My ideal Asia cruise would include these ports of call....

[editor@cruisecritic]

If you could design the perfect Asia itinerary for your next cruise, which would it include (multiple answers okay)? Please vote in our poll and feel free to discuss below your choices, your Asia cruise experiences, and any questions you might have about voyages in this region of the world.

 

 

 

Thanks.

 

 

Carolyn

 

 

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

[paul929207]

My first two choices would be Hong Kong and Shanghai. For both it is best if you are on a small ship. We sailed on the Ocean Princess and docked in the city. In Shanghai, we were across the river from the Pudang area. In HK, we were right next to the Star Ferry terminal at the tip of Kowloon.

[puschi1906]

Vietnam - Ha Long Bay. Have been there with a cruise and it was so beautiful that I want to go back :)

[editor@cruisecritic]

Same here, puschi1906. Ha Long Bay was so beautiful (and so was Hoi An and Hanoi was fascinating and so was Ho Chi Minh City!). Definitely want to go back there.

 

The challenge of Asia is it's so vast, and so different all over the place that you can cruise again and again and never, ever get bored or tired of it!

 

Carolyn

 

Vietnam - Ha Long Bay. Have been there with a cruise and it was so beautiful that I want to go back :)

[Keith1010]

Carolyn, you've listed many terrific ports/countries.

 

The ones I selected include:

 

Hong Kong

Mainland China (Shanghai & Beijing)

Vietnam

Thailand

 

And if time permits I included Japan.

 

Yes, these are all places to return to because each time more than once so you can return to those sites you want to see a second time and include other places as well.

 

You are missing one place which I realize that you would see as part of an overland but still would have included it and that is Angkor Wat so I would have included Cambodia.

 

We will be in many of these places again starting in late January, 2014.

 

Keith

[chrispb]

I won't vote because I think most places mentioned are worthy of a land tour/stay.

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hi, Keith!

 

I was thinking of Angkor Wat as being part of the Mekong trip but now that you jogged my memory I remember some coastal lines offer it as an excursion from Bangkok, for one, so you're right!

 

Which line are you traveling on?

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn, you've listed many terrific ports/countries.

 

The ones I selected include:

 

Hong Kong

Mainland China (Shanghai & Beijing)

Vietnam

Thailand

 

And if time permits I included Japan.

 

Yes, these are all places to return to because each time more than once so you can return to those sites you want to see a second time and include other places as well.

 

You are missing one place which I realize that you would see as part of an overland but still would have included it and that is Angkor Wat so I would have included Cambodia.

 

We will be in many of these places again starting in late January, 2014.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Hi Carolyn, we'll be sailing on Crystal Cruises.

 

Keith

[Ashland]

I won't vote because I think most places mentioned are worthy of a land tour/stay.

Agree..we were considering an Asia cruise..but quickly realized the best way to see China was a land trip when we visited Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai..and I'm one that usually opts for a cruise..but so glad we didn't this time.

[banditoo]

So much to choose from and so varied the choices! We have done land and cruise in various parts of Asia. Most recently on our Asia cruise we really loved Singapore, Vietnam (Saigon & Mekong Delta), and Japan. However I have to say that China was fabulous as well but that was on our land portion (Beijing and Xian).:D

[John Bull]

Saigon, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Bali, Halong Bay, Da Nang, Bali, Sihanoukville.

In that order of preference, though perhaps not in that sequence ;)

 

Don't know about China, Japan, Philippines.

 

JB :)

[editor@cruisecritic]

I have to say there isn't a port in Asia that we've been to that hasn't been interesting, though of course some I like, or rather some that personaly resonate, more than others. Just depends on you! Agree though that Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, all fabulous. Loved Japan, on a very limited basis.

 

We're cruising throughout Indonesia now, it's pretty niche (Bali is at the end of this cruise). Would like to spend more time in China. Have never been to Malaysia, so that's on the list. So is S. Korea.

 

Thanks, banditoo, for the insightful comments!

 

Carolyn

 

So much to choose from and so varied the choices! We have done land and cruise in various parts of Asia. Most recently on our Asia cruise we really loved Singapore, Vietnam (Saigon & Mekong Delta), and Japan. However I have to say that China was fabulous as well but that was on our land portion (Beijing and Xian).:D

[Trend]

But China is best by land. We have been on 18 cruises but are in China often on business and then travel for some please and find to enjoy the culture and many interior sights it is best by land.

[Widebay]

I guess it really comes down which country you haven't yet visited in South East Asia.

 

For me the cruise would have to include Bali, Vietnam, Ko Samui, Langkawi, Penang. My reason being, is that I have visited Singapore on many occasions, also visited KL, but I haven't visited the ones listed above.

 

In 2014 or 15 - we are planning on cruising SE Asia, starting & ending in Singapore (to see our son). My wife & I thought if the cruise didn't include Bali, then we could always, do a fly/stay holiday through Virgin airlines from Australia, as close friends have recommended some great accommodation in Bali. Wife & I are both "beach persons" & we would enjoy a week on a balinese beach, together with a stay at Ubud.

My brother in law told me about the horrendous taxi rides from Benoa Harbour into Kuta, with traffic jams sometimes taking 1-2 hrs to get there in the evening, doesn't sound like fun to me, hence the reason for not wanting to go where all the young teenagers go, I would rather see the natural part of Bali, the mountains, the northern coastline, the islands.

nearby. A friend of mine who also does stand up paddle boarding stayed at Sanur Beach, which he loved. I guess it could have had something to do with flat water on that side of the island. Unfortunately, his son stood on a rusty nail, which got infected, and my friend took his son to the nearest hospital, which didn't impress greatly, hence he cut short his trip & flew home to get proper medical treatment.

My eldest son & family stayed at Kamandalu Resort & Spa in Ubud, and just loved it. He said his room overlooked the rice paddy fields, and his unit had its own pool outside the room. (Hard to take)

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hi, Keith1010 -- good point about Angkor Wat; I think I thought I was covering that with the Mekong but coastal cruise lines do offer tours there...

 

Can't wait to hear about your upcoming trip!

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn, you've listed many terrific ports/countries.

 

The ones I selected include:

 

Hong Kong

Mainland China (Shanghai & Beijing)

Vietnam

Thailand

 

And if time permits I included Japan.

 

Yes, these are all places to return to because each time more than once so you can return to those sites you want to see a second time and include other places as well.

 

You are missing one place which I realize that you would see as part of an overland but still would have included it and that is Angkor Wat so I would have included Cambodia.

 

We will be in many of these places again starting in late January, 2014.

 

Keith

[editor@cruisecritic]

We're just back from our cruise, Widebay, which ended in Bali so it's very fresh in my mind! I don't know, I think the idea of Bali, and the parts -- very quick visit, alas -- that most resonated were not near places like Kuta. Spending two hours in so-called paradise to go a few miles is no vacation!

 

I hear the northern beaches are quite nice --

 

Loved your comments about Bali. We did a day trip to Ubud and it's definitely a place we want to go back to.

 

Carolyn

 

I guess it really comes down which country you haven't yet visited in South East Asia.

 

For me the cruise would have to include Bali, Vietnam, Ko Samui, Langkawi, Penang. My reason being, is that I have visited Singapore on many occasions, also visited KL, but I haven't visited the ones listed above.

 

In 2014 or 15 - we are planning on cruising SE Asia, starting & ending in Singapore (to see our son). My wife & I thought if the cruise didn't include Bali, then we could always, do a fly/stay holiday through Virgin airlines from Australia, as close friends have recommended some great accommodation in Bali. Wife & I are both "beach persons" & we would enjoy a week on a balinese beach, together with a stay at Ubud.

My brother in law told me about the horrendous taxi rides from Benoa Harbour into Kuta, with traffic jams sometimes taking 1-2 hrs to get there in the evening, doesn't sound like fun to me, hence the reason for not wanting to go where all the young teenagers go, I would rather see the natural part of Bali, the mountains, the northern coastline, the islands.

nearby. A friend of mine who also does stand up paddle boarding stayed at Sanur Beach, which he loved. I guess it could have had something to do with flat water on that side of the island. Unfortunately, his son stood on a rusty nail, which got infected, and my friend took his son to the nearest hospital, which didn't impress greatly, hence he cut short his trip & flew home to get proper medical treatment.

My eldest son & family stayed at Kamandalu Resort & Spa in Ubud, and just loved it. He said his room overlooked the rice paddy fields, and his unit had its own pool outside the room. (Hard to take)

[banditoo]

I guess it really comes down which country you haven't yet visited in South East Asia.

 

For me the cruise would have to include Bali, Vietnam, Ko Samui, Langkawi, Penang. My reason being, is that I have visited Singapore on many occasions, also visited KL, but I haven't visited the ones listed above.

 

In 2014 or 15 - we are planning on cruising SE Asia, starting & ending in Singapore (to see our son). My wife & I thought if the cruise didn't include Bali, then we could always, do a fly/stay holiday through Virgin airlines from Australia, as close friends have recommended some great accommodation in Bali. Wife & I are both "beach persons" & we would enjoy a week on a balinese beach, together with a stay at Ubud.

My brother in law told me about the horrendous taxi rides from Benoa Harbour into Kuta, with traffic jams sometimes taking 1-2 hrs to get there in the evening, doesn't sound like fun to me, hence the reason for not wanting to go where all the young teenagers go, I would rather see the natural part of Bali, the mountains, the northern coastline, the islands.

nearby. A friend of mine who also does stand up paddle boarding stayed at Sanur Beach, which he loved. I guess it could have had something to do with flat water on that side of the island. Unfortunately, his son stood on a rusty nail, which got infected, and my friend took his son to the nearest hospital, which didn't impress greatly, hence he cut short his trip & flew home to get proper medical treatment.

My eldest son & family stayed at Kamandalu Resort & Spa in Ubud, and just loved it. He said his room overlooked the rice paddy fields, and his unit had its own pool outside the room. (Hard to take)

Bali definitely warrants more than a cruise stop. We spent a couple weeks based in Sanur area on the beach. Did easy day trips to all other sides of the island and also short boat ride for day trip to Nusa Lembongan for the BEST reef snorkeling that I have done to date. Florescent reef colours almost like they were under spotlight! Very economical package deals are offered from Canada to Bali and I am sure the deals are even better on the other side of the world. Lovely Balinese culture and a real range of scenery and experiences to take in.

[nursemom2]

We loved all the ports on our asian cruise, but I have to say we Loved all the ports in China. I posted lots of pictures on my family blog. Take a look if you like.

http://karanandmichael.blogspot.com/

[clmom]

We loved all the ports on our asian cruise, but I have to say we Loved all the ports in China. I posted lots of pictures on my family blog. Take a look if you like.

http://karanandmichael.blogspot.com/

Karen and Mike,

I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your pictorial and blog! We will be doing a land/cruise tour this October and your pictures kick started my excitement!! Thank you!!

 

joan and paul