Punkyl44

(cross-posted from Thailand forum)

We are planning a honeymoon for October / November and are trying to decide between Thailand (Bangkok and Phuket) and Hawaii. We will be stopping in Japan on the way back home (which we have previously visited and loved).

We have been to Oahu before and had a great time, but are thinking of staying somewhere a little more "remote" this time, perhaps Maui.

Thailand sounds so exotic, but we're worried that we may not enjoy ourselves as much as in Hawaii.

We have never been to southeast asia. The closest we've been is a trip to Beijing last year. We'd like to hear comparisons between the two. Obviously one is a tropical resort and the other a world capital, but we are worried that some of the things that bothered us in Beijing (annoying street hustlers -- "hello, friend" everywhere we went, air pollution, upset stomachs from the food, the need to haggle over every purchase no matter how small, mass poverty) will be issues in Thailand, too. Will any of these be a problem in Thailand?

We do not want to sit on the beach for the entire trip -- we will want to have access to restaurants and sights outside of our resort. We just want more information to help us weigh the "americanized comfort" of Hawaii with the "exotic" nature of Thailand.

Thank you.

bashfulLV

Considering the sad state of affairs in Thailand since the tsunami, I don't know how you could be seriously considering a honeymoon at a "resort" - especially in Phuket since most of it washed away and what's left will take quite a while to re-build. Hawaii would make a lot more sense - IMO.

travdis

Most of Thailand is not washed away. Things are back to normal but the resorts need your business.

I do not remember much hassle in Thailand. Few touts or beggars but lots of Air Pollution, just like China.

Fairhope

I'd go to the Asia forum for discussion of Thailand--there is a lot of info there
PS We have been to Bangkok and loved it.

J_Correa

I'd go to Thailand. It would be more of a unique honeymoon experience, something all your own. Lots of people go to Hawaii for their honeymoon. I have heard that many resorts in Thailand are fine and they definitely need the tourist dollars.

seatheworld

I've been to Bangkok, Phuket, Oahu and Maui. Depends on what you are looking for. What did you enjoy about Oahu?

The same things that bothered you in Beijing are going to happen in Thailand as well, guaranteed. You can get away from it by staying at the nicer resorts and such but it seems pretty much the case where ever you go into town. You can still see lots of cool things in Thailand though. Bangkok has some great temples and such but is a typical large city. Phuket is more tropical (can easily fly between the two) and lot of nice resorts (stayed at the "Le Meridien" though I did see it on one of the clips of the tsunami damage). The surrounding islands are cool as well (Phi phi islands and such are great) and there are lots of snorkeling and boat tours.

If you liked Oahu, you'd likely enjoy Maui. We just returned from a trip there in fact and also hit Kauai. Maui seems a good in-the-middle island in terms of the busy city feel and a more rural setting.

If price is a concern, Maui is definately more expensive than Thailand, duh.

May also consider French Polynesia. We honeymooned at Moorea and Bora Bora and loved it.

pdxgirl

I have been to Bangkok, Phuket, and several of the Hawaiian islands. You will experience all of the following in Bangkok: extreme heat and humidity, air pollution, street hustlers, taxi drivers who will tell you the temple you want to see is closed and you should spend some time at his cousin's shop instead, bargaining for purchases. In Phuket, you will have people trying to sell you things on the beach (sarongs, henna tattoos, fruit, drinks, jewelry), and you will need to bargain for purchases. There is also a significant language barrier (I found it difficult to master even the most basis Thai phrases!) If these things would spoil your honeymoon, then Thailand is not for you.

Of course, none of these are issues in Hawaii. The only downside to Hawaii as a vacation destination is cost. It's expensive there. Also, Hawaii has its own "exotic" nature. I loved Thailand, but I'd go with Hawaii for the honeymoon.

suze

I would choose Hawaii for a honeymoon because I think it would be soooo much more romantic and relaxing.

Don't get me wrong, I know that Thailand is a fantastic place to travel but more of an adventure trip. I'd save that for a future time not tied up in the wedding and honeymoon.

Leburta

If you are having a big wedding with a lot of stress, you might want to come to Hawaii for your honeymoon. Going long (longer) distances, particularly overseas, requires some patience. After your BIG day, you might want to just hop on a plane and go somewhere with no hassles, clean water and air, and where everyone speaks English and just relax. Oahu and Waikiki might be a little too busy for your honeymoon, so maybe you'd enjoy somewhere a little more remote like Kauai. The beaches there are quite beautiful, snorkeling will be good, and you can hike and golf. Not much in the way of night life though.

There a lot to see on the Big Island, including an active volcano.

Maui is very nice. 2/3 the population of Oahu, great restaurants, lovely beaches.

Lanai is a very quiet island with two super luxurious hotels -- one a mountain lodge and the other a beach resort. (see www.islandoflanai.com)

Save beautiful, exotic Thailand for another trip.

Punkyl44

Thanks for all the great responses! Here is a little more about what we liked/didn't like about trips we've taken. We loved Oahu because it was beautiful, but also had a lot to see. We spent 5 nights and much of it was spent exploring the island. We are not really into nightlife like bars. Good restaurants and shows are our style. We would probably go to Maui and/or Kauai on our honeymoon. The thing we are most worried about is being bored. We would like to relax of course after the stress of the Big day, but we also love to explore different cultures and sightsee. We are not really into spending days on end at a resort doing nothing but lounging.

On the other hand, we are afraid Thailand will be too different and stressful on our honeymoon. We will be going back to Japan after either Thailand or Hawaii to sightsee for a week or so. We loved Japan because of the people, how safe and clean it is, and because it is so different from the US.

easytraveler

Why not honeymoon in Japan?

turn_it_on

Here's something I posted, with others' responses, about why I love Kauai, Maui, and the Big Island...http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34552277

There are a million things to do on each island, we hiked and snorkeled and kayaked to our heart's content. If you love being active and in the outdoors, you won't run out of wonderful things to explore in Hawaii. If you want, you can get away from it all on a great hike and return to "civilization" in the evening too.

You're kidding when you call Maui "more remote", right?

love
roxy

jvrab12

my vote is for Thailand-we are going there for our honeymoon in November. Do something different-you can go to hawaii anytime. I am so looking forward to our Thailand honeymoon, when you get back you are going to have all these wonderful memories and stories to share with your family and friends and you will always have a special place in your heart for Thailand.

crazy4Hawaii

The only thing I have to add is that I cannot IMAGINE being bored in Hawaii! I vote for Maui for the honeymoon...

sammyc

If you want to get your money's worth, then Thailand is the place. Hawaii's a bit expensive! But that being said, I went to Maui/Kauai for my honeymoon and I recommend it! (I wouldn't go to Oahu again). Tons of things to do: hiking, biking, snorkeling, scuba, luaus, or just relaxing at your resort. It's nice to be able to get around because everyone speaks English! Congrats on your wedding

kardem

why dont you try boracay island in the philippines. its a combination of hawaii and thailand. boracay has white pristine sand just like in the phi phi islands and if you want night life..it has everything to offer

Kate_W

Go to Thailand because: (a) you won't be bored; (b) you can support a country hard-hit by the tsuami; (c) it's halfway between "Americanized comfort" and "challenging", so you can build up your tolerance for "challengin travel" a bit; and (d) it's a good value.

I visited Bangkok (and briefly stopped over in Phuket) on the way home from a business trip to Mumbai (Bombay) last April. It was interesting to compare Mumbai and Bangkok. Both are very large, crowded and, in some areas, dirty (and even polluted), but I enjoyed Bangkok a lot more. Bangkok is busy, but the hassle factor is very low. It was easy to get around using the above-ground rapid transit. I loved visiting the markets and temples, the food was amazing and the people were charming. I stayed at the Conrad, and it was gorgeous (with a lovely spa and pool) - at an incredible price (I could never afford to stay at a hotel this nice in Hawaii).

For something adventurous, what about "Mahout School"? There are a few places in Thailand where you can stay in a luxury hotel while learning how to ride/handle an elephant.

It was also easy to travel to a resort destination for a few days. I flew down to Phuket for two nights, and the plane ticket was cheap and the flight was only about an hour long.

Another option that might suit you is Singapore. It's exotic but it's fairly small (population about 4 million), clean and "unchaotic" (not a real word, but hard to convey the idea). It's the only place where I've been greeted warmly in the Customs/Immigration hall and offered candy on arrival. I stopped over there last fall on the way home from another trip, and loved it. The food is spectacular; it's a rather multicultural city so they've got all sorts of options for you to try. There is a lot to see in terms of history, art and different cultural communities (e.g. Little India). The shopping is wonderful (and they have sizes to fit North Americans) - I call it the "Fun Shoe" capital of the world, because there were so many inexpensive stylish shoes there. You could probably spend 4-6 days and keep yourself quite entertained and, from there, you could travel somewhere nearby for a short beach weekend holiday. Prices for luxury hotels were also quite good.

suze

<we are afraid Thailand will be too different and stressful on our honeymoon>

I really think you are answering your own question here. It's not an insult to Thailan, simply a reality that traveling there is more of a challenge than going to Hawaii.

If you choose Maui and since you mentioned enjoying shows, there are some great ones in the town of Lahaina (Old Lahaina Luau, Feast of Lele, and U'Lelena at Myth & Magic).

Ryan

We decided to honeymoon in Southeast Asia (HK, Thailand and Bali) because we felt our ability to get to that part of the world would be severly inhibited once we started a family. About five years and two kids later, I'm so glad we made that decision.

We viewed our honeymoon as a chance to do the type of trip that would be increasingly difficult once we had a family, a mortgage, less time off in one block, etc. That certainly has proved true on all accounts.

We had some friends go to Thailand last year based on our recommendation and they raved about. Now that they are expecting their first child, I think they are probably glad they went when they did, too.

Don't get me wrong, I really liked Hawaii. But, in another year or two, I can take my two children on the relatively long flight from NYC to Honolulu. It'll be many years before we take that long, long flight to Thailand with them.

tiaw

I vote for Thailand. It'll be different but also an experience you'll never forget. And November is a great time because the weather is not that hot at the end of the year. If you keep your mind open, there are a lot of things you can do overthere. Thai food is exotic and very famous for their harmonous taste. The people are very friendly. I'll go there next December.