4 months in Asia - travel highlights and experience ideas sought

Jesper

Myself and wife are going to travel Asia from May-Sep this year.
Flash packing but we can treat ourselves if needed. Both early 30's.

I've spent 8 months in Asia before bare bones backpacking but this will be different as safety will be an issue and we will be able to treat ourselves if something comes along we might want.

We are looking for ideas like yoga weeks, cooking classes, martial arts training, motor bike routes etc.

duffman13

Jesper wrote: »

Myself and wife are going to travel Asia from May-Sep this year.
Flash packing but we can treat ourselves if needed. Both early 30's.

I've spent 8 months in Asia before bare bones backpacking but this will be different as safety will be an issue and we will be able to treat ourselves if something comes along we might want.

We are looking for ideas like yoga weeks, cooking classes, martial arts training, motor bike routes etc.

What part of Asia? I'd highly recommend the Phillipines as something a little different more water based activities but an amazing country, somewhat difficult to get around.

If you've spent 8 months there you probably know most of the main places but Vietnam is cracking place to get around on a bike. Ubud in Bali or Northern India are both hotspots for Yoga. Cooking classes are hit and miss, Thai and Indian are the best ones IMO. Northern Thailand is particularly good for cooking classes. Not much on the martial arts stuff but i meet people in Phuket and Bali going martial arts retreats for a couple of weeks but didn't have the money to do one.

Sri Lanka is a great country aswell if you haven't been, people are great and it's insanely cheap.

Jesper

duffman13 wrote: »

Jesper wrote: »

Myself and wife are going to travel Asia from May-Sep this year.
Flash packing but we can treat ourselves if needed. Both early 30's.

I've spent 8 months in Asia before bare bones backpacking but this will be different as safety will be an issue and we will be able to treat ourselves if something comes along we might want.

We are looking for ideas like yoga weeks, cooking classes, martial arts training, motor bike routes etc.

What part of Asia? I'd highly recommend the Phillipines as something a little different more water based activities but an amazing country, somewhat difficult to get around.

If you've spent 8 months there you probably know most of the main places but Vietnam is cracking place to get around on a bike. Ubud in Bali or Northern India are both hotspots for Yoga. Cooking classes are hit and miss, Thai and Indian are the best ones IMO. Northern Thailand is particularly good for cooking classes. Not much on the martial arts stuff but i meet people in Phuket and Bali going martial arts retreats for a couple of weeks but didn't have the money to do one.

Sri Lanka is a great country aswell if you haven't been, people are great and it's insanely cheap.

Hi Duffman,
I've been to the Philippines. spent 6 weeks there before - travel and some aid work. Amazing country for good and bad but definitely the best people I've ever met as a country. 
I never got to go to Palawan (typhoons etc.) so I am hoping to get there this time. Getting mixed messages on Puerto Princess or El. Nino. Both get Amazing and Awful reviews in the same column. Have you been? 
We are spending the first fothnight in Malaysia and will probably go from Penang to Bangkok and almost straight onto Chiang Mai. From Chiang Mai we are unsure where to go next. Hong Kong is very cheap direct flight surprisingly. We are hoping to get a few weeks in Sri Lanka as well. It's left hand drive so might even rent a car over there. 
Bali for yoga is something we hadn't thought of. I'll give it a look.

MarkY91

Jesper wrote: »

duffman13 wrote: »

Jesper wrote: »

Myself and wife are going to travel Asia from May-Sep this year.
Flash packing but we can treat ourselves if needed. Both early 30's.

I've spent 8 months in Asia before bare bones backpacking but this will be different as safety will be an issue and we will be able to treat ourselves if something comes along we might want.

We are looking for ideas like yoga weeks, cooking classes, martial arts training, motor bike routes etc.

What part of Asia? I'd highly recommend the Phillipines as something a little different more water based activities but an amazing country, somewhat difficult to get around.

If you've spent 8 months there you probably know most of the main places but Vietnam is cracking place to get around on a bike. Ubud in Bali or Northern India are both hotspots for Yoga. Cooking classes are hit and miss, Thai and Indian are the best ones IMO. Northern Thailand is particularly good for cooking classes. Not much on the martial arts stuff but i meet people in Phuket and Bali going martial arts retreats for a couple of weeks but didn't have the money to do one.

Sri Lanka is a great country aswell if you haven't been, people are great and it's insanely cheap.

Hi Duffman,
I've been to the Philippines. spent 6 weeks there before - travel and some aid work. Amazing country for good and bad but definitely the best people I've ever met as a country. 
I never got to go to Palawan (typhoons etc.) so I am hoping to get there this time. Getting mixed messages on Puerto Princess or El. Nino. Both get Amazing and Awful reviews in the same column. Have you been? 
We are spending the first fothnight in Malaysia and will probably go from Penang to Bangkok and almost straight onto Chiang Mai. From Chiang Mai we are unsure where to go next. Hong Kong is very cheap direct flight surprisingly. We are hoping to get a few weeks in Sri Lanka as well. It's left hand drive so might even rent a car over there. 
Bali for yoga is something we hadn't thought of. I'll give it a look.

I've been to El Nido.

The town is an absolute kip. Nothing to do at all. The island tours are decent but not as good as I had hoped. My highlight was snorkelling during times the boat tour had stopped.

Make sure you fly into El Nido and not Puerto princesa as you'll have a 5 to 6 hour mini van ride to El nido.

I recommend el Nido but I wouldn't say to go back to Philippines solely for that. Probably my most enjoyable beach/sea experience in Philippines was anawangin in zambales. It's about 6 hours north west of manila.

duffman13

Jesper wrote: »

Hi Duffman,
I've been to the Philippines. spent 6 weeks there before - travel and some aid work. Amazing country for good and bad but definitely the best people I've ever met as a country. 
I never got to go to Palawan (typhoons etc.) so I am hoping to get there this time. Getting mixed messages on Puerto Princess or El. Nino. Both get Amazing and Awful reviews in the same column. Have you been? 
We are spending the first fothnight in Malaysia and will probably go from Penang to Bangkok and almost straight onto Chiang Mai. From Chiang Mai we are unsure where to go next. Hong Kong is very cheap direct flight surprisingly. We are hoping to get a few weeks in Sri Lanka as well. It's left hand drive so might even rent a car over there. 
Bali for yoga is something we hadn't thought of. I'll give it a look.

Yeah Puerto prinsesca is definitely more ready for tourists, El Nido is extremely beautiful place but very rustic, a few resorts beginning to pop up but if youve the time and patience id pump for El Nido particularly while it's not taken off to the extent of PP. The people are fantastic and great fun.

Chiang Mai and Pai were two my favoirite places so definitely sounds good. Chiang Mai is an airasia hub so I'd presume you'll get pretty much anywhere realtively cheaply.

Sri Lanka was probably the only place in the world where the people were more welcoming than even the Phillipines. Price wise it's so cheap, it's extremely seasonal but either the east or west coast is always in season. Some great safari options and brilliant historical sites.

I've said Bali but if your in Sri Lanka you might get somewhere to do yoga or even in India which is only a short flight.

Sounds like a great trip you've got ahead.