One week Singapore, then a week where and another week where?

[WhitestShadeofPale]

Our son will be in Singapore for a year, and we’re planning to travel there just before Christmas and have three weeks with him. Timing not negotiable. The outline plan is one week in Singapore (plan pretty much sorted for that) and then a week at some sort of wildlife/jungle place then a week at some sort of beach place. Deliberately keeping that vague as we’re open to all ideas in the surrounding region. We’ve been to Thailand, loved it, but would rather explore other places. We’ll be two adults a 20yo and a 17 yo.
I don't want to rough it (it’ll be suitcases not back packs, and air con and a great breakfast buffet are essential) , but neither do we have the budget for top end luxury.
All ideas welcome. Thank you!

The Philippines! Boracay for the beach.

Do you dive? If so go down to Atmosphere diving resort in the south of the Philippines. V chill and a great dive centre.
Good food. You’ll probably just need to transit in Manila.

Borneo for jungle/orangutans!

Cameron Higlands Penange Melacca. Perhentian Islands (sp?) if you have time. Jealous! Can I come too?

p.s take elastic waistband trousers, the food is to die for

No, we don’t dive, but thanks for the idea.

Looks beautiful, thank you

That would be amazing. Do you have any recommendations of where to stay?

Borneo for the wildlife.

I'm so glad you posted this - I am considering exactly the same. I had been looking at Costa Rica but think I want to mix a bit of city in as well not just animals.

I have seen some organised tours that are Singapore and then Borneo / Malaysia.

a few have mentioned Philippines. I agree. Have a look at Coron or El Nido both in Palawan. Also transit in Manila.

Mine would be over 2 weeks but same time of year at Christmas I think.

For Borneo I would recommend the Waterfront Hotel in Kuching. Amazing breakfast buffet and lovely rooms, attached to a mall with a food court. From there you can do day trips to the Orangutan sanctuary, to Bako National park, and other trips like kayaking. Or if you want to be more adventurous you could stay a couple of nights in the Bako National park itself.

Or you could go to the other part of Malaysian Borneo and stay in jungle lodges on the Kinabatangan River - quite pricey but worth it for a once in a blue moon trip.

We did Singapore and Kota Kinabalu in Borneo. We stayed at the Shangri la rasa ria. Amazing hotel with the beach on one side and the jungle on the other. We had day trips to the orang utans at Sepilok. And Brunei.

It was fantastic.

PS jungle lodges do not have a great breakfast buffet! Food is fairly basic chicken curry and rice for lunch and dinner, toast/cereal/eggs/noodles for breakfast.

Did you stay at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge? That doesn’t look basic. Sukau looks good too. Certainly better than basic food.

We stayed at the Abai Jungle Lodge.

Borneo! I've stayed at Rasa Ria in Kota Kinabalu. It was amazing! Currently looking at Sumatra for a holiday which might fit your bill too.

Taiwan. Vibrant and interesting with the absolute kindest, politest people you could ever meet.

Borneo amazing, Perhentians were beautiful a couple of decades or more ago, can't vouch for what they're like now but worth investigating.

We did Hong Kong, Borneo and Singapore a few years back.

Penang in Malaysia and Krabi in Thailand.

Java & Bali!

the flights can be a bit tricky in that area- there aren’t always direct connections between different spots so I would try to pick places you can get to and from easily

also have a look at the Komodo Islands

I'd second all the Malaysian Borneo recommendations - beautiful beaches and jungle. Also worth considering could be Bali or Langkawi.

@Pupsandturtles where would you recommend in Java? It's also on my list!

This is all so helpful, thank you. We usually book flights and accommodation direct but with the complexity of the trip and not knowing the region, we’re thinking of booking through Trailfinders. I’d hope that would make for a more relaxing holiday, rather than fretting about booking and coordinating dozens of different bits. Any thoughts on whether that’s a good idea?