Anyone been to Mauritius?
Thoughts?
Recommendations?
I do know that Matthew Flinders didnāt enjoy his time there, Trim even less so.
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I donāt know whether I set my expectations high but I honestly was a bit underwhelmed by Mauritius but went back a second time and my thoughts didnāt change a whole lot. Itās still nice but think Seychelles, Reunion, Madagascar and even Zanzibar are better IMO.
In Mauritius Iād recommend hiring a car. Very easy to drive and you will find plenty of beaches where you wonāt find anyone else. We stayed in the South of the the island both times.
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Thanks for the info. Yeah, the hiring of a car recommendation seems to be a recurring theme from my intel-gathering so far.
We were looking at heading to Seoul for our next holiday, though now may not be the best time to head thereā¦ political unrest etc. etc. So the search is now on looking elsewhereā¦
Whoās been to Koh Samui?
Thoughts?
Recommendations?
Where best to stay?
For reference, weāll be a family with zero interest in clubs, bars, thumping doof doof musicā¦ far more interest in street food, snorkelling, markets and scenery.
When we went to Phuket a few years ago, we stayed in Karon Beach and loved it. Relatively quiet but still with restaurants, grocery stores, markets within walking distance. Visited Patong Beach area a couple of times and hated it.
Looking for something along similar lines.
If you do get to Korea in the future, Iād definitely add Busan as a second destination. Great counterpoint to Seoul, underrated city. A few days in each and you hit a variety of attractions.
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Avoid Chaweng. That is the main touristy and party place on the island. Close to the airport but has the most accomodation, good beaches but can be packed. Real party area. Located in the NE of the island so just a few kmās North or South there are much quieter beaches with resorts or smaller accommodation. The quieter areas are on the West and SW of the island where things are much quieter but far less accomodation to choose from. Most resorts will have a private beach and offer shuttles to nearest towns/villages. Lamai to the South of Chaweng is not a bad option for families and if you are on a budget. Plenty of eateries and things to do but can still get busy at night.
Phuket has better beaches than Samui though IMO
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Thanks heaps.
Iāve looked at places right at the south end of Chaweng, in Chaweng Noi as well as Bophut. Might check Lamai given your advice.
Funny you should mention the beaches in Phuket. We were there in May/June. The beach at Karon was beautifulā¦ to look at. Once you got in though, it had a shocking undertow. Our 10 year-old wasnāt confident going in beyond knee-deep. Even as an adult, it was testing. I can see plenty coming acropper. The beach down at Kata was a bit more forgiving at the northern end of it.
Lot of drownings at Karon beach. Lots of foreigners with no sea experience get into trouble there.
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I agree with Ace, Phuket is better than Koh Samui, unless you are young and like to Party.
Karon Beach is dangerous, but there are others that are OK.
Patong is better than it was, good markets there. Gets very busy and crowded.
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My partner and I are looking at somewhere cool/cold and cheap (and ideally close) for 7-10 days next month for our 10th anniversary. We were thinking of Nepal, but the issue is the flights are 20-25 hours one way. We are going to go to Japan in November so Japan isnāt an option.
New Zealand is an option as it is not really hot there, but it is a bit meh, as weād like to explore cities too, not just the nature.
Are there some places in India and China that could be good options?
India is not cool/cold unless you go far north and it takes a long time to get there.
China is cool/ cold this time of year, Beijing and Shanghai are great to visit. Taipei is a nice place and cool this time of year.
Thanks for that. After I posted, I kept looking at our options and realised Tokyo actually makes the most sense, time and budget wise - Tokyo is a mega city and it deserves at least one week to explore the city, and this allows us to skip Tokyo and explore more of Japan in November.
Can vouch for that - was there in Apr/May last year. A great metro system. Fantastic night markets. Some decent half-day/daytrips.
Can easily spend a month in Taiwan, absolutely stunning place. We visited a family friend frequently over there and growing up our son actually visited Taiwan more times than he had visited most of the states in Australia. Hopefully we can get back later this year but I suspect it might be next year now as we have a bit else on this year
Visiting Maximon mid-blessing in Santiago de Atitlan in the Guatemalan highlands. Maximon is a fusion of Mayan & biblical figures, a badly behaved trickster who needs to be kept in booze, cigarettes & money in return for good fortune. The woman on the left is seeking his blessing for her 8 children. The guy with the incense, who ultimately sprays her with alcohol, is the main Shaman advocating on her behalf. Everyone here speaks Mayan as a first language with Spanish a distant second.
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Looking at doing a quick Trip a Deal to China
No visa required, Is this so
Yes, 30 day visa free stays
