South East Asia Cruise - from Benoa - 116088

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.

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.

Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia and is situated on the island of Java. The city is a fascinating mix of various cultural influences. The old town with buildings from the Dutch and Portuguese colonial periods is well worth seeing. This is also where you will find the National Monument at Merdeka Square. The Central Museum has an excellent anthropology section and exhibits sculptures from the pre-Hindu era, among other things. The Portuguese church with the huge Dutch pump organ (1695) is also well worth a visit. The modern Istiqlal Mosque in the town centre is one of the largest in the world. The antiques market in Jalan Surabaya (Surabaya street) and the many batik factories in the Karet district are also must-sees. In the South-East of the city is Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, a theme park covering 100 hectares which provides an insight into the (at times very varied) cultures of the 26 Indonesian provinces. Each province is represented in Taman Mini by a scale model house in the respective traditional style. Inside the houses are exhibitions of traditional costumes and handicrafts from the various regions. The majority of the houses also provide cultural tours - an events guide is available at the tourist information office. The Jakarta cultural centre is one of the largest in South East Asia.

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.

Ko Samui is Thailand's third-largest island and lies around 700 km to the South of Bangkok. The island is also known as "Coconut Island" due to the fact that there are more than 3 million coconut palms growing there. Accordingly, there are around 1,000 coconut farmers on the island. The coconuts are harvested for the most part by specially trained monkeys. An insider's tip until a few years ago, Ko Samui is becoming an increasingly popular holiday destination, but this has not yet taken anything away from its idyllic charm. For anyone looking for a place with perfect white beaches, crystal clear light-blue waters and picturesque landscapes, Ko Samui is the right place. The most visited sight on the island is 'Big Buddha', a statue of Buddha built in 1972 that stands 12 m high.

Laem Chabang is the port of the Thai capital of Bangkok. The deep-sea port is around a half-hour car journey from Pattaya and in the space of just a few years has established itself on the list of the most important ports in the world. Today, Leam Chabang is one of the 20 largest container ports in the world. Plattaya's famous resorts are perfect for swimming and relaxing.

Laem Chabang is the port of the Thai capital of Bangkok. The deep-sea port is around a half-hour car journey from Pattaya and in the space of just a few years has established itself on the list of the most important ports in the world. Today, Leam Chabang is one of the 20 largest container ports in the world. Plattaya's famous resorts are perfect for swimming and relaxing.

Around 2 hours to the South of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, lies the port of Phu My. Sights in and around Ho Chi Minh City include: Reunification Hall, the National History Museum, the former US Embassy, the city hall, Saigon Cathedral, Vung Tau, the Rex Hotel, and the temple of the goddess of the sea.

Halong bay boasts some of Vietnam's most beautiful countryside. It is made up of more than 3,000 little islands of Karst rocks, some of which cover an area of 2,000 km². The rock formations are a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The port town of Halong City consists of the two areas "Bai Chai" and "Hon Gai". Legend has it that Halong Bay was created by a "dragon coming down to land" ("Ha Long"). Science has, however, proven that the island landscape was formed during the last Ice Age through the sinking of the South-West Chinese limestone plateau.

The Chinese island of Hong Kong ("Xiang Gang" in Chinese) has, together with the island of Lantao and the Kowloon peninsula, has belonged to the Chinese special administrative region since July 1st 1997. "Hong Kong in the narrow sense" forms the core settlement of the group of islands with a population of more than 4 million. The city is one of the largest financial centres in the world and represents a major junction for sea transport in the region. Sights include: floating restaurants at the harbour, Tai Po racecourse, the beaches at Castle Peak, Man Mo Temple; the bell tower at the tip of the Kowloon peninsula serves as an excellent viewing platform of the city skyline; the 800 m long escalator on Hongkong Island (the longest in the world), "Tiger Balm Garden" with its small caves and statues from Chinese mythology, Victoria Peak with views of the port and the city. There is also a huge number of restaurants and shops.