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PS. For those interested in Tioman and Redang, SKS Airways are worth checking out.
I am looking at the Tanjong Jara Resort in Terengganu. Has anyone been there?
I love that place! The beach in particular is fantastic. The rooms are perhaps showing their age a bit now, but I didn’t mind that – traditional rustic charm etc 😉 If your expectations are high-end brand-new business hotel you’ll be disappointed, but if you want something simple, authentic, relaxing, and generally wonderful, you’ll love it. If you get the suite at the far left end of the beach (as you face the sea), furthest from the main pool (NB there’s a separate adults-only pool), that’s a wonderful little hideaway.
Takes about 4 hours to drive across from KL, or you can fly to Terrenganu airport and taxi from there.
How was the food? I stayed before at Pangkor Laut which is the same group and I really liked it hence booking Tanjong Jara but was put off by my friends report !
PS. For those interested in Tioman and Redang, SKS Airways are worth checking out.
Interesting ! The airline that went there used to be (maybe still is as well) Berjaya air. But they were vv expensive especially out of Singapore. But this looks pretty reasonable!
How was the food? I stayed before at Pangkor Laut which is the same group and I really liked it hence booking Tanjong Jara but was put off by my friends report !
The main restaurant, Di Atas Sungei, where Chef Ann basically tells you what you can have ;-), is superb. Breakfast also was excellent. The only disappointment on my last visit compared to my first some years prior was that the other restaurant, which I recall being fish-focussed and excellent, seems to have pivoted to more western pizzas-and-burgers fare…
PS. For those interested in Tioman and Redang, SKS Airways are worth checking out.
Interesting ! The airline that went there used to be (maybe still is as well) Berjaya air. But they were vv expensive especially out of Singapore. But this looks pretty reasonable!
They fly those little Twin Otter planes – great fun (so long as you’re not scared of flying 😉 Sit at the front and you can see right into the flight deck and out through the front windscreen 🙂 Has a nice ‘family business’ kind of vibe to the operation also. I was impressed with them.
Thank you very much! This is all very helpful. I am not familiar with SKS Airways so will look into that. I will do some further research into Tanjong Jara and also Koh Samui. @SamG – any hotel recommendations for Koh Samui please?
We either stayed in a villa (my favourite one went v upmarket and is now £700+ pn 😭) or at the Conrad via buying hilton points but I suspect that isn’t good value these days. I prefer the area around Chaweng as it’s close by to everything. Luxury escapes secret escapes etc often have good packages that are worth checking out
We either stayed in a villa (my favourite one went v upmarket and is now £700+ pn 😭) or at the Conrad via buying hilton points but I suspect that isn’t good value these days. I prefer the area around Chaweng as it’s close by to everything. Luxury escapes secret escapes etc often have good packages that are worth checking out
Wow! £700 pn is definitely out of my budget! I don’t have any hotel status so points are not an option. Will check out Chaweng options thank you. I have also been told that Koh Tao is worth a visit for snorkeling and diving so will consider that do.
I should add to this topic that 25k Alaska miles (40k amex MR-60k Bonvoy-25k Alaska miles) gets an intra-SE Asia business class seat on SQ including connections X-SIN-Y. Availability is generally very good. Economy class is 17k miles, not so good given fares on LCC.
That’s a good deal. Does it include stopover at SIN?
I remember reading Krisflyer members frustrated at loss of award inventory recently after the tie up with Alaska.I should add to this topic that 25k Alaska miles (40k amex MR-60k Bonvoy-25k Alaska miles) gets an intra-SE Asia business class seat on SQ including connections X-SIN-Y. Availability is generally very good. Economy class is 17k miles, not so good given fares on LCC.
That’s a good deal. Does it include stopover at SIN?
I remember reading Krisflyer members frustrated at loss of award inventory recently after the tie up with Alaska.Sadly not because Alaska MP does not allow stopovers within regions, only between them. Note also, my understanding is awards are now supposedly dynamic but any intra-Asia I have searched recently are still showing the old levels I quoted it is possible that this could change. @Lyn is good on Alaska MP and may have something more useful to add. Despite the limitations, this is still a good award IMO for anybody contemplating paying over £400 for a regional business class seat. Could be especially valuable for peak dates or booking at short notice if the dynamic pricing does not come along and ruin it all.
Is it possible to fly direct from HKG to Koh Samui (preferably with a LCC)? Skyscanner is not showing any options.
Is it possible to fly direct from HKG to Koh Samui (preferably with a LCC)? Skyscanner is not showing any options.
Bangkok airways does or at least used to fly the route and long hops can be good value with a discovery airpass, 3 sectors required
https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230512-pgjul23hkg
Apparently Bangkok airways might fly from HKG.
Is it possible to fly direct from HKG to Koh Samui (preferably with a LCC)? Skyscanner is not showing any options.
Nope. The airport is owned by Bangkok airways and they have a monopoly on the flights.
Is it possible to fly direct from HKG to Koh Samui (preferably with a LCC)? Skyscanner is not showing any options.
Bangkok airways does or at least used to fly the route and long hops can be good value with a discovery airpass, 3 sectors required
Thank you! I just checked fares with Bangkok Airways for June 2024 to get an idea of prices and it is expensive – GBP 1500 for 4 adult tickets HKG – Koh Samui – HKG!
@FH2, you’re getting good advice here and having options, exploring them all and keeping them open is wise given your ultimate chouce will depend on reward availability. However, if I’m reading your comnents correctly, your primary requirement is diving and relaxation, and that your budget is not unlimited. Combining all these it is desirable to keep flying to a minimum for the diving and to mavimise lijligood of getting rewards and jeeping costs down.some of places mentioned and suggestions made are focussed on upper mid range to high end resorts and hotels which I don’t get the impression you are looking for. In most if the places it is possible to find even budget options that are perfectly clean and adequate for a comfortable stay, this being Asia. However, be aware that in HK at the moment room rates are high and I’m guessing the same in Singapore.
Regarding Bangkok Airways, yes the HK fliggts are restarting. I’ve had 4 flights boojed with Bangkok Airways this year. Two have been cancelled effectively doubling my costs while a 4rd has been subject to a 2h schedule change. Consequently I am done with them. You cab take LCC flights to Surat Thani and take the ferry from there to Tao/Samui but that’s more flying again. Based on what you have been discussing so far I think the simpkest and best option is to get to Singapore direct then Bali/Lombok. Alternatively SIN plus Phuket or Krabi (both easy from SIN with LCC so cheaper than Samui) for diving in southern Andaman.
Despite all that I believe there is a better, cheaper, and even more exotic option you could consider provided you can get reward availability – Nicobar. Try to get award seats to Chenai or Delhi then IndiGo revenue flights to Port Blair. From there it’s a shirt ferry ride to Havelock Island.
Phuket is worth looking into on the understanding it is wet season and the weather potentially won’t be great. I’ve been to Phuket in June and haven’t seen the sun in the whole 4 days. Which may upset some people on their summer holiday! But you’ll absolutely get cheaper flights and more possibilities for accommodation. I understand that diving & boat trips etc are are still possible but need to be a bit flexible.
Personally I wouldn’t advice Krabi etc out of season, it’ll be very quiet and I believe that it rains more there.
But I agree that ideally you’d get Singapore flights and go to Bali/Lombok. Best chance of good weather and inexpensive flights from Singapore
Overlooked that trip was British summer. Yes indeed an issue for both pleasure and diving.
Thanks this is all very useful. Based on the comments here and the research I have done in the last few days I agree that Singapore/Bali/Lombok would be best for us so am really hoping that I manage to get the BA reward flights to SIN and back. @BJ you are correct that the budget is not unlimited! I am happy to pay for a high-end resort for the beach part of the trip (GBP 400-500 per night) and for the city parts I will be looking into options for around £200-300 per night. I am hoping to keep internal flight costs down by using LCCs.
@SamG – I did consider Phuket but the weather put me off. I really appreciate all the advice I have been given here. Once/if (!) I secure the BA flights, I will no doubt be back here for more tips!In case this is of use, and with the caveat that it may well have been fixed by the time you read this, but if you were to book your return flight as a cash fare from Bali through to London on Malaysia Airlines (eg if you can only find outbound to SIN with Avios), the intern has been let loose and there are some rather interesting earning opportunities in MH’s Enrich programme. Even more so if you can book return DPS-LHR-DPS. Only works if your booking starts from Indonesia though. Eg. c.0.5 million points for one-way in Biz, 1-1.5m for return… Also works to Australia – basically anywhere ex-Indonesia.
In case this is of use, and with the caveat that it may well have been fixed by the time you read this, but if you were to book your return flight as a cash fare from Bali through to London on Malaysia Airlines (eg if you can only find outbound to SIN with Avios), the intern has been let loose and there are some rather interesting earning opportunities in MH’s Enrich programme. Even more so if you can book return DPS-LHR-DPS. Only works if your booking starts from Indonesia though. Eg. c.0.5 million points for one-way in Biz, 1-1.5m for return… Also works to Australia – basically anywhere ex-Indonesia.
@Jon thank you. I am planning to use Amex 241 companion vouchers so don’t want them to go to waste by only using for the outbound leg. But thanks for the tip – may have to consider this if i do not manage to get the Avios seats.
Has anyone mentioned Air Asia yet? Air Asia is a great budget airline with a huge network for getting around Asia.
I booked one way flights to SIN last night with 241, i thought it a bit bizarre that there was more availability from GLA than EDI. If i dont get the return leg sorted with BA from SIN, then i’ll either return from HKG with BA, or splurge the avios on QR (from most airports!).
There are usually a few options for KUL to HKG with CX and MAS and decent enough value redemptions. I did the route with avios a long time ago in MAS A380 First Class, which was nice (it no longer runs), and another time in a CX 777 where they used the long haul version and i got sat in the First class cabin on a avios Biz redemption.
I am happy to pay for a high-end resort for the beach part of the trip (GBP 400-500 per night) and for the city parts I will be looking into options for around £200-300 per night. I am hoping to keep internal flight costs down by using LCCs.
Just on this, you might find that if you pick an independent beach resort (combine Tripadvisor research with something like Trivago to find the sweet spot price wise) you’ll get far better value, which will in turn free up some money for the time you spend in the City. Singapore is crazy expensive now even for properties which I’d put in the top half of the mid-range category, although it does look as if some prices are coming down if you’re booking just a couple of weeks out.
@Numpty thanks. Air Asia has been mentioned on here. I don’t have enough Avios to book 4 journeys back without using our 2 companion vouchers so QR isn’t an option sadly. I may have to consider HKG to LHR inbound but I am concerned the inter Asia flights will be expensive.
@The real Swiss Tony: thanks I will research hotels once I know for sure where we are going! I had assumed that £200-£300 per night would get us a decent mid range hotel in Singapore but maybe I am wrong! I don’t think I would have the nerve to hold out to booking a couple of weeks out – I usually tend to book holidays many months in advance!
We ended up buying IHG points in the 100% promo as that came in at something like us$190 a night for the intercontinental Robertson Quay. So I’d definitely keep an eye out for points offers.
I see the Park Royal on Pickering is now showing at £130/nt for the dates of our stay at the start of next month. Had that been on offer months ago I might have been tempted.
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