Beach Town Destination (August)
 

Hello!

Seeking the collective knowledge of the board after hours of reading through existing threads. I'll preface this by saying any planning I'm doing will be contingent on it being safe/allowed to travel due to COVID-19.

Partner and I have booked flights from Seattle to Singapore from Aug 1 to Aug 16. Having been to SIN before, we'll likely only spend ~4 days there which opens us up to venturing somewhere else for the remainder of our time (~10 days). Seeking your recommendations on where that somewhere else should be.

We're both early 30s and are seeking a destination on the more "relaxing" side of things. For accommodations we're in between the "budget hotel" and "5-star resort" opposites but tend to air on the nicer side if the value seems there.

Requirements
- Within a couple hour flight from SIN
- No big cities
- On the beach (we don't snorkel or scuba, just really enjoy relaxing beach time)
- We love walking so a walkable town is a plus (shopping is not a priority)
- Restaurants/bar variety but no need for nightclubs
- Not overly touristy but we understand some level of tourism is expected and appreciated as we won't speak the language

Initial Thoughts
Off the table are Bali (planned for October) and the Philippines (planned for 2021). Langkawi appears to be a good fit. I've seen mentions of Malaysian Borneo as being more appealing than options on the the peninsula. Phuket seems a bit more "lively" than we are looking for this trip.

Any other places I should focus my research on?

Thanks!
Matt

We loved our time last year near Hoi An in Vietnam. The town itself is very touristy, but that brings its own attractions and the beaches were beautiful, warm water, lots of cheap and tasty food. You can live like a king for very little money, but don't be scared of trying the local eateries. We can't wait to get back.

I hope you get there is August. I'd definitely be booking everything refundable or leaving it to the last minute.

How was the beach? Was it pure white sand?

Can't say I found Malaysian Borneo that appealing from a beach standpoint.

Ambon and surrounding islands are worth looking into if you really want to get off the beaten track.

Koh Tao used to have a lot of appeal, but that was years ago. I don't know the present situation.

EDIT: I confused my Indonesian islands: I meant to refer to Ternate and Tidore. (Ambon when I was there several years ago was in the midst of ethnic strife and not a good place to be, though yes it has some very fine and deserted beaches.)

When I read the OP's post Hoi An immediately came to my mind as well. Seems to check all the boxes.

Practically zero chance he will be visiting Singapore in August or Bali in October.

I think your Phuket experiences will vary depending on where you stay and which beach you visit.