I Live in Chiang Mai and I'm looking for a beautiful beach getaway in Indonesia or Malaysia where English is spoken and understood more so than here in the LOS. I love white sand beaches, snorkeling, tropical fish and sea turtles etc...

I do not like a place that has been over commercialized.

Can anyone tell me if this would be a great place to go?

Has anyone here in Thai Visa been there?

Any other places in Indo that may be good to visit instead or perhaps Borneo?

Thank You

Hello,

I went to Pulau We in 2000 (15 years ago), so it must of changed a lot

by now. One day I went snorkeling but the water was not clear because

it had rained the night before. I was just unlucky. Maybe you shouldn't

expect the locals to speak English to you.

I love Sulawesi, which I've been to three times.

Pulau Bunaken, close to Manado, North Sulawesi, should still be a good

spot for diving / snorkeling, though it might be a bit over commercialized.

The Togian Islands in Central Sulawesi is also a good place for snorkeling,

though it'll take long to get there.

I've been to Banda Islands and Pulau Kei in Maluku once.

One of the best Banda islands is Pulau Hatta with a great drop off, where

I had great fun snorkeling.

The best beach I've ever been to in my life is Pantai Pasir Panjang in Tual,

Pulau Kei. This is a SUPER white sand beach! The problem is, however,

it'll take a long time to get there so not only do you have to fly in Indonesia

but change flights.

Some nationals don't need a visa to Indonesia now.

http://www.imigrasi.go.id/index.php/en/berita/berita-utama/827-the-list-of-visit-visa-exemptions-countries

I second the MANADO / Sulawesi Utara (North) area, or the BANDA islands.

Pulau We is part of ACEH province, which should be BOYCOTTED entirely since they introduced the worst extremist version of SHARIAH now (stoning to death for gay activities or extra-marital adultery, for example - welcome to the stone age).

No civilized human should visit such a place any longer.

As for English - good chance to find English-speakers in Sulawesi Utara, but quite unlikely in Banda-island / Maluku area.

Borneo, no matter if Indonesian or Malaysian part, is not a beach destination (with a few exceptions), it is rather a nature and tribal culture destination. The sea is in many cases brown and not nice to look at let alone swim in

Hello,

Everything is left in your hands!