It's been so cold and I'm really looking forward to summer! Unfortunately that's also the only time my partner and I can go away as we both work full-time throughout the year. All our previous December holidays have been wintry so I'm looking for a hot change that's not too expensive or far away as I'm also a nervous flier (so many first world problems, sorry). Fiji or Vanuatu look like good options but I don't know anything about either. Would love to hear from anyone who's been or if you have any other suggestions. We're a couple with no kids but I don't mind them at all really. Not big on party nightlife but we do like piña coladas and not getting caught in the rain.
Looking for a Hot Holiday!
missalicia on 17/09/2015 - 21:05
Comments
Em, December is winter in Hanoi, no? I went there in late March and it was cold… that was only three months before their summer.
Just come up to Queensland in December. It's hot as and you don't even lose money on the low Aussie dollar.
Whitsundays or Cairns might get a cyclone and they do have stingers. But they could still be a really awesome holiday, a cyclone is only a slim chance. When I sailed the Whitsundays in November it was AMAZING. Remember it's the first place Oprah Winfrey went when we brought her out to Oz.
I would suggest Sunshine Coast… anywhere from Noosa to Caloundra to the hinterland.
I may be biased but I have been to many nice places in the world and coming home to the Sunshine Coast makes me realize how good we have it here.
Thanks heaps I'll look into it! I had assumed (perhaps unfairly!) that somewhere like Cairns would be terribly expensive especially at that time of year.
Christmas to New Year break probably is expensive. If you can go before Christmas I think it won't cost too much. Surely Fiji or Vanuatu would be expensive too.
Noosa is pretty expensive for accommodation so maybe stay at Caloundra or Alexandra Headland instead.
Port Douglas might be a better option than Cairns actually.
Anyway I would most recommend flying to Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) and do a sailing trip from Airlie Beach. Azure calm waters and good snorkeling. Not to mention the pristine white beaches and green islands. There's something about sailing with the wind rather than an engine. The stars at night were amazing and not even any mosquitos. You do have to hope for good weather though.
There's heaps of yacht tours to choose from with different styles of on board accommodation from budget to more luxury. You could maybe book via this site:
Cairns in Summer is the wet season and TOO damn hot.
Vietnam in Winter (December) is usually cold and wet.
Thank you - the Christmas holiday period is blocked out unfortunately
Thailand is $250 one way courtesy of AirAsia…
Of all the tropical SEA countries, Thailand is probably the best in the region. It has a good balance of culture, food, entertainment (clean and sleezy ones) and shopping. The people there are also very nice with the rare exception of dodgy taxi drivers. The beaches at places like Phi Phi Island are amazing.
So you have been to all the South East Asian countries ? The way you talked, sounds like it :)
Not all yet. I have covered Indonesia (Bali, Jakarta, Sumatra and a few smaller cities), Singapore, Malaysia (almost all major cities including a couple of islands off the main country and Genting), Brunei, Thailand (bangkok, chiangmai, chiangrai, kanchanaburi, a few other small cities, phuket and surrounding islands) and Laos.
I have not been to Cambodia and Vietnam. I look forward to visiting Vietnam maybe next year.
Wow, lucky you, of all the counties you mentioned, I only haven't been to Indonesia, and my favorite country is Vietnam, because it's still not too much commercialize like the others, what you see is what you get :)
Give it time. I'm on my third trip to Vietnam at the moment and each time I'm seeing more and more tourists ruining the country. Just the other day I was at my favourite little local cafe having breakfast when three of the douchiest English guys you could possibly imagine rode up on their bikes and proceeded to talk super loudly about their conquests the previous night. Insulting and mocking the locals that would come and offer to sell fruit or other wares and generally just being absolute dicks. Made me so angry because I love this country and its people so much and to see the way they were acting was so disgusting. So less tourists like that the better.
Go on a cruise to the Islands.
Palm Cove(20-ish kms north of Cairns) is nice. quiet beach.
Broome with a tour of the Kimberley's. Or drive down to ingaloo reef. Perfect weather over winter.
Won't be cheap but it helps Aussie tourism and you get to see how amazing this place is.
You could stay in Australia as people suggest:
- Cairns (go on a reef tour from Port Douglas)
- Fitzroy Island I heard is nice
- Magnetic Island from townsville easy to get to
- Fraser Island could be a good option a bit more of an adventure though but it is so beautiful
- You also have Lady Elliott (quite expensive but paradise) or Heron Island
- Sail in the whitsundays but be careful of stingers
- you could simply go to Moreton Island in Queensland (Tangalooma)I've been to both Vanuatu & Fidji and I can tell you that I have muched preferred Vanuatu, I would suggest Espiritu Santo much more traditional and beautiful but it would cyclone season as well.
Bali could be a suggestion (but you might get a bit of rain too).
Was thinking of Fiji as well but my travel agent said it is cyclone season in the South Pacific. People still go but it is a risk.
I recommend Vietnam, fly to Hanoi, then travel all the way 1,800 km along the coastline down to Saigon, you need about 4 weeks to do do :)