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| Beautiful Virgin Island near Bantayan, Philippines - October 2013 |
Click on the country names for some general weather information.
So what are the most common (beach) destinations from Hong Kong, apart from the capitals:
>> Thailand: Phuket (direct with Air Asia, Hong Kong Express, Thai, Dragonair), Koh Samui (only Bangkok Airways), Hua Hin (car transfer from Bangkok) or a popular non-beach option is Chiang Mai (Air Asia, Hong Kong Express or Dragonair).
>> Malaysia Peninsula: Penang (direct with Dragonair or Hong Kong Express), Langkawi (no direct flights, I was here in 1990 when there was one 5* hotel, the Pelangi Beach Resort ... things have changed dramatically).
>> East-Malaysia / Borneo: Kota Kinabalu (direct with Dragonair and Air Asia).
>> Philippines: Cebu (direct flights with Cathay Pacific and Cebu Pacific) and Boracay (no direct flights), but I'd highly recommend Bohol as well.
>> Vietnam: Danang / Hoi An (direct flights with Dragonair).
>> Indonesia: Bali (direct flights with Hong Kong Airlines and Cathay Pacific).
>> Cambodia: Siem Reap (direct flights with Dragonair), no beach either.
>> China: Sanya (direct flights and very close). Weather, fairly similar to Hong Kong.
Other travel options that do get mentioned are Okinawa in Japan, another beach destination. Myanmar & Burma are getting more and more popular (and I need to start looking into this one, feel terribly behind on this destination), Maledives, further and often significantly more expensive, Lombok in Indonesia not to far from Bali, or Nha Trang in the more southern part of Vietnam.
For non-beach options, besides many interesting capital cities like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hanoi, Phnom Pehn, Manila, Taipei, Beijing and of course, Seoul (loved it!) and Tokyo, there are equally large cities and interesting cities with lots of to offer like Shanghai, Xian, Hoh Chi Minh City, Kyoto & Osaka, or smaller towns like Guilin, Lijiang, etc. The list is endless!
The Philippines offer many more options, Laos is completely underrated in my opinion, rarely gets mentioned due to no direct flights or the lack of beach. It is fairly local, generally poor health care but so worth it. A beautiful country! Cambodia is more than just Siem Reap, just like Vietnam is more than just Danang and Hoi An. By all means check out the table of contents to see my posts on previous trips, some more off the beaten track than others.
Challenges
Of course, there are many many more options ... more islands in Thailand. And China and Indonesia are huge countries with many many more options, Japan has so much to offer including lots of mountain towns, and lots to explore in South Korea, or even Taiwan ... well, basically all countries have lots more to offer than the direct flight destinations and obvious Shangri Las and Hyatts, no matter how comfortable. Finding and recommending the most expensive 5* resorts that can easily charge US$300-500+ or even double are not too difficult to find. Asia has a wide range of luxury accomodation and even though still pricey, it's relatively good value when comparing to Europe and even the US. But when travelling with a family of 5 we often end up booking 2 rooms as the maximum is usually 4 persons per room, or even 3. For me the challenge is not booking a holiday itself. With unlimited budget things are pretty easy and options seem endless. When you want affordable options that don't break the bank but still want a comfortable and in my case, not super touristy and fairly local, experience that's when I need to start doing my homework.
My favorite countries in South-East Asia are the Philippines, Cambodia and Laos ... I do like Vietnam too ... And I love South Korea and Japan, so different! My least favorite ... Thailand (apart from Bangkok), nothing to do with the food, the people, the great options ... it's simply too touristy for me. Shoot me, but that's how I feel.
Some ideas going round in my head
>> Coron, Philippines, connecting flight from Manila to Busuanga with either Cebu Pacific or Philippine Airlines and stay at the highly rated and affordable Sophia's Garden Resort or more expensive Club Paradise Resort. Unfortunately Two Season Coron Island Resort is slightly too expensive ...
>> Siargao, Philippines, connecting flights, not so easy and you may need an overnight in Manila or Cebu. Potential hotels: Kawayan Siargao Resort or Siargao Paraiso Resort. Another out of this world though super expensive option is ... Dedon Island ... I can book an entire holiday for the price of a one night stay ... sigh!
>> Siquijor, Phillipnes, connecting flights, doable in a day from Hong Kong via Manila to Damaguete, but you may not make it to the island the same day. In Damaguete Sea Explorers in Dauin seems like a good option and take the boat to Siquijor to stay at Coco Grove Beach Resort although reviews seem to be slipping, may need to revise or find an alternative place to stay, but there are a variety of decent options.
>> Puerto Galera, Philippines, which can be reached by car and boat from Manila, so not too complicated. You could even stop over in Taal to see the volcano on your way south. Sunset to Aninuan Beach Resort looks like a really nice option and the fact that you don't need connecting flights is a big bonus and makes things much more affordable.
>> Palawan, Philippines, connecting flights either to Puerta Princessa or a much more expensive small plane to El Nido (north side of Palawan) depending on what you want to explore. There are some nice resorts and places to visit in the middle of Palawan, but El Nido looks stunning as well. Travelling over land will take a good chunk of time and so far it seems either fairly luxurious hotels or very little options. It's often the problem with a family of 5, you rarely fit in one hotel room so even if a HK$2000-2500 a night room sounds reasonable for a fantastic and beautiful hotel ... times two, it's becoming a completely different ball game.
Other travel options that do get mentioned are Okinawa in Japan, another beach destination. Myanmar & Burma are getting more and more popular (and I need to start looking into this one, feel terribly behind on this destination), Maledives, further and often significantly more expensive, Lombok in Indonesia not to far from Bali, or Nha Trang in the more southern part of Vietnam.
For non-beach options, besides many interesting capital cities like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hanoi, Phnom Pehn, Manila, Taipei, Beijing and of course, Seoul (loved it!) and Tokyo, there are equally large cities and interesting cities with lots of to offer like Shanghai, Xian, Hoh Chi Minh City, Kyoto & Osaka, or smaller towns like Guilin, Lijiang, etc. The list is endless!
The Philippines offer many more options, Laos is completely underrated in my opinion, rarely gets mentioned due to no direct flights or the lack of beach. It is fairly local, generally poor health care but so worth it. A beautiful country! Cambodia is more than just Siem Reap, just like Vietnam is more than just Danang and Hoi An. By all means check out the table of contents to see my posts on previous trips, some more off the beaten track than others.
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| The Killing Fields, Phnom Pehn, Cambodia - April 2013 |
Of course, there are many many more options ... more islands in Thailand. And China and Indonesia are huge countries with many many more options, Japan has so much to offer including lots of mountain towns, and lots to explore in South Korea, or even Taiwan ... well, basically all countries have lots more to offer than the direct flight destinations and obvious Shangri Las and Hyatts, no matter how comfortable. Finding and recommending the most expensive 5* resorts that can easily charge US$300-500+ or even double are not too difficult to find. Asia has a wide range of luxury accomodation and even though still pricey, it's relatively good value when comparing to Europe and even the US. But when travelling with a family of 5 we often end up booking 2 rooms as the maximum is usually 4 persons per room, or even 3. For me the challenge is not booking a holiday itself. With unlimited budget things are pretty easy and options seem endless. When you want affordable options that don't break the bank but still want a comfortable and in my case, not super touristy and fairly local, experience that's when I need to start doing my homework.
My favorite countries in South-East Asia are the Philippines, Cambodia and Laos ... I do like Vietnam too ... And I love South Korea and Japan, so different! My least favorite ... Thailand (apart from Bangkok), nothing to do with the food, the people, the great options ... it's simply too touristy for me. Shoot me, but that's how I feel.
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| Sunset in Northern Bali, Munduk, Bali, Indonesia - October 2012 |
>> Coron, Philippines, connecting flight from Manila to Busuanga with either Cebu Pacific or Philippine Airlines and stay at the highly rated and affordable Sophia's Garden Resort or more expensive Club Paradise Resort. Unfortunately Two Season Coron Island Resort is slightly too expensive ...
>> Siargao, Philippines, connecting flights, not so easy and you may need an overnight in Manila or Cebu. Potential hotels: Kawayan Siargao Resort or Siargao Paraiso Resort. Another out of this world though super expensive option is ... Dedon Island ... I can book an entire holiday for the price of a one night stay ... sigh!
>> Siquijor, Phillipnes, connecting flights, doable in a day from Hong Kong via Manila to Damaguete, but you may not make it to the island the same day. In Damaguete Sea Explorers in Dauin seems like a good option and take the boat to Siquijor to stay at Coco Grove Beach Resort although reviews seem to be slipping, may need to revise or find an alternative place to stay, but there are a variety of decent options.
>> Puerto Galera, Philippines, which can be reached by car and boat from Manila, so not too complicated. You could even stop over in Taal to see the volcano on your way south. Sunset to Aninuan Beach Resort looks like a really nice option and the fact that you don't need connecting flights is a big bonus and makes things much more affordable.
>> Palawan, Philippines, connecting flights either to Puerta Princessa or a much more expensive small plane to El Nido (north side of Palawan) depending on what you want to explore. There are some nice resorts and places to visit in the middle of Palawan, but El Nido looks stunning as well. Travelling over land will take a good chunk of time and so far it seems either fairly luxurious hotels or very little options. It's often the problem with a family of 5, you rarely fit in one hotel room so even if a HK$2000-2500 a night room sounds reasonable for a fantastic and beautiful hotel ... times two, it's becoming a completely different ball game.
>> Phu Quoc, Vietnam, another island south of Vietnam this time that requires a connecting flight from HCMC. Several higher end options but also less expensive places to stay. Unfortunately some of the cheaper, well rated options have no swimming pools, something to consider. Tripadvisor gives you a good overview including some b&b (mostly smaller hotels) options.
>> West-Malaysia has some other island options like Tioman, Pangkor (Pangkor Laut is top of the bill as well), Perhentian Islands that may be worth looking into. Unfortunately, not a lot of mid-range, well rated options ... either expensive or poor reviews ...
>> Sihanoukville, Cambodia, drive from Phnom Pehn. When we explored Cambodia we decided to go to Kep as Sihanoukville is known to be sleezy (lots of sex tourism, partying, etc.). Because I love Cambodia, I recently asked a friend who posted some pics of her stay at Sohka Beach Resort, and asked her whether it was worth it after all. She said she would not recommend it, Sokha Beach Resort is apparently the only nice place but it is indeed sleezy. She thought about Kep (I love Kep) but beaches are clearly better in Sihanoukville, though I feel the overall atmosphere in Kep is a thousand times better for families, so I guess Sihanoukville can officially go on the "pass" pile. Unless I was able to afford Song Saa Private Island.
>> Lombok, Indonesia, haven't really looked into it. Had friends happily stay at Qunci Villas, but it's a day travel to get there and a day back. I have mixed feelings about Indonesia, it's slightly touristy, but if you try a little bit harder it's fairly easy to get away from the crowds, and it's so worth it, beautiful country, great food. Probably higher on my list would be Gili Islands, but I haven't looked into that at all, but have heard great things about it.
Our travel plans for 2015 are pretty much laid out ...
>> During the Easter break we're heading back to Taipei where I booked the Amba Hotel (large room that fits us all for a very affordable price). This time we plan to do some sight seeing along the northern coast including Keelung. After 4N/3D we'll take a train to Hualien (staying at Bayview Hotel) to visit the east coast (and see the Pacific Ocean) and do some hiking in the beautiful Taroko Gorge. Flights for 5 including 6 hotel nights and train tickets shouldn't cost us more than HK$20k. And hoping to get some Mandarin practice for the kids ... I am going to play dumb and see what they can get done!
>> Plan to visit my lovely friend in Dubai again, hopefully this year, with my other great friend, using my Emirates points (free tickets, yeah!).
>> Big Sister's birthday (turning 11) is coming up, and instead of presents, we'll be visiting the child we sponsor via Cambodian Children's Fund in Phnom Pehn and ideally bringing some donations with us. Booked 2 flights on points and we'll be staying 3 nights The Plantation this time!
>> Summer's booked, travelling with Lufthansa to Brussels via Frankfurt, cheapest flights I ever found over the summer, HK$35k for 5, booked early again (September / October). Spending a month in Europe and will be seeing my brother and girlfriend in Zurich and visiting Arosa for a few nights with the entire family to breath in some fresh air (and lots of sun as we weren't so lucky in 2011). Plan to add some days at the Dutch coast as well, hopefully the weather will cooperate.
>> Fall break ... using points to get 5 return flights to Japan ... ideally Osaka, Kyoto and Nara but now Tokyo is being a contender again as well (want to avoid doing both in one short trip).
>> West-Malaysia has some other island options like Tioman, Pangkor (Pangkor Laut is top of the bill as well), Perhentian Islands that may be worth looking into. Unfortunately, not a lot of mid-range, well rated options ... either expensive or poor reviews ...
>> Sihanoukville, Cambodia, drive from Phnom Pehn. When we explored Cambodia we decided to go to Kep as Sihanoukville is known to be sleezy (lots of sex tourism, partying, etc.). Because I love Cambodia, I recently asked a friend who posted some pics of her stay at Sohka Beach Resort, and asked her whether it was worth it after all. She said she would not recommend it, Sokha Beach Resort is apparently the only nice place but it is indeed sleezy. She thought about Kep (I love Kep) but beaches are clearly better in Sihanoukville, though I feel the overall atmosphere in Kep is a thousand times better for families, so I guess Sihanoukville can officially go on the "pass" pile. Unless I was able to afford Song Saa Private Island.
>> Lombok, Indonesia, haven't really looked into it. Had friends happily stay at Qunci Villas, but it's a day travel to get there and a day back. I have mixed feelings about Indonesia, it's slightly touristy, but if you try a little bit harder it's fairly easy to get away from the crowds, and it's so worth it, beautiful country, great food. Probably higher on my list would be Gili Islands, but I haven't looked into that at all, but have heard great things about it.
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| Changing Vang Vieng, Laos - April 2014 |
>> During the Easter break we're heading back to Taipei where I booked the Amba Hotel (large room that fits us all for a very affordable price). This time we plan to do some sight seeing along the northern coast including Keelung. After 4N/3D we'll take a train to Hualien (staying at Bayview Hotel) to visit the east coast (and see the Pacific Ocean) and do some hiking in the beautiful Taroko Gorge. Flights for 5 including 6 hotel nights and train tickets shouldn't cost us more than HK$20k. And hoping to get some Mandarin practice for the kids ... I am going to play dumb and see what they can get done!
>> Plan to visit my lovely friend in Dubai again, hopefully this year, with my other great friend, using my Emirates points (free tickets, yeah!).
>> Big Sister's birthday (turning 11) is coming up, and instead of presents, we'll be visiting the child we sponsor via Cambodian Children's Fund in Phnom Pehn and ideally bringing some donations with us. Booked 2 flights on points and we'll be staying 3 nights The Plantation this time!
>> Summer's booked, travelling with Lufthansa to Brussels via Frankfurt, cheapest flights I ever found over the summer, HK$35k for 5, booked early again (September / October). Spending a month in Europe and will be seeing my brother and girlfriend in Zurich and visiting Arosa for a few nights with the entire family to breath in some fresh air (and lots of sun as we weren't so lucky in 2011). Plan to add some days at the Dutch coast as well, hopefully the weather will cooperate.
>> Fall break ... using points to get 5 return flights to Japan ... ideally Osaka, Kyoto and Nara but now Tokyo is being a contender again as well (want to avoid doing both in one short trip).
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| Delicious satay in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - July 2014 |
