South East Asia Cruise - from Benoa - 119024

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.

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.

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.

The island of Penang is also a federal state on the west coast of the peninsula. It is Malaysia's most famous destination, and hardly needs an introduction. Georgetown is known not only as a city full of history, but also for the long beach at Batu Feringghi with its lovely hotels and the expansive view of the sea. The island is connected to the mainland by the Penang Bridge, measuring 13.5 km in length, making it one of the longest bridges in Asia. Sights include: Fort Cornwallis, which today is home to an outdoor museum and acts as an open-air theatre, Penang Bird Park, the Orchid and Hibiscus Garden, the leisure park at Bukit Mertajam and the small but extremely interesting butterfly farm just North of Batu Feringghi.

Visitors to Thailand's largest island can look forward to paradise beaches, a varied landscape, a bustling provincial capital and a wide variety of recreational activities. It's no wonder that Phuket, with its 215,000 inhabitants, is South-East Asia's most popular holiday island. The island's beauty lies in its magical coastline. There are gently sloping white sandy beaches with still waters and precipitous headlands with thunderous crashing waves. The town centre of Phuket is a popular destination for shopping. Sights include: Thai Village, a Thai-Folklore village with a cultural performance featuring traditional Thai dancing, sword-fighting and Thai boxing, Thalang National Museum, the Wat Phra Thong temple with a partially-buried statue of Buddha.

The capital of Sri Lanka (which used to be known as "Ceylon"), has developed into an important port for ships travelling in the Far East over the last few years. "Beira Lake" surrounds the town, which is connected to the port by means of a canal. The Clock Tower, from which you can enjoy a wonderful view of the town and the port is well worth seeing. The town also has many buildings built in the 18th and 19th century by the Dutch, such as St. Peter's Church or Pettah, once the Dutch residential area, which today is bursting with a colourful bazaars. To the South of Beira Lake is Victoria Park. Colombo town centre is home to Dehiwela Zoo with animals from all around the world and a daily elephant circus.

Male is the capital of the Maldives on the island of Male. The Maledives consist of two circular atolls, a northerly and a southerly one. The island with a population of approximately 65,000 has a central location and is the largest in the country. The parliament has its seat in Male, and the city also has a presidential palace and an airport, various shopping centres and a large mosque. Sights include: the mosque in the Islamic Centre, the 'Friday Mosque', the National Museum, the fish market and the vegetable market.

Port Louis, the capital of the African island paradise of Mauritius lies on the West coast of the island, nestled between the Moka mountains and the Indian Ocean. The city is an invigorating mix of city bustle, the grand elegance of a bygone age and multicultural cooperation. Popular destinations in the town centre include the wide luxury street with its King palms and the market with its iron market halls. If you want to buy something here, you have to be prepared to barter. In the town centre close to the port a number of colonial buildings add a touch of palatial pizazz. The best view of the city is to be had from Fort Adelaide, which dates from the British era and sits enthroned in the centre of the city atop a small hill. The island of Mauritius itself is of volcanic origin which is why it is lined by mountain ranges. Huge sugar-cane plantations and paradise beaches are what the island is famous for.

Port Louis, the capital of the African island paradise of Mauritius lies on the West coast of the island, nestled between the Moka mountains and the Indian Ocean. The city is an invigorating mix of city bustle, the grand elegance of a bygone age and multicultural cooperation. Popular destinations in the town centre include the wide luxury street with its King palms and the market with its iron market halls. If you want to buy something here, you have to be prepared to barter. In the town centre close to the port a number of colonial buildings add a touch of palatial pizazz. The best view of the city is to be had from Fort Adelaide, which dates from the British era and sits enthroned in the centre of the city atop a small hill. The island of Mauritius itself is of volcanic origin which is why it is lined by mountain ranges. Huge sugar-cane plantations and paradise beaches are what the island is famous for.