Good places to elope to easily?

[John Ramb8]

We are aussie and thought about ROM but have a funny feeling about tying knot in Singa since we don't totally love it here.  Even making a baby in this country somehow seems jinxed.

Then why the #$(#)! are you here? If you feel so negative about being in Singapore, then please go back to your beloved land of Oz and make your xenophobic little babies there.

Leave her alone. It was her 11.45pm personal opinion. Just because you didn't like it, is no reason for the ad hominem attack on her.

p.s. One could say, adopting your style, if you don't like people expressing personal opinions on a discussion board, well then get off the board, and sit in your xenophobic little world.

[John Ramb8]

Many thanks for your responses so far. Singapore is out of the question due to certain religious conflicts with civil weddings...

We have looked at Thailand, and are thinking that could work for us.

Anyone ever been to a wedding in Hong Kong? The beaches there look ok, and I like that all the registration and legalities can be done online beforehand... (Am I overlooking something?)

Hey NCC..

I'm curious what kind of religious match might be incompatible with a civil marriage in SG. Just curiosity.

We are Christian/Muslim, and had no problems or issues at all. After registering to marry, the wife did get a letter from some national muslim organisation... well basicly warning her about what she was doing, and giving her a date/time for a meeting to 'discuss it'... which went straight in the bin... Otherwise the issue of cross-culture never arose...

[no cinderella complex]

John Ramb8, we are indeed a Muslim/Christian couple (partner is Muslim) and we were aware of the 'religious organisation' that contacts Muslims who dare to register for civil weddings and figured it would be a no-go as the pressure would be on one of us (me) to convert...

How long ago did you do this, if you don't mind me asking? We're worried about the backlash this may create in the family...

[John Ramb8]

No no no no no.

After you register, this religious organisation seems to be notified. Maybe they trawl the list of ROM registrations? Then they write you a pretty snotty letter saying you 'must consider what you are doing, you must come in and talk, and here is your appointment date and time for our meeting'. But, sod that, throw it in the bin... bang, that's it. That is what my wife happily did. Like me I don't think she could give a flying F about religion. Nothing else happens, what else are you worried they might do?

Coming from 'the West' I found it rather unbelievable the sort of pathetically intimidating nature of the uninvited letter they sent, as if they have some sort of assumed authority over strangers...pphhh

I got married last August. Any 'family backlash'.... weeeeeeell <smiling now> you're going to have get used to that aren't you

This is about you and him, just concentrate on that. Best of luck!

[ex-pat]

Ok the ultimate beach destination - what about getting married at sea?  Hire a boat from RSYC, go into international waters and the captain can marry you legally.  Or hey, what about a cruise for the weekend?  Hop on a cruise ship heading up to Thailand so you can combine the honeymoon plus the wedding ceremony? 

[home]

wishing you much happiness whatever you decide to get married.

[Samui]

Hubby and I got married in Koh Samui, Thailand. Very easy, we rented a villa, and the villa management company arranged everything for us. But keep in mind that wherever you get married in Thailand, you have to go to Bangkok first and get paperwork from your home country's embassy, and some Thai government department, giving you the right to marry. This only took us one day and there are companies that can assist. If you want to avoid the flying around Thailand, you could always get married right in Bangkok, I'm sure there's lots of hotels that can arrange it.

[jalanperak]

John Ramb8, we are indeed a Muslim/Christian couple (partner is Muslim) and we were aware of the 'religious organisation' that contacts Muslims who dare to register for civil weddings and figured it would be a no-go as the pressure would be on one of us (me) to convert...

How long ago did you do this, if you don't mind me asking? We're worried about the backlash this may create in the family...

I'm not sure, but you may run into this issue regardless of where you get married. I believe that as a Singaporean, you'll have to register your marriage in Singapore for the government to recognize it. If that's the case, then you'll probably get "the letter" anyway (after which I would personally follow Mr. Ramb8's lead :-).

[lagunaalltheway]

OP we have been to the Laguna Resort in Phuket loads of times and this is a great place for you to marry. In fact we just got back form having our 2 kids christened in the chapel. This is not something that they usually do but they did it for us. It was beautiful. You don't really see it until you are in the chapel, but the chapel on the lagoon is really filled with light (as there are windows 360 degrees on the lake). There is a coordinator from Germany and she is really helpful and professional. We had no Godparents and it was short notice. They were really flexible for us. They filled the place with baby blue balloons and the service was beautiful. I tell you, if I was getting married again, I'd do it there There are loads of great hotels to stay at as well there and they have a wedding shop with loads of beautiful dresses to hire!

I believe you have to go to Bangkok first though to register if it is a wedding.

Good luck. One thing I've learned is that it's not how flashy your wedding is that counts. It's what comes after that matters.

[If I were U]

I would contact some of the big hotels in Australia, or better yet Hawaii. You can get whatever you want in Hawaii.

Seriously, I know what you are thinking. Hawaii. Let me get out the gold bars... really though its not that expensive. Both of you could fly round trip for maybe $1200 USD from Singapore. A nice hotel might be more expensive...but if you are getting married it can be a honeymoon and marriage all in one.

I would say all inclusive you could easily spend 2 weeks in Hawaii with all the flights for $5000 or less. If you only spend a week maybe $3000 tops to be pretty comfortable.

[Not Hawaii.]

In my experience of Hawaii you get very little value for money, particlularly when there are so many much more affordable and (dare I say it)more beautiful places very close to here... The OP wanted  somewhere to "elope easily".

[Totally agree with PP]

Hawaii is fine if you want something tropical and you live in Seattle.  However, with so many wonderful beach options in this neck of the woods only someone with a very limited imagination and a love of all things fast food and convenient would opt for Hawaii.  I am totally aware of the contrast between Waikiki and the more secluded spots but it's all still very American.  Nothing wrong with that but if you want a wedding in paradise there are much more stunning, more convenient options.

[More Beautiful?]

Hawaii is made up of several islands. You can find every kind of beauty there. Plus it is safe and organised. Anyway, I'm a Brit, so what would I know, apart from absolutely loving it there!

Having spent the last 20 or so years in Asia and having travelled extensively throughout the region, I would say Hawaii, the Maldives, Fiji and New Caledonia knock spots off anything in Asia (that includes all of Thailand, the Phils, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, etc, etc).

Still, re the OP's query: a quick, cheap and relatively hassle free wedding weekend in Phuket should do the trick.

[There is...]

There is no place anywhere in Asia that can hold a candle to Hawaii as far as natural beauty goes. Yes, someone may argue with that, but that would be people who never left the 2 square miles of Waikiki.

It all depends on what you are after though. That much I do admit.

Also in Hawaii if you try you can spend an arm and a leg. If you are looking to go hang out in a hotel and get massages on the beach then Thailand would be better.

If you are adventurous and want to be active and outdoors then Hawaii is better, way better. If you want to drive around and see an awesome place...the Big Island is absolutely the best. 11 of the world's 13 major climate zones on one island. Everything from arctic tundra and snow all the way to tropical rain forest...all on one island in the middle of the pacific. Plus the volcano, a green sand beach, a red sand, white sand, yellow sand, and of course black sand beach too...

Hawaii overall will be more expensive and you can spend anything from $5,000 to $50,000...but if you go to Maui, Big Island, Kauai, you will not be disappointed regardless of what you want.

Oahu (Waikiki) is over run with tourists and not worth it except for a pretty good nightlife or an occassional visit.

I would also recommend some of the resorts on the other side of the island from Kuta on Bali. That is more like honeymoon style stuff over there. Patong Beach it ain't, but it all depends on what kind of a honeymoon you want.

[Out of your mind]

Hawaii is fine if you want something tropical and you live in Seattle.  However, with so many wonderful beach options in this neck of the woods only someone with a very limited imagination and a love of all things fast food and convenient would opt for Hawaii.  I am totally aware of the contrast between Waikiki and the more secluded spots but it's all still very American.  Nothing wrong with that but if you want a wedding in paradise there are much more stunning, more convenient options.

I don't know what planet you are living on, but I would make a bet that you have never been around Hawaii.

If you think there is anywhere in Asia that has more stunning scenery than Hawaii I would like to know what those places are.

Aside from not liking Hawaii because its American territory (aka anti American) your brain must have leaked out your ears...

Again, I have travelled extensively including living in Asia since 1994 and over 4 years on the Hawaiian Islands. I would ask you to start making a list of places that are 'more stunning'.

Each place I have visited... all of them.... I am not knocking any of them at all. Each place has something very special and very good about it.

New Zealand in my opinion was awesome on numerous fronts and the South Island was about on par with Hawaii in many ways and in some surpassed Hawaii in natural beauty, but its a different kind of beauty so its like comparing apples to oranges. There are many places in Polynesia that are pretty darn good too.

Thailand has amazing culture and I would (and have) returned there many times for a whole list of reasons. Hong Kong is great, as is Singapore...Beijing is fun in my opinion too.

To me its like going into an ice cream shop with 32 flavors. Odds are none of them are 'bad' but rather each is 'unique'.

Again, it all depends on what the OP really wants out of their honeymoon and what the budget really is.