A cruise across Southeast Asia is a true journey of the imagination. Where else can you find bustling bazaars set alongside serene Buddhist temples, or soaring skyscrapers next to traditional teak houses on stilts? Not to mention gilded royal palaces and glorious Khmer ruins, colorful long-tail boats and emerald bays sprinkled with fantastical karst outcroppings? Your clients will find countless ways to create lasting memories while visiting Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia aboard one of Seabourn’s ultra-luxury small ships. Here are just a few ideas.
Browse the Night Markets in Ho Chi Minh City — Vietnam’s largest city is a sprawling metropolis with 9 million residents and a round-the-clock buzz—thanks in large part to its bustling night markets. Night markets are a national institution and a major meeting point for locals, who love to spend the cooler evenings outside eating, drinking, shopping, and simply chatting. Ho Chi Minh City’s most famous market, Bến Thành, is the go-to for hardcore shoppers, who scour the stalls for everything from clothing to cosmetics, fresh produce to footwear, and Seabourn guests can take advantage of an overnight call to pick up some unique souvenirs like traditional lacquerware and double-sided embroidery. Bến Thành Market is located in District 1, the city’s historic downtown area (still affectionately referred to by its French colonial name, Saigon), which is lined with grand 18th- and 19th-century buildings that are beautifully lit up at night.
Cruise Bangkok in a Long-Tail Boat — Thailand’s capital moves at a frenetic pace, yet all the noise and bustle belies a regal realm of royal palaces, gilded temples, and serene Buddha statues crafted of emerald and gold. Many of Bangkok’s most important monuments can be found along the banks of the Chao Phraya River, while a vast network of canals (known as klongs) crisscross this “Venice of the East.” Many Seabourn voyages to Asia feature an overnight in Laem Chabang, the main port for Bangkok, while others offer optional overland journeys there. So your clients can gaze upon the Grand Palace and other stunning structures while gaining a peek into local daily life on a longtail boat ride, leisurely cruising past floating shops and traditional teak houses built on stilts.
Kayak Around Halong Bay — Known as the “Bay of the Descending Dragon,” this emerald expanse of Vietnam’s Gulf of Tonkin is festooned with more than 1,600 fantastical karstic limestone islands and islets, topped with shaggy tropical vegetation and marked by impressive caves and grottoes. UNESCO World Heritage-designated Halong Bay also hosts a population of semi-nomadic fisherfolk, who live on sampans and trade in the nearby port of Haiphong. Your clients can take a scenic cruise around this surreal environment on board a private junk, stopping at Hang Co Cave to wander through the cavern and marvel at its stalagmite and stalactite formations before climbing into a two-person sea kayak for a guided paddle through the island maze.
Stand in Awe of Angkor Wat — Seabourn voyages calling in the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville offer an optional overland journey to Angkor, capital of the ancient Khmer Empire and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The colossal Angkor Archaeological Park—which stretches for more than 150 square miles—actually encompasses ruins from a number of Khmer capitals built between the 9th and 15th century, including hundreds of temples. The grandest of these—indeed, the largest free-standing religious monument in the world—is Angkor Wat, dating from the early 11th century. Guests can marvel at its detailed bas-reliefs and carved devatas (goddesses) while discovering the cosmic symbolism behind its design. Other highlights include the “Great City” of Angkor Thom, the last Khmer capital representing the pinnacle of the empire’s art and architecture; as well as the jungle-draped Ta Prohm, better known as the “Tomb Raider Temple” due to its appearance in the Angelina Jolie film, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.
Kick Back On Ko Kood — Also known as Koh Kood or Koh Kut, this unspoiled tropical island lies just off Thailand’s eastern coast. It makes an idyllic setting for Seabourn’s signature Caviar in the Surf beach barbecue, one of the most-beloved experiences in ultra-luxury cruising. Guests are tendered ashore to a long stretch of soft white sand nestled by coconut palms; there, they find rows of lounge chairs and umbrellas, a steel calypso band, a fully tended bar, and the ship’s chefs preparing a sumptuous feast of grilled lobster, fish and ribs. Soon a group of officers wade into the calm sea to serve Champagne and sustainably sourced Regiis Ova caviar from tablecloth-covered surfboards. Ko Kood’s beautiful coral reef is home to hawksbill turtles, blue-tipped rays, seahorses and numerous fish species, and the water’s clear visibility makes it ideal for snorkeling and other complimentary watersports off the ship’s retractable platform.
