MattHall

Hi all,

Currently looking to go away next April and looking to this forum for some inspiration! The aim is to have some R&R but with some culture/things to do available.

Preferably on a beach, although not essential.

For reference, we loved Ubud this year with its awesome resorts but easy access to town and nearby things to do.

Other things we love are hot weather, friendly people and Asian food.

Open to suggestions! Will be flying from MAN with either QR, SQ or EK.

Thanks.

RustyC

April is the second hottest month in much of SE Asia and is considered the summer (there's a reason the high season ends in March). It's hard to really narrow it down just based on what's given, but it's often a recipe for a place like Phuket or Ko Samui. OTOH, I was lucky to see both around 1995 and consider 'em ruined now (smothered by development), though others on a first time may have a different take. Ko Chang and Ko Lanta have sprung up more recently but are hardly quiet, though April is not high season.

Further afield you've got Boracay or Palawan in the Philippines, Nha Trang or Phu Quoc in Vietnam, Sihanoukville in Cambodia, and Langkawi and Redang/Perhentians, plus the Borneo side, in Malaysia. Or Hong Kong, though the friendliness factor isn't great there. Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia or Burma are more "raw" than Thailand, Malaysia or Singapore (or Bali as well, I'd say), which means more adapting and greater likelihood of things going wrong. But the train wrecks make the best stories.

I used to do the beach-chase thing in Thailand and SE Asia, but Samoa, the Cook Islands and especially the Seychelles ruined me there.

CrazyInteg

RustyC pretty much hit the nail on the head and pounded it in with one swing. That might need to get copy/pasted a few times a year.

Your three airlines will take you to pretty much any major city in the region.

MattHall

Thanks for the above, it's much appreciated.

I personally wouldn't go back to those areas of Thailand either, for the same reasons.

We loved Kota Kinabalu last year, was a great trip.

Nha Trang is looking a strong contender at the moment, some reasonable flight options from the UK at the moment as well with QR being very competitive currently.

helloVietnam

Nha Trang it's good for this time - July. I swear. Should go Nha Trang soon, before August come, it will rainy all of the day. not good