Experience a cruise of the Far East and discover the exotic beauty and mysticism of Asia. Ancient cultures have left their mark with fascinating customs and traditions, whether it’s India, Vietnam, Thailand, China or Japan.
Each cruise port of call offers something uniquely different, but all bring unforgettable experiences – the bustle of a fresh food market, the tranquility of a sacred temple or the view of the sun setting on the ocean from an idyllic beach.
See the giant gold-plated statues of Buddha in Bangkok, Thailand, as well the ornately decorated royal palaces and temples that grace the country’s busy capital. As a contrast, relax on the palm-lined beaches on the island of Phuket, one of the most picture-perfect of cruise holiday destinations. Great beaches can be found in Goa, India and Vietnam too.
Nha Trang, with its pristine sand and rugged coastline, feels very much like a tropical paradise. Beyond Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, lie religious shrines and ancient temples hidden amidst remote forest or mountain settings. The 12th century temple complex of Angkor Wat, in neighbouring Cambodia, is just one magnificent example.
There are few better reminders of ancient and advanced civilisations than those on display in the Far East, with China being no exception. The Great Wall, built across the mountains of northern China over a twenty-one century period, is one impressive feat of engineering that deserves exploration.
Seeing the life-sized Terracotta Army in situ is equally inspiring and gives a glimpse into this fascinating ancient culture. Beijing offers great monuments itself, including the palaces and gardens of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, a focus of struggle throughout the decades and the largest public square in the world.
Returned to China in 1987, Hong Kong has not lost any of its hard-working and money-spending reputation, still providing a fascinating place to shop, eat and be entertained. Cruising past sampans in the harbour beneath the modern high-rise Hong Kong skyline sums up the fusion of ancient and modern in today’s Asia. Shanghai provides similar fascinating contrasts.
A Far East cruise holiday offers the opportunity to experience some of the world’s largest and busiest centres of commerce and culture, such as Singapore, or the major cities of Japan. Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka are places of contrasts.
Amongst the gleaming tower blocks, the criss-crossing transport lines and busy shopping streets are peaceful parks and perfectly manicured gardens of Imperial palaces, Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.
View our live Far East cruise webcams to see which ships are in port
Take a virtual tour of Asia and the Far East using our Google Earth cruise and see the ports often visited
If you do not have Google Earth on your computer go to our Google Earth info pages for a step by step guide |
