Where to next? Suggestions please
 

Our travel plans are on a bit of a holding pattern due to a gravely ill relative, but one can only dream and plan in advance. So...here I am soliciting your advice. Many of you know that we have spent time in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, and china. Among the trips on our bucket list are Myanmar; southern India and Sri Lanka; Malaysia & Indonesia - including bali; southern Italy (amalfi coast, Sicily and puglia regions), and the Balkans.

For those who have visited these countries, which would you put as a priority? I realize that Myanmar is changing, but that trip may have to wait when we can do advanced landing and bookings. Are we forgetting one that might be your favorite destination?

I realize this is a difficult question and very personal. We love ancient ruins, temples, history, good food, people watching and photography. Opinions PLEASE?

Thanks - June

Of all of these, Bali will fill the bill. Myanmar comes close but loses out since it is not a place to go for food. However, either of these destinations are worth 10 to 12 days. Note that we have not been to southern India or any of the places you mention in Italy.

So many choices!

Yes, do go to Myanmar when you can, but you will need advance planning and bookings.

Bali is lovely. And I recommend in it conjunction with central Java to see the incomparable Borobodur and Prambanam (and perhaps the temples in Eastern Java if you want something off the tourist track) See my report from Nov. 2012.

Sri Lanka is a place we loved and would love to go back. I don't know that I would combine ti with Southern India - it deserves at least two weeks by itself.

We loved Sikkim, in northern India. And if you haven't been to Nepal, do consider that.

We were in Pais in May and loved it, of course, but nothing in Europe excites us like places in Asia do.

We will likely spend 4 weeks whenever we go - if I could weasel another week out of my husband, it might even be longer!

Kathie - I've spent much time reading through your wonderful reports, which is why Central Java holds so much intrigue for us.

As for Sikkim and Nepal - did you get to Nepal by air from Delhi or somewhere else, or did you go overland from Sikkim? Is that even possible? Is there a train?

How did you compare that trip to southern India? I know they are nothing alike. I would like to get to Mumbai, Calcutta, and a bit of the interior areas of southern India to see the tea plantations, as well as the southern coastal towns.

Just so many possibilities!

I love mountains, so I would put anywhere in the Himalayas high on the list, especially Bhutan (expensive) and Nepal (not). I loved Myanmar but I was there in 2004, well before it was "discovered". I liked Taiwan and Japan more than I expected.

I went overland from Nepal to India, but not to Sikkim. There is no train connection, no trains in Nepal at all, due to terrain. I picked up the Indian train network at Gorakhpur, click on my name for the relevant TR. You can't go overland directly to Sikkim, you'd cross from Kakarbhitta to Panitanki, near Siliguri, south of Darjeeling.

Note that Kolkata is not in southern India, and Mumbai is eminently skippable for most tourists. As is Chennai.

In Europe I would highly recommend Sicily and the Amalfi Coast - but early or late in the year. Especially Sicily, although I combined the two.

To get to Nepal, we flew from Bangkok. On my first trip there, we flew from Singapore. You can also fly to Kathmandu from Delhi.

To get to Sikkim is more complicated. We flew from Bangkok to Kolkata to Bagdogra, then car from Bagdogra to Gangtok. You can't really go from Nepal to Sikkim or vice versa.

June, among these I've only been to Malaysia and Indonesia, but given your interests, Java and Bali won't disappoint. Penang is also a good option for history and food.

With four weeks you could cover Bali, Central and East Java plus another location in Indonesia.

For photography and culture (but not so much food)I'd recommend Central Sulawesi, Tanah Toraja. Spectacular scenery and some of the most fascinating religious ceremonies and architecture on the planet. Northern Sulawesi is terrific for diving and snorkling as well as pristine national parks.

I haven't been to Southern India and my experiences in Burma and Sri Lanka go WAY back, so I can't really compare. Java/Bali/Sulawesi would be a good mix of culture + nature, adventure + easy travel, ancient + practicing religious sites. All are supremely photogenic.

Italy and the area you mentioned might be a good choice if you would be needing to return to the states quickly, due to your ill relative. You could see a lot of of Italy in a trip that long. I was just along the Amalfi coast, just beautiful. SEA always holds interest to us, and as Craig says Bali is a good choice also.

Roma was my fav city in Italy. Amalfi coast I didnt think lives up to the hype.

I would go to Croatia, Poland and Czech Rep ahead of Italy.

Its an opinion which is what forums are all about. I prefer tropical beaches but if u like rocky coastlines then good for u.

If u cant handle diff opinions then dont post on forums.

I found Italian hotels poor value. Better value and less tourists elsewhere.

Even my Italian mate tells people Russia and Croatia are better than Italy for holidays.

What is a worthwhile sight? Who decides what is worthwhile?

Peach up - we have been to bits of Poland and the Czech Republic, both very interesting. It doesn't surprise me that the Italians would chose places outside there own country, as that would be more foreign to them.

Prachuap - Sorry about that - auto correct changed your name!

Accept that he lives outside Italy. Italy has great historical sites but little else. Can get better pizza and pasta outside Italy.

I spent 9 days in Puglia last year and loved it (my trip report is here on Fodor's and on my blog). I highly recommend Puglia and anywhere in Southern Italy. I've also been to, and loved, Sicily, the Amalfi Coast, Naples and the area around it, and of course Rome (these are all on my blog too). With four weeks, you could cover a lot of that region. Were it me, I'd rent a house or an apartment for a week in four areas (Amalfi, two different in Sicily and Puglia) and have a ball driving around each. tehn I'd end it with 4 days in Rome, my favorite city, just to eat.

Given that this is the Asia board, I'll have to comment on those destinations too. Yes, Bali is a good choice if you have not been. Not sure about 4 weeks there though. I'll be able to speak to Myanmar next month as I'm going then. Planning was a bit more of a challenge than Thailand, but from what I've read, it's getting easier. India is on my bucket list (never been) and I think 4 weeks would be perfect there.

@Kristina<<<Yes, Bali is a good choice if you have not been. Not sure about 4 weeks there though.>>>

We're doing 4 weeks in Bali soon. I booked our first week in Sanur, second week in Ubud, and then doing a bit more research I then realised how easy and inexpensive it was to do a flight/hotel package with Air Asia to Yogyakarta in Java.

So after Ubud I've booked a couple of nights in Jimbaran, making it easy to catch an early morning flight without worrying about road traffic congestion. And then a week in Yogyakarta, before returning to Bali for our last few nights.

June---we love the less travelled parts of Tuscany, Umbria and the piedmont in the north west of Italy... Our may visit there last year was fab...

This year's trip to Berlin and a swing thru Poland and a finish in Dresden was very rewarding...

We will be in Bali in sept. For the 4th time... It is unique and we love it... Singapore is a good add on too... July, August and early sept are the high season which might appeal to you to get out of fla then..

Bob

June---we love the less travelled parts of Tuscany, Umbria and the piedmont in the north west of Italy... Our may visit there last year was fab...

This year's trip to Berlin and a swing thru Poland and a finish in Dresden was very rewarding...

We will be in Bali in sept. For the 4th time... It is unique and we love it... Singapore is a good add on too... July, August and early sept are the high season which might appeal to you to get out of fla then..

Bob

"We love ancient ruins, temples, history, good food, people watching and photography."

Have you been to Turkey? It meets all of your requirements. We only had time for a two week trip there but hope to return. I just watched a fascinating video on Crete, and it is now also on our list. We preferred Turkey to Greece, but you could do them both. We did a different itinerary than most in Greece--Peloponnesian Peninsula and Pelion--and enjoyed our two week trip there.

And, have you been to Romania? It certainly isn't worth a month but is a fascinating place. It is one of those go- before-it-is-too-late countries, and perhaps it is already too late. We visited about 15 years ago.

You may have read my trip report on India and know that we often prefer the path less taken.

Jules - we have already spent 3 weeks in turkey and two trips for a total of 6 weeks in Greece. Both were fabulous. We loved the Pelopenese peninsula which was one of the highlights of our Greece trips and we would go back to either country, but are looking for a new destination. Thanks though for the suggestions.

Bob - we've spent some time in Berlin - interesting city, as well as some time in parts of Poland. Unfortunately all plans are on hold until the situation is resolved with our ill relative.

Thank you all for your Input. Sounds like the consensus is that bali is amazing and that along with java is high on my list, as is Italy. Perhaps once our situation is resolved, I can convince my dh to take two vacations.

Four weeks is ideal for touring North and South Islands of New Zealand by campervan.

Further to my posting above.

We had a few days in Sydney prior to flying to Auckland, and a few days in Melbourne on our way home.

New Zealand, especially if you are in complete control of a totally flexible itinerary by road is a fantastic way to travel.

The ferry trip from North to South Island, through the Cook Straits between Wellington and Picton is awesome. As is flying in a 6 seater cessna from Queenstown to Milford Sound over the Southern Alps.

Both islands are very different, and we could easily have had another month bumbling along.