Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - Plannning a trip

Im currently planning my honeymoon and want to use my AA miles to fly Cathay Pacific. I want to fly to Hong Kong for a few days and spend some time in a tropical location in Asia. Does anyone have any suggestions for places to visit in September? Obviously I want to go to a place that I can get to on Cathay Pacific. I wanted to go to Thailand but I hear it rains a lot during that time of year. Id also prefer a place that is relatively safe (i hear Bali and the Phillipines are probably bad places to go right now).

One other question. Is it worth the extra points to fly first class vs business class?

[This message has been edited by neyoisles (edited 12-31-2002).]

Is the CX trip off? 10 minutes later you posted on the QF board that you wanted to use AA miles to fly QF to Tahiti and Australia. Or are you allowed to have 2 honeymoons this year? Be brave, fly to DPS -- you won't regret it, great spot for a honeymoon, nothing else quite compares. And isn't F mandatory for a honeymoon (btw, CX F is far better than C, well worth the miles).

the trip is still on, but i wanted a couple of different options. So Im looking at somewhere to go on Quantas and somewhere to go on Cathay Pacific. My preference is to go somewhere on Cathay Pacific though.

Id love to go to Bali, but both my finace and are a little worried about the situation there. One of these days we will definately visit though.

Phuket? http://www.cathaypacific.com/chl/eng/destinations/0,,77258_76912_eng,00.html

http://www.amanresorts.com/puri_m.html

Penang? http://www.cathaypacific.com/chl/eng/destinations/0,,77258_76896_eng,00.html

http://www.shangri-la.com/eng/hotel/28/index.htm

http://www.e-o-hotel.com/

Langkawi? http://www.cathaypacific.com/chl/eng/destinations/0,,77258_76895_eng,00.html

http://www.ghmhotels.com/thedatai/index.asp

Chiang Mai? http://www.cathaypacific.com/chl/eng/destinations/0,,77258_76907_eng,00.html

http://www.regenthotels.com/hoteldirectory/hotelbio.jsp?hotelCode=RICNX

If you're THAT paranoid of travelling through places of 'muslim' influence... maybe its not a good idea to suggest Phuket after all it is southern Thailand... and most southern Thais are Muslim.

Well, then, there's Malaysia. Although a Democratic country... it is still a multicultural Muslim country.

Bali is fine. Indonesia is Islamic but Bali is mostly Hindu. You'd probably get great rates everywhere abound. But you're avoiding if because ...?

Come to think of it, maybe you should just stay put at home.

Well, there is Niagara Falls, Canada if all else fails.

I would definately go to Bali. I have been there twice in the last year and a half and found it very safe (notwithstanding the unfortunate incident in October). Balinese people are Hindu if you are trying to avoid a muslim country. Their culture is based on doing good deeds for others. It is a shame that they are suffering for the bad deeds of outsiders infiltrating their island. The same thing happened in New york. Would you not go to New York now also? The bottom line is that bad people went to a great destination to terrorize the public not to come. The odds of it happeneing again are probably quite small. Just be prudent in where you go and you will be fine.

Bali is probably the best Honeymoon spot in the world offering the best hotels in the world as well(probably at a great rate now). So go ahead, take advantage of the situation and have a great time while showing support for the peaceful people of Bali.

As for F or C on CX, go for F. It's your honeymoon and now is the time to treat yourself.

if you dont confine yourself to "tropical".
also consider japan and korea via HKG. it will be beautiful and mild weather in Sep.

you can also go to tropical Australia in brisbane/cairns.

for south east asia, i think it will be safer to go to Bali than malaysia/philippines.

i think dubai is probably "tropical", should be safe if you don't "look american"