We have always wanted to go on a trip to Southeast Asia. Between our love for Asian food and our desire to see all the incredible temples, cities and landscapes, we knew that we had to move this trip up to the top of our bucket list.
Since Asia is a long way from home and we wanted to make sure that we visited as many of our top places as possible on this trip in case we couldn’t make it back to the region.
We specifically wanted to see Hong Kong, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Siem Reap, Bangkok and Singapore. This is a lot of territory to cover in one trip and we felt that the best way see everything in a short period of time would be on a cruise.
Plus, we didn’t want to spend time checking in and out of hotels every day or so, and using precious day time traveling from one city to the next. The beauty of cruising is that it allows you to unpack once and then move from one city to the next while you’re sleeping.
READ MORE: How to Find the Perfect Cruise Itinerary
- Our Southeast Asia Itinerary
- 1) Hong Kong – Skyscraper Capital of the World!
- 2) Ha Long Bay Vietnam – Natures Marvel
- 3) Hoi An Vietnam – The Peaceful Meeting Place
- 4) A Journey to The Mekong River Delta
- 5) Bangkok Thailand – Day and Night
- 6) Angkor Wat and Siem Reap Cambodia
- 7) Spectacular Singapore – The Garden City
- Conclusion
Our Southeast Asia Itinerary
We were able to find a cruise that would take us to 7 fabulous Southeast Asia destinations with Celebrity Cruises. Not only did their itinerary include all of our
1) Hong Kong – Skyscraper Capital of the World!
Our Southeast Asia Adventure began in Hong Kong. We arrived one day before the start of the cruise so we could experience more of this dynamic city.
We visited Victoria Peak, Man Mo Temple, Hong Kong Island & Nathan Road. We also went on an afternoon food walking tour to taste the local flavors. And on our last day, we visited Lantau Island and the Tai O Fishing Village.
READ MORE: Top Things To Do In Hong Kong In 2 Days
READ MORE: Hong Kong Food Walking Tour
2) Ha Long Bay Vietnam – Natures Marvel
Our next stop was the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay Vietnam. 1,969 limestone rock formations covered in vegetation tower up out of the emerald green waters of the bay creating spectacular views.
We boarded a Junk boat early in the morning and set off to explore Ha Long Bay, the floating fishing villages, huge caves and even went kayaking!
Read More: Best Things to do in Ha Long Bay Vietnam
3) Hoi An Vietnam – The Peaceful Meeting Place
After docking in Chan May, we chose to visit Hoi An, the quintessential Southeast Asian trading port city. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hoi An is home to the “Japanese Covered Bridge” and celebrates the Hoi An Lantern Full Moon Festival.
We began our visit with a bike ride through the Vietnamese countryside. Then we went into Hoi An for a delicious lunch and tour of this historic city draped in colorful lanterns along its streets.
Read More: Fun Things to do in Hoi An Vietnam
4) A Journey to The Mekong River Delta
Upon arrival in Phu My, we embarked on an excursion to explore The Mekong River Delta. We drove through the Vietnamese countryside and then Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon) before we arrived at My Tho City.
We crossed the Mekong River and enjoyed a visit to Thoi Son Island, a ride down the Mekong River on a sampan, and a had delicious lunch at a Vietnamese rest stop.
Read More: Journey to the Mekong Delta
5) Bangkok Thailand – Day and Night
Our next highly anticipated stop was Thailand. Our ship docked about 2 hours south of Bangkok. We spent 2 days in Bangkok seeing many historical sites and tasting the local specialties. We checked into the Lebua Hotel, made famous in the movie “The Hangover 2”.
We cruised up the Chao Phraya river to visit Wat Arun. Later, we journeyed out for a fun Tuk-Tuk night tour which included food, markets and temples. The following day, we saw the Grand Palace complex, the Giant Reclining Buddha, ate street food, and visited Wat Pho. We ended our day at the Sky Bar on top of the Lebua Hotel for drinks, dinner and some great views of Bangkok.
Read More: Bangkok Thailand – Best of in 2 Days
6) Angkor Wat and Siem Reap Cambodia
Following Bangkok, our ship had 2 days at sea on the way to Singapore. We modified our itinerary to stay in Bangkok and to then fly to Siem Reap Cambodia to visit Angkor Wat and the surrounding historical sites.
We started our day with a spectacular sunrise over Angkor Wat. Over the course of the day we visited Banteay Srei, Angkor Thom, Bayan. We also visited Ta Prohm and Beng Mealea, made famous by the Tomb Raider and Indiana Jones movies. The following day, we flew to Singapore to catch up with our cruise ship.
Read More: A Visit to Siem Reap Cambodia and Angkor Wat
7) Spectacular Singapore – The Garden City
Singapore was our final destination on our Southeast Asia adventure. We were so excited to see the sites and try some of the local dishes. Our evening started out with a ride on the Singapore Flyer which gave us fantastic views of the city.
Next, we went to The Gardens by the Bay and saw the light show. We ended the evening with a beautiful bumboat cruise through the Singapore waterways. The following day we returned to The Gardens by the Bay and then visited the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. Finally, we traveled by Metro to see Chinatown, Indiatown and ate at Food Republic before heading to the Changi Airport to begin our journey back home.
Read More: Spectacular Singapore!
Conclusion
This was a trip of a lifetime! We were able to see so many of the top sites in Southeast Asia. We plan to return to further explore the region in the future. And, we highly recommend a cruise to see destinations spread across a large region such as Southeast Asia.
