Australia & Asia Combination Cruise: Sydney, Bali & Hong Kong

Head Down Under to the state capital of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia, the one and only Sydney. With a sunny attitude and a climate to match, Sydney is a vibrant place that combines the best of the beach, with the convenience of the city. Your first stop should be the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Sydney Opera House. Snap a picture of this iconic building that is a prominent feature of Sydney’s famous skyline for the folks back home. Get out and explore the streets to shop, dine, and view spectacular architecture and heritage buildings including Parliament House, Sydney Town Hall, and the Australian Museum.

Nestled in the heart of the dreamily named Sunshine Coast, Mooloolaba is a former sleepy surf town that has recently become a popular beach destination. In fact, it was even featured on the popular reality TV series The Amazing Race. Mooloolaba Beach is one of the most famous and popular beaches on Australia’s east coast, so no visit would be complete without a trip to bury your toes in the powdery-white sand. Take to the water in a cruise on the canals, snorkeling in the sea, or diving with sharks. Head inland to swim in one of the secluded waterfalls in the area, and take in the tranquility that surrounds you.

This sunny port on Australia’s northeast coast is in a perpetual state of vacation, and with the Great Barrier Reef on its doorstep, it’s easy to see why. Small in size but with a beachy, cosmopolitan vibe, Airlie Beach offers excellent shopping, dining, and nightlife, plus a long list of outdoor activities that range from sunbathing to soaring in a seaplane

Cairns is the gateway to many of northern Australia’s natural attractions. Suit up and head offshore to explore the incredible world beneath the waves at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Great Barrier Reef. Filled with incredible beaches, coral reefs, and turquoise blue waters, you can swim, snorkel, dive, and enjoy a living masterpiece that is so big it can be seen from outer space.

Cairns is the gateway to many of northern Australia’s natural attractions. Suit up and head offshore to explore the incredible world beneath the waves at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Great Barrier Reef. Filled with incredible beaches, coral reefs, and turquoise blue waters, you can swim, snorkel, dive, and enjoy a living masterpiece that is so big it can be seen from outer space.

As the capital of Australia’s vast and sparsely populated Northern Territory, Darwin has grown from a gateway to South East Asia to one of the country’s most modern and tropical cities. With folks from more than 50 countries calling this pleasant burg home, Darin has a multiculturalism unmatched by many other places. A trip to Darwin is a walk in the park—literally. George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens, Knuckey Lagoons Conservation Reserve, Charles Darwin National Park, Bicentennial Park, and Jingili Water Gardens are just a few of the parks found within city limits. Plus, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park—an incredible combination of lush rainforests, wetlands, wildlife, and a treasure trove of Aboriginal rock art—is just a short jaunt away.

Bali is enchanting – a lush, verdant isle where rice terraces color every available acre with the brilliant green of young shoots, and volcanic peaks said to house the gods tower above. It is a deeply spiritual place, where artful offerings of flowers and incense are ever present, and on any given day at least one of the thousands of temples scattered around the island will be hosting a colorful festival. Culturally rich, each village has its own artistic specialty – music, dance, painting, and sculpture. The beaches are tempting, but if you want the real Bali, head for the hills – the Balinese occupy that middle ground, and demons reside in the sea.

This commercial port, busily exporting the island’s most important products (including of course the beans for your next cup of java), is your gateway to two amazing religious sites. Borobudur is the largest Buddhist monument in the world – a 3D mandala (diagram of the universe), and perhaps a gigantic textbook to guide mortals striving to attain enlightenment. Prambanan is a complex of lofty, sharply sculpted towers honoring the Hindu triumvirate of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer. Both religions traveled this way with Indian traders in the early centuries AD.

On fiery-peaked Java, the megacity of Jakarta is booming. The traffic and vastness seem daunting at first, but this is a melting pot of cultures and cuisines - seeking them out is part of its allure. The old town of Batavia will transport you to Indonesia’s Dutch colonial past. Hop on one of the bikes for rent and buzz in and out of the tiny side streets where performers and artists mingle.

Chinese, Malay and Indian traditions meld in this island-state at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. The site of the world's busiest port, Singapore offers the Mustafa Centre, a 24-hour mall and Sunte, the world's largest fountain. Play evening golf on lighted fairways; experience the nightlife on Mohamed Sultan Road; or relax at an outdoor spa. Be certain not to miss the savory seafood.

Chinese, Malay and Indian traditions meld in this island-state at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. The site of the world's busiest port, Singapore offers the Mustafa Centre, a 24-hour mall and Sunte, the world's largest fountain. Play evening golf on lighted fairways; experience the nightlife on Mohamed Sultan Road; or relax at an outdoor spa. Be certain not to miss the savory seafood.

Located on the edge of the Mekong Delta, this dynamic metropolis also features the ageless beauty of an ancient culture. French colonial architecture mixes with modern and Asian influences, providing a diverse backdrop for the many motorbikes, scooters, pagodas and street markets. Stroll the wide boulevards of this city, formerly known as Saigon, and visit The History Museum, which houses artifacts from two thousand years of Vietnamese history.

Located on the edge of the Mekong Delta, this dynamic metropolis also features the ageless beauty of an ancient culture. French colonial architecture mixes with modern and Asian influences, providing a diverse backdrop for the many motorbikes, scooters, pagodas and street markets. Stroll the wide boulevards of this city, formerly known as Saigon, and visit The History Museum, which houses artifacts from two thousand years of Vietnamese history.

Vietnam’s third largest city, Da Nang is the perfect home base for day trips to both imperial Hue and charming Hoi An, two vastly different but equally worth-a-visit destinations. Perched on the picturesque Perfume River, the main attraction in Hue is its immense imperial city, a sprawling complex of temples, pavilions, moats, shops, museums, and galleries that was modeled after Beijing’s forbidden city. The former seat of power for the Nguyen dynasty—feudal lords of much of Vietnam from 1802-1945—the citadel was badly damaged during the Vietnam War. Nonetheless, many buildings survived, and many have been refurbished and offer a fascinating glimpse into the past.

Neon signs galore, dim sum, and amazing temples are a few of the favorite experiences in Hong Kong. Take is as much as you can of this thrilling city with its endless shopping and towering skyscrapers. Your agenda for Hong Kong should include Victoria Peak, an Aberdeen Fishing Village, the Man Mo Temple and Sheung Wan Dried Food and Herbal Market. Be certain to have extra room in your suitcase for the bargains you are bound to discover.

Neon signs galore, dim sum, and amazing temples are a few of the favorite experiences in Hong Kong. Take is as much as you can of this thrilling city with its endless shopping and towering skyscrapers. Your agenda for Hong Kong should include Victoria Peak, an Aberdeen Fishing Village, the Man Mo Temple and Sheung Wan Dried Food and Herbal Market. Be certain to have extra room in your suitcase for the bargains you are bound to discover.

Enjoy the contrasts of Taipei, located just 18 miles from the port of Keelung: lively clubs and ancient temples; skyscrapers and small street markets; bustling streets and peaceful gardens. As expected for a city surrounded by ocean, the seafood is spectacular. Visit the National Palace Museum to view the world's largest collection of Chinese art treasures. And for an unsurpassed view of this city, visit a mountainside tea house.

Kochi Prefecture, on Japan’s Shikoku Island, is a largely rural area known for its mountains, rivers and Pacific beaches. Capital Kochi City has one of Japan’s best preserved feudal castles, Kochi-jo, established in the 1600s. The city's centuries-old Sunday market has hundreds of vendors selling food and other wares. Summer's Yosakoi Matsuri is a festival in which colorfully attired dance teams fill the streets.

Famous for the beef that bears it name, Kobe is headquarters for numerous Japanese and international firms, and has long been an important port. It is also a short bullet train ride from Kyoto, ancient capital of Japan from the 8th to the 19th century. Here vestiges of the past are easier to find than in many of Japan's modern, high-tech cities: countless temples and shrines, the palaces and castles of shoguns and emperors, and narrow lanes paved in stone and lined with wooden buildings housing shops and restaurants that have been serving travelers for centuries.