Hitting the Long Weekend Lottery

By Lauren Raps

We have earned this.

After years of having our wings clipped, we are back to being travel fanatics and finding ourselves on the brink of a year in which Singapore is granting us a whopping seven, long, holiday weekends. To this, we say, “Thank you, Singapore,” and, “You are welcome,” to Singapore Airlines, or Scoot, for all the money we will be sending your way.

If, like many of us, you have spent the past couple of years creating your lists of where you want to go when we “get out,” you are rightfully overwhelmed by the embarrassment of riches we have living in Singapore. So, I have gathered some ideas to help you or make your list that much longer.

For the Quick Family Getaway

While only an hour and a half away on Scoot, Langkawi feels like a million miles away from Singapore when you step out of the airport. Blood pressure instantly goes down as your car takes you past beach towns and small villages spread across the beautiful jungle landscape of Langkawi.

On this 478.5 square kilometer island, you will find the rainforest paradise, The Datai, my selection for the best place for families in Langkawi. Kids will love the beautiful, private beach with unlimited, non-motorized watersports and an enormous beach to explore. Parents will love that the beach is kid-friendly, with gentle surf and a sizeable shallow area for the young ones.

This sustainable resort is eco-friendly in every aspect, and you will not find a typical kid's club, but rather a nature center with a guide who takes children out for animal hunting and nature watching throughout the day. All restaurants are also extremely child friendly, with a kid’s menu leaps and bounds beyond hot dogs and chicken nuggets, offering wholesome foods that would please the pickiest of eaters.

For the Adults-Only Escape

There are so many options in Bangkok these days, but with three nights and no kids, to escape from reality, I would head right to the Lumphini Area and check into the Rosewood Bangkok for your city oasis in the sky.

With fantastic restaurant options, and the super buzzy vinyl bar Lennon’s on the grounds, you don’t need to leave the hotel. However, you are still in Bangkok, and it would be criminal not to explore.

Steps away from the Rosewood, have dinner and drinks at the amazingly creative Mod Kaew Wine Bar or head over to Charmgang Curry Shop for a fresh take on Thai classics.

Spend a morning taking a motorbike over to Lumpini Park and get a couple of laps in with the locals.

Bangkok is an assault on all of your senses in the best of ways.

For the Girls Getaway

One of my favorite things about Bali is that there is something for everybody - couples, families, backpackers, etc. But having recently spent a few days there with some of my girl squad, I can vouch that Bali makes an ideal girl’s getaway. Because in the same vein, it is a destination that can offer your posse a long weekend based upon shopping, food and cocktails, yoga and wellness, and even tennis. It’s a chameleon of an island with so much to offer.

Stay at the Legian in Seminyak and spend your days at the various beach clubs and local boutiques to have a more social and active experience, or Como Ubud Shambhala to experience one of the most amazing wellness retreats on the island. There is so much to love about Bali, and who better to share it with than your closest girls?

For the Special Getaway (because, again…we deserve it)

If you want to use one of these long weekends and celebrate something special, I recommend Bawah Reserve in Indonesia. It is certainly one for the bucket list. The previously uninhabited islands in the little-known Anambas archipelago are only accessible by seaplane and sustainably chic with glamping tented suites and overwater bungalows. Rooms have air conditioning and all the amenities you would expect from a five-star resort, delivered by the most authentic and caring staff. While this hidden treasure is priced higher than others on the list, it is a good value considering that all meals, activities, and spa treatments are included. Makes for a fantastic worry-free, memory-making experience.