Hong Kong To Singapore

“Te midden van de meest glamoureuze en kosmopolitische steden ligt Hongkong aan de zuidelijke kust van China aan de monding van de Parelrivier in de Zuid-Chinese Zee. Het bestaat uit Hongkong eiland, waar het zakelijke district en de meest rijke delen en bezienswaardigheden zich bevinden, en, op het vasteland, Kowloon en de Nieuwe Territoria. Hongkong is een regionaal en wereldwijd knooppunt voor bankieren, goederenvervoer, mode en voedsel, en heeft meer dan 60 Michelin-sterrenrestaurants. De vijfsterren hotels die men hier vindt, zijn de meest elegante; vele zijn gevestigd in grote wolkenkrabbers die de steile hellingen van Hongkong bekleden en de skyline zo mooi verlichten.

Hongkong, dat officieel de speciale administratieve regio van de Volksrepubliek China heet, heeft een grote hoeveelheid autonomie in vergelijking met de rest van China, zelfs nadat het herenigd werd met China in 1997 na 156 jaar Brits bestuur.

Veel cruises in Zuidoost- en Oost-Azië beginnen of eindigen in Hongkong, en het is zeker een geweldige stad om een dag of twee te bezichtigen en culturele activiteiten te ondernemen, voor of na uw reis. Kleinere cruiseschepen kunnen aanleggen in Victoria Harbour, met direct uitzicht op de indrukwekkende skyline. Helaas is de vervuiling is een probleem en soms is het uitzicht daardoor vertroebeld.”

Calling all skywatchers, umbraphiles and astronomers! Extremely rare and very exciting, a full solar eclipse is a bucket list experience if ever there was one. Scheduled for 4th December, 2021 the next eclipse will take place only in Antarctica and we will be positioned in the small path of totality for maximum effect. This experience is not available for the average cruisers; imagine being surrounded by brilliant light one minute, then complete blackout the next, before enjoying the mysterious shadow-play as we wind back to the blinding white of Antarctica.

Watch how the curious wildlife will react to the eclipse, making sure to note their behaviour and let the onboard naturalist know. Other onboard expedition staff will share their insightful knowledge in order to help you gain a better understanding of this phenomenal phenomenon. As if a trip to the seventh continent was not special enough!

Experience the rich imperial past, stoic resilience, and blissful beaches of central Vietnam, as you delve deep into this fascinating country’s past and present. The sheer beauty and vitality of the scenery will amaze you, as you explore the stories this now tranquil land has to tell – all the while surrounded by rolling rice paddies, freely grazing water buffalo and soaring limestone scenery. Cut in half by the evocatively named Perfume River, and home to a spectacular sprawling citadel, Hue is a true experience for the senses.

Vietnam’s timeless beauty outshines the shadows of its past, but Hue still bears the heavy scars of war – whether it’s from American bombs, or harrowing events like those of Hue Jungle Crevice – where the Viet Cong pushed 3,000 civilians to their deaths. Hue’s Old City was once the jewel of Vietnam, standing proudly as its Imperial Capital. Lotus flowers now twirl peacefully in the grand moat around its mighty walls, which encase a spectacular array of charred palaces, temples and regal residences. Danang’s Marble Mountains rise dramatically close by, and they are scattered with Buddhist shrines and plunging caves. While there is an endless treasure trove of rich cultural experiences waiting here, it’s hard to resist the call of Danang’s idyllic beaches, where white sand gives way to a fringe of palm trees. The undulating humps of the city’s Dragon Bridge soar across the wide River Han, and this ambitious structure comes alive at night, when strobing light shows illuminate its flowing form, and the bridge’s dragon head rasps fire into the dusk.

Calling all skywatchers, umbraphiles and astronomers! Extremely rare and very exciting, a full solar eclipse is a bucket list experience if ever there was one. Scheduled for 4th December, 2021 the next eclipse will take place only in Antarctica and we will be positioned in the small path of totality for maximum effect. This experience is not available for the average cruisers; imagine being surrounded by brilliant light one minute, then complete blackout the next, before enjoying the mysterious shadow-play as we wind back to the blinding white of Antarctica.

Watch how the curious wildlife will react to the eclipse, making sure to note their behaviour and let the onboard naturalist know. Other onboard expedition staff will share their insightful knowledge in order to help you gain a better understanding of this phenomenal phenomenon. As if a trip to the seventh continent was not special enough!

A chaotic, enchanting swirl of sensory stimulation – Ho Chi Minh City is a place of incense-infused temples, colonial architecture, warm people and delicious street food. Formerly known as Saigon, the city was affectionately-labelled the Pearl of the Orient by the French. Afternoons here drift by lazily on the gentle chaos of the River Saigon, as taxi boats and motor canoes flit up and down, and parks fill out with locals playing jianzi, kicking shuttlecocks back and forth. View less

The French colonial imprint is evidenced in the Saigon Notre Dame Basilica, which stands out with its grand double bell towers and red brick hue. Just across the road, you’ll also find the celebrated Ho Chi Minh Post office, which was erroneously credited as a Gustav Eifel creation. In reality, the architect was another Frenchman, Alfred Foulhoux. The French also caffeinated this city with coffee culture, and a refreshing iced coffee, from the innumerable coffee shops, will perk you up instantly. Taste the street food to get under Ho Chi Minh City’s skin, with humble restaurants serving up rich flavours – from the Vietnamese take on the baguette, a banh mi sandwich – to the local staple of pho, a delicious noodle soup. The Tortoise pagoda is a tranquil escape and a serene place of worship for Vietnamese who practice Buddhism and Taoism, while the Vietnamese medical museum has a fascinating collection of remedies and potions – some dating back to Stone Age. Journey out to learn more of the Vietnam War at the Remnants Museum and Cu Chi tunnels. Offering a vivid glimpse of conditions, and the ingenuity and resilience of the soldiers, you’ll learn of the guerrilla war campaign raged from within this claustrophobic, 70-mile network of war tunnels.

A chaotic, enchanting swirl of sensory stimulation – Ho Chi Minh City is a place of incense-infused temples, colonial architecture, warm people and delicious street food. Formerly known as Saigon, the city was affectionately-labelled the Pearl of the Orient by the French. Afternoons here drift by lazily on the gentle chaos of the River Saigon, as taxi boats and motor canoes flit up and down, and parks fill out with locals playing jianzi, kicking shuttlecocks back and forth. View less

The French colonial imprint is evidenced in the Saigon Notre Dame Basilica, which stands out with its grand double bell towers and red brick hue. Just across the road, you’ll also find the celebrated Ho Chi Minh Post office, which was erroneously credited as a Gustav Eifel creation. In reality, the architect was another Frenchman, Alfred Foulhoux. The French also caffeinated this city with coffee culture, and a refreshing iced coffee, from the innumerable coffee shops, will perk you up instantly. Taste the street food to get under Ho Chi Minh City’s skin, with humble restaurants serving up rich flavours – from the Vietnamese take on the baguette, a banh mi sandwich – to the local staple of pho, a delicious noodle soup. The Tortoise pagoda is a tranquil escape and a serene place of worship for Vietnamese who practice Buddhism and Taoism, while the Vietnamese medical museum has a fascinating collection of remedies and potions – some dating back to Stone Age. Journey out to learn more of the Vietnam War at the Remnants Museum and Cu Chi tunnels. Offering a vivid glimpse of conditions, and the ingenuity and resilience of the soldiers, you’ll learn of the guerrilla war campaign raged from within this claustrophobic, 70-mile network of war tunnels.

A chaotic, enchanting swirl of sensory stimulation – Ho Chi Minh City is a place of incense-infused temples, colonial architecture, warm people and delicious street food. Formerly known as Saigon, the city was affectionately-labelled the Pearl of the Orient by the French. Afternoons here drift by lazily on the gentle chaos of the River Saigon, as taxi boats and motor canoes flit up and down, and parks fill out with locals playing jianzi, kicking shuttlecocks back and forth. View less

The French colonial imprint is evidenced in the Saigon Notre Dame Basilica, which stands out with its grand double bell towers and red brick hue. Just across the road, you’ll also find the celebrated Ho Chi Minh Post office, which was erroneously credited as a Gustav Eifel creation. In reality, the architect was another Frenchman, Alfred Foulhoux. The French also caffeinated this city with coffee culture, and a refreshing iced coffee, from the innumerable coffee shops, will perk you up instantly. Taste the street food to get under Ho Chi Minh City’s skin, with humble restaurants serving up rich flavours – from the Vietnamese take on the baguette, a banh mi sandwich – to the local staple of pho, a delicious noodle soup. The Tortoise pagoda is a tranquil escape and a serene place of worship for Vietnamese who practice Buddhism and Taoism, while the Vietnamese medical museum has a fascinating collection of remedies and potions – some dating back to Stone Age. Journey out to learn more of the Vietnam War at the Remnants Museum and Cu Chi tunnels. Offering a vivid glimpse of conditions, and the ingenuity and resilience of the soldiers, you’ll learn of the guerrilla war campaign raged from within this claustrophobic, 70-mile network of war tunnels.

Calling all skywatchers, umbraphiles and astronomers! Extremely rare and very exciting, a full solar eclipse is a bucket list experience if ever there was one. Scheduled for 4th December, 2021 the next eclipse will take place only in Antarctica and we will be positioned in the small path of totality for maximum effect. This experience is not available for the average cruisers; imagine being surrounded by brilliant light one minute, then complete blackout the next, before enjoying the mysterious shadow-play as we wind back to the blinding white of Antarctica.

Watch how the curious wildlife will react to the eclipse, making sure to note their behaviour and let the onboard naturalist know. Other onboard expedition staff will share their insightful knowledge in order to help you gain a better understanding of this phenomenal phenomenon. As if a trip to the seventh continent was not special enough!

Advanced, airy and elevated, Singapore is a spectacular, futuristic vision of utopian city life. A healthy population of almost six million call it home, but this is a city designed with space to breathe, and gorgeous outdoor parks, massive indoor greenhouses and beautiful recreational spaces spread between the City of Gardens’ skyscrapers and soaring structures. Once a quiet fishing village, now a glistening island city-state and an international beacon of science, education and technology. View less

Singapore is almost intimidatingly clean – and the hyper-efficient public transport system whips residents and visitors across the city’s neighbourhoods in a heartbeat. Glorious fountains and audacious skyscrapers loom up – nodding to traditional feng shui beliefs – and putting on dazzling illuminated displays after dark. The lush green botanical gardens are a spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site, covering 52 hectares and decorated with impressive colourful orchids. Or breathe in more of the freshest air by heading up to wander the canopy strung bridges of MacRitchie Reservoir Park. Head for the iconic Marina Bay – a landmark of the city crowned by three interconnected towers, which watch out over island sprinkled waters. Jaunt between Little India and the atmospheric Chinatown in minutes, where beautiful temples – like the Chinese Thian Hock Keng Temple and Hindu Sri Mariamman Temple add rich cultural intrigue. Singapore’s cuisine is a mouthwatering fusion of its Indian, Chinese, Indonesian, and Malay influences, taking and enhancing the best of each. Enjoy dishes in towering restaurants, or toast the glowing skyline with the city’s eponymous gin-soaked cocktail – a Singapore Sling.