Where to spend Christmas/NYE in SE Asia?

Vim Fuego

Girlfriend & I in Thailand at the moment, heading to Laos next week for a month or so, then down to the South Thai islands for up to 2 months (max stay allowed by our visa). After that we plan to go to Malaysia & that should take us beyond Christmas and into the new year.

Our initial plan was to stay somewhere decent on the islands as a bit of a Christmas treat to ourselves but having looked at prices today, it looks wildly expensive to do so. We don't need the place to be Christmassy or party-central, we just need it to be nice, relaxing and affordable.

Anybody got any tips for spending Christmas/New Year over here? We feel that it's busy season around this time so we'll have to book ahead for this one, which kinda goes against our style so far.

Thanks in advance!

gustafo

Ko lanta hard to be beaten that time of year, super beaches nice and lively beach bars but not totally jam packed and cheap enough accom

beagle001

Agree ko lanta is nice for a week,not the friendliest of Thai islands but still very nice to spend time.
If yee get to any island in time yee can sniff out the better deals on accomodation,it wil not be full even in the major resorts and you will hardly know its Christmas except for the bars but it sure is nice waking up to a bit of heat.
If you want to check out small Koh chang on the west of Thailand I spent a few Christmas there it was super private and quiet but a bit of a trek to get to and really under developed think 200 baht for a little bungalow.

Whitehawk

anyone know where best to spend xmas if you around japan or S.korea?

Vim Fuego

Thanks for the recommends folks. The kohs are all working out pretty expensive, even to book now. We've found a decent place/price in Lombok so we may try and make our way there for Christmas. Open to other suggests by all means though.