Top Cruising Routes in Asia

Photo courtesy: Ponant Cruises

Asia is indeed a harmony of countless rich cultures and is home to some of the oldest civilizations in the world. Cruising Asia means enjoying an unforgettable experience as you explore the exotic landscape and unravel the colonial history. Cruise passengers heading East are sure on a wonderful experience as they come across sea cruise destinations such as Cambodia, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Burma, China, Taiwan, and more. What makes Asian cruising a much more attractive option is that you can cover several countries in one go!

A Ponant cruise to Asia is a lot more than just taking a journey from one exotic port to another. You are on an unforgettable vacation of tranquil landscapes and most intriguing destinations. Ponant luxury vessels and boats add to the appeal of the captivating ancient continent with diverse cultures. Learn more about the exceptional Ponant itineraries on this website and get ready to discover some of the most enchanting and dynastic cities of Asia.

Here are some of the top cruises in Asia.

Japan Cruise


Photo courtesy: StudioPonant Margot Sib

Enjoy the best of Japan on an exceptional itinerary designed by Ponant that will take you straight to the heart of Japan. Explore the Land of the Rising Sun and its enhancing cities like Osaka, Tamano, Miyajima, Busan, and more. Learn about the history of the samurai and geishas on the Japanese cruise and admire the country’s landscaped gardens as well as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This is your chance to discover medieval and ancient Japan.

The Seychelles Cruise



Photo courtesy: StudioPonant Morgane Monneret

For cruising Seychelles, you arrive and depart from Victoria Port, and the new and exciting itinerary invites you to discover the paradise of archipelago’s Inner Islands. Some of the essential stops include Sainte Anne Marine National Park, Curieuse Island, Praslin, and more. Enjoy unforgettable snorkelling as you get to see coral reefs with stunning species or look at the Aldabra giant tortoises within the mangrove. Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve, with its gigantic endemic fruits, should not be missed. Enjoy some moments of relaxation on the stunning islands with fantastic beaches.

Hong Kong to Japan Cruise

What could be better than cruising from Hong Kong and spend some days in Taiwan and Shanghai before heading for the Japanese city of Yokohama. This is your opportunity to get a taste of vast and varied cultures of the Asian region. You will come across countries and cites that are radically different but deeply honour their past. It is indeed a unique experience to see the quiet serenity of ancient times existing side by side with hyper-modernity. Throughout the trip, you can observe the modernist impulse in the traditional aesthetics and architecture of the cities and its food and culture.

Aldabra Atoll Cruise

Aldabra Atoll and its Secret Islands are very popular among the Asian cruisers. The expedition cruise invites you on an unforgettable trip aboard one of the luxury PONANT vessels and leads you to the most beautiful islands with idyllic landscapes that boast of exceptional flora and fauna. During the cruise, there would be endless opportunities to swim, dive, and snorkel, especially when you are in the Alphonse lagoon. Aldabra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to the largest population of land turtles and numerous colonies of birds.

Vietnam to Singapore Cruise




Photo courtesy: Ponant Cruises Ship

Another of the popular Asian cruise covers Vietnam and then Hong Kong to Singapore. The cruise offers you a glimpse into the Asian lifestyle and culture. Those families living in floating fish farms in Vietnam and alter halts in Hong Kong and Singapore are sure to amaze you. The cruise covers visits to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Mekong Delta.

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Top 6 Seychelles National Parks

Seychelles, a jewel of the Indian Ocean is one of the top beach holiday destinations of the world. This East African archipelago is synonymous with romantic holidays, honeymoons and luxury beach retreats. While the white sandy beaches and lagoons are top class, these islands are also home to some legendary coral and marine life. From the giant land tortoise to the whale sharks and from tiger sharks to manta rays, this coral paradise of the Indian Ocean offers many opportunities to see such exotic plant and marine life. Here are the top 6 national parks of Seychelles that you can add into your itinerary for your next visit to this African archipelago nation.

Aldabra Atoll



The world’s largest coral atoll, the Aldabra is the original home of the giant land tortoise. Tiger sharks and manta rays are also seen commonly here. This granitic atoll is home to some 25 endemic plant species and is home of some of the largest seabird colonies in the world, especially on its outer islands. This UNESCO World Heritage site is a classic coral atoll that has built itself up from the seabed. It is the least disturbed large island in the Indian Ocean due to its remote location and hence is home to some flora and fauna where you can sense evolution in action.

Vallee de Mai



An UNESCO World Heritage Site and once believed to the original site of the Garden of Eden, this forest is home to the rare Coco-de-mer trees, considered to be the botanical wonders of the world. The coco-de-mer trees are special as they host the world’s largest seed. This national park is home to six endemic palm species as well as many other indigenous species of trees in addition to the Coco-de-mer. It is also the only place to spot the endangered Black Parrot, the national bird of Seychelles. This heritage site is always a definite part of itineraries in five-star holidays to the Seychelles.

Aride Island Nature Reserve



This is the place to go to if you are a big birdwatcher. Home to many millions of seabirds, the Aride Island Nature Reserve has the world’s largest colony of lesser noddy and is regularly frequented by green turtles and hawksbill turtles. Dubbed as one of the finest jewels of Seychelles, Aride Island is one of the world’s most important nature reserves. It is home to endemic birds such as Magpie Robins, Fodies, Brush Warblers and Blue Pigeon, endemic plants like wrights Gardenia and Turtle beaches and rich marine life.

Curieuse Marine National Park



This small granitic island known for its red coloured soil, is home to Coco de Mer palms, mangrove swamps, giant takamaka trees, large humphead parrotfish, hawksbills turtle rookery, the Seychelles Black Parrot and many other bird and plant species. This national park is home to more than 300 giant land tortoises that have been relocated here from the Aldabra atoll. Even till date many sea turtles come here to lay their eggs. This marine park is also an extremely popular site for scuba diving and snorkelling.

Ile Cocos Marine National Park



These islands surrounded by shallow turquoise sea is one of the main reasons for people visiting Seychelles as it is these photos that are shown in many Seychelles promotional collateral. The coral reefs here offer a rich snorkelling experience.

Silhouette National Park

An island with many green mountains, the Silhouette National Park is famous for being one of the richest biodiversity hotspots in the Western Indian Ocean. Its dramatic mountain peaks and its surrounding forest is home to many endemic  and threatened plant and animal species. This island is popular both for its hiking trails that offer scintillating views and for its coral rich marine national park.

Note: The images in this article have been borrowed from wikipedia.org under the Creative Commons license and each image has been linked to the respective page on wikipedia. 

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