Help for Singapore / Sydney / Bali holiday

[Table 6 UK]

Hi

 

Me & the Misses are planning a cruise out of Sydney around New Zealand in Jan/Feb 2022 but we also would like to visit Singapore on our way from Heathrow for about three days - take the cruise (that's the only thing that we have planned and sorted) - then after, spend another three days in and around Sydney - then fly to Bali for another three days - then fly back to Heathrow .

 

Could you give us any tips on flights and hotels and things to see and do, as we have no clue.

 

Many thanks

 

Kev & Alison

[MMDown Under]

3 hours ago, Table 6 UK said:

Hi

 

Me & the Misses are planning a cruise out of Sydney around New Zealand in Jan/Feb 2022 but we also would like to visit Singapore on our way from Heathrow for about three days - take the cruise (that's the only thing that we have planned and sorted) - then after, spend another three days in and around Sydney - then fly to Bali for another three days - then fly back to Heathrow .

 

Could you give us any tips on flights and hotels and things to see and do, as we have no clue.

 

Many thanks

 

Kev & Alison

Like your travel plans, but it is not going easy.  Suggest you wait until the world opens up. At present Aust and NZ borders are closed.  

[Bowm54]

Sounds like a good plan.

You might like to download the Singapore airlines app and play around with multi city routings. We found them very good for a multi city booking 2 years ago.

The Singapore stopover packages they provide are really good value.

 

You have plenty of time to plan as tickets are only available 11 months before departure.

Enjoy the planning.

[OzKiwiJJ]

It's fairly simple to book multi-city flights through most airline websites, and you can experiment with dummy bookings.As Bowm54 says, Singapore airlines would be a great way to start however Sydney to Bali then Bali to Heathrow may involve transiting through Singapore each time.

 

However there is no guarantee that visitors from the UK will be permitted into Australia early in 2022. At the moment our borders are closed and probably won't reopen to countries other than NZ and some South Pacific countries before the end of 2021. Even then it will be on a country to country basis depending on how that country has dealt with the pandemic. 

 

I seriously suggest you plan your trip for 2023 instead of 2022. Hopefully the world will be settling back into some semblance of normality by then.

[Table 6 UK]

Thanks very much for your replies.

I was hoping that the Australian ports would have be open by the spring of 2022 - but from what you have said maybe not (are the ports closed to commercial shipping too?)

Does the same apply to New Zealand ports also?

 

I will check Singapore Airlines - does their stop overs include Sydney & Bali?

 

What would you suggest would be the best way of checking the status of the ports as we go along through the year?

 

Many thanks again.

 

K & A

[MMDown Under]

6 hours ago, Table 6 UK said:

Thanks very much for your replies.

I was hoping that the Australian ports would have be open by the spring of 2022 - but from what you have said maybe not (are the ports closed to commercial shipping too?)

Does the same apply to New Zealand ports also?

I will check Singapore Airlines - does their stop overs include Sydney & Bali?

What would you suggest would be the best way of checking the status of the ports as we go along through the year?

Many thanks again.

K & A

Australian ports are open to commercial shipping.  If crew are tested to be positive, they are transferred to hospitals.  Otherwise all crew must stay on their ship. 

Once our Federal Government opens borders to overseas visitors, and overseas cruise ships, I suspect all ports will be open.  

Same would apply to NZ ports, at this stage.  

[Aus Traveller]

10 hours ago, Table 6 UK said:

Thanks very much for your replies.

I was hoping that the Australian ports would have be open by the spring of 2022 - but from what you have said maybe not (are the ports closed to commercial shipping too?)

Does the same apply to New Zealand ports also?

 

I will check Singapore Airlines - does their stop overs include Sydney & Bali?

 

What would you suggest would be the best way of checking the status of the ports as we go along through the year?

 

Many thanks again.

 

K & A

Australian ports could be open by the spring of 2022 - in the southern hemisphere that would be September 2022. If there is an effective vaccine available in 2021, I feel it is likely cruising will restart by the end of 2021. We don't know if the Aust government will open its borders if there isn't a vaccine and if there is, visitors will probably have to show proof of vaccination.

 

I doubt that Singapore Airlines would have a flight from S'pore to Sydney with a stopover in Bali, but they are likely to have these as separate flights (once international travel gets under way again).

 

We have been to Bali at least a dozen times on cruises. From a personal point of view, I don't know why you want to go there😁. I much prefer the Pacific Islands (Fiji, Vanuatu or the Cook Islands) for either a visit by air or on a cruise from Australia. These cruises are not expensive. I don't find Bali attractive (either the scenery or the experience). I don't like the constant badgering for the visitor to buy stuff with up to six people all trying to get your attention so you will buy whatever. I can't even think with them trying to talk over each other. This is just my personal opinion. 

[christodan]

1 hour ago, Aus Traveller said:

We have been to Bali at least a dozen times on cruises. From a personal point of view, I don't know why you want to go there😁. I much prefer the Pacific Islands (Fiji, Vanuatu or the Cook Islands) for either a visit by air or on a cruise from Australia. These cruises are not expensive. I don't find Bali attractive (either the scenery or the experience). I don't like the constant badgering for the visitor to buy stuff with up to six people all trying to get your attention so you will buy whatever. I can't even think with them trying to talk over each other. This is just my personal opinion. 

 

Yes opinions on Bali are pretty divisive. You know over here, Table 6, Bali is probably your Spain. Not that I have been to Spain, but Bali is a cheap destination where lots of Aussies go to drink and party, which is what I think the English go to Spain for. In other words, it's not Eat, Pray, Love. 

I went to Bali once. I was glad I did it but I have no desire to return. That said, I have family members who love it there. They hire a villa and have a live in cook and just lie around the pool all day. Personally I find that boring. Each to their own. 

[Aus Traveller]

2 minutes ago, christodan said:

 

Yes opinions on Bali are pretty divisive. You know over here, Table 6, Bali is probably your Spain. Not that I have been to Spain, but Bali is a cheap destination where lots of Aussies go to drink and party, which is what I think the English go to Spain for. In other words, it's not Eat, Pray, Love. 

I went to Bali once. I was glad I did it but I have no desire to return. That said, I have family members who love it there. They hire a villa and have a live in cook and just lie around the pool all day. Personally I find that boring. Each to their own. 

I prefer Spain to Bali. 🙂 I agree that the Aussies who love Bali may go for the partying, nightclubs and (as you say) lying around a pool and drinking.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Bali has too much air pollution these days. We stopped there on a cruise in  2016. We didn't bother getting off the ship as the air looked so bad.

[Docker123]

look at Garuda Airlines for flights from Singapore to Bali to Sydney.

 

[Roger88]

3 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Bali has too much air pollution these days. We stopped there on a cruise in  2016. We didn't bother getting off the ship as the air looked so bad.

All major cities these days have a pollution problem. The Earth itself  is polluted so bad that the only place where you can really hide from it is Maldives islands or something.. Fidji maybe. In any case, You could try wearing a mask btw or avoid places by the sea 

[Aus Traveller]

15 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

All major cities these days have a pollution problem. The Earth itself  is polluted so bad that the only place where you can really hide from it is Maldives islands or something.. Fidji maybe. In any case, You could try wearing a mask btw or avoid places by the sea 

The ports in Bali that the ships visit aren't major cities.

[OzKiwiJJ]

18 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

All major cities these days have a pollution problem. The Earth itself  is polluted so bad that the only place where you can really hide from it is Maldives islands or something.. Fidji maybe. In any case, You could try wearing a mask btw or avoid places by the sea 

The major issue that causes much of the pollution in SE Asia is the burning of forests for palm tree plantations for palm oil production

 

Most of the South Pacific islands have little or no pollution. It is a pleasure to visit them and i am looking forward to going to some of those again once cruising restarts down under.

 

Australia and NZ also have relatively low levels of pollution compared with many other countries. Not perfect, and some days are worse than others in the big cities.

 

It's a hard to avoid places by the sea when you're on a cruise.🤣 Anyway coastal regions in our part of the world often have lower pollution than inland places as the sea breezes clear the air - unless there are major bushfires around, of course. Hopefully we will be spared that this year.

[Table 6 UK]

OK Everyone - many thanks for the replies, So this typical UK guys winter (February) thoughts about a distant, idyllic, tropical paradise may not be true? (although the web-site photos of the hotel that has been suggested to us by our possible travel agent looks superb) but it maybe not all it seems to be?

 

I looked on the Singapore Airlines web-site and they are not posting any relevant flights/stop overs at the present time due to Covide restrictions. Do they provide stop over hotels as well as flights?

 

Regarding the Cook Islands - is it true to say then, that they would be a better choice than Bali from the tropical paradise/beautiful beaches point of view maybe?

Are the flights times better than SYD-BALI or any more direct flying back to the U.K? 

 

Thanks again

K&A

 

[possum52]

2 hours ago, Table 6 UK said:

OK Everyone - many thanks for the replies, So this typical UK guys winter (February) thoughts about a distant, idyllic, tropical paradise may not be true? (although the web-site photos of the hotel that has been suggested to us by our possible travel agent looks superb) but it maybe not all it seems to be?

 

I looked on the Singapore Airlines web-site and they are not posting any relevant flights/stop overs at the present time due to Covide restrictions. Do they provide stop over hotels as well as flights?

 

Regarding the Cook Islands - is it true to say then, that they would be a better choice than Bali from the tropical paradise/beautiful beaches point of view maybe?

Are the flights times better than SYD-BALI or any more direct flying back to the U.K? 

 

Thanks again

K&A

 

If all you want from Bali is to stay at a resort and not do much more, that would fine. My former boss is married to a Balinese and they usually have a month in Bali each year and spend half their time with family and the other at a resort. Cook Islands are a bit more remote and not many flights from anywhere. You would have to fly back to Sydney or to Auckland before flying back to the UK. 

 

This link may help - Flights to Cook Island

Have you thought about Thailand? Many Australians holiday there and there plenty of great resorts.

 

Leigh

Edited November 9, 2020 by possum52

[MMDown Under]

2 hours ago, Table 6 UK said:

OK Everyone - many thanks for the replies, So this typical UK guys winter (February) thoughts about a distant, idyllic, tropical paradise may not be true? (although the web-site photos of the hotel that has been suggested to us by our possible travel agent looks superb) but it maybe not all it seems to be?

I looked on the Singapore Airlines web-site and they are not posting any relevant flights/stop overs at the present time due to Covide restrictions. Do they provide stop over hotels as well as flights?

Regarding the Cook Islands - is it true to say then, that they would be a better choice than Bali from the tropical paradise/beautiful beaches point of view maybe?

Are the flights times better than SYD-BALI or any more direct flying back to the U.K? 

Thanks again

K&A

Yes Singapore Airlines do have flight and accommodation packages.  You can also use tourist bus in Singapore for free.

You might like to consider Aitutaki, Cook Islands, which has beautiful small islands around the aqua lagoon.  Love this place!  Choose accommodation near village to interact with local islanders, who dance and sing like angels.  

[Aus Traveller]

Your choice on where to go would depend on what you want to see or experience. If you want to spend your time in a luxurious hotel, lounging around the pool with a drink in your hand Bali would be fine as would Thailand. If you want to experience an idyllic South Pacific island, I do not feel Bali would 'fit the bill'. Vanuatu, New Caledonia or Fiji are beautiful idyllic South Pacific islands where you can stay in a lovely hotel, but also experience the islands. I mentioned the Cook Islands because they are gorgeous and not so many tourists go there.

 

For any of these places, you would need to fly back to Australia before heading back to the UK, but I feel it would be worth it.

[lyndarra]

Things are not good in Bali atm. There was an item on the telly last night showing deserted streets, boarded up shops. Empty, ransacked hotels. They are trying to get local tourism going for Indonesians.

[christodan]

On 11/10/2020 at 6:52 AM, Table 6 UK said:

OK Everyone - many thanks for the replies, So this typical UK guys winter (February) thoughts about a distant, idyllic, tropical paradise may not be true? (although the web-site photos of the hotel that has been suggested to us by our possible travel agent looks superb) but it maybe not all it seems to be?

 

If you are in the resorts then, yes it is idyllic. However, this is somewhat artificial and once you step outside the resort's property, then, you see the 'real' Bali, with its hawkers, stray dogs, lots of motorbikes, and swarms of tourists ( well not now obviously). I have somewhat mixed feelings about Bali. It is an amazing place, but for me there are an equal number of positives and negatives. Obviously too, for us Australians, Bali is really not that exotic, as pretty much everyone here goes there.

You should talk to someone who knows Bali really well (some Bali forum), as the place keeps changing. I went there about 25 years ago. Back then, for example,  Ubud was a great out of the way place with hardly any tourists, and you could not get a coffee (well I did get the local style of coffee). Now I hear it is awful and overrun by tourists. 

[Suzbluz]

I went to Singapore in February and did it to death. Are you on Facebook? If you are I’m happy for you to look at my posts as I documented it all there rather than write it all again.  I went to all the high lights and happy to give you more information. Let me know and I’ll give you the details. My brother went to Bali last year and went somewhere away from the tourist areas and loved it and I can find out where that was too if you like. I haven’t been to Cook Islands. I was supposed to go in June but I’ve only heard good things. 

[YORKI1]

On 11/9/2020 at 7:52 PM, Table 6 UK said:

OK Everyone - many thanks for the replies, So this typical UK guys winter (February) thoughts about a distant, idyllic, tropical paradise may not be true? (although the web-site photos of the hotel that has been suggested to us by our possible travel agent looks superb) but it maybe not all it seems to be?

 

I looked on the Singapore Airlines web-site and they are not posting any relevant flights/stop overs at the present time due to Covide restrictions. Do they provide stop over hotels as well as flights?

 

Regarding the Cook Islands - is it true to say then, that they would be a better choice than Bali from the tropical paradise/beautiful beaches point of view maybe?

Are the flights times better than SYD-BALI or any more direct flying back to the U.K? 

 

Thanks again

K&A

 

I went to Bali about 10 years ago and loved it. So beautiful and interesting. Trust me, Bali is NOTHING like Spain. My opinion - go for it. 

Edited November 11, 2020 by YORKI1
Error

[Table 6 UK]

2 hours ago, Suzbluz said:

I went to Singapore in February and did it to death. Are you on Facebook? If you are I’m happy for you to look at my posts as I documented it all there rather than write it all again.  I went to all the high lights and happy to give you more information. Let me know and I’ll give you the details. My brother went to Bali last year and went somewhere away from the tourist areas and loved it and I can find out where that was too if you like. I haven’t been to Cook Islands. I was supposed to go in June but I’ve only heard good things. 

Thanks Suzbluz - may I take you up on your offer please? P.M. me on Facebook if its easier

Kevan Bullock

[Table 6 UK]

1 hour ago, YORKI1 said:

I went to Bali about 10 years ago and loved it. So beautiful and interesting. Trust me, Bali is NOTHING like Spain. My opinion - go for it. 

Interesting to see your comment YORKI1 - I was hoping someone might come up with something positive - just in case we can`t make up our minds .  .  .

[Table 6 UK]

15 hours ago, lyndarra said:

Things are not good in Bali atm. There was an item on the telly last night showing deserted streets, boarded up shops. Empty, ransacked hotels. They are trying to get local tourism going for Indonesians.

Oh dear - hope things will get better in 15 months time - if we decide to go there. Thanks for your comments.