We need help planning our 2004 vacation - the one we have dubbed "The ultimate 5-star beach/snorkel experience". We want to go somewhere fabulous and far away but are finding the options difficult to choose from. WEATHER is a major consideration, as is a 5-STAR accomodation. We don't care about nightlife, activities other than snorkeling & diving, or shopping.

Please help us decide between the following:
- Four Seasons Maldives and Island Explorer yacht (December)
- Amanpuri Phuket with sailing excursions to Phi Phi and Krabi (November or December)
- Hayman Island Resort & Lizard Island Resort on the Great Barrier Reef (October)
- Banyan Tree Seychelles with excursions to neighboring islands (September or October)

Your insight is greatly appreciated!

I know I'm just making it more complicated, but you might want to add the Hotel Bora Bora in French Polynesia as another option.

We were on Lizard Island about 10 years ago and loved it. Private beaches with gormet picnic hampers and motorized skiffs provided. Snorkling and diving off the Great Barrier Reef to die for. Great Black Marlin fishing, if you're so inclined. We tried to share a boat with others, but no takers---for most fishing--money was no object.The plane ride over the reef was one of the great experiences, also.Food provided was first class and if you didn't see what you wanted, give them 24 hours and they'll fly it over.I'm sure it's probably renovated by now---accommodations were nice, but not plush.

Thanks for the Hotel Bora Bora recommendation. It is exactly what we're looking for - but it turns out we've already been there! Someday we'll go back, but for now, we have a lot of airline miles to burn and want to use them to go as far away as possible (while we're still young and willing!)

ERicka,
If snorkeling, diving and luxurious accommodations are your goal, the FS Maldives in combo with the Island Explorer will more than meet your needs. We did not take the cruise because when we were there last Nov, the ship was brand new and was being prepared for her maiden voyage. But we did take a tour. It truly is a FS hotel on the water, even down to those fantastic FS mattresses in the cabins. "State of the art" is truly a hackneyed term, but I don't know how else to describe the huge array of diving equipment we saw on board.
The other resorts you mentioned are all good hotels. But I think FS would win on the quality of the sailing excursion.

I agree with the above advice. However, if shopping is one of your priorities, you will find much more in Phuket. At the others (esp the Maldives and Seychelles) would most likely be at a hotel on its own island or quite isolated form the others. The Maldives resorts have limited shopping, all onsite and fairly expensive. Thailand is great for shopping, and although Phuket is not close to Bangkok in terms of variety, there is still lots of interesting shopping and bargains, esp on jewellery.

December is a fantastic month weather-wise in Phuket, and the end of November would be good too. I have been to the Maldives but not in December; but from what I understand, neither November nor December are optimal months for diving in terms of rain and wind.

The Amanpuri in Phuket is a fantastic hotel, great service and wonderful ambience. You could not go wrong here. I will say that you won't find the endless white sand beaches that you can find in the Maldives; but there is great diving in the area and the beaches itself are pretty although not stunning. There is a little snorkelling off the Amanpuri's beach, but you need to go to outlying islands for really good snorkelling.

If you go to Thailand, you would want to dive in the area around Phi Phi, but not directly offshore of Phi Phi itself, which is quite developed. Same with Krabi, you would want to be out of the main developed parts. There are lots of uninhabited islands and reefs in the bay between Krabi and the outlying islands like Phi Phi. There are also several national underwater parks


I am not sure if the Amanpuri's board is a live aboard. If not, you might want to consider chartering a crewed yacht for 2-3 days. I have done this in Phuket, and loved it because we could plan our own itinerary and there is nothing like snorkelling all morning on a beautiful beach and then having lunch served to you on china in the air-conditioned comfort of the cabin of the boat?true luxury! It was about the same price per night as the villa at the Amanpuri and included all meals

I have used the following charter service:

Thai Marine Leisure
c/o Phuket Boat Lagoon
20/7-8, Moo 2, Tambon Koh Kaew
Amphur Muang
Phuket 83200, Thailand
Tel: 66-76-239 111, or 66-76 273 320 or 66-76-273 321
Fax: (66-76) 238 974
website: thaimarine.com

Be advised that much of the coral in the Maldives is dead or bleached out due to a bad El Nino water warming a few ago. It's staring to slowly come back. But, you might be disappointed if you go there.

Dispite coral bleaching, it's still one of the top dive destinations and in my opinion the best I've been on so far.

Hmmmm. What about the Banyan Tree Seychelles? I'm starting to get really excited about that.

Any thoughts?

How can someone put Phucket and The Maldives in the same sentence???

go go go...to the Four Seasons Kudaa Hura in Maldives. Been to over a dozen Asian beaches (and Port Douglas, Australia for the GB Reef) for snorkelling and this is the best. This must have been where Luvy and Thurston Howell the 3rd were headed on that ill fated 3 hour tour.

Amazing place, friendly staff, awesome massages.

The mini-shop is pricey and limited, so pack well. Bring your sunscreen and waterproof camera!

Well worth every penny.

(And do your shopping in the Singapore airport if you have a layover there)


FYI, Port Douglas Sheraton, is a nice second choice.

Let me add my two-cents!

December is likely to be wet in the Maldives, maybe not every day, but something to consider.

Thailand - Phuket & Krabi & Phi Phi - the weather is so very hot & humid that even on/in the water certainly didn't cool us down any. And we found the water excessively "salty". Never came across this anywhere - brutal on a scrapes and cuts.

GBR - Hayman and Lizard - I believe you'll have the best snorkling and diving experience here and it's before the wet season.

Finally, The Seychelles - my personal favorite - again the early months are before the wet season, but you don't get cyclones anytime, maybe a single day with rain - we just took off our shoes, put on slicker and walked wherever we wanted (no lightening). And being able to experience diving from the various islands is easy enough; each has different characteristics.

The only drawback at Maldives and Seychelles is "bleached coral" which is due to the warming of the waters, but this didn't take away for our water experiences.

My choices would be GBR and SEZ.

Sandi,
Thanks for the "two cents". So far, I think we are leaning toward the Seychelles - agreeing with your assessment! Any experience with the Banyan Tree?

Check out Palau. Also Boracay Island in the Philippines and Perhentian Islands in Malaysia.

Almost forgot the Pimalai Resort on Koh Lanta in Thailand.

Ericka -

Like you, and for "babette" on the Africa Thread - I can't provide specific info as when we were there, Banyan was being built and hadn't opened yet, sorry.

The Seychelles, overall are just so much less touristy, it's lush and green, and oh so relaxing. And wait till you see the giant tortoises.

We spent 5-days on Praslin - doing day trip to LaDigue and other day trips to other close islands. Finished with 3-days on Mahe discovering the island and actually only getting 1-full day of beach time.

That one day "painted" the most amazing even tan on my body from head to toe - never saw anything like it in my life - no burn, no red, no peeling - just beautiful.

The Seychelles won't disappoint.