Where to Honeymoon in Asia in August trying to avoid Olympics traffic expensive airfare

来源：http://www.goaround.org/travel-asia/247684.htm

 

Q:I'm getting married 8.9.08 & was thinking about going someplace warm & dry in August like Malaysia, but I'm worried that airfare will be extremely expensive due to so many travelers going to Beijing for the Olympics. What do you think & where would you go for a honeymoon?

BTW-I'm in Seattle.

A:Bali. Hot, dry, gorgeous, culturally rich, huge number of hotels and resorts to suit every budget and taste. Weakness of US$ not a huge impact as many places charge in US$, and the Indonesian rupiah is pretty weak, and Bali is pretty cheap overall.

Random Tip: Caribbean Travel Tips

A:bali

A:And another Seattleite recommends Bali as well. There is plenty to do and see in Bali, as well as lots of accoutrements for relaxation (views of green rice terraces, beach, spa, etc). You can also opt for a side trip to central Java to see Borobudor or to Lombok for peaceful, beautiful beaches.

On Bali, you'll likely want to spend some time at a beach location and some time inland around Ubud. Avoid the sterile Nusa Dua and the rowdy Kuta beach.

Random Tip: Visit the Belfast Botanic Gardens

A:IMO you will not have any issue with flight fare increases vis-à-vis the Olympics in the PRC if you want to go to Malaysia. They are on completely different routings. Dont let that sway your decision. Look into fares yourself now to see. From Seattle, you could fly to Singapore (a nice place for a few day stop and to adjust to the time zone) and then either drive or fly up the east coast of Malaysia. Or you could fly to Kuala Lumpur and go from there. In either case, you would not be involved in any Beijing/PRC traffic. Summer tourist traffic to Asia for August generally may increase fares, but unless youa re going TO the PRC, I dont think you will see huge price inflation. The falling US Dollar may also make fares and traveling here more expensive.

I think Bali is really lovely and quite magical and would make an excellent honeymoon destination. Its one of my favourite places in the world. That being said, the east coast of Malaysia has many little islands with really terrific beaches (white sand, azure blue water), these are much prettier than Bali if you want good beaches and good diving and snorkeling. You could also go inland to the rainforest area of Taman Negara national park, or to a place like Sipidan island which has simply superb diving if that is your interest, one of the top 3-4 places in the world for diving. (Bali is not about beaches, it has a lot to offer, but a great beach experience is really not one of them IMO. It has some decent diving, but cant compare to a place like Sipidan or to many offshore places along the east coast of Malaysia IMO.) August is a good time for both Bali and Malaysia in terms of weather. It would be a hard choice between the two really.

You could also consider a combination of Bangkok and then and island like Koh Samui or Koh Samet in the Gulf of Thailand (I would avoid Phuket in Thailand, its on the other rainy side of Thailand in August). I would avoid Hong Kong, it tends to be very rainy in August, and the equestrian events for the Olympics are being held here in any event. I would also avoid the Philippines as they are also quite rainy (and like Hong Kong can have typhoons) in the summer months. I am not sure about Vietnam, there may be rain in areas, check weather websites, but otherwise it could be an interesting honeymoon. I think Laos and Cambodia are the same, tending toward rain. But I dont think you would have an issue with fare increases for the Olympics with any of these in any event.

A:I would recommend Bali.