honeymoon help!
 

Help-am debating between Bora Bora/Moorea and Bali for honeymoon in early november. Have been saving airmiles and $$$ and am looking to go very lux (aman, four seasons type). Like beaustiful beaches/water of South Pacific but am concened may be boring for 2 weeks versus bali/hong kong combo, with more culural activities.<BR><BR>Any suggestions?

Hi, Nybob!<BR>There's one thing you should know about Bali before you commit: for about ten years now it has been the bargain-basement overseas holiday destination for Australians. You can holiday in Bali, they say, cheaper than staying home, if your idea of a good time is to put away as many crates of beer as is humanly possible. Now, that particularly offensive type of Australian whose idea of a good time is to get blind drunk, assume everything female is only after one thing, break a few fixtures and fittings, vomit over everything and everybody nearby, and assume that the local people are only there to be taken advantage of is really only a tiny percentage of our population.... most Aussies are wonderful. But you can imagine that it is the other type who smelled a cheap drinking hole in Bali and descended on it in their hundreds and thousands, with predictable results. I hear there are still some places in Bali where you can escape the ugly tourist -- these people don't want to see the country and the culture, they only want a cheap drunk and debauch, so they don't travel far from their hotel! -- but you should definitely check where you are going to stay and ask the question "Is this where the Aussies stay?" before making your booking. As an Aussie myself, I feel a sense of shame in having to warn you thus, but I see you are from New York, and I just got back from there after being treated wonderfully by the New Yorkers, so I feel you have a right to to know!

alan-thansk for the kind thoughts. if we goto bali, we will be staying at upscale places lika aman, beghawan geri, four seasons etc, and doubt we would goto kuta, more focuing on reiver rafting, mountain hikes/bikje rides and beach & weather.<BR><BR>and you should know that every western country has its drunken debaucherous package louts (ours tend to goto various beaches in florida).<BR><BR>glad you had a nice time in NYC. I look forward to visiting australia someday myself having heard many wonderful things.

Nybob,<BR><BR>Bali is beautiful. There are too many lux resorts to choose from. Four season and Aman are very nice. We've been to four season, Ritz Carlton and Puri Wulandari. They all have villa with plunge pool or you can reseve a regular room.<BR>Go to www.balitravelforum.com to review comments regarding Bali. Currently Puri Wulandari is having special for 2002 & 2003. Go to www.worldexecutive.com for the special. Puri is very lux and best service we had. I preferred Puri better then 4 season. Ritz always has been one of my favorite too. It is a hard decision. There are two Four season in Bali. One in Jimbranbay and one in Sayan. We stayed at Sayan. Hope this help. Have you seen the resort pictures of Four season, Ritz and Puri?

I have not been to Bora Bora before but have been to Bali twice in Jul 1997 and Jun 2001. It's rainy season in Bali at the end of the year and it's no fun being rained in all the time. Best time to visit Bali is Jun to Sep. Don't know what the weather is like in Bora Bora in Nov but that may be one factor in deciding your honeymoon destination. However if you intend to go to Bali anyway, I recommend visiting Ubud. <BR><BR>Having lived in Hong Kong for 3.5 years I recommend it as a short trip of 3 full days. HK is great for shopping, eating and hiking. Nov is a good time as winter is generally mild with little rain. Pehaps you'll want to consider HK/Phuket combo instead. For honeymooners, I'll recommend staying at the Banyan Tree (Laguna Resort) in Phuket which we stayed 3 times - it's individual villas so you have all the privacy you need. Go for the pool villa - it's much bigger than the plunge pool at Four Seasons and you can realistically swim in it. Phuket beaches are beautiful with lovely sand and clear waters. Also food is lovely and people are friendly. There are so many restaurants to choose from at the Laguna Resort. Nov is borderline weatherwise - just coming out of rainy season. My husband got hurt while swimming in the sea off Nusa Dua beach in Bali, supposedly the best private beach there, as he got cut by rocks. We stayed at the Grand Hyatt.<BR><BR>If you need more info, let me know.

I've been to both Balia and Bora Bora.<BR>Actually spent my honeymoon in Bora Bora in 2000 wishing we had gone to Bali.<BR><BR>There is so much more culture and many more activites on Bali than on Bora Bora.<BR><BR>You can't go wrong with any Aman resorts. I stayed at the Ritz and hung out at the Four Seasons at Jim. Bay. Both are gorgeous but the villas at that Four Seasons are amazing.<BR><BR>Bora Bora was gorgeous but after getting sunburned the 2nd day (the sun was STRONG) we were disappointed to not find any non-water based activites.<BR><BR>I vote for Bali!

http://www.indo.com ; Honymoon, Lovers in Bali Lovers who are seeking an unforgettable honeymoon destination must include Bali on their list of choices. Bali, the Island of Paradise, provides plenty of that idyllic honeymoon ingredient: individual privacy in an exotic, romantic setting. Resort areas in Bali offer the world's best in honeymoon retreats, where lovers can enhance their intimacy, share their love and renew their vows.