Vietnam & Cambodia & Dragon Pearl Cave

Your holiday begins as you fly from Australia to your destination

Arrive in Hanoi and settle in for a two-night stay. This characterful city blends tree-lined boulevards and graceful colonial architecture with a dynamic street-food scene and timeless charm, all shaped by centuries of fascinating history and change.

Hanoi’s ancient temples and colonial architecture remain a symbolic representation of Vietnam’s resilience. Explore the vibrant street markets, sip Vietnamese coffee perched on stools at footpath cafés, and savour local dishes like pho.

Embark a traditional junk vessel and begin your overnight cruise across the jade-coloured waters of Hạ Long Bay. Glide between dramatic limestone pillars rising from the sea and enjoy freshly prepared meals on board.

Begin the morning gently with Tai Chi, before gliding by kayak through the tranquil Ao Ech lagoon. Savour brunch on board, then explore Hạ Long Market and Quảng Ninh Museum. This evening, an exclusive event awaits within spectacular Dragon Pearl Cave.

Fly to Huế and continue your adventure with a two-night hotel stay. Discover this former imperial capital’s majestic Citadel, ornate royal tombs, and the historic Thien Mu Pagoda, before cruising the tranquil Perfume River and savouring the city’s celebrated cuisine.

Discover Huế’s imperial legacy with a visit to the vast Citadel, once the seat of the Nguyen emperors. Enjoy refreshments in a traditional garden house before continuing to the ornate tomb of Emperor Tu Duc and the pine-scented calm of Tu Hieu Pagoda.

Journey by coach over the spectacular Hải Vân Pass, where jungle-clad mountains meet sweeping coastal views. Arrive in Hội An and check in for a three-night stay in this beautifully preserved trading port.

Spend the day exploring Hội An’s atmospheric old town, home to lantern-lit streets, merchant houses, and intricate places of worship. Visit renowned highlights including the Japanese Bridge, sample regional specialities, and try your hand at a traditional cooking demonstration.

Enjoy a relaxed day at leisure in enchanting Hội An. Browse artisan boutiques and tailor shops, sample delicious local delicacies at riverside cafés, wander the lantern-lit Ancient Town, or simply unwind on the nearby beach.

Fly to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. A place of striking contrasts, it combines elegant French-era architecture with bustling markets, modern cafés, and richly scented street kitchens.

Travel to the Củ Chi tunnel network, an underground world used during the Vietnam War. Crawl through reconstructed passages, see concealed entrances and hidden chambers, and sample a staple food historically eaten by guerrilla fighters.

Fly to Siem Reap for a two-night hotel stay, then spend the rest of the day at leisure. Wander the buzzing Old Market, sip cocktails along vibrant Pub Street, or sample Khmer delicacies at a riverside café.

Explore the breathtaking Angkor Archaeological Park. Wander among the stone faces of Bayon in Angkor Thom, admire the grandeur of Baphuon and the Terrace of Elephants, then end the day at majestic Angkor Wat as its towers glow in the afternoon light.

Fly to Singapore and enjoy a comfortable overnight stay, perfectly placed to relax before joining your cruise.

Embark the jewel of Princess Cruises’ fleet, Diamond Princess®. On board, sample freshly crafted sashimi at Kai Sushi, marvel at street artists in the vibrant Atrium, or enjoy an opulent production show in the cutting-edge theatre.

Hailed as the “Pearl of the Andaman Sea,” this island off Thailand’s long southern coast boasts a colorful history. A crossroads for trade, Phuket has been a melting pot of Thai, Malay, Chinese and Western influences. Its importance over the past 500 years stemmed from the island’s natural resources, which include tin, hardwoods and rubber. In the past half-century, Phuket has enjoyed wide popularity as one of the premier travel destinations in Southeast Asia. Travelers are drawn to the island’s beaches, crystalline waters, and dramatic, forested hills.

Langkawi comprises a group of 99 tropical islands lying off the northwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The main island is known as Pulau Langkawi. The islands are shrouded with an intriguing heritage of myths and legends that feature ogres and gigantic birds, warriors and fairy princesses, battles and romance. Langkawi has been accorded the Geopark status by UNESCO, for its beautiful geological heritage of stunning landscapes, karsts, caves, sea-arches, stacks, glacial dropstones and fossils. With a geological history dating back 500 million years, the islands contain unique rock formations that stir the imagination and baffle the mind.

In 1786 Francis Light persuaded the Sultan of Kedah to cede Pulau Pinang – the “Isle of Betel nut” – to the English crown. Legend has it that Light persuaded his men to clear the overgrown island of Penang by firing a cannon filled with gold coins into the jungle as an incentive. The island was renamed Prince of Wales Island, and its major town was christened Georgetown after King George III. Whether the story is true or not, Penang quickly became a major trading port for tea, spices, china and cloth. Here European, Malaysian, Hindu, Arabic and Chinese cultures met, melded and flourished. Today George Town is a cosmopolitan city that has preserved its unique heritage and its exotic blend of cultures.

George Town is perhaps the best-preserved city in Southeast Asia. It boasts a European-style esplanade and a wealth of temples, mosques and Chinese clan houses. Listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 2008, this virgin paradise has no shortage of cultural sights and natural scenery.

From a lawless huddle of kampongs in the trackless jungle, Kuala Lumpur, the capital city has grown into a fascinating metropolis. Steel and glass towers stand side by side with graceful stone colonial buildings and mosques adorned with slender minarets. The commercial, financial, economic and cultural heart of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur (better known as KL), is a melting pot. Its population of 1.6 million is comprised of Malays, Chinese, Indians, and a mix of different cultures including Eurasians and others.

Thailand’s third largest island has been attracting international travelers for less than half a century. Before then, this island in the Gulf of Thailand was noted for its coconut plantations and rubber production. Today, Ko Samui’s premier charms are its powdery white beaches, its Buddhist temples or wats, and its crystalline waters. Despite the island’s increasing popularity, it retains a casual and unspoiled air that offers a bracing tonic to the experienced traveler.

The majority of the island’s population resides in Nathorn, Ko Samui’s capital. The island’s first settlers were a mix of Hainanese coconut farmers and Malay fishermen.

Laem Chabang is your gateway to Bangkok. This enchanting city on the Chao Phraya River is a magical place where graceful dancers perform in shimmering silk gowns, temples with gold-leaf spires harbor priceless Buddhas and riverboats cruise a maze of canals. The only nation in Southeast Asia to escape colonial rule, Thailand offers a rich and ancient culture that flowered unhindered by Western influence. Proud and strongly nationalistic, the Thai people call their nation Muang Thai – “Land of the Free.”

Founded in 1782 by King Rama I, Bangkok is home to more than eight million people. The capital’s proper name is Krung Thep – the “City of Angels.”

Laem Chabang is your gateway to Bangkok. This enchanting city on the Chao Phraya River is a magical place where graceful dancers perform in shimmering silk gowns, temples with gold-leaf spires harbor priceless Buddhas and riverboats cruise a maze of canals. The only nation in Southeast Asia to escape colonial rule, Thailand offers a rich and ancient culture that flowered unhindered by Western influence. Proud and strongly nationalistic, the Thai people call their nation Muang Thai – “Land of the Free.”

Founded in 1782 by King Rama I, Bangkok is home to more than eight million people. The capital’s proper name is Krung Thep – the “City of Angels.”

Developed as Cambodia’s sole deepwater port in 1964, Sihanoukville – the former Kampong Som – has become a jealously guarded secret of savvy travelers. This still pristine resort on the Gulf of Thailand boasts beautiful beaches and crystalline waters. Offshore islands offer excellent dive sites and some of the world’s finest big game fishing. Sihanoukville is also renowned for its excellent cuisine featuring superb seafood. Sihanoukville is located on a peninsula some 155 miles southwest of Phnom Penh.

Your holiday complete, today you’ll disembark your ship and head to the airport for your flight home.

Land back in Australia