bellalinda

After my stay in South India from Dec-to early Feb, I would like to spend a few weeks at a nice relaxing beach before heading to Bali, and then to Hong Kong for my flight back to BC.

I have travelled around the south of india and Sri Lanka in the past (although before the Sri L civil war) so I am thinking I would like to go somewhere different. The most important things for me are low key, not resort style, under $50 per night and on the beach. I know I can find a place like that in Sri Lanka, but it seems a shame to go there and just hang out on the beach - I know myself, and that 2 week trip would turn into 5 weeks as I would want to go inland.
I would rather spend that time in Bali as I have never been there, and I do not want to use much of my precious Indonesian 30 day visa in beach mode there. ( I know I can get a 60 day visa if I apply in advance, but you need to show an incoming and outgoing airline ticket for that- my itinerary is not that firm)
So, perusing Fodors, I have begun contemplating the Maldives and Malaysia. (I have also travelled in Thailand, and am a little turned off by the western youth culture that has permeated the beach scene there, although I adore the Thais.)

Time is not so much of an issue as budget, so the more reasonable the rates, the longer I can stay and of course I need clean, safe and ensuite.

I'm also very beach picky, so have high expectations of water clarity and sand purity- I hope that doesn't sound spoiled and arrogant, but life is short and one of my priorities is beach time in the winter.

The Maldives looks glorious, however it also looks pricey and I don't know if I like the idea of being on a completely flat island.

Malaysia could work, but I'm at a loss there.

Any ideas like "just go to Sri Lanka" or "yes the Maldives" or "Thailand's the best" will really help me to get some clarity.

I will also likely be on my own, which although it is not my first choice, is often how it ends up as everyone else seems to always have less time than me. So casually friendly and not too couple oriented is good too - I will want to meet some friendly folk.

Any thoughts????

Kathie

The Maldives are very expensive, though some believe their beaches are without equal. Unless you can pop for several hundred bucks a night (minimum), cross it off your list.

There are certainly less-traveled beaches in Thailand. I'm not the expert on those though others here can advise you. Thailand, like Bali has some busy, backpacker filled beaches, but you can also avoid them.

Another option to consider is a side trip to Lombok from Bali. The beaches there are much better than Bali. There are lots of homestays even below your price range, as well as beach bungalows.

Cicerone

Malaysia unfortunately may not be the best choice for the months you have chosen as their really lovely beaches on the east coast are in monsoon at that time. That leaves you with the less attractive and in most cases more built-up resorty places on the west coast like Langakawi. While Malacca and Penang would certainly be quite interesting in terms of sights, I don’t think either would meet your water clarity and white sand requirements, esp Malacca. If you can give up on that idea and settle more on seeing colonial architecture and enjoying great food (and some lovely scenery not just so much the beaches), then the west coast of Malaysia may work well for you. You could also go up to the highlands area for cooler weather and tea plantations. I think you would find B&Bs and home stays within your budget in these areas.

There may be places in the Maldives which would meet your budget requirements, although I think you probably need to go more toward the US$100 range, but I would check Lonely Planet. Even in that range you are probably looking at fairly basic accommodation (e.g. no air con), but that may include most meals. You could stay in the capital Male for your budget, but I would strongly advise against it, as it is a very small, <i>very</i> crowded island with about one beach looking onto the container port (lovely water colour though). It won’t be restful or pleasant, IMO. There are islands which allow camping, so that might be a place to start looking. Using the inter-island ferry system would also save you money over having to pay for inter-island flights or hotel boat transfers. It would take some looking around but may be possible. There is great weather at that time; but the down side is that these months are high season so prices may be elevated. It absolutely would meet your beach requirements; I think the word sublime was invented to describe the place. And if you think the Thais are nice, wait until you meet the Maldivians.

You might also consider the Andaman/Nicobar Islands in India off the eastern coast, which I believe may fit your budget more easily. You an fly from Chennai, which may work well for a south Indian itin. I would check Lonely Planet.

The Lakshadweep Islands in India north of the Maldives might also work, but my understanding is that the few resorts there are actually on the expensive side, and they don’t have camping islands; but again I would try Lonely Planet for more information.

I would definitely put the Philippines on the list to consider. It would meet your beach requirements, is in great weather in those months, has lovely people and I am fairly positive you could find accommodations in your budget range. I like the Palawan Island area, many people also like Cebu in the far south.

You might also consider Vietnam, I would say to stick to the further southern areas like Nha Trang, as central or northern beach areas may be cooler in those months, but see something like weatherbase.com for precise temps.

I assume you have been to Kerala and Goa and the beaches of Tamil Nadu and don’t want to repeat that.

I agree that Lombok or a place like Sulawesi may work for you. Even the beaches of south Java would be something to consider, and you could include a trip to Jogjakarta. Not sure if you have considered Australia, which has lovely beaches, is in summertime in those moths (watch rain in some areas) and I think you could most likely be able to find things within your budget range, including camping options.

bellalinda

this new format *ucks

I'm sorry, I wrote you both a detailed reply and it just went % poof - gone,
now I'm a bit done - research is one of the most exhausting parts of the travel process.

Thank you both for your ideas - Kathie you are right about the Maldives - I think it will be better to save it for another time when I have someone to share it with.

Cicerone - I was hoping you would reply - your informative posts on this board are priceless.
It was because of you that Malaysian beaches came up on my radar - so disappointing it will be monsoon in March.
You have given me a few other ideas to play around with though -
Much appreciated!

Cicerone

<b>bellalinda</b>, I seem to have miss-read the calendar for your trip, as I had thought your beach vacation would be between December and February. If it not until March, you might be OK in terms of rain on the Malaysian beaches on the east coast; although April is for sure a better bet. And March in the northern coastal area like the Redang islands may be OK more than southern coastal areas. You could also look at Koh Samui in Thailand in that timeframe as well. See weatherbase.com for Malaysia and look at Mersing, Kuala Terengganu, and Kota Baharu. Those are areas where the good Malaysian beaches/islands are located. If those rainfall amounts are OK with you, then you may want consider it. But I still think you will do better price-wise and weather-wise in the Philippines, as US$50 may not take you that far even in the little beach places in Malaysia. (Even gorgeous lilttle Rawa Island is going to cost you close to US$100 without meals and it is not luxe by any means….) Or stick with Indian beaches where your budget should work well too.

I also should mention two things. First Lunar New Year (i.e. “Chinese” new year and Tet in Vietnam) will be celebrated from Feb. 14 -16 in 2010. It might be interesting to stop in Hong Kong or Singapore on the way to a beach locale or Bali see the festivities, or go to Vietnam and do a beach holiday there in conjunction with Tet. In those places you may have some closures of shops, restaurants and some tourist sites during that time, so bear that in mind. But generally it is a very interesting time to be in one of those places as there are special markets, decorations, food and often fireworks.

Secondly, Thaipusum, a Hindu holiday celebrated only in Singapore and the Batu caves outside of Kuala Lumpur, will be celebrated on January 30, 2010, so again it might be interesting to be in either Singapore or KL to observe. This holiday includes firewalkers and people carrying huge headdresses attached by skewers to their skin. It is something to see, and would seem to fit your interests.