There are places and then there are places. The noughties (yes it’s a daft word) gave us many things; monkey bar-trained terrorists, garbage reality TV and 7-Elevens round every corner to name a few. But its most enduring legacy must surely be budget air travel. Now everyone has been everywhere (well, regionally at least); Lombok? Check. Danang? Check. Cebu? Of course.

But, in the process, some rather more old-school destinations have fallen off the map. War, civil strife, recession, natural f**k-ups and simply not being “hot” can floor even the most alluring of destinations. The great sage Heidi Klum keeps saying “One day you’re in; the next, you’re out” and that holds true for tourism too. Bangkok, Sri Lanka and—if your memories stretch as far back as the 80s—Port Dickson all had their moments in the sun only to get done in by a host of “issues.”

Fashion moves in circles though, and everyone loves a comeback: Think skinny jeans or even Prefab Sprout. So then. Three holiday spots that you might not have considered for a long time. Get ready to put away your preconceptions and start packing.

Retreat to Port Dickson

Back in the day, no one called it Port Dickson. The fact that we now have to spell it out shows how far this coastal town’s star has fallen since its 80s heyday. This writer remembers drives up to PD with Howard Jones and Aztec Camera blaring out from his old man’s car speakers. And the best part was (still is, in some respects) that you could pull up and jump straight into the warm, still waters of the famed Malacca Straits. That was the charm of this easygoing town; driving parallel to the coast and pulling up when you found a quiet spot, away from other city slickers (never mind Singaporeans; half of KL would pile onto these shores every weekend) who’d had the same idea.

In the 90s, PD became a victim of its own success, with greedy developers chancing on holidaymakers’ love for the town by building beachfront condos, resorts, villas and the sort. Some of these developments were built on reclaimed land which devoured sizeable parts of the coastline; hemming in the parts of the town nearest the beach. Then came the bust. The 1997 Asian Crisis hit these shores hard, with most developers going bankrupt; leaving their ill-thought projects unfinished.

Now, the place is slowly beginning to ride the crest of a wave. The beaches are getting cleaner, there are new hotels and the seafood is decent. One of its main attractions is the four-star Thistle Port Dickson Resort (KM16 Jalan Pantai, Teluk Kemang, +60 6 648-2828, www.thistle.com). Formerly the Guoman Port Dickson Resort, this revamped, renovated resort is set on 90 acres of green space consisting of swimming pools, herb gardens, outward bound-style Swat boot camp facilities and, by year-end, a golf course. And there’s something for everyone. Honeymooning couples can plump for its Indigo Suite [RM780++ ($340)], which boasts an in-house bar and a bathtub right next to the marital bed (very convenient). Regular couples and other visitors meanwhile, will love its large seaview deluxe rooms for RM350++ ($150)—there’s nothing like a breathtaking Malacca Straits sunset from your balcony.

Hot picks

Cumulous Bar: Set within the Thistle Port Dickson Resort, this is the place to see and be seen in PD. With its stylish décor, sleek infinity pool and infectious Filipina entertainers, you’d be silly not to wind down here. What makes this place all the more special is the fact that you can slink off and have a midnight dip in the water and then return for more booze. And they show “live” EPL games on their flat screens.

Beach and jungle activities at Thistle Port Dickson Resort: OK, for some lying around with a stack of books and booze is not an ideal vacation. Cue a laundry list of activities: jet skiing [RM200 ($86) for 30 minutes], banana boat [RM70 ($30) for 20 minutes] kayaking [RM20 ($8.60) for 30 minutes], tennis [RM10-15 per hour ($4.30-6.50)] and flying fox [RM15 ($6.50) per flight] among others.

Weng Yin Seafood Village: This place is legendary for serving up well-known seafood fare; a special favorite is the butter crab. KM15.5, (Batu 10), Jalan Pantai, +60 6 662-7559.

Tanjong Tuan Lighthouse and Blue Lagoon: Head to Cape Rachado, where you’ll find a charming 16th century Portuguese-built lighthouse that is both still operational and open to the public. Visitors can climb the narrow spiral staircase and enjoy the panoramic views of the coastline of Sumatra, 38 kilometers across the Straits. On your way back down, follow the jungle trek to a secluded and pristine beach with a small coral reef beneath the blue waters.

Handy tips

Avoid the school holiday season. We were here in June and there were far too many hysterical kids (Singaporeans, who else?) involved with church and school camps. Also, check with your hotel on the standard taxi fares within PD as well as for transfers to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

Getting there

Avoid taking the bus. Seremban, where you’ll have to transfer, is a dump of a town, and by the time you transfer and take a taxi to PD, you will have spent anywhere between six to seven hours on the road. Have mercy on your ass and FLY. Take Air Asia (www.airasia.com), Tiger Airways (www.tigerairways.com), Singapore Airlines (www.singaporeair.com), or Silk Air (www.silkair.com) to KLIA in Sepang; check their websites for up-to-date fares. After your 40-minute flight, an hour-long taxi ride will set you back about RM80 ($35). Or better still, drive up. It’s a quick four-hour journey.

Catching surf in Sri Lanka

This writer remembers visiting Sri Lanka twice in the 1990s. What a headf**k that was. In between the two trips, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) or the Tamil Tigers, suicide-bombed the country’s president. Yikes. Rides from the airport were punctuated with constant security checkpoints, nervy glances at anyone with backpacks and at unattended boxes, packages and what-have-yous. If we were crazy enough to visit during those years of bloodshed and terror, you’d be crazier still not to revisit this gem of an isle now. For, after a quarter century of civil war, the LTTE were crushed by the government last year and peace descended on Sri Lanka.

Shaped like a teardrop under the vast Indian subcontinent, Ceylon (as it was known pre-1972) was a reasonably popular stop on the tourist trail of yore. After all, it had stunning coastlines, incredibly lush hill stations, verdant forest reserves, elephant sanctuaries and stunning religious (predominantly Buddhist) monuments. Of course, all this got left behind when global travel took off in the 1980s; as the conflict raged on, hordes of travelers sensibly gave it a miss.

During the war, there were pockets of relative calm and safety, notably in and around the capital Colombo, Galle and the second city, Kandy. But the rebel-held territories of Jaffna and Trincomalee in the north and north-east parts of the island were strictly off-limits. Even when there was a tenuous ceasefire in place (2001-2006) between the government and the LTTE, there was little in terms of tourism development, and the tsunami of 2004 ravaged beach resorts and coastline communities throughout the country.

Now, with the war over, and post tsunami reconstruction and redevelopment almost complete, Sri Lanka is finally delivering on its promise as one of the world’s most beautiful holiday destinations. Avoid the usual tourist hotspots of Galle, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya and prices are still cheap. They won’t be in a few years though; so jump in and take the chance to visit before the hordes and rip-off joints appear.

Hot picks

Arugam Bay: You’ll find surf better than Bali here, we promise you. The entire area, 320 kilometers east of Colombo, was devastated by the tsunami in 2004 and is slowly recovering. Head for Rocco’s Hotel & Bar (Main Street Arugam Bay, Pottuvil, +94 7766-42991, www.roccoshotel.com), which is the main pitstop for visitors to the area. Here you’ll find comfortable twin rooms ranging from $30-40 a night. With its long swooping beaches and breaks, this is a picturesque town for surfers and even divers, given the numberous shipwrecks off the coast. Buses leave daily from Colombo for Pottuvil, from where you’ll be able to take a tuk-tuk. Total traveling time is a little over 10 hours and will set you back a whopping $4 (one-way).

Bentota: The sort of place that postcards were invented for; golden beaches, swaying coconut palms and the best surf around for miles make this the place to head for if you want some peace and quiet. Only a couple of hour’s drive from Colombo, this beach paradise boasts a good mix of 4- and 5-star ocean-facing resorts where you can indulge in all sorts of surf and sports activities. A taxi from the capital will cost you around $30-40, and is the best way to get there. Of the excellent places to stay, the Taj Exotica, Bentota (+94 3455-55555, www.tajhotels.com), a scenic seaside resort nestled on a hillock overlooking the Indian Ocean, comes out the winner. Double and twin seaview room rates are around $205 per night.

Ella: If trekking up cool, lush tea plantations is … err … your cup of tea then the village of Ella is your place. Stay in the impossibly charming Planters’ Bungalow (10 Mile Post, Uva, Karandagolla, Ella, +94 7285-77022, www.plantersbungalow.com) which was set up by a Scottish tea planter in the 19th century. The extensive gardens and grounds here house a rare collection of fruit trees and such. Use this as a base for adventure treks in the area. Getting here is straightforward; just hop on a train (www.railway.gov.lk) from Colombo (about 240 kilometers away) and get off at Bandarawela. Then ask around.

Trincomalee: Nearly 300 kilometers from Colombo and with a beautiful natural habor, Trinco, as the locals call it has incredibly shallow seas and is great for snorkeling. Of the popular beaches, head north out of town for Nilaveli and Uppuveli, which are remarkably pristine. At Nilaveli, check into the Nilaveli Beach Hotel (+94 2622-32295, www.tangerinehotels.com/nilavelibeach), where all rooms have private patios opening out onto the beach, and rates go from $70 a night. The hotel also organizes whale-watching excursions and you can spot up to 12 different species of these giants. Air-conditioned coaches ply up regularly from Colombo’s Bastian Mawatha station and Saunders Place station; the ride takes seven hours and costs a few dollars. Rail buffs will dig the long overnight train ride from Colombo Fort train station.

Handy tips

Do remember it’s a devoutly Buddhist country: Women should not touch a Buddhist monk under any circumstances and also never try to give anything directly to a monk. Camera-toting peeps take note: Don’t photograph Buddhist monks without their permission. Ask first. More often than not, they’ll nod yes. And while it’s fine to take pictures of statues and images of Buddha, it’s a definite no-no to pose in front of the Buddha.

Getting there

Singapore Airlines (www.singaporeair.com) and Sri Lankan Airlines (www.srilankan.lk) fly to Colombo. But their prices aren’t always competitive. The best deal around is with Cathay Pacific (www.cathaypacific.com) for $668 return.

Deal-icious Bangkok

One night in Bangkok? C’mon, with deals like the ones below, you’re going to want to spend a good few days in this rugged, sensuous capital. The city’s troubles have been well-documented over the last two years: Yellow shirts holding the airport hostage; red shirts seizing control of the city centre; blue shirts emerging to stir the shit pot; and the pink shirts urging their hot-blooded brethren to make love, not war. But, perhaps to take people’s eyes off their handling of the crisis, the government has now swooped in (and gone into overdrive) with a tourism blitz the likes of which we’ve never seen before.

The Thai authorities are making five billion baht ($214 million) available to the tourism industry in low interest loans with two-year grace periods. It’s hoped that these will be enough to get small-to-medium sized businesses back on their feet. But even the big boys suffered during the crisis; hotels, airlines and shopping malls were severely hit—the latter, quite literally. So the bureaucrats are dishing out all kinds of hot deals to get us back to the City of Angels. While budget air fares are plateauing out to pre-crisis levels, there are still hot hotel deals to be had.

Hot picks

Hotel deals galore: Right in the center of the city is the Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square (Siam Square Soi 5, 02-209-8888, www.novotelbkk.com), whose location for shopping, entertainment and business options is hard to beat. A short hop from the central BTS Skytrain station, it’s offering an excellent deal at B3,350 ($144) for a superior room with breakfast and free Internet. Elsewhere you’ll find Sofitel Bangkok Silom (188 Silom Rd., Bangrak, +66 2 238-1991) offering a three nights’ stay in a luxury room for a decent B8,100 ($350).

Feel like a spot of pampering while you’re out there? Then head for the Banyan Tree Bangkok (21/100 South Sathorn Rd., +66 2 679-1200, www.banyantree.com) where B7,080 ($303) will buy you two nights with daily breakfast and credit worth B3,540 ($152) for use at hotel food outlets and a spa. If you don’t want the works then you’re looking at a decent B3,120 ($133) for a deluxe room (room only).

Over at Sukhumvit, where there are plenty of places to shop and eat, try spending the weekend at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit (250 Sukhumvit Rd., +66 2649-8888, www.sheratongrandesukhumvit.com), whose rates from B4,500 ($192) per night for one of 45 deluxe rooms on Fri-Sun only, are a tasty option. Nearby, The Landmark Bangkok (138 Sukhumvit Rd., +66 2 254-0404, www.landmarkbangkok.com) looks set to be a hit with business types laying over. At US$90 ($125) per night, you’ll get an upgrade to Club Floor with breakfast, access to Club Room, evening cocktail, free use of the Fitness First gym, and, a clincher if ever we saw one, late checkout till 6pm. Valid only Fri-Mon through Oct 31.

Now for many, Bangkok is the Chao Praya. And what better way to spend a chilled or romantic getaway than with sparkling views over the grand waterway. The riverside Mandarin Oriental Bangkok’s (48 Oriental Ave., Charoenkrung Rd., +66 2 659-9000, www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok) “Bangkok Four More” deal starts from US$687 ($955) for four nights in a superior river-view room with breakfast, complimentary upgrade and one 60-minute Thai massage for two per stay. If that’s too OTT for you then the fabulous Shangri-La Bangkok (89 Soi Wat Suan Plu, Charoenkrung Rd., +66 2 236-7777, www.shangri-la.com/bangkok) is offering B5,850 ($250) for a deluxe room with breakfast and arrival limousine airport transfer.

And finally, the regal Peninsula Bangkok’s (333 Charoen Nakorn Rd., Klongsan, +66 2 861-2888, www.peninsula.com/bangkok) “River Escape” package starts from a daily rate of B3,000 ($128) for a river-view room with breakfast, 25 percent discount at food outlets and the spa, and a choice from a room upgrade, a dinner for two or a 50-minute aromatherapy massage for two. Get your skates on peeps, this is only valid through Jul 31.

Handy tips

Shop away from the usual shopping district: Get away from the usual shopping belts like Ratchaprasong and Khao San Road. Hop into a tuk-tuk and head to the city’s northern reaches (there’s no skytrain there yet) where you’ll find the behemoth (100,000 square meters) Crystal Design Center (CDC), where you can shop for all things home and décor.

Getting there

The usual suspects all fly to Bangkok’s glittering Suvarnabhumi Airport; Air Asia (www.airasia.com), Tiger Airways (www.tigerairways.com), Jetstar Asia (www.jetstar.com), Singapore Airlines (www.singaporeair.com) and Thai Airways (www.thaiairways.com). Check websites for up-to-date fares.

PLUS: Two hardy Singapore-based expats tell us what it’s like to live and work in warzones and I-S asks: What is your favorite childhood holiday destination?