The Heart of Southeast Asia - 2022

Today you’ll board an overnight flight to Singapore. Or, depart earlier for your pre-trip extension to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat.

You’ll cross the International Date Line today, meaning that you’ll arrive in Singapore on Day 3.

Selamat datang! Welcome to Singapore! If you purchased your airfare from Vantage, a representative will meet you at the airport and assist with the transfer to your hotel. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure to acclimate before a welcome briefing later today. Dinner tonight is on your own.

Following breakfast and a Welcome Briefing at the hotel this morning, you will set off on a tour of Singapore.

Singapore is known by many names, the "Garden City" and the "Lion City" among them, and you’ll get insight into these monikers as you explore the city’s beauty and dynamism today. During your full-day guided city tour, you’ll see the historic Parliament House, Supreme Court, City Hall, and Merlion Park — featuring impressive views of Marina Bay and the city’s futuristic architecture. Then, delve a little deeper into Singapore’s diverse culture during visits to the Thian Hock Keng Temple, Little India, and the Yong Gallery, which displays handcrafted woodcarvings and artworks by Chinese artists.

After a visit to the 161-year-old, UNESCO-listed Singapore Botanic Gardens, you’ll sample Singapore’s flavorful Chinese influence during a dim sum lunch at a local restaurant. Dim sum literally means “touch the heart,” and perhaps yours will be filled by some fluffy, pork-filled bao buns; mouthwatering shumai dumplings, savory shrimp cheung fan rolls, and more. Then, board a traditional bumboat for a cruise down the Singapore River, where you can marvel at the city’s iconic skyline from the water. Following your cruise, we’ll drive through Little India. This colorful and aromatic district is a feast for the senses, and you’ll have time to explore before returning to your hotel.

Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a Welcome Dinner at your hotel.

Included Feature:

• Full-day Singapore city tour

Cultural Discovery:

• Singapore River bumboat cruise

After breakfast, you'll depart for a half-day city tour, featuring sweeping views of Singapore from the Sands SkyPark Observation Deck, and a visit to the awe-inspiring Supertree Observatory. Lunch will be included at a local restaurant during the tour.

Then, it’s time to embark the Ocean Odyssey at Singapore pier! After settling in, take some time to explore the ship and its amenities. Meet your Concierge to arrange a spa appointment, then convene in the dining room for your first dinner on board — one of many memorable meals on this journey! This evening, the Ocean Odyssey sets sail toward Malaysia.

Included Feature:

• Half-day tour of Sands SkyPark and Gardens by the Bay

Scenic Sailing:

• Get your camera ready for a picture of Singapore’s skyline lighting up at sunset!

A morning at leisure lets you relax for a day of discovery in Malaysia. After lunch on board, we’ll disembark to explore the capital of Pahang province, Kuantan. The city is popular for its excellent beaches, but our touring will concentrate on some of the more interesting cultural and historical attractions.

Your exploration begins in Sungai Lembing, an old tin mining town that was once known as the “El Dorado of the East” because of the wealth it generated. During their peak at the turn of the century, these were among the world’s longest and deepest mines, and you’ll have the chance to peer into them. You’ll also visit the Sungai Lembing Museum, which displays many old photographs and mining equipment. Back in Kuantan, you’ll see its main sights, such as the imposing Masjid Sultan Ahmad Shah mosque and Teluk Chempedak Beach.

The Kuantan region is famous for its beautiful, intricate batik prints that adorn clothing and many other decorative objects.

Included Feature:

• Historical tour of Sungai Lembing and Kuantan

Enjoy a full day at sea to relax and enjoy the luxurious amenities of the brand-new Ocean Odyssey. Pamper your body with a relaxing massage, a facial, or a soothing soak in the hot tub. Or, stimulate your mind with a lecture on Malaysia or a great book borrowed from our library. The choice is yours!

As tonight is New Year’s Eve, we’ve put together something special for you: and elegant party to ring in 2023! Start off the evening with a cocktail hour, followed by a special four course meal. Then, dance the night away and grab a glass of champagne for the countdown!

Included Features:

• Onboard New Year’s Eve party

Cultural Discovery:

• Onboard lecture

Relax on board as your ship plows through the turquoise waters around Koh Samui. After lunch, get ready for a cultural tour by minivan that will whisk you around the island! 

Your exploration starts at Wat Khunaram, where the mummified body of a monk named Luang Pho Daeng sits in a meditative pose, looking very much alive. Stop for refreshments at the impressive Na Muang waterfall, which cascades 59 feet into a sparkling natural pool below. You’ll pass the unusual Grandma and Grandpa rock formations, then continue to Ladd Koh for panoramic views of famed Chaweng Beach. See the golden Buddha at Wat Phra Yai, who sits on hill and is nearly 50 feet tall. Heading back to the ship you’ll pass many stands selling handicrafts such as batiks and products made from seashells and coconuts. Time pending, you might stop at a local market in Nathon to browse the beachwear and other Koh Samui specialties. This evening, enjoy an off board dinner with a traditional Thai dance performance.

Included Feature:

• Koh Samui tour

Inaugural Feature:

• Traditional Thai dance performance, with dinner at a local pub

Take advantage of your free time to savor another day in this seaside heaven. Koh Samui is a foodie favorite, so ask your onboard Vantage Concierge for recommendations. Perhaps you’ll just relax on a secluded beach or indulge in a Thai massage. 

Active Feature:

• Swimming or snorkeling on the beaches of Koh Samui

Scenic Sailing:

• Savor a last view of Koh Samui’s emerald hills and golden beaches as you depart for your next destination

Today you’ll disembark the ship and travel inland by motorcoach to the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, staying overnight at an elegant 5-star hotel. On the way, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

Spend a sobering but important half day learning about the turbulent Khmer Rouge years as you visit sites related to the infamous “Killing Fields” on a guided tour. Tuol Sleng, a high school turned interrogation prison known as S-21, is now a genocide museum. You’ll also call at Choeung Ek, a large memorial commemorating the 17,000 victims who died there under the reign of Pol Pot. While disturbing, these somber relics also provide an appreciation for the courageous struggles that Cambodian people have faced.

This evening during dinner, you’ll enjoy a traditional Apsara Dance Show with beautifully-costumed performers.

Included Feature:

• Visit Cambodia’s Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

Inaugural Feature:

• Evening entertainment: Apsara dinner and traditional dance show

After checking out of your hotel, you’ll transfer to Phnom Penh by coach for some more city touring, beginning with the Royal Palace, home to the present King Norodom Sihamoni. Opened in 1870, it now contains the Royal Residence, Throne Hall, Silver Pagoda, and other historic buildings. The Silver Pagoda (Wat Preah Keo Morokat) is named for its more than 5,000 silver floor tiles. The building is a repository of cultural treasures, such as the famous Emerald Buddha, and a life-sized gold Buddha adorned with 2,086 diamonds.

At the National Museum, admire a collection of Khmer art that includes more than 5,000 objects, such as statues and other artifacts from Angkor Wat. Then, you’ll get around Phnom Penh as the locals do, riding past the elegant Post Office, Central Market, and Public Library on board a bicycle-powered carriage called cyclo.

Back in Sihanoukville and on board the Ocean Odyssey, you’ll enjoy another memorable dining experience and a relaxing evening at leisure.

Included Feature:

• Historical tour of Phnom Penh

Cultural Discovery:

• Cyclo ride around Phnom Penh

Relax with a day at sea or enjoy your ship’s resort amenities. Perhaps you’ll join a morning stretching class, read on your balcony, or catnap on the sun deck. Then, join friends for cocktails in the multilevel lounge, browse the boutique, or attend a lecture by a local historian. Later in the day, your Cruise Director will present a port talk. During your time on the Ocean Odyssey, there will be an ongoing schedule of enrichment programs.

Today, you'll be joined on board by an expert lecturer who will walk you through the fascinating history of Cambodia.

Cultural Discovery:

• Lecture on Cambodian history

Take your time over breakfast and relax as we sail into Nha Rong, the port for Ho Chi Minh City. Once known as Saigon, the city is Vietnam’s business and financial hub.

Upon arrival this afternoon, visit the Notre Dame Cathedral, a neo-Romanesque, red brick edifice with twin spires topped with iron. It was constructed around 1888 with materials imported from France. Across the way, the classic 1960s exterior of the Reunification Palace may seem familiar to you. It was here that the first Communist tanks rolled into town and the building was prominently on the news when South Vietnam fell in 1975. On the other side of the square admire the Central Post Office, completed in 1891. With its barrel-vaulted central hall and pale pink façade, it seems just too pretty to be relegated to mail! Also featured are the restored exteriors of the Saigon Opera House and the elegant City Hall (the former Hotel de Ville), two of Saigon’s most stunning French colonial monuments.

Included Feature:

• Tour of old Saigon

We’ve left this morning free so you can pursue your own interests here in Saigon. Perhaps you’ll nibble on exotic street food at the Ben Tranh Market, where your choices range from savory spring rolls to skewers of tarantulas and everything in between! Step back in time at the War Remnants Museum, or admire the masterworks at the Fine Arts Museum. Your onboard Vantage Concierge can assist with all your plans. You'll enjoy lunch on board before the Ocean Odyssey departs Ho Chi Minh City, bound for Hue.

Enjoy a free day as your ship rounds southern Vietnam and continues toward Hue. Perhaps you’ll indulge in some spa treatment or meet friends for drinks in the lounge. But that’s just the start!

Then, learn about the transformation of Vietnam when an expert historian presents a lecture on Vietnam, Past & Present.

Cultural Discovery:

• Onboard lecture: Vietnam, Past & Present

Enjoy breakfast on board as your ship docks at the port of Chan May, your gateway to central Vietnam.

Today, you’ll enjoy a fascinating full-day tour of Hue, where you can delve into the history of this former imperial capital of Vietnam’s Nguyen dynasty and home to the UNESCO-listed Complex of Hue Monuments. Step back in time in the Royal Citadel and its sprawling Imperial City, with its ancient palaces, gardens, and temples. Then, stop at Chua Thien Mu, or the Pagoda of the Celestial Lady, and admire its iconic seven-story pagoda. After lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll return to the ship.

Enjoy your evening at leisure, with dinner on board.

Included Feature:

• Hue city tour

Enjoy a relaxing morning of sailing and lunch onboard as we sail north and drop anchor in the port of Cai Lan for what is sure to be a highlight of your journey!

Behold the nearly 2,000 jutting limestone outcrops of Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose mystique has inspired artists for centuries. Legend says that its emerald pinnacles are the humps of a sea dragon’s back. Your tour takes place on board a small, private boat that will glide you through the silent channels and hidden lagoons. As you cruise, you’ll see an entire city on boats, including a bank, bar, shops, and houseboats. Waving children, mothers hanging laundry, old men mending their fishing nets . . . here is where the everyday life of traditional Vietnam reveals itself.

Included Feature:

• Private boat cruise around Halong Bay

Cultural Discovery:

• Witness local Vietnamese life

Scenic Sailing:

• Admire the grottoes and tranquil waters of Halong Bay

This morning you’ll disembark the Ocean Odyssey — we hope you enjoyed this once-in-a-lifetime experience on the inaugural season of Vantage's second 5-star ocean cruising small ship!

From Halong Bay, you’ll transfer to the capital city of Hanoi and discover its amalgam of French colonial mansions, tree-lined avenues, and traditional Vietnamese architecture that was known as the “Paris of the East.” Your tour begins with a stop at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and a visit to the Presidential Palace of Vietnam, one of the grandest examples of the city’s French Colonial architecture. You’ll also be able to see the One Pillar Pagoda, a Buddhist temple remarkably perched on a single stone pillar, and the Temple of Literature, built in 1070 and home to Vietnam’s first national university.

After a vegetarian lunch at a local monastery, check in to your centrally located hotel and unwind before attending an exclusive water puppetry show — a traditional form of entertainment that originated in the rice paddies of Vietnam. You’ll have the evening at leisure, with dinner on your own.

Included Features:

• Hanoi city tour
• Visit the Temple of Literature in Hanoi

Inaugural Feature:

• Water puppetry show at a local theatre

Cultural Discovery:

• Vegetarian lunch at a local monastery

You’ll explore Hanoi’s historical city center — the Old Quarter — with a trishaw tour today. The Old Quarter is known for its “36 streets of 36 wares,” where 13th-century artisan guilds built their specialized workshops. You’ll wind through a maze of fascinating back streets lined with narrow houses known as “tunnel” or “tube” houses, built that way so owners could avoid paying taxes based on the width of their street frontage. Lunch is included at a local Vietnamese restaurant, with amazing views of distant Hoan Kiem Lake.

Then, the rest of the day is yours to enjoy. Perhaps you’ll watch local traders and shoppers in action at Dong Xuan market, the city’s oldest and largest market. If you’re a history buff, consider a visit to the Vietnam Military History Museum or even the infamous Hoa Lo Prison, nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton” by U.S.’s prisoners of war (POWs) from the Vietnam War.

This evening, return to the hotel and toast to a wonderful journey at a Farewell Dinner.

Included Feature:

• Trishaw tour of Hanoi’s Old Quarter

Cultural Discovery:

• Explore a local market

After breakfast, you’ll transfer to the airport for your return flight home. Or, if you’re joining our post-trip extension to Chiang Mai, you’ll stay on for three more nights!