Entertainment & Music Idyllic island/beach holiday - Asia

Discussion in 'Living Room' started by Lacrim, 17th Aug, 2017.

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  1. Lacrim

    Lacrim Well-Known Member

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    Hi all

    am considering an island escape for 2 weeks in either April or July next year. Would like to head off to Asia again (some cheap airfares around). We've done the Bali's, Koh Samui's, Phuket's, Langkawi's of this world before and now looking for something more idyllic and serene with beautiful beaches. A new haunt if you like. Prefer something:
    • affordable (not because its crap but less 'discovered'). When I mean affordable, am talking < $150 per night
    • good food options
    • reasonably untouched but not totally devoid of tourists
    • not overly local
    • not overly hard to get to - we're a family of 5
    • stunning clear, turqouise, palm fringed beaches

    Anyone got any tips?
     
  2. Jamie Moore

    Jamie Moore MORTGAGE BROKER - AUSTRALIA WIDE Business Member

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    Hiya

    Does it have to be Asia?

    There's some awesome places in the south pacific that fit your description.

    Rarotonga in the Cook Islands is still one of my favorite places in the world. You can get reasonably priced holiday homes. The food/activities will be more expensive compared to Asia though.

    Samoa is awesome too - you can stay in beach fales in some pretty remote places. You could hire a car and cruise around both main islands quite easily.

    Cheers

    Jamie
     
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  3. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Stewart Island NZ
     
  4. Lacrim

    Lacrim Well-Known Member

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    Not necessarily but Cook Islands doesn't quite meet my affordable criteria....and costs more to get to due to the fact its a niche destination. Tonga even more so. Would love to go to Cooks though and Aitutaki looks great, though deservedly expensive :(
     
  5. radson

    radson Well-Known Member

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    I think slightly up the road, Aitutaki is pretty amazing as well.

    [​IMG]
     
  6. Jamie Moore

    Jamie Moore MORTGAGE BROKER - AUSTRALIA WIDE Business Member

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    If you book far enough in advance you can normally get decent deals with Air NZ or Virgin Blue. I think Air NZ might even have direct 5 hour flights from Syd - otherwise you have to stop via Auckland.

    Cheer

    Jamie
     
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  7. Jamie Moore

    Jamie Moore MORTGAGE BROKER - AUSTRALIA WIDE Business Member

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    It's insanely beautiful. Spent a week at Etu Moana for our honeymoon. It was amazing.
     
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  8. Iamnumber5

    Iamnumber5 Well-Known Member

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    How about Lombok island.
    Meets a lot of your criteria.
     
  9. radson

    radson Well-Known Member

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    I have never been there but have you looked at Borocay

    And perhaps a bit left field and not super stunning beaches, but I'm a fan of Lombok. Nice and close and Rinjani is one of my favourite hikes. Where else in the world can you visit a lake with a new volcano emerging from its depths. There is also the Gillis as well

    Lombok: my favorite and most beautiful 6 beaches
     
  10. Jess Peletier

    Jess Peletier Mortgage Broker & Finance Strategy, Aus Wide! Business Member

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    It's not Asia, but Croatia is on my bucket list now - the beaches there look amazing. So hanging out for some sunshine right now!
     
  11. radson

    radson Well-Known Member

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    The beaches are good and a billion Europeans agree with you. I have never before been in a situation where every square metre of potential flat area in front of water is covered in towels with such mathematical precision :)
     
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  12. Lacrim

    Lacrim Well-Known Member

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    OK Cooks is a contender but I have struggled to find value when I considered it in the past.
     
  13. Lacrim

    Lacrim Well-Known Member

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    Yeah saw that in Nice 2 yrs ago. Not a pretty sight.
     
  14. Lacrim

    Lacrim Well-Known Member

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    Well we've done Bali over 10 times now and not once have we been to Lombok or Gilis. Have been to Nusa Lembongan though.

    Call me a chicken but with the advent of kids am not entirely comfortable with either Lombok or Boracay with the problems in the world today. Me and wife fine but feel a little irresponsible dragging 3 kids to what we deem as riskier areas.

    I'd consider Cambodia or Myanmar before Lombok strangely enough.
     
  15. radson

    radson Well-Known Member

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    Im in Myanmar at the moment and I fly a lot along the coast line. Havent really seen anything stunning yet ..not at all.
     
  16. Jess Peletier

    Jess Peletier Mortgage Broker & Finance Strategy, Aus Wide! Business Member

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    Well that sounds horrendous and I'd rather stay here in that case!! :eek:
     
  17. KinG3o0o

    KinG3o0o Well-Known Member

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    have you considered borneo ?
     
  18. Lacrim

    Lacrim Well-Known Member

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    Really? At least someone has an exciting life. OK, well I've heard good things about Ngapali beach. Not sure if its all hype though and coming off an extremely low base. And it isn't an island per se.
     
  19. Lacrim

    Lacrim Well-Known Member

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    No, but same concerns around security.
     
  20. Lacrim

    Lacrim Well-Known Member

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    How about the lesser frequented Thai islands like Ko Kood, Ko Lipe, Ko Samet etc - anyone been to any of those?? Only problem is the weather north of the equator that time of yr. Don;t want to risk being rained out if I can help it. We were in Ko Samui once in October for 10 days. It rained non stop I kid you not the whole time we were there with flash flooding all over the place.