So as we hit the "75 days to go" mark for our BKK/LP/HK trip (I know, I'm crazy--I've fully embraced that fact) here I go with my usual yearly tradition.

We haven't even left for our trip for THIS year and here I am planning next year already. I know a few of you can understand the madness

Next year is going to be a bit different and therefore the advanced planning is a little more justified this time...as we have accumulated a lot of miles and want to try and use them to either purchase coach tickets or upgrade to biz/first.

Therefore I really need to start identifying possible destinations so we can be sure to jump on the bandwagon as soon as it's possible to book tix. That said, there's a few places we're considering and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

So we'll have to go in November again...it's the only time David & I get that much time off work at once. It'll be two weeks again. But the places we're considering are varied and wide: Bali (Ubud), China (Yangshuo + Lijiang), Malaysia, Burma (Bagan + Inle Lake).

Weather will play a big factor--as well as the ability to see multiple settings in the time we have. My first choice would definitely be Bali, but I know November might not be the most ideal time to visit...or is it? Even with Bali, we'd probably want to couple that with someplace else...but where? Have thought of possibly Palau Tioman for a little beach getaway.

Also really into the idea of Burma...but I don't know if that's best served as its' own self-contained trip.

If not, China is a strong runner-up. I have dreamed of visiting the beautiful landscapes of the Yunnan province. It's just that I'd love to throw Lijiang in there too and I've heard it's unbearably cold there in November.

I know this is a lot of info upfront...but hopefully this'll help get the ball rolling so I can start narrowing down the choices.

Thanks in advance!

Bill, I love helping out other Asia addicts!

I've been to Bali in November before. Yup, it's rainy season, but it really didn't keep us from doing what we wanted. You will get downpours, but they don't last long.

You'll love Bali, and you could combine it with central Java for Borobudor and Prambanam or with Lombok for quiet and beautiful beaches and add in a few days in Singapore as well.

Malaysia has a lot to offer, Borneo is simply amazing, and we loved Penang and the E&O. We've also been to KL and to the east coast beaches.

Burma, well, I've wanted to go there since I was a child, but have cancelled trips three or four times because of the politics. I'm doing some more reading about Burma and we'll re-consider it for next year. As you know we're headed to Sri Lanka in November, so I'll have another place to report on soon.

Of course, China has all kinds of options. I haven't traveled that much in China, so I'll let others comment on that option.

Bill, out of the places you are considering, I've been to all of them and I would choose Burma. It was by far my favorite of those and probably one of my favorites period. I wasn't concerned about the politics. I knew what it was prior to going and was totally comfortable with my decision to go.

China was actually my least favorite destination in Asia. Everything was too hyped in advance and didn't live up to expectations. And, everything was way too crowded and I couldn't get near most things to fully appreciate them. I'm not saying I didn't like China, it just wasn't my favorite place.

Bali is wonderful but if it's rainy season, you may want to reconsider. I don't care what anybody says, rain every day puts a damper on things and gets on your nerves. Last year, we had rain every single day in Java and it was damn depressing! The downpours are intense and not conducive to doing much of anything.

Malaysia is nice but I wouldn't put it at the head of the list. We spent a week in Borneo and a week split between Kuala Lumpur and Penang. I liked it but would go back to Burma given the choice.

Inle Lake is fabulous! One of the most beautiful places on Earth as far as I'm concerned. Spend a few days in Yangon as well. There are some amazing temples there, Shwedagon is a must. I absolutely loved Burma. Have you been to Laos? If not, you can combine Burma with Laos and have a truly great trip.

Rain is unpredictable and inconsistent in Bali and Java, rainy season and dry season alike. It's the dry season now and here in Jakarta it's been raining all week.

On the beach sometimes storms blow in that last 3 or 4 days. Sometimes you get day after day of sunny skies. Having said that, I wouldn't think that rain would be a negative in Ubud or in Java in November.

Funny that you should mention Tioman, though. The first and only time I was there was in December during a particularly heavy rainy season and we were flooded and drenched. The worst beach vacation that I've ever had.

Aside from the weather I think you could choose a better complement to Ubud than going all the way to Tioman, like Lombok or one of Bali's own beach areas.

My vote is Bali!
It's been almost 10 years since we were there, but I still remember it as such a magical place, especially Ubud.
We were there mid-october and the weather was just fine.
I think China would be too cold in November.
How about adding Singapore as a 2nd destination? We spent 10 days in Bali and barely touched the surface. Could have easily done more...

Oh! want to add that it you are into cooking, then you must do the cooking classes at the Casa Luna cooking school in Ubud. It's run by an Australian woman who is married to a Balinese man. She's lived in Bali forever and owns a couple of (nice) restaurants and a guest house there.
http://www.casalunabali.com/cooking-classes.html

We took 2 classes in '98 (and stayed at her guesthouse) and it was really fun:
http://www.wired2theworld.com/bali.htm

Bill, we've done both Bali and Myanmar on two week trips. Both are unique and amazing places. With Myanmar we had a couple of extra days in Bangkok on each end. I don't know about weather in Bali in November but if its going to rain frequently, give it a pass. The weather in Burma will be quite pleasant - November is a good time to go - at Inle Lake it will be downright chilly at night and in the early morning. You have to go through Yangon to tour Myanmar and you will likely have a full day there at each end of your tour. The temples, especially Shwedagon are worth seeing. There are several galleries in town with very affordable artwork that you can visit.

Good luck in your decision.

when i saw your question, i thought immediately of bali for you two....but i too would not want to deal with rain every day or the threat of it..."the season" is june to september in bali...singapore is the natural add on to bali or K/L in malaysia....

in burma i have only been to the southern parts around yangon...it is very interesting...the normal thing to do would be to combine it with a few days in bangkok.....think of the lux at the penn??? burma is far more primitive than many other places in SEA, but if this is not an issue for you, i think i would consider it...

in parts of china, that time of year it could be quite cold....

what about india??....two weeks is a wonderful amount of time to do the 'golden triangle'--delhi/agra (taj mahal)) and jaipur and maybe even varanasi....i have a fantastic driver for you who would stay with you the whole time...the hotels can be quite fantastic....november is the beginning of their high season...a side trip would be a couple of days in nepal....
i think you are ripe for an india voyage???

most of the major airlines fly to india these days...

remember 331 days in advance for getting FF tickets to avoid disappointment....usually it would be 90,000 miles i think for a ticket....60,000 to SEA....

bob

If you are comfortable going there (I opted for a self-employed driver/guide and guest houses) Myanmar would be a great destination. Because of it's isolation it seems to be in a time warp - Asia as it likely was a few decades back. I found the people, the scenery and the temples all magical.

China is changing very fast, so that is another place to visit soon, but I think the only reasonable way into Myanmar right now is by plane from BKK - if anyone knows how to do the old "Burma Road" from Yunnan, I'd be very interested myself!

also next year is olympics in china which may cause hotel prices to shoot up....

It would seem the two most likely candidates now would be Bali (+ Lombok) and then Burma...with India coming in at a close #3. This all, of course, will also depend on what availability there is for FF tickets.

Obviously Bali is by far the most preferable for us on this trip, but this whole rain business is making me a bit nervous (maybe I need not be?) Actually, I don't mind a downpour here and there...and it sounds like that's what at-most we'd be facing: isolated downpours. But the question then is: is there generally sunshine in between or is it usually overcast during the rainy season? Kathy, since you were there in November, maybe you can speak to this? Does Lombok also share the same general weather patterns? I guess if I felt that going at a different time of year would make a HUGE difference then we'd save this trip for another year.

Thanks again for the idea of India, Bob. David has been dying to go--and I have to admit, I'm a bit leery still. It's funny how Burma seems more manageable to me than India. I don't know what it is--but there's something about the idea of India that's still a bit...I don't know...overwhelming? It probably doesn't make any sense, and I'm sure if I went, in retrospect, this would all seem silly.

Keep the suggestions coming--I love this board and I really appreciate everyone's help!

Hello there, and Greetings from a American woman/Fodorite who lives in India.

Perhaps i can help you kick India up a notch or two! I would say, pick India! oh, and if someone in your party is leery of the destination, do not worry, I am very good at helping folks get over their woes and generating enthusiam for the region, so feel free to drop me a line with any q's.

Do note, I came to the India way back when as a young solo female travler, and i am still alive and kicking. And after 20 years in India and exploring other Asian destinations, India still gets me down deep/moves me like no other, and yes, well worthy of a vist.

Yea, it may be called a somewhat of a challanging destination, but if you plan wisely and get in the moode for the magic of the place, you will be fine. Better than fine..

A few things.
November is a great month to travel in India, and two weeks gives you so many options of wonderful places to visit.

YOu can do two weeks in North India, starting in Delhi with a focus on Rajasthan(Jaipur, perhaps Udaipur, perhaps Jodphur), then continue on to Agra(yea, yea the Taj), then perhaps foray to Khajuraho and Varanasi(two of my other faveorites), and if u plan it right, can end your trip with a jaunt to Kathmandu Nepal too.

I actually lead tours in India/nepal, as well as various other travel India endeavors, and the two week trip i most often lead combines parts of North India/Rajashtan and Nepal, so that is defiantely do-able..

That said, there are so many other ROUTES you can go in India for two weeks and November is perfect for nOrth and south..

If u want a bit more tropical and laze and relaxation, u can perhaps combine a golden triangle, Delhi-Agra-Jaipur, with a foray down South, to either the State of Goa or Kerala.

And now that we are on the subject of the south, and more easy-going India travel, u can even do a whole South India trip, perhaps starting in Bombay, Goa, and then the rest in Kerala, like places such as Cochi, Kumarakom, Allepy, Periyar, etc., etc..
Many options.

So if India sneaks up on your list, or if you have any questions, concerns or want some help plotting or planning, feel free to drop me a line. Happy to help. Namaste [email protected]

I have been to India as well. It will take you more frequent flier miles to get there than SE Asia but it is well worth it. On the other hand, both Bali and Myanmar are far more "manageable" than India and Myanmar especially is much less expensive. November IS a great time weather-wise to visit northern India (Delhi-Rajasthan-Taj Mahal) however so you should take that into account. If you do choose India, you will want to fly direct into Delhi for the north or Mumbai for the south. I don't know what flights go from southern CA however.

In terms of "manageability", I would rank Bali first, Myanmar second and India third for whatever its worth.

Bill, I've been to Bali and Lombok both during the rainy season. One trip it never rained during the day, only at night. Another trip we had late afternoon rains several days. And the third trip we had late afternoon thunderstorms (very dramatic) almost half of the days. Otherwise, it was mostly sunny. Obviously, I haven't let the weather prevent me from visiting at that time of the year. Oh, the one thing we were not able to do because of the rain was to hike in the park where the volcano is on Lombok as the roads were impassable in the park.

I think you would both love Bali! And a few days at Qunci Villas on Lombok would be a nice beach vacation.

bill, at kathie's suggestion we are staying at quinci....they seem wonderful and friendly....they are even arranging my flights as i have had trouble doing that from here...and they are paying for them until i get there....

india scared me to death until i got there....it is different and nothing like myanmar or bali....its a bit overwhelming but not nearly as bad as people say....our driver made short work of the whole thing and told us exactly how to handle things and he did all the leg work when that was needed....you must go there in the next few years!! david is right, isn't he always?? just ask him....

i might be inclined for forge ahead with bali....if so i have some great hotel suggestions for you....just ask...

Bob, David will be glad to know you echo what he tells me each day

When are you going to Bali/Lombok? Definitely interested to hear your take on things.

I'm already thrilled about Quinci...it looks amazing--and the price astounding!

The idea of choosing a hotel in Ubud seems a bit daunting. There's SO many to choose from. A friend recommended renting a villa--but that might be a week-long requirement which we probably couldn't commit to. I'll have to start my homework on Ubud lodging. Maybe even splitting it between 2 hotels (one more reasonable and one more lavish)

Yay--this is the exciting part!

we are meeting gpanda there in may, 2008, so i will be able to share on my return in late june...

take a look at these places:

puri santrian in sanur
alam shanti in ubud and its sister properties
tandjung sari in sanur


we liked sanur last time because of the little town feeling and the ability to walk out our taxi out to local restaurants...

i looked at villas too but they are a big commitment, managing all that staff and the like....you can have some for less than a week...many are a bit off the beaten path...

happy researching