Australia Cruise - from Singapore - 135640

Singapore is a city state at the lower end of the Malay Peninsula, only around 100 km North of the equator. Today the city is one of the most important ports and trading centres in South East Asia. Singapore has a population of over 3 million, including first and foremost Chinese, Malaysians and Indians. Europeans and other ethnic groups round off the city of many nationalities and four official languages. Visitors will notice the spotlessly clean and well-kept roads and squares; Singapore is also one of the safest cities in the world. Some interesting buildings dating from the colonial era have been placed under preservation order, including several former British administrative buildings and Raffles Hotel, whose guests included many authors. From the southern shore of the Singapore River visitors can take a boat trip around the river and Marina Bay. Sights include: the shopping street Orchard Road, Chinatown, Little India, Singapore River, the Botanic Gardens, the zoo and Fort Canning.

Singapore is a city state at the lower end of the Malay Peninsula, only around 100 km North of the equator. Today the city is one of the most important ports and trading centres in South East Asia. Singapore has a population of over 3 million, including first and foremost Chinese, Malaysians and Indians. Europeans and other ethnic groups round off the city of many nationalities and four official languages. Visitors will notice the spotlessly clean and well-kept roads and squares; Singapore is also one of the safest cities in the world. Some interesting buildings dating from the colonial era have been placed under preservation order, including several former British administrative buildings and Raffles Hotel, whose guests included many authors. From the southern shore of the Singapore River visitors can take a boat trip around the river and Marina Bay. Sights include: the shopping street Orchard Road, Chinatown, Little India, Singapore River, the Botanic Gardens, the zoo and Fort Canning.

Semarang is the capital and the most important port in the central province of Java. The town is also a centre of the economy and tourism. A visit to the world-famous Buddhist temples of Borobudur in the Provinz Yogyakarta is well worth it. Excavation of the temple began only in 1814 and in 1983 it was declared a national monument by the president in office at that time.

The Indonesian port of Surabaya on the North-Eastern coast of Java is also called the "city of heroes" on account of its turbulent past. Today, this metropolis with a population of over one million is an important production and trading centre and the second-largest city in Indonesia. From Surabaya it is easy to reach the tiny neighbouring island of Madure, which is famous for its legendary bull races. Sights include: Surabaya zoo, the harbour of Kalima, the martyrs' memorial and Kayoon flower market.

Benoa is a traditional fishing village in the South of Bali. At the entrance to the port is the Pura Sakenan temple . It is linked with the pilgrimage of the Buddhist saint Dang Hyang Nirartha and is particularly important during the Galungan Festival celebrated every second year.

Benoa is a traditional fishing village in the South of Bali. At the entrance to the port is the Pura Sakenan temple . It is linked with the pilgrimage of the Buddhist saint Dang Hyang Nirartha and is particularly important during the Galungan Festival celebrated every second year.

The relaxed atmosphere of the outback dominates in Darwin too. The nearby wilderness of Cockatoo National Park boasts cave paintings and aboriginal art, rock formations that are more than 20,000 years old, and the dense lush Australian rainforest with many many waterfalls.

Broome, the centre of the pearl industry, lies on the Indian Ocean. The town is surrounded by wide, white sandy beaches with turquoise-blue water and the reddish-orange coloured cliffs along the shoreline. Thanks to the former pearl divers, the town has an Asian touch and still has a Chinatown area. In the 19th century, Broome was one of the most famous pearl harbours in the world. In 1910, 400 boats met 80% of the worldwide demand for mother-of-pearl. Today, the Australian port relies mainly on tourism. Sights include: Cable Beach, the Japanese cemetery, Broome Historical Society Museum, the historic outdoor cinema "Sun Pictures", where you can watch a film from the comfort of your deckchair.

Broome, the centre of the pearl industry, lies on the Indian Ocean. The town is surrounded by wide, white sandy beaches with turquoise-blue water and the reddish-orange coloured cliffs along the shoreline. Thanks to the former pearl divers, the town has an Asian touch and still has a Chinatown area. In the 19th century, Broome was one of the most famous pearl harbours in the world. In 1910, 400 boats met 80% of the worldwide demand for mother-of-pearl. Today, the Australian port relies mainly on tourism. Sights include: Cable Beach, the Japanese cemetery, Broome Historical Society Museum, the historic outdoor cinema "Sun Pictures", where you can watch a film from the comfort of your deckchair.

In the middle of the West Australian coast, 1,100 km North of Perth, lies the small town of Exmouth. It was built in 1967 primarily as a communications base for the US marines, who left in the early 1990s. Part of the base has been used by the Australian marines, the other section has been converted into accommodation. Exmouth is first and foremost the starting point for tours to Ningaloo Reef Marine Park, the largest coral reef in Western Australia. From November to March visitors can see the turtles that come to the beach to lay their eggs. A special highlight for visitors is being able to dive with the largest fish in the world, the whale shark, at the fantastic Ningaloo Reef.

The port of Geraldton is located to the North of Perth in Champion Bay. Since the sun shines an average of 8 hours a day here, the city is also known as "Sun City". The Abrolhos Islands lie before the coast of the city; these are banks of coral and islands that until very recently caused many, many ships to sink. The most famous of these was the Batavia, a trading and passenger ship that sank in 1629 with around 300 people on board. The survivors' story is re-told at the Geraldton Museum with finds, photographs and a gripping film. The city with the second-largest port in all of Western Australia also has a number of other interesting sights: St. Francis Xavier cathedral, the Shell Museum and the view point at Mount Scott.

Fremantle was founded in 1829 and was the capital of western Australia in the early 19th century. For many migrants, the harbour represented the gateway to the land "Down Under" and Fremantle developed into a multicultural town. It is most famous for its market.

Fremantle was founded in 1829 and was the capital of western Australia in the early 19th century. For many migrants, the harbour represented the gateway to the land "Down Under" and Fremantle developed into a multicultural town. It is most famous for its market.

Albany is the oldest town in Western Australia located on the King George Sound. It was founded in 1826 as a prison settlement. Today, the town is best known for being the holiday and tourist centre of the Great Southern Region. Sights include: the Mount Clarence monument, the Residency Museum, the Old Post Office and the gorge known as "The Gap".

Adelaide, with a population of 1.08 million, is the capital of South Australia. It proudly calls itself the "Festival City", since it hosts the largest cultural festical in the entire Asia Pacific region every other year in February/March. The streets of the inner city of Adelaide have a grid -iron layout. The most important street in the city is "Rundle Street" which has a large number of department stores, small shops, boutiques and restaurants. But there are still lovely old houses at Adelaide's port, like the police station dating from 1860, a warehouse (1865) and numerous historic residential buildings. Other sights include: "Old Parliament House" dating back to 1855, the Migration Museum, the Australian Museum and two universities (founded in 1847 and 1966).

The small isle of Phillip Island, the capital of which is Cowes, is off the South coast of Australia and is known primarily for the main attraction, the fairy penguins. They are the smallest of the 18 species of penguin and the only ones that breed off the Australian coast. Visitors can watch from platforms as the penguins return to their nests each evening. The koala sanctuary, a veterinary and breeding centre for koalas, is also well worth a visit. Here, visitors can observe these cute marsupials in their natural habitat. There is also a wildlife park with kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, dingos, tasmanian devils, emus, cockatoos and wombats.

Melbourne is an Australian metropolis founded by settlers in 1835. Unlike Sydney or Hobart, Melbourne was never a prison colony. The city has an individual tradition with beautiful architecture and enchanting art and culture. As well as the settlers, you will also encounter the indigenous people of Austrialia, the Aborigines, in the city. Melbourne has a large number of shopping, cultural, sport and recreational facilities, making it extremely attractive to visitors. Sights include: the city's tram system, the Botanic Gardens, Melbourne University, the Convention Centre and Carlton District Crown.

With a population in excess of 1 million, Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand. It lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Tasmanian See. It got its nickname the "City of Sails" on account of the "thousand ships" moored in its harbour. The city spans an 11 km wide sound of volcanic rocks and is a paradise for watersports fans. To the North of Auckland, Leigh Marine Reserve provides plenty of opportunity for every imaginable kind of underwater activity. The main cultural attraction is the Auckland Museum.