hi guys!
my girlfriend and I, (both 18) would like to go on a trip sometime around this year to one of the places listed above. im in italy modelling at the moment and i am so over the cold that i decided to surprise her with this trip when she gets her first break off uni! but anyway, we both have relatively small budgets (uni students) but i dont really know how much money to prepare, seeing as i have never travelled to this part of the world before. we are pretty much looking for pristine beaches, warm clear water and just a relavxing week or two! money is an issue but we can afford to stay in a decent hotel i think. i know i dont know alot haha but this why im asking! any tips would be appreciated. thanks alot guys!
Fiji, Thailand, Cook Islands, Vanuatu or Bali??
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bali is especially nice in june-august... food is very cheap and hotels are affordable... the beaches are so so..
thailand is exceptional and has great beaches in the south..khao lak, samui, krabi and parts of phuket... i'm not sure i would call them pristine, but they are very nice... costs to fit every budget.. all months are good with the exception of late august to mid october..
i can't help you with the other places..
I have been to Fiji, the Cook Islands, Tahiti (I saw on another thread) and Thailand. I have not been to Vanuatu or Bali. Tahiti is way too costly, IMO. Cook Islands are great, but harder to get to. They are not really as pristine as you might want, other than Aitutaki, which is another hour from the main airport in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.
I keep hearing good things about Bali. Not too much about Vanuatu.
Thailand would be easy (easier?) to get to, and you could fly in and out of Bangkok and spend a few days there... my favorite city.
Depending on when you might go, Phi Phi might be a good choice for an island destination in Thailand, or one of the lesser known choices such as Koh Samet (a family member just spent a few days there, and says he can't wait to go back). Do check weather statistics. If you go to an island during the rainy season, you might encounter the red flags along the beach, which means that there are dangerous currents in the water, making it dangerous to go into the sea.
I have been to everywhere you've mentioned except Vanuatu. I would say to cross Fiji off the list because you'll have to go to an expensive outer island for a good beach experience.
The water in the Cooks is absolutely phenomenal, and the island culture truly authentic - like Hawaii 100 years ago. Absolutely ideal family vacation, Aitutaki is like heaven, but might be too quiet for people your age. Also check the weather - might be too chilly if you're going in June or July.
So that leaves Thailand and Bali - both have great backpacker scenes, lots of affordable places to stay. Beaches are nicer in Thailand, but Bali is more exotic w/ awesome culture and much better spring/summer weather.
Also...don't know if you'd consider somewhere in the Americas, but we just returned from Tulum in the Yucatan peninsula (Mexico). Ideal beach and water, almost unreal - like paradise, very affordable, great food and international scene, lots of other models your age! Lots of nonstop flights from Europe. We were with a group of kids/young adults ages 18-24 and they all said it's their favorite Mexican or Caribbean beach destination by far.
It's coming to the end of the rainy season in Bali and you can expect good weather pretty much to the end of the year. Bali has some nice beaches, but they're the big wave, populated type, not pristine and desert island-y. It's a relatively small island with a lot of different activities involving both culture and nature, beach and rain forest, spiritualism and international beach resorts. Good values in accommodation, restaurants, spas, clubs, shops.