South East Asia Cruise - from Keelung / Taipeh - 125130

Keelung is a port town in the North of Taiwan. One of the attractions there is the statue of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, which sits atop the mountain summit. The north-eastern coast road leads through the foothills of the central mountain range, providing a breathtaking view of the East China Sea and the Pacific. Fascinating treasures in the National Palace Museum and the impressive memorial to Tschiang Kai-schek are also well worth a look.

The Philipinos refer to the island at the mouth of Manila Bay simply as "the rocks". But it was here that one of the most fateful events of the nation took place. It was on Corregidor that the American forces and their Philippine allies were forced to surrended to the superior force of the Japanese in 1942. "The rocks" are perforated with tunnels where the defence forces hid. Today one can see the ruins of the defences and the one-and-a-half metre long Malinta Tunnel, once the headquarters of General Douglas Mac Arthur. It was here that the supreme commander of the Pacific forces spoke the immortal words "I shall return".

The metropolis of Manila, which has a population of around 1.7 million, is the capital of the Philippines and is considered to be a very important port. The city lies in Manila Bay, Luzon, and consists of 7 main areas. Manila has several universities, an international airport, many shopping centres, oil refineries and other industrial trades. Sights include numerous Baroque churches, which were granted World Heritage Site status in 1993, "China Town", a magical area of Manila, the Chinese cemetery, "Intramuris", the oldest part of the city with many churches and ancient buildings and "Mataki", an ultra-modern and luxurious shopping centre.

Muara is the port of Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of the Sultanate of Brunei. The most important sight in Bandar Seri Begawan is the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin mosque built at the centre of an artificial lagoon with golden domes and a 54-metre-high minaret that towers over the city. Other sights include: the Churchill memorial with the Churchill Museum; the Hassanal Bolkiah Aquarium; the splendid "Lapau" with its throne room - the stage for traditional royal ceremonies. The Sultan's residence "Istana Nurul Iman" is also worth a visit, as is Tasek Park with its pretty waterfall, the Tamu Market, the Brunei Museum, the Malaiian Museum of Technology and the tomb of the 5th Sultan Bolkiah, who was known as "the singing Admiral" due to his love of music and conquest.

Kuching is the capital of the district of Sarawak on Borneo. The city has the best and most interesting museum in Borneo, the Sarawak Museum, which has a collection of ethnographic exhibits from Borneo. The old town, the main bazaar, the mosque and the markets selling local spices are all worth a visit. At Damai Beach, around 1 hour from the city you can enjoy a beach holiday as well as marvel at the cultural performances, dances and music of the country's many ethnic groups.

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.