Affordable tropical holiday destinations that aren't Bali or Thailand

[Poetic Justice]

I'm not sure if I need to go into much more detail that isn't pointed out in the thread title but I'm wanting to plan the next holiday for my wife and I (kids free). We are off to Bali next week for the 3rd time and have also been to Phuket so looking at different options.

Understandably you can go to differing areas of Bali and Thailand which are still an option, I guess, but would also like to consider other places.

Would like to go to Bora Bora, Fiji or somewhere that has the beach bungalow or overwater bungalow style arrangement but everything seems quite expensive for my budget, not saying it's not worth it.

Any suggestions?

 

[Macca19]

I loved Vanuatu, thought it was fantastic, beautiful place and reasonably affordable

 

[IAMDASH]

Kota Kinabalu is nice, but beaches are not great there?

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Rye beach

 

[Great8]

Vietnam has some stunning beaches and is dirt cheap.
Langkawi is also beautiful and can have some great sales on accomodation at various times.

 

[basashi]

SE Asia does offer excellent bang for you buck and has the added dimension that the food is pretty much awesome wherever you go.

But if you are on the east coast, New Caledonia can be pretty interesting. Firstly, it has all the beach type quality you are after but secondly it is really, really, really French.

 

[IAMDASH]

SE Asia does offer excellent bang for you buck and has the added dimension that the food is pretty much awesome wherever you go.

But if you are on the east coast, New Caledonia can be pretty interesting. Firstly, it has all the beach type quality you are after but secondly it is really, really, really French.

Affordable? Always thought it was damn expensive?

 

[basashi]

Affordable? Always thought it was damn expensive?

Just searched expedia package to New Caledonia December 7-14 2 people economy, staying at 5 star Le Meridien on the beach and it is 1703 each. Cheaper if you get out of 5 star

Also plenty of good places to stay in January for 1100 to 1300 per person including flight

 

[Bay Giant]

Cancun Mexico or Punta Cana in the DR.

 

[Occidental]

If Cancun gets a mention, then I’ll put in Montanita, Ecuador.

 

[00Stinger]

Cancun Mexico or Punta Cana in the DR.

Playa Del Carmen

Sent from my SM-A505YN using Tapatalk

 

[Bay Giant]

If Cancun gets a mention, then I’ll put in Montanita, Ecuador.

Cancun is cheap as s**t. $1500 2 people 7 nights, all inclusive ocean view room?

s**t loads better than anything in Shittsville Bali or Thailand.

 

[00Stinger]

Cancun is cheap as s**t. $1500 2 people 7 nights, all inclusive ocean view room?

s**t loads better than anything in s**ttsville Bali or Thailand.

Add $1.7k to $2k for flights and a 36 hour commute as well

 

[Bay Giant]

Add $1.7k to $2k for flights and a 36 hour commute as well

Cost me $11,000 in flights as I no longer fly economy. Air New Zealand Business to LA then “First” Class United to Cancun.

Met a few good lads our last day there from the East of Melbourne rocking their EDFL players shorts in the pool.

 

[00Stinger]

Cost me $11,000 in flights as I no longer fly economy. Air New Zealand Business to LA then “First” Class United to Cancun.

Met a few good lads our last day there from the East of Melbourne rocking their EDFL players shorts in the pool.

Why would you drop $11k on a flights so that you can have a cheap tropical holiday when you could do the same closer to home for the same total cost?

And yes I have been to Cancun, it is nice but it isn't that nice

 

[Bay Giant]

Why would you drop $11k on a flights so that you can have a cheap tropical holiday when you could do the same closer to home for the same total cost?

And yes I have been to Cancun, it is nice but it isn't that nice

We then flew to Miami and jumped on the Symphony Of The Seas for 2 weeks.

 

[00Stinger]

We then flew to Miami and jumped on the Symphony Of The Seas for 2 weeks.

A cruise through the Caribbean would be pretty good I would have imagined.

Miami is a very over hyped city imo. Did the ship leave from Miami or Fort Lauderdale?

 

[Bay Giant]

A cruise through the Caribbean would be pretty good I would have imagined.

Miami is a very over hyped city imo. Did the ship leave from Miami or Fort Lauderdale?

Didn’t spend much time in Miami. Flew in the night before we boarded the Symphony and stayed at the inter continental - perfect location to board the ship.
We then had about 6 hours to kill whilst waiting for the second cruise, so we did a bit of sightseeing on the water, checking out all the rich people’s homes (my wife digs that s**t. I chose a tour which had a bar )
We did a 7 night Western & 7 night Eastern cruise B2B. I preferred the Eastern, wifey preferred Western.

We got an uber up to Ft Lauderdale after the second cruise, we had 2 nights there before flying back to LAX from Ft Lauderdale. That place was cool as s**t I thought.

 

[00Stinger]

Didn’t spend much time in Miami. Flew in the night before we boarded the Symphony and stayed at the inter continental - perfect location to board the ship.
We then had about 6 hours to kill whilst waiting for the second cruise, so we did a bit of sightseeing on the water, checking out all the rich people’s homes (my wife digs that s**t. I chose a tour which had a bar )
We did a 7 night Western & 7 night Eastern cruise B2B. I preferred the Eastern, wifey preferred Western.

We got an uber up to Ft Lauderdale after the second cruise, we had 2 nights there before flying back to LAX from Ft Lauderdale. That place was cool as s**t I thought.

Yeah I spent 3 or 4 nights in Ft Lauderdale and Hollywood Beach about 6 years ago, funnily enough after I had been to Cancun for 7 nights. Yeah it is a really cool place but you can end up in a dodgy area very easily there.

I would love to do a cruise through the Caribbean (I have been on one through the Mediterranean). What is the difference between the Eastern and Western cruises?

 

[Bay Giant]

Yeah I spent 3 or 4 nights in Ft Lauderdale and Hollywood Beach about 6 years ago, funnily enough after I had been to Cancun for 7 nights. Yeah it is a really cool place but you can end up in a dodgy area very easily there.

I would love to do a cruise through the Caribbean (I have been on one through the Mediterranean). What is the difference between the Eastern and Western cruises?

Itineraries is the only really difference.
One took us back to a couple of ports in Mexico and the Royal Caribbean privately owned island, Cococay.
The other to St Kitts & Nevis (my absolute favourite - my wife’s most hated), St Thomas and the same Cococay island.

 

[IAMDASH]

A cruise through the Caribbean would be pretty good I would have imagined.

Miami is a very over hyped city imo. Did the ship leave from Miami or Fort Lauderdale?

Spent a week in Fort Lauderdale - great place. Made mistake of leaving and heading to South Beach for the last three days. No the best choice

 

[00Stinger]

Spent a week in Fort Lauderdale - great place. Made mistake of leaving and heading to South Beach for the last three days. No the best choice

Yep awesome beaches and a much cooler vibe than Miami

 

[IAMDASH]

Yep awesome beaches and a much cooler vibe than Miami

Beach Bars along A1A are epic

 

[ash_1050]

Surprised India hasn't been mentioned yet. Super cheap, plenty on offer and a whole other culture to explore.

 

[Snake Charmer]

Cambodia for sure. If you want to see less tourists (there’s a few more there nowadays tho) Sri Lanka