Snorkelling honeymoon in December/January, where should I go???
 

I'm trying to decide where to go for my honeymoon which will be over new year. I'm very concerned about the weather, I really want somewhere HOT where I can swim in lovely warm water, and most importantly have really great snorkelling right off the beach. I don't want to have to take a boat to go snorkelling.
Am I looking in the right part of the world for this time of year? If so, where would be the best place for tranquility & romance, yet not too many honeymooners, kids or tourists, great sandy beaches, really nice accommodation but not at over-the-top prices as we don't have a huge budget, plus other things to do - ie a lively safe town, nature etc.
Any help much appreciated!
Jo

Hi Jo

Did you ever get a response to this posting. We're going to be travelling the exact same time and we too want to find somewhere with snorkelling from the beach. Seems it's a bit in short supply.

Look forward to hearing from you if you have any info.

Thanks
Debbie

No problem.......somewhere HOT, lovely warm water, really great snorkelling right off the beach, great sandy beaches and ticking all the other boxes. EXACTLY why we return again and again to.........Laem Tong Bay.

Maldives fit the bill, too?

I was going go suggest Maldives, it has the snorkeling right off the beach, the romance, the nature, etc, but no "lively town" really. There is Male, which may be quite far from whatever hotel you end up at, and also is not really lively, has some cute little shopping, but about 3 restaurants and no bars etc (none in Maldives except at hotels). I have to also inform you that they had a bombing there about 6 weeks ago, but that appears to have been an islolated incident, but it was right in downtown Male and was absolutely aimed at tourists, several of whom were injured. (I don't think it is an unsafe place and am in fact in an airport lounge on my way there tonight for a few days of business, and am staying in Male.) There is Gan which I think is a very charming little town, again not lively. Many hotels in Maldives are expensive, but you can find 2-3 stars for less, do some looking. It is really one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, and lovely people. It's hard to get everything you want in one. Phuket has a lot, but very little snorkeling right from the beach. IMO the Maldives is far far more beautiful however in terms of beaches and the quality of the snorkeling.

December is generally good in most of SE Asia, take a look at weatherbase.com. I have to say that last December in the Maldives they had a lot of rain, but this was unusual.

I also have to say that IMO St John in the Virgin Islands would have everthing that you want as well, although the hotels which have snorkling from the beach would tend to be quite expensive, but if you can go before Christmas, you may get some good deals.

Male airport is in a separate island away from the downtown proper, and most people just use it to transfer to either seaplanes or jetboats.

Since there is only one hotel per island, islands are small (some so small you can walk around it in 10min), and the only restaurants/bars are at the hotel you are staying, I would recommend you find a lodging with good dining/amenities.

As for marine life, you'll get spoiled after Maldives--it's so much superior to what you'll find in US Virgin Islands (haven't tried BVI myself). We saw rays, turtles, sharks, so many different species of tropical fishes and lobsters.

We have visited The Maldives twice in the last 15 months and enjoyed both visits but it's just OK snorkeling, Ok accomodation, OK location. Marine life?? also OK......but not a patch on Laem Tong Bay, which offers fabulous snorkeling...less than twenty paces from our bungalow to the sea.

Repeat visits are not normally our way...but....when you have found the best??????

My wife and I are beach lovers and huge snorkeling fans. We are able (at our time of life....at last....kids all gone) to go anywhere in the world for our beach time. It takes us 18 hours or more to reach Laem Tong Bay. If there was anywhere else to equal this magical destination, then we would certainly take an easier option.....but there is nowhere quite like it!!

Consider Laem Tong Bay, Phi Phi Don!

The OP is looking for (i) snorekling from the beach and (ii) a lively safe town. Those two are often hard to find in combination in my experience. Lovely as Phi Phi Don is, there isn't much of a "town" there, you have to take a longish boat ride into Phuket, and you would not do that at night for dinner in any event. I think you have to decide if really good snorkeling is important, or being really alone is more important, or having access to a wider range of choice of restaurants and shopping and maybe culutural activities is more important. I think it is hard to find everyting, for example, I was just in Hawaii for the first time which I thought had a lot of good stuff, but lots of honeymooners and kids, so perhaps not on your list (and not so great weather in December).

The east coast of Malayasia would fulfill most of your requirements, however, in December it is not really the ideal time for most of the places, but if you stick to the far norther places, you may be OK. My favourite places around Mersing and Rawa are too rainy at that time. Koh Saumui in Thailand is another thought, although I personally don't know much about snorkeling right off the beach.,

Tonsai Village at Phi Phi Don fits the requirement of 'safe lively town', even if it is maybe too small to be called a town. Every other requirement of the OP is fulfilled at Phi Phi.

This bustling community of local Muslim, Thai trader, and western diver traveler and holiday maker create a rich and colourful spectacle. Stay in a comfortable, heart of the action place like the Phi Phi Hotel, Dive at Sea Frog Divers, eat at the renowned Le Grand Blue, stay connected at Cheap Charlie Internet café, buy a painting at the art gallery, eat local spicy curries, organize Shark watching at the Adventure Club, get a Tattoo, watch the fire show at Hippies, watch the nightly Thai Boxing at the Reggae Bar, shop till you drop and much much more….. this is a wonderful place to visit.

Koh Samui in December/January???? Bad choice, and no decent off beach snorkeling at any time!!