Exotic Southeast Asia Cruise
Nov. 14 – Dec. 6, 2010 (23 days total)
Optional three-day extension to Dec. 9 (26 days total)
Note: The itinerary may change
Nov. 14: Depart for Vancouver.
Nov. 15: Depart Canada - Fly to Beijing, China.
Nov. 16: Beijing - Welcome to Beijing (also known as Peking), the capital of China and home to many ancient wonders. You will be met and transferred to your 4 or 5-star hotel. Enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure.
Nov. 17: Beijing - Your highlights today include a tour of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Visit the Olympic Village after lunch. Visit the inspiring Temple of Heaven in the afternoon and enjoy a delicious Peking Duck Dinner in the evening.
Beijing National Stadium or "Bird's Nest" built for the 2008 Summer Olympics
Nov. 18: Beijing - Today, you will walk the mighty Great Wall of China and tour the ancient Ming Dynasty Tombs.
Nov. 19 (Cruise day 1): Beijing - After breakfast, bid farewell to Beijing as you are driven to Xingang Port (a 2 1/2 hour drive) to embark upon the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
The Diamond Princess (public domain photo)
Nov. 20 (Cruise day 2): At Sea
Nov. 21 (Cruise day 3): Pusan (Busan), South Korea. City tour to Yongdusan Park, stop at Busan Tower, Jagalchi Fish Market and Nampodong street. Pass Yonggungsa Temple, view earthquake resistant suspension Gwangan Bridge and Haeundae Beach. Shop at Busan District (hanbok). Enjoy Tea ceremony, then drive to Tongdosa Temple, view United Nations Memorial Cemetery (Korean War).
Nov. 22 (Cruise day 4): Nagasaki, Japan. On Aug. 9, 1945, an atomic bomb dropped over Nagasaki killing and injuring 150,000 people. Visit Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall and Atomic Bomb Museum. Pass Glover Garden, Confucius Shrine, Oura Church, Hollander Slope, Sofukuji Temple, stop at Spectacles Bridge.
Statue at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Hypocenter (below where the atomic bomb blew up) (public domain photo)
Nov. 23 (Cruise day 5): At Sea
Nov. 24 (Cruise day 6): Shanghai, China - Today you will explore the heart of Old Shanghai on a guided walking tour that visits Yu Yuan Garden (Yuyuan Garden), a Ming Dynasty pleasure park. Discover the city's history on a tour of the Shanghai Contemporary Historical Museum. Visit the White Buddha Temple and view its priceless white jade statue.
Nov. 25 (Cruise day 7): At Sea
Nov. 26 (Cruise day 8): At Sea
Nov. 27 (Cruise day 9): Hong Kong, China - Travel to the summit of Victoria Peak for panoramic views of Hong Kong Island, Victoria Harbor and the Kowloon Peninsula. Visit Aberdeen, home to the island's "water people." Lunch aboard one of Hong Kong's famous floating restaurants. See the sights on a narrated harbor cruise. Shop in Hong Kong's fabled Stanley Market.
Junk (boat) in Hong Kong Harbour
Nov. 28 (Cruise day 10): At Sea
Nov. 29 (Cruise day 11): Nha Trang, Vietnam - Explore the countryside, a world of rice paddies, bamboo groves and colorful gardens. Visit a village and meet the local kindergartners. See a home workshop at village temple and traditional farmhouse before strolling through an open-air farmer's market.
Nov. 30 (Cruise day 12): Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon, port: Phu My), Vietnam - The Cu Chi District played a major role in the Vietnam War. Here the VietCong excavated more than 124 miles of underground tunnels. Tour the massive complex that once provided safe haven and a base of operations for communist forces.
Cu Chi Tunnel (public domain photo)
Dec. 1 (Cruise day 13): At Sea
Dec. 2 (Cruise day 14): Bangkok, Thailand (Port: Laem Chabang) - Fascinating, vibrant and colourful, Bangkok has it all. Tour Grand Palace, then two Buddhist temples: Wat Trimit with Golden Buddha, and Wat Po, with reclining Buddha and Chedi of the Kings. Ride through klongs (canals) on longtail boat, and cruise on converted rice barge.
Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand
A woman sells fruit at a Floating Market in Thailand
Dec. 3 (Cruise day 15): Ko Samui, Thailand. Tour on your own - Visit Temple of Big Buddha and Wat Plai Laem. Browse local gift stalls. Visit rubber and coconut plantations, observe demonstration of elephants at work, and monkeys harvesting coconuts at a plantation. Try out the awesome beaches.
Dec. 4 (Cruise day 16): At Sea
Dec. 5 (Cruise day 17): Singapore. Meet the guide as you disembark the Diamond Princess and transfer you to 4-star hotel in Singapore.
Dec. 6: Singapore. Transfer to the airport and return to Canada.
Optional Three-Night Singapore Extension
Dec. 6: Singapore. Experience "Crossroads of Asia", famous Orchard Road to Chinatown. Explore National Orchid Garden, with over 12,000 orchids, and Sri Mariamman, unique Hindu temple. Enjoy view from Mount Faber, snap a photo of Merlion guarding the harbour.
Merlion - a lion head with a fish body - the symbol of Singapore
Dec. 7: Singapore - Free morning: Shop or explore Orchard Road, or explore Changi Museum (Old Japanese prison). Late afternoon stop at Raffles Hotel, home of Singapore Sling, prior to the Night Safari in wildlife park.
Dec. 8: Singapore - Take morning Singapore River Cruise & Chinatown Walking Tour. Cruise past skyscrapers and restored shop-houses lining the Singapore River. Explore Chinatown on a guided walking tour of Fu Tak Chi Temple and Chinatown Heritage Center, dedicated to their history and unique Chinese culture.
Dec. 9: Singapore - Transfer to airport for flight home to Canada retaining special memories of friends and experiences.
Visit the official Princess Cruises web page about the cruise portion of this tour.
We're booking now! Contact us for price information or about any other questions you may have.
Walking between rice paddies in China
Silk Market in Beijing
Riding a taxi boat in Vietnam
Round boats on a beach in Vietnam
Photo Credits: IMG_1521 (Great Wall of China) by begg on Flickr, IMG_2168.JPG (Bird's Nest) by caswell_tom on Flickr, IMG_2082.JPG by caswell_tom on Flickr, Grand Palace Bangkok by g-hat on Flickr, Market Colours by The Wandering Angel on Flickr, Singapore by fddi1 on Flickr, DSC01451 by raj_nair81 on Flickr, Junk Boat by Andrew Turner on Flickr, Walking (by rice paddies) by mote on Flickr, Taxi II by Terminalnomad on Flickr, Round boats at Mui Ne Beach by thalling55 on Flickr, The Cornerstone of Peace / 平和の礎 by jetalone on Flickr. Unless otherwise noted, all photos shown on this page are licensed with a Creative Commons Attribution license.