SE Asia dwellers

[Needabitofsunshine]

Totally random question for here, but I´m an expat myself and know that you guys will be the ones in the know locally...

I was hoping for some travel recommendations in the area, from a Singapore base. I´ve been looking around particularly at Thailand but the amount of options is staggering and making my head want to explode! Any ideas?

We´ll fly to Singapore from Europe, hopefully with a short stop in Doha to see friends (Qatar airways) and will have 2 kids (5 & 7) with us. We´ll have about 10 days to spare after a couple in Singapore and are happy to explore a little. Definitely would like some stunning beach action (it´s bloody miserable and cold with us and winter is LONG) but some kind of elephant/jungle experience would go down a treat too.

Hope you don´t mind me asking here. My idealised view of living in SE Asia would be taking trips like this all the time...please don´t spoil my illusion! Hoping for some personal recommendations rather than dubious website reviews.

Thanks :)

Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The only off putting thing about the two latter ones are the visas. They need to be (or at least they did) sorted out in advance, cost a fair bit of money and are a bloody nuisance to acquire.

Go to Malaysia...lovely, lovely country, I spent 3 months travelling S.E Asia including Thailand and Singapore. MIL is from Malaysia and I Prefer Malaysia to Thailand, less touts and hawkers. English is very widely spoken and generally a safe and child friendly country. Beautiful food as well! Try Pangkor or Langkawi on the west coast, I wouldn't bother going to Penang if your after the better beaches, nicer beaches were I have mentioned. Go to the East Coast too, Redang and Terannganu is picture postcard beautiful. Malacca is worth a visit for the historical interest. KL is a mixture of skyscrapers and 'proper Asia' all rickshaws and roadside food stall, definetly East meets West in one city Travel around Malaysia is cheap on public transport or you could hire a car

If you are heading to Singapore, you must go to the night zoo with the kids. Also Sentosa Island is worth a visit taking the cable car over the Malacca Straits to get there, which if like me you lack a head for heights can be a bit unnerving

Thanks for the ideas. I always spend far too long looking at a million different options...too much choice these days! I was looking at Langkawi today - looks fab. Also been checking out villas in Bali as can get petty decent flights to/from there. Amazing array of gorgeous looking villas in Bali, all with a chef and driver - sounds like my kind of holiday :) Anyone been to Bali at the start of April? Not too rainy I hope? Any villa recs (although they all look fab!)?

Highly recommend Vietnam. We went this year, was great and although you do have to send your passport in advance for a visa, it only took a week.

I was impressed with Hanoi, but I don't think it would be great for small children. I have heard good things about Hoi An though. Bangkok is good for seeing elephants and tigers, but I didn't like the way they were treated. The temples aren't really going to be brilliant for little ones.

Langkawi is good if you go to a resort with water sports and activities as well as the usual beaches. There isn't a lot to see in the villages.

Have you considered Bali or Sarawak?

I went to Cambodia in 2009 and got a visa on arrival - 25 us dollars per person. Will be very hot in April.
Phuket is nice - north part of the island and I recommend the indigo pearl resort.
I have friends in Jakarta and they always go to Nusa dua in Bali. I have been to ubud which is lovely with excellent restaurants, great scenery, but inland. we did have a villa with a pool so it was fine for the kids. Look under villa rentals on the trip advisor site - think it is called flip key.
Borneo is also great. The best beaches I have been to were the islands just off the coast of Kota kinabalu- clear water, lovely sand and if you avoid the weekends not many people.

Need I am in Singapore and we are off to Bali in early January to a villa so will let you know about that one if you like. I was given loads of recommendations so happy if you want to pm me for details. Not sure what size you would need. We've been to Bali in April before (not staying in a villa though) and weather was fine some rain but you'll probably get that most places and certainly in Singapore - we've had loads of rain this year. Malaysia and Thailand both great. If you are thinking Thailand have a look at www.goldenbuddharesort.com it is one of my favorites since being here. Are you traveling with kids if so what age? April tends to be the end of the dry season on the west side so you might want to consider the east or even Borneo as there is lots to see and do jungle type activities and also beaches. Vietnam and Cambodia also options. Hoi An is lovely and you have town and beaches and Angkor Wat is definitely to be seen - silk air fly to Danang for Hoi An and Siem Reap on one flight so you can do both if that interests you.

So many options!

Needabit, I'm in KL and I'd echo Baking's recommendations re Malaysia.

We've just come back from a short trip to Pangkor Island - three hours drive north of KL. Very relaxed and sunny with nice (though not amazing) beaches. Hotels and restaurants there will seem v good value compared with Europe. I like Langkawi more, been there twice now on cheap Air Asia flights from KL. Langkawi is very quiet too but has a few things to do eg cable car, and mangrove trips. Pangkor has beaches and eating! Both offer water sports though caveat emptor regarding the health and safety aspects. Can also fly to Pangkor, if don't fancy the drive plus the passenger ferry ride.

Redang Island on the East Coast is too monsoony right now but will open up again in March. We had a lovely trip there last Easter snorkelling. As baking says, it's picture postcard beautiful.

Also been to Bali. Very full of traffic, hawkers, bustle. Also hugely slow and inefficient immigration system at airport. Some lovely quiet spots though. Probably need to pick your hotel more carefully than we did.

Agree about malaysia. We have been going to langkawi for over 10 years and still unspoilt.
The datai hotel is fab. managementbhas just changed which is a shame as it was run like a family home by a fabulous swiss team that has now moved on ( to the nam hai in vietnam, which i wouls strongly recommend as that part of vietnam has anlot to offer).
Am sure its still great though as its smack bang in the middle of a primeal jungle and they organise nature walks.
Pangkor is fab.

In thailand i would still recommend phuket. Sri panwa and naka island are relativly affordable luxury options and away from the hustle and busttle.
Koh lanta has a few very good hotels and stunning beaches.
Krabi hotels are crap.
Koh samui remains quiet comparatively and lots of very good villas there. I can recommend a few.

Any beach holiday in thailand and malaysia can be combined with a trip to cambodia to see angkor 2-3 days. Its well worth it and very easy to reach from singapore and then fly on to a beach on the local carrier ( tiger/silk air/jetstar/air asia/ bangkok air). Short flights too.

Yes do bear in mind the east coast moonsoon although this year has been quite unpredictable everywhere in asia!

Bali is always a great all rounder but the only good beaches are in jimbaran
The rest is volcanic but being around the trendy spots of semyniak/legian is always fun.
Lots anlots of villas there. Best is to be north of legian: semyniak/oberoi/cangu/ kerobokan.
A day trip to ubud a must, even a few days.
Stay away from kuta.
If you want crystal clear water try quiet lombok and if you want remote and great snorkelling go for the gili islands just off the coast.

Thank you all so much!

So much to look through, although am getting to overload stage as any of them look really great for a fab holiday. Need to work backwards from cheap/best flights out East as the internal roaming around there seems pretty ok to arrange. You´re all v lucky to have such fab places on your doorstep... Maybe we´ll manage to get a posting out that way someday :) Dreaming of warm bath like seas...