ljj

We (I) have decided to go back to visit the UK next year with our 2 children who will then be 9 and 11.

Husband "refuses to ever set foot in that awful country ever again, unless I have to" which of course means the dreaded phone call which none of us want. I can kind of understand his point as he works bloody hard and doesn't want to spend his holiday entitlement going up and down the country he has lived in all his life visiting friends and relations, many of which have visited us here.

He will however, meet us on the way back for a holiday. Anyone recommend anywhere for a relaxing family holiday, cheap-ish, but we don't want to rough it as apart from a Whitsunday holiday our breaks here are now are in a tent!

What are people's thoughts on Thailand, Malaysia, Fiji ? Any others? Would love suggestions. We will be travelling back in April.

Louise

MrsDagboy

Fiji is fabulous, you would love it there if you want a relaxing time, they usually have kids clubs ec, so you can have a really good break away from the kids as well. Everything runs on "Fiji time", so you may as well throw away your watch while you are there .

I dont know how easy it is to go to these places on the way back, but what about somewhere like Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Noumea? There's also Maritius, although I dont think that it would be considered to be "cheap" most of the time :scared: .

Pomster

Thailand and Malaysia are good too!

In Malaysia you can get good deals to Penang or Langkawi islands. Also Sarawak and Sabeh islands over the eastern side.

Thailand is beautiful and almost anywhere you go will be fun- the islands, or to the north like Chaing Mai...

ljj

So for April time of year there are no Monsoons etc or rainy season?

In terms of humidity is one preferable over the other? Fiji, Malaysia and Thailand.


Louise

dshole

I do not have any destination suggestions, but I can totally understand where your husband is coming from. The Mrs and I are going back on a month long tour of Europe next year, sadly my parents are going to be expecting to see me. It's not that I dislike the UK (I love it) but I just cannot see the point in spending my cash and leave on going there.

ljj

Thanks,

I too can see his point we had Spain, France, Greece, Italy etc on our doorstep (and cheaply) when we lived there so understand he wants to see more of this side of the world now we live here. The only reason I am going back is for my parents Golden Wedding Anniversary or we would be holidaying here.

Hope you enjoy Europe, a few people say you don't realise how lovely the place you live in is until you visit it as a tourist. My friends went back home to York and Edinburgh and the photo's were amazing I had forgotton how lovely some places are myself!

louise

MrsDagboy

AFAIK, Fiji wouldnt be in rainy season then as they are similar season-wise to far north Qld. We were there in Sept/Oct (similar temps etc to April) & the weather was fabulous.

I would guess that it would be less humid in Fiji than the asian countries. Ive only been to Singapore (except for stopovers, which dont really count as you really dont even leave the air conditioning ) & it was certainly a hell of alot hotter & far far more humid than Fiji was!

232Bar

I'm with your hubby - not even going back for 'that' phone call - not point by then. We stopped for a couple of days in Singapore and wouldn't do it again - ok if you're a shopping freak, but quite a compact place and I think it's pretty much, once you've seen it once, that's all there is. What do you want out of aholiday - sightseeing, fun, adventure, relaxation - would help narrow the search criteria? Personally it would be Fiji for the diving (especially with all the money i had saved by not going back to the UK LOL).

OriginalSunshine

Louise,
I've never been to Fiji, so I can't comment about that.
However, for rainy/monsoon season, it goes from November-March for East Malaysia/Thailand/Indonesia and from April-October for West Malaysia/Thailand/Indonesia.

To be honest, Malaysia & Indonesia will always be humid, because it is after all the equatorial rainforest belt. Thailand gets cooler if you go to the North.

For stopover holidays it really depends on which airline you take, and what kind of holidays you are after, and how much you are willing to spend - ie bduget. Because there is a wealth of variety available, and one man's poison....

Can you provide more details, and maybe I could suggest some suitable places in SEA?

ljj

OK, want the choice of having places to walk to, from the resort so we actually know which country we are in. But also think we deserve a bit of a pamper so nice pools, tennis court, good clean restaurants in hotel as well as out but not Costa Skyscrapers. The option of a kids club for use on occasion but not Butlins.
I want to see the gorgeous picture postcard beaches but don't necessarily have to be by the beach.

Not too remote, warm and not too humid- Thailand is sounding like it then isn;t it?

... aren't I fussy! I think the camping holidays and weekends away have added up and I want what I want after living with rellies for a couple of weeks.

Oh, we are 2 adults and 2 children under 12.

Louise

cedar cottage

Hi Loise, I can highly recommend Thailand, first stop Koi Samui, short plane trip from the main island, great beaches, everything within walking or hire a car for a day to go around the whole Island, then back to Bangkok, we stayed at the Mennin Riverside Hotel and upgraded to the Floor where you have family suites for about $50.00 more per night, entitled us to meals, drinks and a river cruise....fantastic, then hired their limmo with driver (an old Mercedes) not what I had pictured and he took us up to the River Kwai and we went on the railway and saw the museum and on the way back (all in the same day) to the monastery where they have the rescued tigers, an experience not to miss. We sat with them and even fed them milk tablets,have the footage to prove it, I looked whiter than the milk tablet when my children were sitting with one bigger than a small car... The whole day cost us $100.00, about $400.00 cheaper than the tour operators who do the same thing but in mini buses, the only extra you get is a lunch box thrown in. I will hunt down websites for you if you are interested.. Suzette.

cedar cottage

I have got the websites for you, www.menamriversidehotel.com ask to be upgraded to the Royal Thai floor to the Deluxe suite, you get the lot then. We stayed 3 nights but would have stayed longer if we could, it was our last 3 nights and then back to Aus. Ask them about the tour to the River Kwai and the tigers, website is www.tigertemple.com they have the English version as well on the site. A numbing experience to say the least. Have a look and see what you think, Phuket is supposed to be good, but I have not been there. Suzette We were two adults and 2 kids under 12. Fantastic.

ljj

Sounds perfect, do you know tigers are my absolute favourite animal! Are they genuine rescued tigers or is a tourist-y thing? you hear about how badly some animals are treated in these 'independant zoo's'

If you can find out the info for me I would appreciate it.

Thanks,

Louise

ljj

Thanks!

OriginalSunshine

Thailand, as I said is only less humid than Malaysia & Indonesia IF you go to the north. The north is nowhere near a beach. The Bangkok trip is a nice trip as well, but less of a beach option.

Personally I would avoid Koh Samui like the plague, unless you want somewhere like the Costa del Sol, or can afford 5* resorts but then you miss the "culture". My own feeling is that Koh Samui is pretty soul-less.

I would actually recommend Bali, for your requirements. I know because of the two bombs it has bad press, but let's face it - no-one's avoiding London because of the bombs last July. The climate is heavenly. There is a wonderful breeze which removes all humidity, and if you stay in an area such as Nusa Dua or the south east / east coast, then there are plenty of non-touristic areas to stay that still provide lots of options of things to do, places to go, things to see. It's also sadly for the locals, very cheap at the moment.