Image credit: Lonely Planet
As discussed in the previous article , the best time to travel when you’re preggers is around the 20 – 24 week mark! If you’re leaving on a jetplane before 28 weeks, a medical certificate usually isn’t required to prove that you’re fit for travel.
Here are some suggestions (and favourite travel destinations) from us:
For Seekers Of Pure Relaxation
Image credit: Cebu Tours
Cebu Island, Philippines
The most popular tourist destination in the south of Philippines, it’s home to a bustling, metropolitan city and beautiful, world-class beach resorts. Enjoy their pristine beaches while lying back on a beach chair, reading a book, and feeling the warm breeze breathe some much needed energy into your body! Cebu Island’s weather is very much like Singapore’s – tropical and humid throughout the whole year.
If you’re up for some light travel (don’t overexert yourself and make sure to stay hydrated if you do travel!), you can check out some sights in Cebu City and nearby islands such as the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, which is the first ever church that was built in the Philippines in 1565, and was burnt down thrice before the current church was built in 1737 (thanks lonely planet, for the history lesson!).
When to visit Cebu?
Best weather: From December to March, where it’s the coolest and least humid.
Months with the most tourists (2016): November to February saw the most amount of tourists, with a peak of 576,638 in December. July also saw 560,872 tourists, a big jump from 459,138 in June.
Months with the least tourists (2016): From April to June, and September to October were the least number of tourists, with a low of 422,943 in September.
Statistics taken from http://www.tourism.gov.ph/pages/industryperformance.aspx
For more information on things to do in Cebu, go here.
Image credit: Travel Zom
Bali, Indonesia
Bali doesn’t really need that much of an introduction, because it’s the standard, go-to destination for Singaporean vacationers who’re looking for a fun and relaxing getaway from the grind!
For expectant mums, stay away from the more hectic and touristy parts and instead, turn your gaze to the multitude of relaxing and rejuvenating resorts in the quieter and more chill areas of the island.
When to visit Bali?
Best weather: April to September is Bali’s dry season!
Months with the most tourists (2016): June to December (except November), with a peak of 484,231 in July.
Months with the least tourists (2016): January to May, with a low of 350,592 in January. November saw a dip in tourism between October and December, with 413,232 tourists.
Statistics taken from http://www.disparda.baliprov.go.id/en/Statistics2
For more information on things to do in Bali (even though we go there so often, you never know… your perspective might be different during your pregnancy!), go here.
Continue reading on Page 2 for more Babymoon destinations...
For Seekers Of Something New
Image credit: ExploreLanka
Sri Lanka
Psst, now this is a beautiful country that’s got a ton of hidden gems strewn about, pristine beaches that are mostly untouched by people, and vivid greenery all around! It’ll take a bit more planning than the other trips, but if you’re healthy and up for some new sights, Sri Lanka will definitely bring a smile to your face. Hop onto one of their iconic trains and head for the hills or their beaches.
Here are some wonderful areas in Sri Lanka that you can consider visiting for your babymoon:
Galle
Found close to the southern tip of Sri Lanka, the city of Galle is home to beautiful colonial architecture such as the Galle Fort, the National Museum of Galle, and the Dutch Reformed Church. Enjoy the Unawatuna Beach while relaxing and sipping from a coconut that’s been cracked open!
Wadduwa
Another amazing beach awaits you at Wadduwa, with plenty of villas and resorts to choose from there! This beach paradise is located at the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka, and perfect for couples who are searching for a romantic trip by the beach. Nightlife isn’t a thing there, so don’t expect bars and clubs (save the alcohol for after baby is more than a year old)!
When to visit Sri Lanka?
Best Weather: Okay, this will get somewhat complicated. There are two monsoon seasons in Sri Lanka – their southwest monsoon that affects the eastern and south-eastern regions happens from April to September, and their northeast monsoon happens from November to March.
The best times to visit the west and south coasts is from December to March, and the best times to visit the east coast is from April to September.
Months with the most tourists (2016): January to March, July and August, and December saw the highest number of tourists. The peak periods within those 3 were Feb with 197,697, July with 209,351, and December with 224,791 tourists.
Months with the least tourists (2016): April to June, and September to November saw the lowest number of tourists. The low points of tourists were June with 118,038, and September with 148,499.
Statistics taken from http://www.sltda.lk/node/745
Continue reading on Page 3 for more Babymoon destinations...
For Seekers Of… Laziness
Image credit: Bintan Lagoon Resorts
Bintan, Indonesia:
For those who are inclined towards destinations closer to Singapore, you can’t go wrong with Bintan – similar to Bali, but a bit less of a hassle to get there, we Singaporeans visit Bintan all the time for a weekend getaway. If you’re not picky about your babymoon destination, Bintan is a great (and cheap) place that’ll give you the tranquillity, food, beaches, and massages that you need.
If you’re up for a bit of exploring, you could always visit some of their lesser known islands on a quick boat ride! I’m pretty sure that everyone who’s visited Trikora Beach has also paid a visit to the Pizza Casa Italia – get authentic Italian pizza from an Italian family that fell in love with the island and moved there!
There are also a private island near Bintan Island itself. If you’re interested to explore a unique and more private destination, you can consider Nikoi Island. Overall journey time from Singapore’s Tanah Merah ferry terminal to Nikoi Island is around 2.5 hours. If you’re planning to get there from Bintan, it is just a 20 minutes ferry from Bintan jetty to Nikoi.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how luxurious and secluded this island is. tinged with white sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters and coral reefs, this tiny island is so unspoilt you’ll feel like you’ve rented the whole thing to yourself. Affordable and far from pretentious, Nikoi Island offers the ultimate beach getaway without having to travel far.
When to visit Bintan?
Best Weather: The monsoon season for Bintan is usually during November and December, so visiting them at any other time should be fine
Image credit: Singapore Guide
Sentosa, Singapore
For those who are looking EVEN CLOSER to home… close enough that it’s actually within our own country, booking a babymoon staycation in one of Sentosa’s swanky resorts won’t disappoint you. You’ll still be in Singapore, but it doesn’t quite feel like you’re here. Think of it this way – you’ll be able to ‘top up’ your babymoon experience in Sentosa with the cost of the tickets if you were flying overseas!
Lots of love has been given to Capella as a staycation choice with their own special babymoon packages that includes a couple spa, breakfast, and dinner. The hotel’s staff treats expectant mums like queens, and are extremely polite and helpful to them.
When to visit Sentosa?
Best Weather: Well… Sentosa’s pretty humid all year round, and the less rainy period is from March to June. If you’re looking for cooler weather, October and November are good choices (though there might be some rainy days in November)!
Tourists: It’s generally crowded throughout the entire year at Sentosa, but you can expect more people (both Singaporeans and tourists) during the school holiday periods (June and November/December). The first two weeks of December might also be a bit more crowded, due to Zouk Out, so avoid it if you don’t want to deal with more expensive accommodations and drunk clubbers!
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