FrancescaS

Hello

We have four weeks for our honeymoon from mid September to mid October and are thinking of flying into Singapore/Kuala Lumpar spending a couple of nights there and then spending time in Borneo, Bali and Lombok. I would be most grateful for any tips you have, what to do, how to divide our time and also weather tips - we would like as much sun as possible!

Any help would be much appreciated! Thank you!

MmePerdu

I wouldn't bother with KL, fly into Singapore which I found an infinitely more entertaining city. Spend a couple of days then on to Bali & Borneo.

I spent about a month in Malaysian Borneo and much preferred Sarawak to Sabah. I heartily recommend a trip a bit off the beaten path to Sibu to catch a boat up the Batang Rajang (river) to the small towns on its banks, Kapit in particular. And further, if you feel adventurous, to visit longhouse communities.

I also particularly enjoyed my time in Kuchung, a charming colonial-era small city in Sarawak, home of the Victorian "white rajas" (hint: there are some very interesting books on this period of Bornean history).

MmePerdu

Also, if you want a taste of Peninsular Malaysia, I'd recommend Penang, rather than Kuala Lumpur (really an island attached to the peninsula of Malaysia). Charming, manageable size to walk around the city of Georgetown, lots of good food and very moderately priced accommodations. Stay, if a bit of a splurge is in order, at the colonial-era Eastern & Oriental Hotel or the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (my favorite place in the world).

kja

So many options!

You might find some useful ideas in my trip report covering Singapore, Java, and Bali:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...a-and-bali.cfm

Enjoy!

Kathie

I think you will need to cut a destination or so.

I agree that I would skip KL and land in Singapore instead.

On Bali, plan to spend time in two different areas, inland near Ubud for culture and a beach location. Avoid Kuta beach (full of drunk adolescents) and Nusa Dua (a sterile tourist enclave). I like Sanur, but some people prefer Seminyak, both are good choices. While you could go to Lombok for beaches, plan that it would take you all day to get from Bali to Lombok.

Malaysian Borneo consists of Sabah and Sarawak. If you want to see orangutans in the wild, choose Sabah and go to the Borneo Rainforest Lodge. Some people are content to see orangutans in "rehab centers" but be aware that the orangutans in these places really never get placed in the wild. Sarawak has the lovely town of Kuching and has some nice beaches out at Damai.

For Peninsular Malaysia, I agree with MmePerdu, go to Georgetown, Penang. It's lovely world heritage site and has some of the best hawker food anywhere. In Georgetown, I highly recommend the E&O hotel.

marmot

Vote #3 for Singapore over Kuala Lumpur.

You'll have good weather in Bali and Lombok in September/October. I think you could easily fill up 2 weeks between the two. October 26 to 29 is the Ubud Writers Festival, which is a wonderful event if that sort of thing appeals to you. If not, it's best to avoid Ubud during that time.

There are dozens of honeymoon-ish places in Bali, both inland in the Ubud area and on the beach. Ubud refers to both the town itself and the surrounding countryside. This is the center for nature and cultural activities. I prefer to stay out of town along the river valleys and rice paddies, but it depends on how you like to spend your time. Como Shambala is a wonderful experience, but very pricy. I also like Kayu Manis and the valley view suites at the Alila. In town, I like Uma Ubud. Also, any of the Koman resorts in various locations.

Lombok has pretty beaches, less busy than Bali's. You can fly non-stop from Singapore to Lombok which would mean you'd only have to transit between Bali and Lombok once. The Qunci in Lombok is well liked. The Gili Islands which are a short boat ride from Lombok have a laid-back beachy atmosphere.

In Bali, I like the Petitenget Beach area, which is the north end of Seminyak. It's a lively, fun, big-wave surfer beach with lots of very good restaurants, shops, spas and clubs. As you go further north to Batu Belig, Canggu and Batu Bolong the crowd gets younger and hipper.

Depending on your budget I'd recommend The Legian which is right on Petitenget Beach or The Colony which is a short walk. The Alila Seminyak is bigger but well designed and right on the beach.

There are also many villas all over Bali, but especially in the Seminyak area, which offer a private pool and staff. They won't be right on the beach but nearby.

Guenmai

I'd also fly into Singapore. I love Singapore and have been going regularly since the 90s. I'd also select Georgetown, Penang to visit. I just e-mailed the E&O last night to again reserve my corner suite in the Victory Annexe, the new wing, for Jan 2018. I was just there in January 2017 and also the last two years before that. The U.S. dollar is very strong in Malaysia. I got my 123 square-foot corner suite for less than my 15 square-meter hotel room in Paris. Plus, the excellent buffet breakfast is included in all of the room rates at the E&O.

I love being in Georgetown and at the E&O. By the way, the Cheong Fatt Tze mansion is only about a 10-minute walk from the E&O and they have tours of the mansion several times a day. One can see the side of the mansion from the Victory Annexe window on each room floor of the Victory Annexe.

Have fun in S.E. Asia as it's a great part of the world and with really great food.

Happy Travels!