Beoz

Hey all .... looking at getting a week in a resort somewhere within a couple of hours from Singapore. Done Thailand (Phuket, Phi Phi) before so would like to find somewhere else. Looking at Langkawi or Kota Kinabalu at the moment but the flight times to these destinations are not planning in well.

Like the idea of kicking back on a lounge chair around a pool, on a beach but also the option of going on a few day trips, bit of scuba diving, you know ... the usual jazz a couple without kids do with a bit of time to relax but with a few activities to mix it up a little.

Any ideas? Perhaps somewhere like the above but with lots of flight options out of Singapore.

Hebe

What time of year?

Beoz

August .... right should have mentioned the rainy season bit ... it's only for 5 days too.

ajw

Shangri-la Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu. You won't regret it

EvannTel

Almost agree with you. We did a two stop centre to tanjung aru and rosa - both shangri la resorts in koto Kinabalu. Friends had stayed in both and we couldn't split them n paper.
But after staying at both, while rosa ria is nice I would pick tanjung aru every time. Apart from not being isolated so trips to town are easy, diving is on the doorstep but probably the deal breaker was rosa ria was full of drunk Aussie golfers.

Also brilliant is he Datai on langkawi, probably the best resort I have ever stayed in.

Hebe

The only problem with Malaysia that time of year is that it is full of Saudis all escaping the extreme heat. Not nice. They are generally extremely rude and ogle the western woman. I have experienced it both in Penang and langkawi amd wouldn't go again during the summer months.

Have a look at hoi an in Vietnam.

ajw

Hmmmm, never been a problem for me (and I'm a woman). Perhaps I'm more desensitised because I live here.

There are also other dive islands located off that coast but check the current travel warnings

How about the Philippines?

Beoz

Maybe Vietnam and Phillippines is worth looking into. I guess the problem is finding somewhere that ticks the boxes near an airport with connections to Singapore. Where do I start?

Yes Kota and Langkawi would have been the first choices but both only have 2 flights out of Singapore each day and the flight time mean we spend a lot of excess time in Singapore. I've been to Singapore lots of times. No real need to spend too much time in Sing.

galba

What about Bintan Island - it's a 45 minute ferry ride out of Singapore. We go to Club Med but I do know that there are some great 5* hotels there such as the Banyan Tree.

Beoz

Thanks for the tips on this one. The search continues. Yes did consider Bintan as it's easy to get to but it doesn't get the best reviews, and I travel through Singapore a lot so I'm thinking I could reserve this for another time.

West Coast Malaysia does sound like it's the rainy period (August) and East Coast, despite being close does, sound like a bit of mission to get to. The flights to Tioman are all sold out, ferry service no longer exists, and the bus, well bus, not really ideal unless anyone has some good things to say about the bus. Sounds like it might be full of Saudi's too - not ideal.

Phillippines or Borneo could be a goer. The flight times are really restrictive though. One from both AirAsia and Silk Air per day to Kota Kinabalu and they both leave about the same time which means we have to spend 10-12 hours in Singapore at either end to wait for the connecting flight.

Phillippines seems to have a lot more options on flights. Anyone recommend any places in the Phillippinnes that has an easy connection to a resort with a beach and bit of diving? Don't really want to have to get off a flight then trek for another 3 hours in a mini van.

sr71

I would not recommend that at all. Expensive, full of Singaporeans and not particularly nice.

koalakim

If you don't mind doing a 4 hour flight you could go to The Maldives. Beaches, lagoons, diving and snorkelling don't get much better than there!

SIA fly first thing in the morning or evening so don't know how that fits in with your flights.

Only problem is it's a bit pricey these days but look around for a decent island without all the daft frills they put in now, you just need, air-con and hot water.

We're off to Langkawi, have been there before but not for a few years so will be interesting also taking in KL and Singapore - can never tire of Singapore and it's shoe shops

For Malaysia you could also look at Tioman, I've heard it's lovely and a stone's throw from Singapore.

Hope this helps!

Hebe

Where are you staying in langkawi? Was there for NewYear this year

brits1

Hi,

I think you have to look at the best months to visit in Asia...ie "rainy" period etc....we always went overseas in December for Christmas and New Year and the odd visit in October, we use to mix it up with a beach holiday (depending on the weather) or City holiday. For the beach we enjoyed Penang...has good diving off the coast, nice hotels but not crowded with them and also some History if you want days out.....we visited Kota and stayed just a short distance from the "town Centre" right next to a Golf course (nice if you like it...not really our thing but had a few trips to the driving range) also has good short trips to various Islands with lovely diving, you can go white water rafting etc and also the Orangutan Sanctuary is worth a visit, you can also have trips to other parts of Borneo if you have the time...or money,I will say though that is fairly quiet as the Town centre is very small with little to offer really but we certainly enjoyed ourselves......if you want further afield and something different to Malaysia etc ...Hong Kong (it does have beaches on Hong Kong Island) and trips to Macau which is well worth a visit and Dubai....and you dont even have to like shopping malls to enjoy yourself there....oh and Singapore has a small connecting Island with a beach and nice hotels so the best of both worlds there (not sure on the diving though, we always stayed in Singapore and went over for a day out etc). Good luck

koalakim

Hi Hebe

We're staying at the Westin, hope it will be okay!

Last time we stayed at the Pelengi beach but I understand that area is now quite busy since we last went, plus part of the hotel is being refurbed. We looked at the north but expensive and remote but better beaches, I liked the look of the Beryaja (spelling!) but was worried about being in the jungle seeing as I'm prone to mossie bites these days! The Tanjong Ara looks amazing but again, expensive.

So weighing lots of factors up no hotel was perfect but the Westin ticked a lot of boxes!

It was easy last time the Pelengi was the best hotel on the island at the time! The Datai had just opened but was expensive.

I have to say I'm surprised how much the place has gone up, reading on Trip Advisor some Brits were saying eating out was pretty much the same as the UK but it was all dead cheap when we last went!