Where is Paradise?

Hi, hopefully someone can help me with my next vacation. My boyfriend and I are looking for (you guessed!) Paradise. Basically, blue water, private beach, fresh fruit, private living ON the beach. I guess you can say a private little bungalow with accomodations. We're definitly NOT looking for any big resort/all-inclusive/huge pools with a million lounge chairs. Something very quiet, private and relaxing. But of course, there's a line. I don't wan't to fend for myself and climb trees for coconuts or anything. Something somewhat monitored. Does NOT have to be in the Caribbean, I just had to pick a continent for the thread! Anywhere in the world where it is hot in February. So does this place really exist, or only in our heads? Reply to this

Something like this photo? or it's bigger brother.

The Perhentian Islands in Malaysia are some of my favourites... Besar is the quieter one...

Then I went over to Borneo and found places that are even more undisturbed, then there are the Thai Islands, Koh Lak, Phi Phi, Phangnan, Tao, Chang - all have beaches or smaller islands that are like you describe away from the popular backpacker hangouts - and there are even more paradises in Indonesia.

Then we have Fiji.... the list goes on and on 😊 Reply to this

In Koh phi phi in Thailand (which I didnt find so remote or undisturbed in general?) You can go to the other side of the island by taxiboat, to a little smaller beach called Rantee beach. When I was there, only one place to live, bungalows on the beach and one "restaurant" on the beach. I think all in all there is rooms for maybe 10 people, so you will definitely have the place somewhat to yourselves. The guys working in the restaurant are extremely friendly and funny and after 22 at night, there is no electricity or cold bears. (The iceblock they get in the morning is melted by then). You can also hike across the island - there is a trail and a view post on the top - its brilliant!
To me this was paradise... I know that the place was hit by the tsunami, but I am almost certain that they are up and running again, and could probably need the support.

I thought of another important question - should we share our "secrets" of places we've been - the ones that are remote and untouched by tourism?? Or better to leave them undisturbed untill the next tourist discovers it by chance? Personally I think it depends on wether the locals want more or less people there....

Sara

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Well paradise is defferent to different people. The paradise you described obviously is the tropical beach paradise. The one I am going to suggest might be not EXACTLY what your envisioning but to me it is complete paradise.

The tiny little town of Vang Vieng in Laos is possibly one of my favourite places for relaxing on earth. At the foot of breathtaking tropical mountains and sitting on the edge of the gorgeous Nam Song River, Vang Vieng is stunning. Laos is one of the poorest countries on earth and the infastructre is a little rough but that doesn't seem to bother the locals who are some of the friendliest I have ever met. There are a range of very good quality accomodations that are dirt cheap, my mate and I payed $2 each a night in Vang Vieng. There is a small bar on an island sitting in the middle of the Nam Song River that is accessible by a rickerty woodern bridge. There are about 4 hammocks where you can kick back with a drink and indulge in the views of the mountains and the river. You will see people floating down the river in big rubber tubes. This is Vang Vieng's most famous activity. Starting further up stream, you get dropped off with your tube and you casually float down the river. Every short distance there is a "bar" (or rather a small area where locals have beer for sale) they will pull you in by long woodern sticks. Some bars have swings into the river and other activites available. All the time you are dwarfed by the craggy mountians towering above you. There are other activites like hikes into the mountains where numerous caves await you or you could hire a bike for next to nothing and take a scenic ride around town. The beauty is that Vang Vieng is just a few hours from both the capital Vientiane and the other major town Luang Prabang. Both are very relaxing themselves and home to a whole host of temples and magnificent culture. Plus, you would most likely come from or end up in Thailand which has world famous beaches.

So there might not be a beach and it may not be the usual stereotypical paradise. However, if your after something a bit different, the friendliest locals you could ever meet, something dirt cheap and a wonderful culture, Vang Vieng and Laos is paradise to me.

If you wanna see more, you can check out my blog here. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/Vang-Vieng/blog-24966.html
and here
http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/Luang-Prabang/blog-25692.html

ENJOY! Reply to this

Phu Quoc off the South West coast of Vietnam....not sure about high season but at this time of the year we rarely saw other tourists. We had entire white sand beaches to ourselves, ate glorious seafood, stayed on the beach in a cheap bungalow with balconies and hammocks. We are currently travelling around south east Asia and this is as close to heaven as we found. There are I believe only 2 posh resorts on the island and apparently a cruise ship comes in on Saturdays (we saw none of this...again maybe because it was low season). You can fly from HCMC (Saigon) for about $50 if you are short on time or tour the Mekong Delta and catch a ferry (Hydrofoil) from Rach Gia. Reply to this

Paradise is being home at Christmas with mum and dad. Having a real cup of English tea. Watching the Bond film on Christmas Day. Having a real good portion of fish and chips with mushy peas. Being in my favourite country pub with my best mates from schooldays....

When you've been traveling 20 years to over 70 countries, looking for paradise..... you end up finding it where you first started out from - home. Reply to this

Surely some one must have said Bali ... Reply to this

hey, Kenya!

Paradise as paradise was before everything got all messed up! Reply to this

Well, "paradise" is different to each person, I am the owner of a Tour Operator in Costa Rica www.costaricadelights.com, and for me Costa Rica is a great paradise, and believe we can find that place for you, specially on the Pacific side of Costa Rica.
Contact us (meche@costaricadelights.com) , and I will be more than happy to assit you in your looking for paradise... Reply to this

I agree with you the Andaman Islands is defiantly a "paradise".


Thanks,
John
www.travelplans.tv
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