the Bay. The other tourist centre is Sentosa Island, with theme parks, the outstanding aquarium, zipwires over jungle, trick eye museum, mountain luges and loads more. There are resort hotels on Sentosa. If it gets hot there are often fountains the kids can run through and no one cares - they are there for cooling down and sometimes even have a changing cubicle nearby, and the MRT tube system is efficient and air conditioned, far better for getting round than taxis.

We have done KL then Langkawi and also Singapore then Khao Lak, Thailand. The second trip beat the first hands down. The trips were both with children - there is much more choice of high quality cuisine in Thailand, Malaysia felt very basic and not many options available.

We have also been to HK a number of times and currently (not due to political issues) Singapore has the upper hand in terms of tourist attractions and overall atmosphere.