Holiday destination for the wife and I

[Guest Brett Campany]

Guys, I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel here. The wife really wants a holiday. She's determined on Bali, Thailand, South Easy Asia etc. I'm not, I can't stand those places.

 

Can anyone recommend a cost effective kind of holiday or at least something that's not a budget breaker that will also be rather enjoyable?

 

I'm really struggling here and just about to hit up all of the travel agents sites to see where else we could venture.

 

Cheers!

 

 

[Guest drizzt1978]

When you find a country, look up ownersdirect.com, they are people with private holiday houses that they rent out direct, not through an agent.

 

I do love NZ?

 

Some good deals to LA via qantas/virgin, but you might be a bit late for those, and you would want to get out of LA once you land!

 

Thats all ive got!

 

Michael

 

 

[Thx1137]

Japan (again) and NZ are the only overseas places we will be visiting, at least for the forseeable future so I reckon NZ as it would be a lot cheaper.

 

 

[Relfy]

NZ Brett, Queenstown in particular is awesome. I've been there twice the last being last August/Sep and even though the skiing may have finished, the place is packed with great things to do and the prices are great. It is just a beautiful place with so many places to eat and enjoy yourself.

 

The wife and I even jumped off a perfectly good ski mountain attached to some strangers and a paraglider!

 

 

 

[Guest Wigg]

Have to agree NZ we went there in March for a bit of a look around (North Island) cant wait to go back & have a look around South Island. Tassie is also a very pituresque place as well.

 

 

[pudestcon]

Cocos Island

 

G'day Brett,

 

For something a bit different why not try Cocos Island in the middle of the Indian Ocean - it sits on a similar lattitude to Darwin only a looong way to the west. Should be quite tropical like Bali but don't expect the same level of service. Most of the accommodation is villas or bungaloes. An added attraction is that the surveillance aircraft (Orion) use it as a base - you probably know that already.

 

Do take a day trip to Direction Island which is an absolute getaway paradise but no services so you need to take everything with you. Its a great place to explore and don't forget to take your snorkel equipment and 'do' the rip on the southern end of the island - it's worth it. Check it out here Cocos (Keeling) Islands holidays, travel and tourism. Discover the islands, Discover Paradise.

 

Most years I take my wife away for our anniversary to a mystery place. Cocos was my choice last year and was a beauty but be warned that you have to make your own entertainment if that's what you like. It's more a 'get away from it all' type of place.

 

Cheers,

 

Pud

 

 

[Guest mike_perth]

Go to Bunnings buy a bag of concrete mix with water and drink i.e. Harden up and go to Bali - Cheap Food, Cheap Beer, Cheap everything its Indonesai so things wont be perfect and the streets may be a little untidy but at the end of the day in a nice hotel i.e. All Seasons Legian - Accor Hotel Group everything will be forgotten once you have a ice cold Bintang in your hand!!

 

Tolong, satu ronde lagi

 

Another round please!!!!

 

 

[Guest Mad Dave]

Langkawi. Tax Free = approx $AUD0.80 per can of beer!

 

Nice!

 

But seriously, have a look at Malaysia, I have been to Asia a bit and reckon Malaysia is the pick of the crop. Try Penang, Langkawi, or Kota Kinabalu.

 

Dave

 

 

[Mazda]

Do you particularly want to go overseas? There are plenty of places in Australia if you don't want to go too far.

 

I guess it depends on the type of holiday you are looking for. For example, do you want beaches, country, different culture, architecture, art/theatre, somewhere to relax, somewhere with some adventure?

 

 

[Mazda]

Maybe somewhere like this place. Tangalooma Island Resort | Tangalooma Holidays | Family Holidays Qld | Moreton Island Tours | Whale Watching | Day Cruises

 

It's not that well known. It's on a sand island on the bay side of Moreton Bay, east of Brisbane. The water is an amazing colour, you could be in the South Pacific. They feed the dolphins every day. They do boat trips to see dugongs and whales.

 

They have a helicopter, the place has an airstrip, and there's a light aircraft lane there so you might see something interesting.

 

If you get sick of island life, hop on their ferry and in just over an hour you are back at Brisbane to do something in the city, or hire a car and go to the Sunshine coast or Gold Coast.

 

It may not be the sort of think you are looking for though, and from Perth it would probably be quicker to go to another country - or at least to Broome!

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Do you particularly want to go overseas? There are plenty of places in Australia if you don't want to go too far.I guess it depends on the type of holiday you are looking for. For example, do you want beaches, country, different culture, architecture, art/theatre, somewhere to relax, somewhere with some adventure?

I had put the idea across because I'd love to take her up the WA coast to Exmouth and Monkey Mia...... nope, I got shot down. She wants to go overseas.

 

I nearly told the wife that we'll be going to Rottnest! :hittinghead:

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Brett, I guess walking the Kakoda track is out at the moment too ??...............

 

 

[Tomo]

She wants to go overseas.

New Zealand is overseas to;) It may work a little better than Rotto!!

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Brett, I guess walking the Kakoda track is out at the moment too ??...............

Trust me I've been tempted!!! :devil:

 

 

[Mazda]

If you want to stay in Oz you could try saying the entire Asian region is a bit unstable at the moment after the earthquakes, the plates are still shifting. :devil:

 

 

[dazza 38]

As mentioned above Brett, NZ is a nice place to holiday. A around 1.20 kiwi, to our dollar, thats not bad either. Cheers Although from perth it is a fair way to go i guess

 

 

[Yenn]

Try Sarawak, part of Malaysa, capital Kuching. Good Asian food, take a trip up to a long house and see how the Dyaks live. I did it many years ago and the river travel was fantastic. Singapore may appeal to your wife, it is a shoppers paradise and I liked the food, plus the people are nice. It seems the further East you go in South Asia, the poorer the food. Sulawesi is another great place a bit further off the tourist trail, get to see a Toraja funeral if you can, plenty of blood and gore as they kill, pigs, buffalo and chooks.

 

 

[Admin]

G'Day Mate - plenty of great suggestions there - if it was me I would catch a flight to Brisbane, hire a car, spend some time down at the Gold Coast, the theme parks etc and then take a leisurely drive up to Cairns stopping at all the great spots along the way like airfields and the odd thing for the missus - absolutely stunning country side and you would always be able to run in to a forum member for some good hospitality.

 

Failing that there is NZ, especially up at the Bay of Islands (couple hrs Nth of Auckland) - could even go up to the tip and see the two oceans meet - suppose to be a height difference between the two so there should be a waterfall

 

But then why go to NZ when you can go to Tassie - good luck trying to decide

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Cheers for the suggestions, I'm liking both the NZ and Brissy idea! Tassie is always on the books as well, might mean increasing the budget a little but I'd rather do that than have a cheap holiday in South East Asia (sorry Mike, maybe another time) So I'll put these to the Misiter of War and Finance and see what decision is made. At least if we stay in Oz I can hire and aircraft and go flying to!

 

 

[Guest drizzt1978]

Have a look at Lake Wanaka, in NZ south island, wineries, food, flying, Views are awesome....What else do you want, did i mention flying? ohh and there is the flying too..

 

 

[skydog]

Brett

 

I originate from NZ and yes the Sth Island is pure majesty and you can go do mountain flying near Pt Cook and hone up your skills whilst you are there PERHAPS visit warbirds over Wanaka at Easter but I reckon Bali is maybe the best holiday destination in the World for a cheap, [4 star hotels for 100 bucks ] relaxing, [ beaches] sometimes adventurous [ rafting, diving,]friendliest place.The Restaurants at Seminyak are world class.

 

The artwork and home furnishings are fabulous too, I bet the wife would love that.

 

I have been to the Caribbean islands 4 times , Hawaii, Italy, Turkey, Fiji, India 48 countries in total and for my vote its BALI.

 

Where else could you go to a funeral ceremony in the morning, elephant riding in the afternoon and visit 1000 yr of Hindu Temples on the way. At night the local music and dancing is entrancing.

 

 

[Brett]

I reakon let her choose where she wants to go on hols,,,after all she let you do your flying courses ,,, happy Wife,,, in the good books = more flying long term :thumb_up:

 

 

[mAgNeToDrOp]

I reakon let her choose where she wants to go on hols,,,after all she let you do your flying courses ,,, happy Wife,,, in the good books = more flying long term :thumb_up:

These my friend, are words of wisdom if i ever saw any... :thumb_up:

 

 

[dunlopdangler]

If you really want to impress the misses, how about the Seychelles...somewhere in the Indian Ocean far enough away from Indonesia that any quake generated waves won't be an issue and some of the best secluded beaches :FeelGood:and diving sights on the planet (apart from ours of course)

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

I reakon let her choose where she wants to go on hols,,,after all she let you do your flying courses ,,, happy Wife,,, in the good books = more flying long term :thumb_up:

I agree with both you and Mag....... So the wife has made the decision, we're off to Fiji next year!!

 

Very interesting to hear so many suggest NZ! That's most definatly on the cards for a later date!

 

Cheers everyone for your suggestions though, I really appreciate it!