scoty

For my 50th birthday in January of 2011 I'm getting 20 of my friends to meet up somewhere in Asia and the highlight will be my birthday dinner which I want to splurge on for my close friends.

I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions of a place I should try to book.

I'd like it to be a special venue, with great food and atmosphere...one that we'll really enjoy and remember. The restaurant would probaly have to be somewhere like Bangkok or Bali that is easy for people to get to. These places have restaurants on the top storeys in the open with great views and others where a table can be set up near the beach...

Please let me know if you've been to any wonderful venues that you would recommend for my special occasion...Banyan Tree Hotel Bangkok??? Hire a boat for a cruise on the river in Bangkok (there will probably only be 20 of us though)? I stayed at the Six Senses Resort in Nah Trang, Vietnam, a few years ago and noticed a group having a spectacular party at that beautiful location...but it's not so easy for people to get to a place likeNah Trang...

I'm looking forward to hearing your suggestions....
Bye,
Scoty

marmot

January in Bali could most likely mean rain, so I'd want to pick a place that was rain-resistant, e.g., no party on the beach. I can't stress this enough. Make sure your in-case-of-rain venue is as good as your fair weather locale. Then if it does rain you won't be disappointed.

In the southern beach area there are many, many choices. The Legian in Seminyak has a wonderful beach villa that's right on the beach. The Legian would put together a really nice party -- maybe with Balinese dancing and gamelan. You could have sunset cocktails on the beach. Your group could stay at the Legian or at one of the less expensive places nearby like the Sofitel.

There are also many, many private villas that could accommodate a group. The management service will usually help you make arrangements for a dinner party.

Villa Arika which is right on the beach in Canggu is one of my favorites. It has a beautiful open living room area with sea and sunset view. Some of your group could stay there and some at other villas or nearby resorts like the Tugu. There are LOTS of other choices in the villa category.
http://www.allbaliluxuryvillas.com/3...nggu_bali.html

In the Ubud area I'd recommend the Chedi Club. They have a large open air restaurant in the midst of the rice paddies. I hosted a party there once. They arranged a kecak dance with the dancers arriving through the dark fiends carrying torches -- very dramatic. The food and service are good and there's a lot to do in the area.

The Alila Ubud has a nice (covered) restaurant adjacent to their specatacularly beautiful pool that overlooks the river valley. Excellent food. Again, dances and gamelan can be arranged. It's also a nice place to stay and not too expensive.

scoty

Thank you. Your information is fantastic. I was thinking about The Legian but couldn't remember the name...

Of those you listed, which would be your no. 1 choice?

You wouldn't be able to give me simlar details about Bangkok, would you...

Scoty

Kathie

Bangkok has lots of excellent restaurants. However, the ones on the tops of buildings are renowned for excruciatingly mediocre food at ridiculous prices. I'd suggest you choose a great Thai restaurant in Bangkok for dinner, then have after dinner drinks at one of the bars atop a building.

For excellent Thai food in beautiful, atmospheric surroundings, I'd choose one of the excellent places that are in old Thai teak houses such as Lana Thai at Face or Baan Khanita.

marmot

All three Bali venues (scores of other options) would be a WOW experience for your guests. It really depends on whether you want to be on the beach or inland. The Legian and the Chedi Club (which have the same management) do a fantastic job at special events. They are beautiful, elegant, full of Balinese atmospherics.

The what if it rains aspect of Bali in the rainy season is what leads me to these three sites. When I was researching a location for a party for 70 people I looked at all of the big resorts -- in Jimbaran and Nusa Dua too. Mostly all wanted to put up a tent on the beach which would have been lovely, but their rain option was usually a dreary moldy conference room.

As it turned out it didn't rain so we had an extraordinary sunset on the beach.

My first choice would be the Beach House at the Legian. On Bangkok, I defer to the experts.

Your friends are lucky to have you.

Hanuman

You could go for drinks at the top of the Banyan Tree in Bangkok(Moon Bar) and then move a few floors below and have dinner at either Pier 59(seafood) or Tai Hei(Japanese). I've seen several groups of people do this and the food at both restaurants are quite good. If you are going to the Banyan make sure you make reservations since the Moon bar get quite full everyday.

Cicerone

While I love Bali, and it certainly would make a memorable place for a party, I am one who says go with your gut. So I just want to point out that there are at least 2 flights a day to Nha Trang from both HCM and Hanoi, and the flight is only about an hour from either. In addition, the airport there was just expanded and by Jan 2011 my guess is that it will have non-stop Silk Air flights from Singapore. So I don’t know that it is any more difficult to get to Nha Trang than to Bali, esp. without knowing where you and your friends will be coming from outside of Asia. From many places in the US end Europe, you can get a non-stop to Singapore, and then possibly a non-stop to Nha Trang. A few days in Singapore as part of the trip might be interesting too (which people may want to do as part of a trip to Bali as well). Air Asia may also be flying to Nha Trang by then, so that may be another option. (Both Silk Air and Air Asia currently fly to other places in Vietnam.) January is good weather in Nha Trang as opposed to Bali (but the rainy season there never bothers me anyway).

I also must say that Hong Kong would be an easy place to get to for most people, and a place where you could have a spectacular meal in a great setting. From hiring your own boat for the day (including having meals on board), to helicopter rides over the harbour, to having your own chef's table in a place like Caprice or the Krug Room, there are many choices. Or book something like the Garden Suite or the China Clipper at the Penninsula and have the Hong Kong skyline as your backdrop. (For guests not staying there you can send the Rolls to collect them...the Intercon may offer similar venues, certainly Nobu or Spoon might work.) January weather is on the cool side, can be sunny or cloudy depending on your luck and how early or late in January your trip would be.

Also have to say that a dinner in the desert under the stars in Rajasthan in January would really be memorable as well. Your guests could arrive by horse, camel (or perhaps elephant), you can have local dancers and music, there would be fire pits to lend atmosphere, as you dine and drink reclining on pillows and carpets. The Devigarh outside Udaipur would really be magical for a party and to stay for a few days, or the Lake Palace in Udaipur itself. Hard to beat the weather at that time in virtually all of India. Or do it on the lawns or rooftop of someplace like the Agravilas in Agra and have the Taj Mahal as your backdrop…I can construct several excellent fantasies out of this one!

I am quite certain that any of the good hotels in Siem Reap could arrange a dinner which would include some aspect of Ankor Wat, either a balloon trip first at sunset, or drinks somewhere with a view at sunset, or even dinner on an evening when it is lit by the full moon should that coincide with your birthday (see sunrisesunset.com for moon phases). In some past years in the winter months, there has been a sound and light show where the temples are lit, check calendars to see if one is scheduled for 2011. Or have dinner on a boat on Tonle Sap. This would take some coordination with dates, but as you have some lead time, it might be worth looking into as it would certainly be memorable.

Just will mention the Maldives as the <i>ultimate</i> place for dinner on the beach. Of course it is harder to get to. But certainly worth the trip. And great weather in January.

Lunar New Year in 2011 starts Thursday February 3, so I assume you would miss that if your trip were to Hong Kong or Singapore (it is not really celebrated in Bali and minimal celebrations in Bangkok, mostly in Chinatown). That would also be the start date for Tet in Vietnam. But there are fireworks in Hong Kong harbour on the second day if your trip does coincide with this, which would be a great way to add to the celebrations.

I guess my point being that with a little imagination and planning (and in your case combined with what seems to be a good budget) you can really have a good party almost anywhere.

Hanuman

Here's another suggestion for Bangkok - Zense

http://www.zensebangkok.com/home.html