Where to go in December in Southeast Asia
 

Dear All,

I am trying to plan a trip from 26 December to 3 January, somewhere in Southeast Asia/Asia and need some help. I am looking for a destination that would not be jam packed due to high season. We have recently moved to Bangkok and will be traveling from Bangkok with our two young children (ages 5 and 3) and my parents, who are active in their late 60s. We all like outdoors activities/natural settings. Beaches work for us, but for 4 days (half the trip). Our children are excellent travelers, but don't appreciate a lot of transit time.

We are considering Cambodia (Phnom Penh and Siem Reap) but am afraid our experience in Siem Reap will be diminished by throngs of tourists. We are also considering Chiang Rai/Mekong cruise through Nagi of Mekong /Luang Prabang, but worried about the length of the boat ride and whether there is enough to do with children in Luang Prabang. Also probably the height of tourist season there.

So, the question is...is there anywhere in SE Asia (or Asia with one flight from Bangkok) between Christmas and New Years that won't be overcrowded with tourists? Or any place that doesn't feel so overcrowded, even during high season? If you have a place in mind, please let me know!

Many thanks!

It's high season pretty much everywhere. I would probably not do the cruise with kids so young. It's a long time on a boat with not much to do.

There are daily flights to Bali from Bangkok. Bali has a bit of something for everyone. Culture, arts, beach, temples, nature, resorts as well as simple stays. Although it is high season,
Bali has plenty of space. I'd avoid Kuta and Nusa Dua, though. It is rainy season, but I don't think that would spoil your stay - it didn't ours for the same time period. The rain seemed to come at night more than during the day.

Siem Reap is also a possibility. It is crowded, but it has crowds all the time and I see it getting more popular, so perhaps a visit sooner rather than later is good. Kids are warmly welcomed, just as in Bali and Thailand. Kids seem to enjoy exploring the temples - though my daughter was older than your two for her first trip there at 9. I've see. Lots of families with young kids around town and at the temples.

Something you should consult your doctor about is malaria risk in Cambodia.

We went to both Siem Reap and the Anantara in the Golden Triangle area over Christmas four years ago. Neither felt at all overcrowded then, but things might have changed. The Victoria Angkor in Siem Reap has a great pool scene for kids. And the Anantara is very cool because of the resident elephants. But for your little ones, I'd go for as much beach time as possible.

I think Bali is certainly a good idea, although at Christmas you will find it crowded; however being a good-size island you should be able to avoid the worst of this. Avoiding things like just doing a day trip to Ubud (as opposed to staying here which is preferable IMO) will also let you miss some hordes. It is on the rainy side, however apart from time spent actually sitting by a pool or on a beach or diving/snorkeling, IMO, rain or cloud cover does not affect much. With a bit more than a week, you could split time between beach and inland areas. With your family, I would certainly look toward renting a house rather than staying in a hotel, see vrbo.com and other websites for ideas.

I have not been to Seim Reap or LP over those holidays, so can’t speak from experience as to how crowded they are. As beaches of Thailand are at peak season, you probably are right in your feeling that overall these prime tourist areas will be crowded, e.g. Ankor Wat. I agree that 8 days in LP is too much, so you should probably combine this with some sort of beach vacation, perhaps just in Thailand (book now for that, but someplace like Hua Hin is certainly easy to get to from Bangkok for a few days). Phuket and that area are certainly going to be full of people, but again, as these are large areas IMO you don't really feel overwhelmed. But it does not appear that Thai beaches are too much in your planning.

I would like to suggest Hong Kong as a great option. It’s an easy non-stop flight from Bangkok. December is just absolutely lovely weather (in the 70s F, very low humidity and no rain) and as the city dresses itself up for Christmas, you can get sort of the US/European holiday feel. We have tons of walking/hiking trails, mountains, lovely beaches, small villages in the countryside, kayaking/sailing and kids activities like Ocean Park (and Disney if one must). If you think Hong Kong is all shopping malls, you are reading the wrong guidebooks (there are many campsites here for example that rarely show up in any guidebook). In previous years there have been fireworks in the harbour on December 31 (will depend this year on whether some company stumps up to pay for it, but probably will take place). The beauty of walks and hikes here is that they are all reachable by public transport and usually end near someplace terrific for a meal. English is widely and well-spoken and we have marvelous inexpensive public transport. Hotels can be on the expensive side, but should not be overpriced for Christmas like you would find at beach resorts. Not sure where your parents are coming from, but they may be able to work flights out so that they can fly into Bangkok and home from Hong Kong, saving them some backtracking.

It would be possible to combine Hong Kong with a beach location like Hainan Island (temps may be on the cool side, check weatherbase.com) or with good flights, even Bali (although spending the whole time in Bali might be my own personal preference.)

You could also consider Singapore, which would offer some similar activities to Hong Kong as well as options like their excellent zoo. Just fantastic food, and a chance to see different ethnic areas like Little India, Arab Street and the Malay area. It can be a bit rainy at that time, but overall should not interfere with your ability to sightsee. You could also combine a few days in Singapore with a short trip to someplace like Malacca, reachable by a short drive or bus ride from Singapore. Penang may also work, although perhaps just going to Penang and staying someplace like the Shangri-La on the beach may be a better idea. Penang and Malacca should not be overrun with tourists (although the Shang is likely to have lots of expats, but perfectly manageable).

I also have to say that a beach place in the Philippines in December would also be in great weather. You could go someplace like Palawan. I think there is plenty there to amuse kids, although it is quite limited as far as shopping activities. But really beautiful beaches and lovely people.

As others have noted, this is absolutely the busiest and most expensive week of the year to travel in all of SE Asia.

Nonetheless, you can find places to enjoy and that will not feel over-run.

One of Cicerone's ideas, Penang especially appeals to me. We loved our time there. But - I would never go to Penang to stay at the beach. The beaches are so-so at best, and not as clean as you'd like. But the lovely historic Georgetown area of Penang is a delight. Penang is justly famous for its hawker food. Stay at the E&O if your budget will allow. And if you want a few beach days, you could opt for Langkawi, which is a ferry ride or a very short air hop away.

Singapore is also a great option. The malls have cometitions for the most over-the-top Xmas decorations. I expect your kids would love it.

While it is the highest of the high season, don't let that disocurage you. Where to go may depend on what is available right now. I'd start checking with hotels/resorts you are interested in, as many palces may be booked up by now.

The week between Christmas and New Year’s is high season everywhere in Asia. This is when expats, Australians and Europeans travel. But if that’s the only time available to you then you just have to accept the down side.

Aside from the possibility of crowded sites, I don’t think I’d choose Angkor or a cruise with such young children. The Angkor temples are a great adventure for kids but maybe when they're a bit older and you don't have to worry about them tumbling over the side. I haven’t been to Laos so can’t comment.

Bali is an obvious choice because once you’re there you can enjoy a variety of experiences including beach time and nature time in the Ubud area.

Aside from having to make dinner reservations at popular restaurants, the onslaught of tourists wouldn’t really affect the quality of your visit. But for sure the rates will be sky high.

You also have to ask about your resort’s policy on New Years as some require that you join an exorbitantly priced celebration.

A private villa rental would be ideal for your group, but you’ll need to act quickly to secure one for that period. I like the Petitengit area of Seminyak for villas, restaurants and shopping, but the surf would be too aggressive for small children. Your villa or resort would have a pool though.

In the Ubud area you’d have a lot of choices either in the town itself or in the surrounding country side both for villas and resorts.

Balinese love children and children love Bali. Even little ones seem to be naturally tuned in to the spiritualism and they respond to the pageantry and exuberance. Child care is readily available, but you do have to be vigilant as Bali is not child-proofed.

Thanks so much for all the valuable feedback!

I liked the idea of Hong Kong and Singapore, but the parents did not.

Early on, my parents had expressed an interest in Bali, but because we have been there twice before, we said "no"- we didn't feel like paying for high season when we have been there before and could easily go again in low season. But, because nearly all of you said "Bali" and I was growing frustrated with travel plans for Laos and Cambodia, I re-thought it. We love Bali, the kids love Bali, so why not? It is easy. Easy travel planning and an easy trip. Everyone is sure to enjoy themselves. Peak season is a bit more expensive but not outrageous. And, believe it or not, there is still availability!

We'd like to explore areas where we have yet to go (and we have spent quite a lot of time in Ubud) and perhaps won't be so crowded, and I think I have found two great places.

For our nature part, Munduk, staying at Munduk Moding Plantation (http://www.mundukmodingplantation.com) and for our beach part, Pemuteran, staying at Amertha Bali Villas, (http://www.amerthabalivillas.com).

So, it looks like the winner is Bali, but we will save the Hong Kong, Singapore and Penang suggestions for 2011. If you have any thoughts on the two locations in Bali and accommodation choices, I'd love to hear them (and have not yet made the deposit).

Much appreciation for steering me in the right direction.

Have you been to Pemuteran before? I think North Bali is good for peace and quiet and for snorkling/diving, but I'm not so sure I'd choose it for a beach destination. I haven't stayed at Amertha but I've stayed in the area and find the beach, well, kind of depressing.

On the plus side, take a look at Puri Ganesha Villas. For a family group they would be ideal. (Same crummy beach though.)

I agree with marmot re the beach at Permuteran. We stayed at the Taman Sari which, I think is in the same group as Amertha, The very spacious rooms/suites were excellent in all respect and the food v.good but the beach was hardly worth describing as a beach. The diving however was very good around Menjangan island which is close by (i.e. 30 mins by boat), Apart from teh hotel, I don't recall that there was too much else around permuteran apart from some good local restaurants

Have you considered Lombok for the beach portion of your trip?

We haven't been to North Bali before, and probably don't want to go to a crummy beach, especially after living in Thailand.

Haven't been to Lombok, either. A better beach, by far? Any great places to stay for families? Do you have to fly?

Thanks!

Lombok has some nice beaches but not much in the way of culture. I haven't been there for a while so I'll defer to others on recommendations but two places that come up are Qunci Villas and the Lodge. There aren't as many rental villas as in Bali but they're becoming more popular.

You could fly one way and take the ferry the other.

Actually, I really like the beach in Bali, especially Seminyak, (which is why I haven't made it to Lombok for several years) but I guess it depends on what you want in a beach experience. It's hard to compete with Thailand.

Another idea would be to consider Central Java / Borobudur.