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2 Week Honeymoon in Singapore and Indonesia

2 Week Honeymoon in Singapore and Indonesia

Old May 21st, 2016, 05:20 PM
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2 Week Honeymoon in Singapore and Indonesia

We are a couple in our mid 20s and will be taking our honeymoon mid February 2017, we travel internationally quite frequently but to Europe/Caribbean mostly and have never been to SEA. Obviously this is still a little far out and nothing is set in stone yet, but here are our ideas, let me know what you think and what suggestions you have!

A little bit more about us: We like day hiking/nature activities, seeing cultural sights, and finding good (local) food is always a top priority. For this trip we are hoping to have a good mix of sight seeing/ activities, but also some relaxation since its our honeymoon.

Proposed Itinerary:

Bali: Looking at staying at a resort just outside of Ubud, from what Ive read it looks like there is a lot of cultural things to do there, plus the resort is reasonably priced (under $200 USD). Also I read that even though its the rainy season, Ubud would still be a good choice.

Singapore: Singapore has been on my Fiancés radar for a while, and we will have a friend living there next year, so it seemed like as good a time as any to visit! I haven't looked into where to stay/what to do yet, but I figure I have time for that.

Sumatra: We chose to look into going to Sumatra because it looked like a great place for day hikes/walks and seeing nature/wildlife. Also my great grandparents went (actually moved!) there for their honeymoon so I think it would just be really cool to visit. I found an eco-hotel/tour provider that was highly rated and very affordable in Bukit Lawang (Called EcoTravel Cottages, Bukit Lawang, anyone heard of them?). They have tours to see the orangutans and jungle as well as tours into the surrounding villages, and all of it looked very interesting to us.

I think we would be going in the order listed above, Emirates flies to Bali and then in order to go from Bali to Sumatra it looks like we would have to have a layover in Singapore anyway so might as well put that in the middle.

Any thoughts on the locations or how long to stay in each (with the entire trip being 2 weeks)? Do you think there will be a problem with travelling in February (rainy season)? Also how far in advance would be best to book everything? Any location you think we are missing and would be easy to reach? I haven't put together a budget yet, but currently thinking around $5000-$6000 including flights from the US, does this seem doable? Any and all thoughts are appreciated!
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Old May 21st, 2016, 09:46 PM
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You may get quite a lot of rain in Bali in February. Or you may not: this year was quite dry!

The activities that are mostly impacted by the rainy season are outdoor performances and serious trekking (especially involving mountain climbing). For day to day activities like ceremonies, shopping, spa-ing, village and rice padi walks and certainly eating, the rain won't be a problem. The good news is that it's low tourist season and rates will be negotiable and everything will be very green.

You should have a wide range of choices outside of Ubud in the US$150 to 200 range. Negotiate aggressively! I like the area around the Ayung River Valley, in Sayan and Kedewatan.

I haven't been to Sumatra and can't comment on your destination. (Leonardo DiCaprio was just there and caused a major uproar.) I would note, however, that you should be able to fly from Bali to Medan or Banda Aceh (via Jakarta) on Garuda or Air Asia without having to go through Singapore.
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Old May 21st, 2016, 09:52 PM
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Another thought: Since it's your honeymoon, you might also want to spend a couple of nights at one of the lovely beachfront hotels in south Bali. Look at the Alila Seminyak, the Samaya, the Legian Seminyak, the Colony. The ocean can be a bit stormy during the rainy season, but it's beautiful and atmospheric and there are some terrific restaurants in the area.
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Old May 22nd, 2016, 07:49 AM
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marmot lives on Bali, so she always has great information. I'm glad she mentioned airlines that fly from Bali to Sumatra - I was sure there had to be flights!

I haven't been to Sumatra yet, but have loved every place I have visited in Indonesia. It sounds like you have done some research on places to stay.

You say you have two weeks for your honeymoon - how many nights on the ground in SEA? Personally, I'd want at least five nights in both Bali (longer if you could) and Sumatra. If you have 14 nights on the ground, that would leave 4 nights for Singapore. Singapore will be your most expensive stop, so that may influence how many days you can spend there. Four nights would give you three full days, which is ok for an introduction to Singapore. If it was me, I'd opt to visit Singapore last, but it will depend on your flights.

Happy planning!
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Old May 22nd, 2016, 01:46 PM
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Thank you both so much, I will take all of your tips into consideration and definitely look at the flights between Bali and Sumatra again. I'm happy to hear that traveling during the rainy season shouldn't impact us too much. We still don't have exact dates so I'm not sure how many days we will have on the ground but I'm hoping for 13 or 14!

Still looking for someone with more tips on Sumatra as that is also the area that is hardest to find info on online....
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Old May 24th, 2016, 01:27 AM
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if you need to little bit unplugged from the crowd and have a lazy romantic days to spend, you should try south Lombok island,( gerupuk Bay ) indonesia.
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Old May 24th, 2016, 01:30 AM
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it's only half hour flight from bali. nice adventure to spice up your honeymoon .
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Old May 24th, 2016, 06:37 AM
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As much as I enjoy Lombok, it's not worth adding another location with your limited time.
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Old May 24th, 2016, 06:29 PM
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Lonely Planet would be a good source of information on travel in Sumatra. Even though your travel dates are several months in the future, keep an eye on Mt. Sinabung which has been erupting fiercely in the vicinity of Bukit Lawang.

You might also consider Malaysian Borneo (especially Sabah) for rain forests and orangutans. Kathie could give you more information on the Rainforest Lodge.
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Old May 26th, 2016, 09:10 PM
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Warm greetings from a just completed Bangkok business trip to the OP, lizzie - and warm welcome to Fodors. Congratulations on future honeymoon; hope you have the chance for brief holiday in our lovely home of Singapore. So appreciate SIN for family, work, residence; special part of the world.

Would be honoured to offer SIN lodging suggestions. In addition to a long-time family favourite, Raffles, other fine (and less dear) options to be found. More intimate alternatives include Naumi, Hotel Vagabond, Adonis, The Club, and The New Majestic. Good friends are involved with some of those listed, along with my old SIN business travel hotel, the Four Seasons. So many wonderful properties in our Singapore, from the larger hotels to some cozy dwellings in various heritage buildings and converted shop houses. Happy to assist.

[Not SIN lodging related, but did have an enjoyable and informative week of Bangkok hotel developments. Attended a presentation of the future Park Hyatt, Bangkok; she should be a welcome addition to the ever-evolving BKK lodging scene. Also, the Mandarin Oriental was particularly festive this week, with a work-related reception and ongoing celebrations of her 140 years of hospitality. She has some new and much appreciated suites; special promotions through this September.]

Savour your planning; happy for you. Early and warm weekend wishes to you from Bangkok,

robert


... Singapore Airlines, You're a Great Way to Fly ...
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