nnn

I'm planning our honeymoon for August 2006. We will be departing from San Francisco. I'm looking for advice on choosing a destination.

Of course, Hawaii is a natural choice, and it's obvious why: short flight, beautiful scenery and beaches, and a diverse set of activities. Neither of us has been to Hawaii.

That said, I've been saving my UA miles for years, and I now have enough for two business class seats to Asia on SQ. A part of me feels like it would be a waste not to use them for the honeymoon. But, on the other hand, we don't want to spend an extra 16 hours each way in an airplane for no reason other than to experience what it's like to sleep in a SpaceBed.

Can anyone please suggest destinations in Asia that would make great honeymoon spots, and the pros/cons vs. Hawaii? (Note: The future Mrs. nnn has ruled out Thailand, since I've been there.)

Our criteria:

We would like to do some beach time, but we would also like to have a diversity of day trips and sightseeing activities available (e.g., we liked Cairns). Cost is an issue, but if the location is cheap we'd be more than happy to splurge on a nice resort. We want some degree of pampering, e.g. good massages. Good nightlife is not a top priority, but would be nice as well.

Thanks in advance.

El Boocho

You might want to call SQ and see where you can go on the date you want. Given that your honeymoon is probably not too flexible and that I've always heard that SQ is notoriously difficult to redeem on you might be limited by availability rather than where you want to go. That being said August is a long time from now. Remember that August=Monsoon season in SE Asia. I was there this past August and had beautiful weather, but I understand that is not always thecase.

How about Vietnam. Beautiful beaches, cheap and a quick hop from SIN.

bobbrownson

You may really consider this "Off the Wall", but there is Cheju Island (Jeju) off the South coast of Korea. It is referred to as the Hawaii of Asia. It is somewhat like the Big Island, volcanic (inactive) mountain, fun to climb, wonderful golf courses, great spa's and Korean style massage (which I very much appreciate), excellent food and great diversity of things to do. Beautiful beaches on the South side of the Island. some of the better 5* resorts are the Hyatt, Lotte, Shilla Hotels. You can rent a car and drive around to the natural sites. If you are interested at all, I can backchannel you some pics. I think this place is a real sleeper - it has not become "in" yet.
Bob

bumpme

Fiji is closer to Asia than the US. It takes twice as long to get to Fiji than Hawaii from the US. Plus, it's more exotic and less packed. You are more likely to bump into Australians and New Zealanders then Americans.

quitecontrary

The East coast of Malaysia e.g. Tioman Island has good weather in August as has Bali.

nnn

Is it worth going all the way to Bali instead of Hawaii? Is Bali so much cheaper to make the longer trip worthwhile? (Assume I'm flying on an award ticket from San Francisco.)

vprp

I'm a resident of Hawaii (now living in Seoul) but I visited Bali earlier this year. It is much cheaper than Hawaii is. You could expect to spend a LOT LESS at Bali than in Hawaii.

As for the Cheju recommendation, that sounds like a good one as well. You'd spend considerably more in Korea than at Bali but it's a beautiful place. Honestly, if I were to choose, I'd probably have my honeymoon in Cheju (over Bali and Hawaii) but that's just because Hawaii is old hat for me and I really love Korea.

vprp

Oh, part of the reason why I would choose Cheju over Bali, too is just the Asian service touches. I just believe Asian customer service is top notch and it will go a long way to make your honeymoon even more romantic, IMO.

francophile

How about Langkawi?

eljakim

I went to Rota (ROP) last year, a small island close to Guam. I absolutely loved the golf they provided. It is a US protectorate, so you ought to feel safe.

It's part of the Northern Mariana Islands.

You may try that.

Eljakim

RichardInSF

I thought Hawaii, especially Oahu, WAS an Asian destination!

SJC1K

I agree on Cheju (Jeju). It's a real sleeper. I stayed for a week at the Hyatt and really loved it. It's a big destination for Korean honeymooning couples but not well known outside Asia.

On the flights there every Korean couple seems to dress in matching or very coordinated clothes. So one couple might both have khaki pants and a blue shirt. Another might both have white pants, one pink Hawaiian-style shirt, one pastel green Hawaiian-style shirt, but the same pattern on both shirts. It's like being on Noah's Ark--you can instantly tell who's with whom. If you go there, do the same--you'll fit right in, and if you're non-Asian, at the same time you'll really stand out.

FTraveler

Took my wife and daughter to Jeju and stayed at the Hyatt which is situated along the southern coast with a cluster of other top hotels. Very relaxing. Good food. We hired a taxi driver for $80 - $100 who drove us around the island from morning till evening. Stopped where we wanted, ate when we wanted. There's also a casino in the major hotels, including the Hyatt.

As with pretty much all Korean deluxe hotels, service was excellent and English is spoken.

nnn

Thanks for all the responses. Other than hotel, how do prices in Jeju compare to Hawaii?

FTraveler

Unlike Hawaii where you can always find an IHOP or something comparable to Denny's for a cheap breakfast or lunch, you are pretty much stuck with the nice restaurants in the resorts hotels which are not cheap but good.

If you are a Hyatt GP member, I would use points for the suite upgrade which automatically comes with Regency Club access which is more than sufficient for continental breakfast, early evening cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.

Flights to/from Seoul (GMP) run about $140 roundtrip in business class or $120 economy. There is an air-conditioned limousine bus that provides frequent service between Jeju airport and to/from the resort area.