Travel tips: The best spot for a destination birthday between Sydney and Singapore

LOOKING FOR A BASE TO CELEBRATE A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WITH SIX ADULTS AND TWO CHILDREN. BEEN TO SEMINYAK WHERE BEACH RESORT IN WALKING DISTANCE FROM "EAT STREET" IS WHAT WE'RE AFTER. MUST BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE FROM SINGAPORE AND SYDNEY. M. CHAN, CANBERRA A.C.T.

Bali fits your requirements so well that you might be disappointed with some of the other options I could suggest. However, the Seminyak area of Bali has become more crowded over the past couple of years, with a huge influx of visitors. Sanur is quieter than the Seminyak-Legian area, popular with older travellers and the beach is far better for families, with plenty of options for beachfront dining. If you want something different, you might try Penang. Easy to get to from Singapore and just a one-stop flight from Australia. The resort area at Batu Ferringhi works well for extended families with several resort-style hotels and a hawker food market close at hand. A half-hour drive away, Georgetown is a sleepy and charismatic trading city, with a lively dining scene that weaves together the various cuisines of the city's Malay, Chinese and Indian populations.

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