South East Asia Cruise - from Sydney - 117369

Founded in 1864 by Robert Towns, the city today has a double name ("Townsville"). It is the starting point for excursions to Magnetic Island (lined with palm-trees and paradise beaches) but Townsville itself also has a lot to offer. Townsville's aquarium, the Great Barrier Reef Wonderland, is a first-class aquarium with a live coral reef, which visitors can even walk through thanks to the glass underwater tunnel. The colourful Great Barrier Reef lies just off the coast of Townsville. Here, visitors can dive to the huge area of coral or swim in the shallow waters.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.