5 Underrated Island Retreats For Your Anniversary With Your Partner

Are you looking for a beach holiday to escape the concrete jungle of Singapore, but want to avoid those overcrowded and touristy beaches like those in Bali and Thailand? Well, there's actually a whole lot of other island retreats nearby Singapore up for your exploration, only if you knew. So if you are looking for your next beach holiday destination to bring your partner for a romantic getaway without the crowds, here are some underrated island retreats for you to consider.

Telunas Island

Looking for somewhere near Singapore but want to avoid the usual Batam or Bintan? Situated just 50 km away from Singapore is an island retreat that many Singaporeans have neglected – Telunas Island. Telunas is the perfect place for the time-starved couple who wants a quick getaway to disconnect without taking a flight.

The island offers two options; a private island retreat or the resort option. The first offers a natural island paradise accented with resort comforts. The island resort offers sea villas with spectacular wide-angle views of the sea and the rugged terrain of Sugi Island and costs around S$380 per night. A cheaper but still great option is the beach resort, which offers chalets and family rooms at just about a third of the price of the private island option.

Pangkor Laut

When it comes to beach holidays, names of popular holiday destinations like Bali, Phuket and Koh Samui come to mind but there are actually a number of nice beaches in neighbouring Malaysia that Singaporeans have neglected.

One of these is Pangkor Laut, a private island fringed by white sand beaches just three miles off the West Coast of Malaysia. To make things easy, there is only one resort on this gem, so you don't even need to think too hard about where you would like to stay.

A night's stay will set you back around S$733 including taxes, so it isn't exactly cheap. But if you have a reason to celebrate, remember to use a travel card that helps you to earn miles, or a cashback credit card to help you earn cashback rewards.

Phu Quoc

If you have been to Vietnam, there is a high likelihood you were probably in Hanoi or Ho Chih Min where travellers go to experience a more cultural holiday. But do you know that there are areas in Vietnam with pretty white sand beaches as well?

Phu Quoc will be the perfect destination for the couple who wants the best of beaches but do not want to be confined to the boundaries of a resort. With half the island occupied by the Phu Quoc National Park, you can choose to have an active holiday trekking in the dense tropical forest through hiking trails.

There are plenty of hotels and resorts available on the island, just remember to book through Agoda with your HSBC credit cards to get 8% off your hotels!

Layang Layang Island

If you and your partner are avid divers, you wouldn't want to miss a trip to Layang Layang. Less crowded than most other diving sites around South East Asia, you get to experience a large variety of marine life in unpolluted waters. There is only one resort here called the Layang Layang Dive Resort. Expect nothing super luxurious but if your main aim is to dive all weekend, this shouldn't be a big problem.

Bantayan Island

Which of us hasn't looked at one of those beautiful island beaches on travel sites and vowed that we'll pay a visit to the Philippines? Known for its many beautiful beaches, especially Boracay which is considered one of the best in the world, there are many other equally great beaches available in other parts of the country.

Bantayan Island is one of these. Located in central Philippine near Cebu, expect powdery white sand and aquamarine water to greet you when you set foot on the island. Over here, you can find a large variety of vacation accommodations ranging from basic guesthouses to beachfront properties.

Be prepared to take yourself off the grid and enjoy the simple life offered on this island with little tourists, no malls, no noise and no nightlife. This offers a great opportunity for those who truly wants to be away from the urban city and enjoy the simple happiness of sunset views and walking on the beach with a loved one.

Whichever island retreats you choose to bring your partner, remember to use a good travel credit card to help you earn some miles while you spend on your travels as well as hotel spends. Some of these cards even come with free travel insurance, regional dining and entertainment benefits, as well as airport lounge access.

Duckju Kang

Duckju (DJ) is the founder and CEO of ValueChampion. He covers the financial services industry, consumer finance products, budgeting and investing. He previously worked at hedge funds such as Tiger Asia and Cadian Capital. He graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics with honors, Magna Cum Laude. His work has been featured on major international media such as CNBC, Bloomberg, CNN, the Straits Times, Today and more.