Far East Itinerary Question

[SophieM]

We are looking at Mumbai to Singapore in early 2023. Have any of you done a version of this? If so, what are your thoughts, pro & con India? Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, etc. We’d also plan on going in early to go to Agra for the Taj. 

 

Thanks very much!
Jane

[Jancruz]

1 hour ago, SophieM said:

We are looking at Mumbai to Singapore in early 2023. Have any of you done a version of this? If so, what are your thoughts, pro & con India? Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, etc. We’d also plan on going in early to go to Agra for the Taj. 

 

Thanks very much!
Jane

One of our best trips and The Taj was worth the whole trip..dont miss it if you have the opportunity! Viet Nam and Thailand two of our favorite places also..

Jancruz1

[SophieM]

Thanks for the reply! Just what I was hoping to hear. 🙂. Did you use a tour guide/company for the Taj?

[Tranquility Base]

1 hour ago, SophieM said:

If so, what are your thoughts, pro & con India? Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, etc.

We enjoy cruising in that region very much.

 

The main factor, in my opinion, is to check where you dock in Bangkok and Saigon.

Being an 'R' ship you should (hopefully) expect Klong Toey a 30 minute shuttle into Bangkok, and Nah Rong which is walking distance into Saigon.

The ports for larger ships are Laem Chabang which is 2.5 hrs south of Bangkok, and Phu My which is 75 mins out of Saigon.

The close in port docking makes a huge difference.

 

Mumbai and Cochin were great port stops.

If docked in Phuket (as opposed to tender) you will be on the South East of the island and will need transport.

Penang dock is downtown Georgetown and is a great walking eating location.

 

 

Edited July 1, 2021 by Tranquility Base

[Dourobert]

We may cross paths. We're booked on the Feb 5th trip from Mumbai on Nautica and will be doing some touring beforehand.  There is so much to see in India besides a couple of coastal cities and, while we haven't got a land tour organized yet, the Taj Mahal will be one of our stops. We're contining on all the way to Tokyo. Hopefully we'll all get a chance to experience of some of the world's greatest cultures, even if the moments will be far too short.

 

[SophieM]

Thanks! I appreciate the response from both of you. “Dourobert,” we’ll be with you as far as Singapore. Only slightly envious that you’re going on to Tokyo. We haven’t been there for several years, and I’d love to go back—after we work through our list of haven’t been yets. 🙂 We, too, will be doing tours on our own. If you’re interested in coordinating, we would be, too. Only requirement is a sense of humor. 
 

Jane (& Ed)

[Dourobert]

1 hour ago, SophieM said:

Thanks! I appreciate the response from both of you. “Dourobert,” we’ll be with you as far as Singapore. Only slightly envious that you’re going on to Tokyo. We haven’t been there for several years, and I’d love to go back—after we work through our list of haven’t been yets. 🙂 We, too, will be doing tours on our own. If you’re interested in coordinating, we would be, too. Only requirement is a sense of humor. 
 

Jane (& Ed)

We got as far east as Dubai a very long time ago (Dec 2019) but have never been to the Far East or India.  My gmail name is dourobert.

-Rob (& Jerena)

[Queen of DaNile]

Best to make the most use out of your Indian visa because getting it is (was) tedious paperwork. We did the coastal ports, which are interesting, on our Dubai to Cape Town cruise but just did not have enough time to make it the Taj. We're planning on doing the Singapore to Tokyo shortly after your cruise for a taste of some of the places we've not yet been. Have not been to Viet Nam but Cambodia (Siem Reap) and Thailand are places where you can certainly spend a great deal of time. As Tranquility said, check out where you're docking-that Bangkok traffic is a killer.

[Jancruz]

8 hours ago, SophieM said:

Thanks for the reply! Just what I was hoping to hear. 🙂. Did you use a tour guide/company for the Taj?

Actually Oceania had a 3 day trip which we took and it was great hotel location food and tours were wonderful..one of the best trips of our life..

Jancruz1

[nursinadream]

Our cruise to this location was cancelled (Mar 2022).  I'm reading this thread with interest.  I haven't seen much discussion about that area.  My big fear of this area is coping with the heat and humidity.  How did you all tolerate it?  Yes, I live in Naples FL - but I don't walk outdoors for hours a day like I would touring.  And besides a day pack that I carry I am carrying a few extra pounds🤪 that I've added since retirement.  Would love to read your feedback about the heat.

Deb

[Queen of DaNile]

28 minutes ago, nursinadream said:

Our cruise to this location was cancelled (Mar 2022).  I'm reading this thread with interest.  I haven't seen much discussion about that area.  My big fear of this area is coping with the heat and humidity.  How did you all tolerate it?  Yes, I live in Naples FL - but I don't walk outdoors for hours a day like I would touring.  And besides a day pack that I carry I am carrying a few extra pounds🤪 that I've added since retirement.  Would love to read your feedback about the heat.

Deb

I found it very hot and humid and I LIKE the heat. Loose clothes, lots of water and take a wash cloth from your cabin for drying off.

[Jancruz]

6 minutes ago, Queen of DaNile said:

I found it very hot and humid and I LIKE the heat. Loose clothes, lots of water and take a wash cloth from your cabin for drying off.

plus1

Jancruz1

6 minutes ago, Queen of DaNile said:

I found it very hot and humid and I LIKE the heat. Loose clothes, lots of water and take a wash cloth from your cabin for drying off.

 

[goletans]

We've noticed that some of the other luxury cruise lines have similar itineraries and usually Oceania cruises have the best prices. However, the other lines often cruise at different times of the year when the weather is better. We LOVE Oceania, but will pay more for a better holiday. Shop around and make suggestions to Oceania. Even a 2 month difference can make a cruise better.

[nursinadream]

52 minutes ago, goletans said:

We've noticed that some of the other luxury cruise lines have similar itineraries and usually Oceania cruises have the best prices. However, the other lines often cruise at different times of the year when the weather is better. We LOVE Oceania, but will pay more for a better holiday. Shop around and make suggestions to Oceania. Even a 2 month difference can make a cruise better.

Ohhh, interesting.  Does a cool season exist for Singapore, Vietnam and Cambodia?

[grmmybtty]

1 hour ago, nursinadream said:

Ohhh, interesting.  Does a cool season exist for Singapore, Vietnam and Cambodia?

Unfortunately there is no cool season in Southeast Asia. However it is a little bit cooler and less humid during December, January and early February,  but nothing that I would consider cool. The humidity is especially high in April and May, when Oceania often visits. We take plenty of water and dilute Gatorade that we get from the spa by pouring it into an ice filled Kleen Kanteen. We wear  lightweight loose fitting cotton clothing. 

[SophieM]

Thanks for all the responses so far. Hoping in February that the weather will at least be tolerable, but we’ll practice in hot and humid southwest Missouri. 😰

[Tranquility Base]

21 minutes ago, SophieM said:

Thanks for all the responses so far. Hoping in February that the weather will at least be tolerable, but we’ll practice in hot and humid southwest Missouri. 😰

Yes, Feb / Mar on that Nautica 2023 itinerary is a good time of year.

The times to be wary about are June - Sept for the India West coast Monsoon season, and likewise a similar  timeframe for the Vietnam, China Typhoon season.

[ORV]

29 minutes ago, SophieM said:

Thanks for all the responses so far. Hoping in February that the weather will at least be tolerable, but we’ll practice in hot and humid southwest Missouri. 😰

Yeah, but today was nice, a couple of weeks ago, not so much. 

[Tranquility Base]

5 hours ago, nursinadream said:

My big fear of this area is coping with the heat and humidity.  How did you all tolerate it?  Yes, I live in Naples FL - but I don't walk outdoors for hours a day like I would touring. 

I think the answer lies in not selecting a tour outside your physical capabilities.

Research the places to be visited and how much walking outside is involved.

Tours where the transport stays put may enable you to exit the group early and return to the transport if the guide is happy.

Others where it's an A to B walk require research as to what's involved.

 

Whilst most ports in that region would likely require a tour for some first time visitors, others are well suited for DIY.

Singapore would be the best example.

 

If docked at HarbourFront, the Mass Rapid Transit is right there and easy to use. Even if at Marina Bay terminal it is still doable.

Singaporeans are very helpful if asked.

Taxis are plentiful ( expect during the regular 4pm thunderstorm) and are cheap.

A bit of research where you wish to visit at your own pace makes for an easy day as opposed to feeling the need to keep up with the group.

Edited July 2, 2021 by Tranquility Base

[Rummblestrip]

My partner and I are booked from Mumbai to Bangkok on the Nautica. We also are interested in getting to see Taj Mahal. Will be interested to see how others are planning to visit. Our situation is we disembark a ship in the Seychelles on January 31st. This will be our first time to India. I have traveled all over the world and this is the first time we are feeling a little intimidated by travel times.  We usually have days before and after to cushion any hiccups in transit. For the people have been to Taj Mahal before, is the travel there straightforward and reliable? We are thinking about just spending the days in Mumbai and get to know the city a little. Fyi, we are thinking about getting the 5 year or 10 year tourist visas so we may be able to visit again one day. Any thoughts? 

[Dourobert]

4 minutes ago, Rummblestrip said:

My partner and I are booked from Mumbai to Bangkok on the Nautica. We also are interested in getting to see Taj Mahal. Will be interested to see how others are planning to visit. Our situation is we disembark a ship in the Seychelles on January 31st. This will be our first time to India. I have traveled all over the world and this is the first time we are feeling a little intimidated by travel times.  We usually have days before and after to cushion any hiccups in transit. For the people have been to Taj Mahal before, is the travel there straightforward and reliable? We are thinking about just spending the days in Mumbai and get to know the city a little. Fyi, we are thinking about getting the 5 year or 10 year tourist visas so we may be able to visit again one day. Any thoughts? 

There is a 4 day pre-cruise to the Taj Mahal that might fit into your schedule. Look under Hotels & Land.

[Rummblestrip]

Will do, Thank you!

[cbb]

We stayed pre-cruise at the Hotel Taj Mahal which is a heritage 5 star hotel in Mumbai and is gorgeous.  From there we could walk to many places in Mumbai and felt safe doing so.

 

The overland that Oceania does to the Taj Mahal is wonderful and we rec'd it highly.

[shedridt]

Hi - We did Singapore to Hong Kong in January five years ago, & I remember the heat & humidity all too vividly. There is nothing that would induce me to do a trip in such a climate again (breathing problems), but I realize that's easy to say once you HAVE seen all those wonderful places. A tip - amazon sells a little portable/rechargeable fan made by Innobay that you can tuck in a purse. Wonderful. It's so powerful it knocks itself over on high speed!

If you decide to go forward, I recommend seeing the Jim Thompson House in Bangkok, &, if the option is available, an overnight to Angkor Wat.

My husband used to travel to India before he retired. He told me that if I wanted to go, I would go alone as he would only return if his pension depended upon it. It's so much a matter of taste & comfort. Good luck making your decision.

[PaulMCO]

India air transport is noted for delays and cancellation. 

I highly recommend the Oceania land tour.  It was very well organized and certainly met our needs.