amynuzz

Hello Fodorites - I would love to have the experts weigh in on our brainstorm. My husband and I would like to take about 2-3 weeks this summer to have a great adventure together before it's not just the two of us anymore! I love doing the legwork of researching and planning a trip, but I would love to have your creativity in giving me a jumping-off point. If it were your trip, what would you not want to miss?

We know we want to visit Asia, as neither of us have been there before. We are hoping for your help in choosing a destination. Ideally, are looking for an experience that is majestic (mind-blowing,even), meaningful interaction with a beautiful culture, with good access to adventures in nature as well as history, art, and crafts. We love to find great food (fish!), and we enjoy taking cooking classes wherever we go. I love yoga and would love to be able to experience a class in a beautiful, peaceful environment (though this is not a priority for me).

We do look forward to traveling and having many exciting adventures WITH children, but perhaps there is a place that is really better to do before they come along. For those of you with experience in this area of the world, I would love to know if such a place comes to mind.

Bearing in mind that it will be July, some have dissuaded us from Thailand (which is somewhere I've always wanted to go) due to weather. Would you agree? Would the rain prevent us from getting the most out of this region...as a teacher, I am restricted to summer travel so I would love to hear points of view on this as well.

Many thanks to anyone who is willing to weigh in on this!

Amy

rhkkmk

amy, while july is not the best time, it is better than april (hot) or september (wet)...i would go...

thailand comes first to mind as it is probably the easiest to plan on your own, save singapore...

you did not mention price so i will assume moderate, with a pinch of lux for those pre-kid days...

go for as many days as you can squeek out as the air fare is your major expenditure and the time used to fly is long in both directions...

lots of flight options if coming from USA???

thai is most direct to bkk from both LA and NYC (JFK)...
united, northwest, japan, korean, brit. air, luftansa, eva, emerites and others fly this route, but none direct...air france too...

with 3 weeks you could include at least one other country: myanmar (burma), laos (luang prabang), cambodia (siem reap/angkor wat---ruins), bali, malaysia, indonesia and/or singapore....

within thailand there are the northern more rural areas: chiang rai and chiang mai, plus all the beach areas and islands---some are better weather than others in july...

get yourselves a good guidebook first and do some reading...

we are delighted to help with detailed planning once you rough things out...

hotel sites: www.asiarooms.com and www.huahin.20m.com
these are prepay sites so don't select anything until you are sure---hard to change...

most of us love the riverside hotels in bkk...my fav is the marriott resort and spa...

we look forward to helping you

glorialf

rain will be a problem in much of asia -- Indonesia would be an exception -- but many people have gone to thailand in July and still loved it.

Thus, I would say that you could do one of these:

Thailand and Luang Prabang/ in 3 weeks-- Bangkok, Chiang Mai, northern thailand and Luang Prabang. I would not go south since it is the least"thai' part of thailand and the most dependent on weather. Others will tell you to go to Siem Reap which is extraordinary but I think the weather could be a real negative. However, others may have actually gone in the summer and could give more information.

Indonesia -- Bali and central Java and perhaps someplace like South Sulawesi

Kathie

I can cook up dozens of mind-blowing trips to Asia.

Thailand is an easy and lovely introduction to Asia. It has excellent tourist infrastructure and almost everyone you have contact with will speak at least some English. You can also opt for a side trip to Cambodia for the glories of Angkor or to Laos for charming Luang Prabang.

Indonesia is also a fine option. Bali, of course, but add in central Java to visit Borobudor and Prambnam.

More off-the beaten path options: Malaysian Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak) for the amazing wildlife (orangutans!) for the chance to spend a few days and nights in the primary rainforest, perhaps climb Mt. Kinabalu, visit long house villages in Sarawak, etc. I have a trip report from our trip to Malaysian Borneo on the board here from 2005. It's titled something like Kathie's Borneo Trip Report.

Another off the beaten path option might be Sri Lanka. Our trip there in November was absolutely amazing. Take a look at Kathie's Sri Lanka Adventures 2007 (or some such title).

See if any of these appeal to you.

bombasticlife

We did three+ weeks in SE Asia last July (Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Jakarta and my favorite Bali). We saw a lot and had a beautiful time. I have reviews of all the hotels and some restaurants at http://www.bombasticlife.com -

I am headed to Thailand in three weeks and will have info on that when I get back.

Have fun planning and even a better time with whatever you decide!

afterall

Oh - my first thought was Kerala in Southern India - it would provide everything you want - even the yoga classes. BUT .. sad, it is not a good time of year to be there. RAIN! But you could go to Northern India - Himachal Pradesh would provide everything but the fish. Not sure about cooking classes - I wasn't looking for them when I was there (and it was a while ago) but I'd be surprised if they weren't available somewhere. Dharamsala would provide the yoga. Awesome landscape and if you took yourselves to Ladakh as well you could taste both Hindu and Buddhist culture in one trip. If you have three weeks you could detour to Corbett National Park where you can go looking for animals on the back of an elephant, and if you get REALLY lucky you might see a tiger.

Second choice - Sabah/Sarawak.

Thailand is very nice but sort of tame, packaged, safe (metaphorically speaking - of course, it's "safe" too) in comparison. You could, as I think has already been mentioned, do a Northern Thailand/Laos/Cambodia loop but you'd need to fly some places.

Bali is nice too - and, hey, sudden thought, you could combine it with a trip to the Top End of Australia (Darwin/Kakadu NP). July is a brilliant time to be there and you'd get plenty of seafood and a whole new world of flora/fauna/aboriginal culture, as well as a stunning landscape. Yes, Bali and Kakadu would be a brilliant combination.

Singapore? mmm - fine as a gateway but otherwise a waste of a glorious opportunity.

But if you really want an "adventure" - go to India.

Just thinking about all these places makes me want to go and see them again immediately!

Cheers.

amynuzz

What a great list of inspirational ideas! Thank you all so much for your input and wisdom. Now I just have to remind myself not to fall into my usual trap of feeling like I have to pick the perfect "one" ... I think there are so many experiences out there that would be more than memorable and spectacular...and who said we couldn't go back one day for another trip?!

rhkkmk-you are spot on about our pricing...moderate with a pinch of lux. and we are coming from nyc.

We'll be spending lots of time researching all the places you've been suggesting (and keep them coming!) - hopefully trying to hit on a good overall experience with some really special touches.

zinders

Amy - We did our honeymoon in Thailand and Cambodia, and we loved it! You can google my name for a trip report. Cheers, and happy planning!

rhkkmk

amy...your budget is our lux....nyc now taken into consideration....haha

marmot

amynuzz, I'd put in another vote for Bali, Central Java, plus possibly another site in Indonesia.

You could fly non-stop from Newark to Singapore on Singapore Airlines (great flight), spend a couple of days there, then connect onward to Indonesia.

Bali is a compact island that has both profoundly beautiful natural scenery -- and adventure travel -- plus a fascinating culture: performing arts, handicrafts, religious rituals and architecture.

For off the beaten track a side trip to Central Java -- Yogyakarta and the 8th Century Buddhist temple of Borobudur -- would give you another perspective.

If you really want to get far off the beaten track Indonesia has 17,000 islands, extraordinary scenery and hundreds of indigenous cultures. Take a look at Tanah Toraja in Central Sulawesi for example.

In Bali you'll find plenty of good food and cooking classes (Maybe not as distinguished as Thailand but hey, 17,000 island in Indonesia so, yes, fish!), wonderful spas and yoga opportunities. It's a good value for money, especially in the moderate level.

rhkkmk

bali is fantastic in every way....also look at singapore air direct from nyc area (newark) and then on to bali after a few days at singapore...

your money goes a long way in bali...summer is high season in bali

travelduo

We did our honeymoon in Thailand a few years ago and LOVED it! We spent most of the time in BKK then a few days on Koh Chang, it was the perfect place for our honeymoon.....very few people, no other americans the whole time, private bungalow right on the water, elephant trek, waterfalls. This year will be our third trip back to Thailand and we cant wait! If you wold like to see pics or have more info just let us know..... my wife loves to talk about our honeymoon!!!!1

Jeffrey and April

Craig

We've been to both Thailand and Bali in July on separate trips. It was hot and humid then but it hardly rained at all. I would choose Bali before a beach in southern Thailand. If you have 3 weeks it would be easy to do both Thailand and Bali. We have also visited Siem Reap, Cambodia and Luang Prabang, Laos - they both have much to offer. We traveled to those places in February - I think it may rain a lot in July but don't let that be a deterrent. You could also easily combine these locations with a visit to Thailand in 3 weeks.

All of the places I've mentioned so far have good tourist infrastructure and would fulfill your requirements for a mind-blowing experience. The dollar goes far in southeast Asia (though not as far as it used to) so a pinch of lux should be attainable for you.

The 17-hour direct flight on Thai Airways from JFK is the way to go. Seating is spacious, even in economy and there is video-on-demand. Thai flies to Bali from Bangkok as well. If you plan on doing Cambodia and/or Laos, check out Bangkok Airways - if you have multiple flights you can save money with the Discovery Pass.

Anywhere you go in SE Asia there will be many great options for lodging, if you can provide a more detailed daily budget, we can provide suggestions.

katesy

For yoga in a beautiful, peaceful environment you should definitely check out the Como Shambhala Estate in Bali (Ubud). My husband and I just got back to NYC from there on Sunday, and I can tell you that the classes as well as setting were completely mind blowing. The yoga pavilions were open air traditional teak structures overlooking a river gorge. Bali was excellent value, and we loved the culture and people, as well as the galleries, shops and restaurants. We love Thailand too, and the beaches in Thailand are better, but July would likely be really hot.

amynuzz

I just can't thank everyone enough for their suggestions. Your passion for travel is easy to see and the more I read of the many, many posts the more I see of the really special community that is here. So I appreciate all of your contributions!

Now, I have to say that after reading everything (and of course for every suggestion I got, I did some research here on Fodors and on the internet in general...yes this research coincides conveniently with a stomach bug that has kept me out of work for the past 3 days...there has to be a silver lining for everything I suppose!) -- anyway I believe we have narrowed this down to the best option for us as

1) Thailand-Laos-Cambodia

with a very enticing, close second-place option as

2) Bali-Central Java-South Sulawesi

I have a feeling that life will bring us to all of these journeys eventually, but we have to start somewhere. At this point I think it is going to be more about absorbing all that people have written, all the pictures, all the reasons to go...and then designing a trip. The details that I've read are still overwhelming...but as I sort them out, some same general themes still keep emerging as the most important to me:

* water-related settings...secluded bungalows on beaches...rafts floating down rivers with lush backdrops. the journey on the Mekong to luang prabang is something I need to find out more about.

* religious, particularly buddhist, rituals and history, a visit to an operating monastery...is this something that can be done..?

* food, yes cooking classes of course!

* colorful festivals

* photography - we are both very much into photography and so places that are beautiful on both the macro and micro levels are places we'd love to try and capture.

* "voluntourism" - as my first job out of college and always close at heart was for a refugee relief organization, and now as a teacher I feel very strongly towards helping children.

* working with a guide in the places where a guide lends a richer understanding of the area...i've seen favorite guides mentioned on many threads but would love to hear if people want to recommend here.

I hope you all won't mind if I continue to seek your help as we come closer to a solid plan!

travelduo

If you choose Bangkok and one of the Thai islands then most of your important things can be met. Tong in Bangkok can help with the guide area, she can also help you set up something with the monks at one of the many wats if you cant set it up yourself. We took an awesome cooking class last time we were in BKK and loved it!!!! It was at basil at the sheraton grande, there are many may more choices also. For the working with children, that is most often discussed with Cambodia but can also be done in Thailand. Many of us have been to orphanages with tong and I am sure she could set something longer than just a quick visit if you wish.

Someone else i am sure will chime in about the cambodia part. Have fun planning!!!!!!

Kathie

I think either option would be wonderful, but you would really need the full three weeks to do either itinerary justice.

You can take a look at some of our photos at www.marlandc.com The Thailand-Laos-Cambodia area is well covered in these photos. There are some of Bali, but my trip to Central Java was before the age of digital photography so is not on the site.

If Buddhism especially interests you, I'd recommend the Thai-Laos-Cambodia itinerary. You will have the opportunity to visit many wats and to interact with monks at many places. (While Borobudor is a Buddhist monument, Central Java is now primarily Muslin and Bali is Hindu.)

Tong has been mentioned as a guide for Bangkok, and she is especially good at setting up opportunities for merit-making there. In Cambodia, Ponheary Ly is always recommended as a guide, and of course, the Ponheary Ly Foundation offers the vehicle for some volunteerism. www.theplf.org This organization is near and dear to many of us not only because of the wonderful work it does but because one of our very own Fodorites started the foundation.

marmot

amynuzz, Either itinerary would offer much of what you seek.

If you should decide on Indonesia, based on what you've told us of your interests, I would opt for Central or North Sulawesi instead of the southern part. Tanah Toraja is one of the most fascinating cultures on the planet set in profoundly beautiful natural surrounding. And Northern Sulawesi offers extraordinary reefs that you can access right from the beach.

You would certainly get a range of religions -- Hindu in Bali, Muslim in Java, Buddhist at Borobudur, Animist in Central Sulawesi and Evangelical Christian in North Sulawesi. The hospitality and kindness of the Indonesian people is overwhelming. You'll have a whole village of guides wherever you go.

Ericka

We are in a similar situation...last hurrah before kid(s). For us, it came down to "where would we never want to take young children?" The answer was India. So we're off the India in March.

Ericka

OK, so the weather is not ideal in India in July....sorry, missed that part.

But ask yourself the question we did. Maybe you will come up with a different answer.