After spending all my holidays this year riding bikes, I fancy having a relaxing holiday in the autumn, mainly to be spent on the beach reading books and with a bit of sightseeing thrown in.
I will want something touristy enough to meet my basic need to be pampered, but exotic enough to see some local culture and feel like I have actually been to a foreign country rather than just Brighton with sunshine.
My initial thoughts are Goa or Phuket, anyone been to both and have a recommendation either way?

bugger, why can’t they allow editing of which forum a thread is in.

I will want something touristy enough to meet my basic need to be pampered, but exotic enough to see some local culture and feel like I have actually been to a foreign country rather than just Brighton with sunshine.

Don’t go to Phuket then. Its closer to an equivalent of Blackpool.
It would be nicer to fly there and then go to one of the many other Thai islands.

(i’ve not been to Goa)

I have been to both and personally didn’t like either…pretty much what phil.w has said.

Kerala is much nicer for India and just about anywhere in Thailand but Phucket imho.

Goa is fast becoming like Phuket becoming like Blackpool. Me parents lived there for 5 years or more, but came home eventually (about 2/3 years ago) due to mass property development and mass increase of fat tattooed Russians/English (and that’s just the women) tourists, it very much lost it’s appeal to them. It’s a big place tho, just do some research and choose carefully if you want idyllic there.

I’d be inclined to do what Phil^ suggests, find somewhere else in Thailand, just as idyllic, less package holiday.

We’ve just booked for Goa for the 3rd time, absolutely love it (we hate Blackpooly type places) It’s like everything else though innit, we’re going back to Candolim but wouldn’t go to Calangute which is a walk away. Bagga Beach is full of hippies & Russians (theyr’e getting all over Goa now, & the locals don’t like them)
Jump in a taxi in Goa, drive to a quiet beach 45 mins away, spend the day there mooching about, same taxi back & It’ll cost about £10.

I do fancy Kerala next time though perhaps, just to get away from the Russkies!

Islands in Thailand, just of Krabi, Ko Phi Phi or the thousands of others! although if you say autumn that implies Sept/Oct to me which is still the rainy season in Thailand. we are off to Thailand in NOvember but we are doing Bangkok for a day, Chiang Mai trekking in the jungles the the islands to learn to scuba dive and sit on a beach! Can’t wait. Never been to either so can’t comment, I have just done insane amounts of research into Thailand though.

although if you say autumn that implies Sept/Oct to me which is still the rainy season in Thailand.

approx same for Goa from what I recall.

aagh, rainy season would be a dealbreaker, may have to look elsewhere then.

Anyone know anything about Morocco?

OOOO Morocco is ace, although I’ve only MTB’d there. I spent an afternoon in Marrakesh and thought it was ace wish we’d had more time there to moochy about and explore the souks. Now Sept/Oct would be perfect time of the year to go to Morocco still hot probably 33 degrees but not hideously so. Did guided tour wtih Cycle Active up around the Atlas Mountains, phenomenal but not the chilled out beach holiday you wanted. Didn’t get to the sea but heard good things about it. Cheap when you get there too. Can get relatively cheap flights too like £100 return sleazy Jet to Marrakesh. Look at Travel Zoo they have some amazing really cheap all inclusive packages on their offers.