Going away for CNY 2019, any suggestions?

Travel Taiwan Travel
1

Hi all,

Its coming up to my first full year here in Taiwan, and I would like to get a few ideas rolling for where I should go on holiday for Chinese New Year.

I’ve been told by countless people that Taiwan sucks around Chinese New Year. Shops closed, popular tourist attractions overpopulated. So this leads me to think about going away.

My birthday is on Chinese New Year’s Day (5th February), so I thought it would be good to stick around, however the majority have the opposite idea.

I’ve just come back from the Philippines a month ago, and wouldn’t mind going back there, which is an obvious cheap option.

Can anyone shed more light on this? The wealth of knowledge here gives me confidence in a good outcome!

:slight_smile:

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You might consider Thailand if you haven’t been before. It’s a bit of a longer flight but definitely no shortage of fun and interesting activities.

3

Israel, Egypt, Spain, Morocco, or Greece would all be good…

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A LOT of popular places in the world including Philippines and Thailand will be overrun with busloads of Chinese tourists. Exponentially more sucky and overpopulated that Taiwan during CNY.

Taiwan could be a nice break from fighting with busloads of tourists roaming around with bullhorns.

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Taipei has a certain charm at CNY when half of its population go missing

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Hanoi.

7

It’s less and less if a ghost town as the years ago.

You’ve been gone for too long.

8

Agree , I saw that too when I was there. Gone were the days when you couldn’t get something to eat. And it was great to have a lot less people than normal. Is that not still the case?

Does Taipei not thin out at all now?

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Taipei is quiet for about the first 48 hours. Just nice to move around and not see many people.

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budget?

1-Thailand, hotels, food, quality its the best bang for buck (pun not intended, though Vietnam is coming up fast).

2-Vietnam, but Hanoi and the north will be cold this time of year making it and Sapa and Halong Bay a bit colder than a Taiwan winter. Danang/HoiAn is brisk with Nha Trang getting backinto tropical temperatures.

3-Malaysia, its a shittier, more expensive Thailand.

4-Cambodia, lots of scum to sift through but heard its on the up.

5-Laos, get there soon before China swallows it

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Thanks for the suggestions I was thinking Thailand, but Ive been there 3 times and am going back in April for Thai New Year. So maybe I could change it up abit.

I’ve been told Vietnam is good, I have a friend from England who has just moved to teach out there, and has invited me over. He lives in Ho Chi Minh so could head there then venture north.

I’ve been to Cambodia (siem reap) as a lone traveller for a few days, it wasn’t my cup of tea.

Laos seems interesting too.

:slight_smile:

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start in Saigon, work your way up to Nha Trang, then to Hoian/Danang.

From there you can bus to Savannakhet, Laos and work north to Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang.

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There’s always Japan or Korea (skiing comes to mind). Though both are on the pricey side.

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Where have you already been in the Philippines? Do you like to dive, surf, shop, or hike/canyon?

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12/31 New Years and Chinese New Year plane tickets are so damn expensive.