A cruise is the easy way to tick off your Asia bucket list

Telegraph

27-04-2025

One day you're serenely sipping a White Lotus cocktail in the cool Bamboo bar of the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Bangkok, the next you're munching Cambodian fried spiders at a bustling city market in Sihanoukville. A day or so later in Vietnam, you take in the riot of colour, noise and traffic that is Ho Chi Minh City before enjoying the tranquil, otherworldly Ha Long Bay.
Next you're off to Hong Kong to savour plates of steaming dim sum and marvel at the city's high-rise skyline. Add to this such tourist must-sees as Thailand's reclining golden Buddha, Cambodia's Angkor temples, Vietnam's Cu Chi war tunnels and more, and one thing is certain: your postcards home are going to be truly epic.
It may sound like a classic backpacker's trip (perhaps minus the pricey cocktail), but if you prefer luxury every step of the way and everything organised for you, a cruise (in this case, Viking Cruises' Southeast Asia and Hong Kong itinerary) lets you tick off your bucket list in style. Instead of schlepping through airports, packing and unpacking umpteen times and negotiating maps and timetables, a cruise does it all for you. Unpack once and relax while you sail to your next adventure.
I opted to begin with a two-night pre-cruise extension at the swanky Shangri-La hotel in the heart of Bangkok. A panoramic guided tour of the city whisked our group to the Grand Palace and the venerated Temple of the Emerald Buddha, which houses a 66cm-tall jade statue that's treated to seasonal costume changes of gold and fine jewels.
Another highlight is the nearby Wat Pho Buddhist temple complex, where the tink-tink sound of coins dropping into metal blessing bowls creates the perfect backdrop for viewing its majestic 46m-long solid gold reclining Buddha. Elsewhere, modern Bangkok is awash with shops selling gold jewellery, 'genuine fake' handbag stores, street food that is by turns appetising and challenging, and incredible rooftop bars to take in the Thai sunsets.
The next day we escaped the hubbub of the city and drove an hour into the countryside to the lush Suphattra Land fruit farm in the Rayong province, where we breakfasted on honey straight from the comb and fresh coconut, snake fruit, jackfruit, mangosteen and durian. Mangosteen is said to be the queen of fruit in Asia, and the mighty durian the king. The spiky rugby ball-sized fruit's creamy, custard-like flesh is known for tasting like heaven, but smelling like hell. Luckily perhaps, it wasn't quite ripe enough on our April visit to confirm one way or another.
Settling into the beautiful Viking Venus, classed as a small ship with 930 passengers, it was time to set sail and enjoy the premium facilities which include a gorgeous Nordic spa (incongruously Scandi while in Asia), guest lectures and destination-inspired cuisine and entertainment.
The morning after departing Bangkok, we arrive at the Cambodian coastal city of Sihanoukville, home to the ornate Wat Krom temple, nestled on a hilltop overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, and the colourful Phsar Leu market, where sacks of fried insects are sold alongside fruit, rice and spices, plus piles of fake money to be burned as offerings at family graves. With several other excursions available, including trips to the Ream National Park with its coastal mangroves and, further afield, the Angkor temples and capital city Phnom Penh, our cruise unlocked no end of wanderlust potential.
Next up, Vietnam. Half a century after the end of the Vietnam War, the country has emerged as one of Asia's most popular holiday destinations. And it's not hard to see why.
A day in the frenetic Ho Chi Minh City – still widely called Saigon – offered a crash course in Vietnamese city life. Visiting a few weeks before the 50th anniversary of the country's reunification, it felt like everybody was gearing up for the celebrations. Every hour of the day felt like rush hour: parents and three children on one scooter; countless others loaded down with boxes of provisions; horns blaring, police officers blowing whistles. It was watch-through-your-fingers action at every set of traffic lights. With around 9.5 million inhabitants and an estimated 7.3 million motorbikes in Ho Chi Minh City, this is the time when you really appreciate your savvy tour guide.
Later, at the Cu Chi war tunnels, 45km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City, we explored the underground system used by Viet Cong soldiers during the war. A distinct hush fell as we were guided around some of the access points to the immense jungle network, which once spanned around 250km. With no natural light and little ventilation, crawling down into the shallow, claustrophobic spaces offered a sobering glimpse into the conflict. Ho Chi Minh City's War Remnants Museum provided further harrowing insight into the war, and we rounded off the day with a welcome pit stop at the bar of the iconic Rex hotel, once a popular hangout for US reporters covering the Vietnam War.
A day in the northeast of the country soaking up the delights of the Unesco-listed Ha Long Bay was the perfect way to decompress and complete the Vietnamese section of our cruise. Boarding an authentic junk is the best way to experience this aquamarine lagoon of around 2,000 limestone islands, thought to have been formed by tectonic activity more than 250 million years ago. Legend tells that Ha Long Bay was created when dragons breathed jewels into the sea leaving towering cliffs and sculptural rock formations.
Then it was on to Hong Kong, where the Viking Venus docked overnight to allow us to experience every hour of this extraordinary city. We arrived at dawn and moored next to the famous Star ferry terminal, the perfect location to easily reach Victoria Peak, home to Asia's first funicular, and Aberdeen, a curious mix of the traditional and the ultra-modern where sampan boats putter around next to oligarchs' mega yachts.
At Hong Kong Island we enjoyed wonderful dim sum at the legendary Maxim's Palace, incongruously housed in the municipal City Hall Building, before later settling down to dinner and enjoying the renowned light-and-sound show which illuminates the island skyline every night at 8pm.
The 15-day itinerary had it all: ancient temples and ultra-modern architecture; urban commotion and rural relaxation; enrichment and indulgence. It's extraordinary how much you can pack into a relatively short time – and on a cruise, it's plain sailing.
Essentials
Nicole Carmichael was a guest of Viking Cruises (0800 319 66 69). The 15-day Southeast Asia and Hong Kong itinerary costs from £6,393pp, including return flights from selected UK airports and all onboard meals, plus wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner. The package includes six guided tours, gratuities, access to the ship's Nordic spa, evening entertainment and enrichment talks. (Price based on an October 30-November 13 2026 sailing).
The Southeast Asia and Hong Kong pre-cruise extension costs from £799pp, including two nights in a Bangkok hotel, guided tour, services of a Viking host and all transfers. Departing selected dates from April-October 2025.