Beach Stay After Singapore?
Nov 7th, 2004, 10:04 AM
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Beach Stay After Singapore?
Can anyone recommend a resort for a week's vacation after visting Singapore? Keen to try somewhere that we can either drive to or catch a ferry to (ie. trying to avoid yet more time on a plane !)
Nov 7th, 2004, 04:12 PM
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Hi andyhoughton,
I'm sure others will jump in but really the only place that is at all worthwhile although not for a full week (IMHO) would be Bintan. It is a quick ferry ride from Singapore and if you golf the courses are quite nice. The Banyan Tree is the most luxe of the resorts but I honestly think it is over rated and in need of renovation - still a nice three day trip and stay but I always think it is just better to be prepared -particularly from an expectation/rate perspective. Indra Maya Villas are also nice but a notch down from Banyan Tree. Mayang Sari and Mana Mana are 2 star accomodations that are budget oriented - basic but clean and they have fairly good pizza at Mana Mana. The Club Med is actually quite nice for a Club Med but you must want a Club Med experience while the other resorts (Bintan Lagoon, Nirwana) are fairly standard 3-4 star accomodations with some villas available here also but comfortable as opposed to luxurious. The Angsana is routinely disliked by everyone I know from service to rooms so I can't recommend it.
IMO I would also skip Desaru, Tioman, Rawa, and Batam - all ferry ride/driveable from S'pore. Accomodations are generally basic with service patchy at best and not a full weeks worth of activity IMO. However, everyone's expectations are different and if you want to visit these areas we have found Sebana Cove near Desaru, the Berjaya on Tioman, and Turi Beach Resort on Batam to be the best of fairly limited options - all are more enjoyable experiences if you are a golfer.
Having said that, however, I think that with a full week I would personally go to Bali, Langkawi, Pangkor Laut, Tanjong Jara, or one of the Thai beaches if you really would like a more beach oriented experience. I know you would like to avoid another flight but all are comfortable and very brief flights from Singapore and can be done either as direct flights or in the case of Malaysia an option would be to drive to KL w/ overnight in KL and then catch the 30- 45 minute flight onwards to Langkawi/Pangkor Laut/Tanjong Jara. Hope this helps a little bit. Have a great trip and enjoy!
I'm sure others will jump in but really the only place that is at all worthwhile although not for a full week (IMHO) would be Bintan. It is a quick ferry ride from Singapore and if you golf the courses are quite nice. The Banyan Tree is the most luxe of the resorts but I honestly think it is over rated and in need of renovation - still a nice three day trip and stay but I always think it is just better to be prepared -particularly from an expectation/rate perspective. Indra Maya Villas are also nice but a notch down from Banyan Tree. Mayang Sari and Mana Mana are 2 star accomodations that are budget oriented - basic but clean and they have fairly good pizza at Mana Mana. The Club Med is actually quite nice for a Club Med but you must want a Club Med experience while the other resorts (Bintan Lagoon, Nirwana) are fairly standard 3-4 star accomodations with some villas available here also but comfortable as opposed to luxurious. The Angsana is routinely disliked by everyone I know from service to rooms so I can't recommend it.
IMO I would also skip Desaru, Tioman, Rawa, and Batam - all ferry ride/driveable from S'pore. Accomodations are generally basic with service patchy at best and not a full weeks worth of activity IMO. However, everyone's expectations are different and if you want to visit these areas we have found Sebana Cove near Desaru, the Berjaya on Tioman, and Turi Beach Resort on Batam to be the best of fairly limited options - all are more enjoyable experiences if you are a golfer.
Having said that, however, I think that with a full week I would personally go to Bali, Langkawi, Pangkor Laut, Tanjong Jara, or one of the Thai beaches if you really would like a more beach oriented experience. I know you would like to avoid another flight but all are comfortable and very brief flights from Singapore and can be done either as direct flights or in the case of Malaysia an option would be to drive to KL w/ overnight in KL and then catch the 30- 45 minute flight onwards to Langkawi/Pangkor Laut/Tanjong Jara. Hope this helps a little bit. Have a great trip and enjoy!
Nov 10th, 2004, 05:35 AM
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what time of year are you going? There are numerous places on the east coast of Malyasia which I could recommend that can be reached by car and by car/ferry. However, I would not go to the east coast from about late October through March as it is the rainy season there. Let me know what your dates are and I can recommend east coast places.
Contrary to Kathie's post, Tioman Island is reacable by ferry from Singapore; however it is not my favorite island in Malaysia.
Please, please avoid Bintan. The beaces are not really that nice and the water color and clarity are quite poor, as it is in the main shipping lane through the Malacca Strait. You are better off at a beach resort on Sentosa that on Bintan, IMO.
Bali is also an easy flight from Singapore, as is Phuket. Again, time of year would weigh into that decision.
Contrary to Kathie's post, Tioman Island is reacable by ferry from Singapore; however it is not my favorite island in Malaysia.
Please, please avoid Bintan. The beaces are not really that nice and the water color and clarity are quite poor, as it is in the main shipping lane through the Malacca Strait. You are better off at a beach resort on Sentosa that on Bintan, IMO.
Bali is also an easy flight from Singapore, as is Phuket. Again, time of year would weigh into that decision.
Nov 10th, 2004, 06:06 AM
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Hi Cicerone!
Do you really hate Bintan? It isn't my favorite either but it is at least on par with Tioman and Rawa I think and I find the infrastructure quite a bit better. Also, I think that all of the resorts on the West Coat of Malaysia from Langkawi down into Indonesia - Batam and Bintan - have that turbid brown water and so-so beaches. Of course, the North East coast of Malaysia is much nicer with prettier beaches and clearer water once you get past Kuantan don't you think? Anyway just curious
. All the best!
Do you really hate Bintan? It isn't my favorite either but it is at least on par with Tioman and Rawa I think and I find the infrastructure quite a bit better. Also, I think that all of the resorts on the West Coat of Malaysia from Langkawi down into Indonesia - Batam and Bintan - have that turbid brown water and so-so beaches. Of course, the North East coast of Malaysia is much nicer with prettier beaches and clearer water once you get past Kuantan don't you think? Anyway just curious
. All the best!
Nov 12th, 2004, 03:30 AM
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There are a lot of places close by air if you decide on a flight:-
Penang 1 hr 10
Langkawi 1 hr 20
Phuket 1 hr 40
Krabi 1 hr 40
Koh Samui 2 hr 40 ( Turbo flight hence the time )
Bali is only 2 hrs 30, I guess Lombok would be just a little less.
Penang 1 hr 10
Langkawi 1 hr 20
Phuket 1 hr 40
Krabi 1 hr 40
Koh Samui 2 hr 40 ( Turbo flight hence the time )
Bali is only 2 hrs 30, I guess Lombok would be just a little less.
Nov 15th, 2004, 04:35 AM
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You might like to check out some of the islands in Johor Bahru, which is probably around 1-2 hrs. Sibu Island is one of them. You can check out this website... http://www.siburesort.com/
If you are looking for a crystal clear beach, I won't recommend Bintan. But if you are looking for an idylic afternoon away from the city life of Singapore, that might be a choice.
If you are looking for a crystal clear beach, I won't recommend Bintan. But if you are looking for an idylic afternoon away from the city life of Singapore, that might be a choice.
