Far East tour - suggestions?
Discussion
Looking to a holiday in late jan/early feb next year. My thinking is that we fly to Phuket (or similar) then onwards. We want to include KL and Singapore, possibly including somewhere like Koh Tao.
There are obviously a huge amount of potential places to visit - Bali, Sarawak, Sulawesi etc. I just don't know enough about the area to know what to choose.
Mrs R6 doesn't want to spend the whole time on the beach, but we do want some time to relax. We don't want to spend too much time in cities, so the time in KL and Singapore is limited to a couple of days in each.
Target budget is £5k for the two of us and approx 14-16 days.
Open to the floor......
There are obviously a huge amount of potential places to visit - Bali, Sarawak, Sulawesi etc. I just don't know enough about the area to know what to choose.
Mrs R6 doesn't want to spend the whole time on the beach, but we do want some time to relax. We don't want to spend too much time in cities, so the time in KL and Singapore is limited to a couple of days in each.
Target budget is £5k for the two of us and approx 14-16 days.
Open to the floor......
Fly to Singapore then cheap flight to KL then cheap flight to Langkawi to go to Koh Lipe boat to Koh Lanta/Krabi then cheap flight to Bangkok from there you could fly to Vietnam/Cambodia or take the train to Kanchanaburi or so on.
This year we flew Birmingham to KL /Phuket to Heathrow return you dont have to return to the airport you flew in and it’s only a few quid more. Internal fights are cheap £30 if you book early.
Next year we are doing same but in and out of Heathrow KL return Phuket
This year we flew Birmingham to KL /Phuket to Heathrow return you dont have to return to the airport you flew in and it’s only a few quid more. Internal fights are cheap £30 if you book early.
Next year we are doing same but in and out of Heathrow KL return Phuket
Just noticed you only have about 15 days Don’t try to do too much in 2 weeks so keep it simple and fewer destinations so scrap flying onto Vietnam/Cambodia spend a few nights in Bangkok before flying home.
£5k will be plenty, our 7 weeks there earlier this year cost £3k each and that includes all spending!
£5k will be plenty, our 7 weeks there earlier this year cost £3k each and that includes all spending!
Ranger 6 said:
We don't want to spend too much time in cities, so the time in KL and Singapore is limited to a couple of days in each.
So don't go then, they're just boring cities anyway. I'd do Bangkok and some of the Thai islands, Vietnam, Cambodia maybe Laos. Bali is a mixed bag, not for me personally but westerners seem to love it for some reason. Every year since 2010 we have done the 2 week holiday to Thailand until we retired in 2020 now we can go for longer.
We use to mix up each year but the same format ie 3/4 nights city then 10 nights beach.
For example bought a return ticket London to Chang Rai or Siem Rep via Bangkok then purchased separate internal flights all one ticket ( one day travel and 2 flights to Krabi and onward in minivan to Kohlanta)
Then return flight from Krabi to London via Bangkok,
If only going 2 weeks it’s in the planning so not waisting time , book all separately as cheaper.
So perhaps may I suggest a 3/4 night city then 10 nights beach. Perhaps get a return flight to KL really nice city to spend a few days and cheaper than Singapore.
From KL you can get cheap flights to Langkawi for the ferry to Koh Lipe (early flight then afternoon ferry)or flight to Krabi or Phuket although I wouldn’t go to Phuket I would travel to North Khao Lak.
If you use Thai, Emirates or Qatar you can get your return flight from Phuket ( book all one ticket )
Always book directly with airline and keep an eye prices now as they go up and down all the time and expect to pay between £800- £1000 on good flights ie decent times with short layovers although sadly up until last year it was a lot cheaper!
We use to mix up each year but the same format ie 3/4 nights city then 10 nights beach.
For example bought a return ticket London to Chang Rai or Siem Rep via Bangkok then purchased separate internal flights all one ticket ( one day travel and 2 flights to Krabi and onward in minivan to Kohlanta)
Then return flight from Krabi to London via Bangkok,
If only going 2 weeks it’s in the planning so not waisting time , book all separately as cheaper.
So perhaps may I suggest a 3/4 night city then 10 nights beach. Perhaps get a return flight to KL really nice city to spend a few days and cheaper than Singapore.
From KL you can get cheap flights to Langkawi for the ferry to Koh Lipe (early flight then afternoon ferry)or flight to Krabi or Phuket although I wouldn’t go to Phuket I would travel to North Khao Lak.
If you use Thai, Emirates or Qatar you can get your return flight from Phuket ( book all one ticket )
Always book directly with airline and keep an eye prices now as they go up and down all the time and expect to pay between £800- £1000 on good flights ie decent times with short layovers although sadly up until last year it was a lot cheaper!
Edited by GT4P on Thursday 13th July 18:07
Edited by GT4P on Thursday 13th July 18:20
Forget Phucket, 25 years ago it was great, fly to Sing, train to KL, over night train to Hatyia, mini van to Ko Lanta, van to Krabbie (Ah Nang), fly back to Sing, Other than Sing and KL you will find good hotels with pool for 20 pounds a night for two,
Between Hatyai and Ko Lanta you can break the journey, e.g. Pak Meng beach north of Trang has fantastic sea food, better food than the tourist places with direct flights.
Personally I'd do Sing or Kl, not both, Kl has all the shops and is much cheaper.
Booking mini vans is easy, any hotel will do it.
Between Hatyai and Ko Lanta you can break the journey, e.g. Pak Meng beach north of Trang has fantastic sea food, better food than the tourist places with direct flights.
Personally I'd do Sing or Kl, not both, Kl has all the shops and is much cheaper.
Booking mini vans is easy, any hotel will do it.
To be clear I would not bother with Langkawi.
What I was getting at and what I did earlier this year after spending 4 nights in KL is that you catch the morning flight from KL to Langkawi which then allows you to catch the afternoon ferry to Koh Lipe arriving Koh Lipe 3.30.
From Koh Lipe which me and the wife enjoyed and are going back 2024 is you can then get ferries to other islands or Koh Lanta , Krabi (Aonang) and fly to Bangkok then home.
What I was getting at and what I did earlier this year after spending 4 nights in KL is that you catch the morning flight from KL to Langkawi which then allows you to catch the afternoon ferry to Koh Lipe arriving Koh Lipe 3.30.
From Koh Lipe which me and the wife enjoyed and are going back 2024 is you can then get ferries to other islands or Koh Lanta , Krabi (Aonang) and fly to Bangkok then home.
Edited by GT4P on Friday 14th July 13:59
You can also move between Singapore,KL and other cities on the peninsula using long distance buses. They are very comfortable with big seats that fully recline and are just as quick as flying when you factor in security, passport control etc.
There are various companies but I paid about £10 to go from Singapore to KL
There are various companies but I paid about £10 to go from Singapore to KL
RichFN2 said:
You can also move between Singapore,KL and other cities on the peninsula using long distance buses. They are very comfortable with big seats that fully recline and are just as quick as flying when you factor in security, passport control etc.
There are various companies but I paid about £10 to go from Singapore to KL
This sounds good - any links before I start on google?There are various companies but I paid about £10 to go from Singapore to KL
Ranger 6 said:
RichFN2 said:
You can also move between Singapore,KL and other cities on the peninsula using long distance buses. They are very comfortable with big seats that fully recline and are just as quick as flying when you factor in security, passport control etc.
There are various companies but I paid about £10 to go from Singapore to KL
This sounds good - any links before I start on google?There are various companies but I paid about £10 to go from Singapore to KL
https://transport.airasia.com/en
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