This cruise can be bundled together with the Indonesia Discovery.
Share this amazing cruise with your family and friends.
Trip Highlights
Cruise the South China Sea with dramatic landscapes of Vietnam.
Start your journey in Singapore and end in Hong Kong.
Go sightseeing or on an adventure during shore excursions.
Stay overnight in the bustling city of Bangkok, Thailand.
Trip Summary
Southeast Asia is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of Mainland China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and north of Australia. Comprising the following countries: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, East Malaysia, East Timor Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore.
The South China Sea and parts of the Pacific Ocean is the major body of water in Southeast Asia. The vast majority of Southeast Asia falls within the warm, humid tropics, and its climate generally can be characterized as monsoonal.
Southeast Asia was home to one of the few regions across Eurasia that did not get subsumed by the Mongol Empire. However, most modern Southeast Asian countries were previously European colonial states, with the only exception being Siam (Thailand nowadays).
Although as far as history goes, the region was already inhabited by the Homo Erectus from approximately 1,500,000 years ago during the Middle Pleistocene age. Distinct Homo sapiens groups, ancestral to East-Eurasian populations, and South-Eurasian populations, reached the region between 50,000 BC to 70,000 BC, with some arguing earlier. Parietal rock art dating from 40,000 years ago has been discovered in Southeast Asia. The Southeast Asian parietal arts are believed to be the oldest in the world.
Several other ancestries migrated to the region and settled along the coastal areas, replacing and assimilating the preexisting peoples. Not to mention that trade among Southeast Asian countries has a long history and tradition where people of different cultures crossed the region.
History shows that from 111 BC to 938 AD northern Vietnam was under Chinese rule. And western influence started to enter the region in the 16th century, with the arrival of the Portuguese, and a few years later the Spanish settled in the Philippines. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the Dutch established the Dutch East Indies, then the French Indochina settled in, and later the British settlers moved in. By the 19th century, all Southeast Asian countries were colonized except for Thailand. Most Europeans were just interested in natural resources and trading routes.
With so many cultures crossing the region, the countries of Southeast Asia became culturally and ethnically diverse. The chief cultural influences have been some combination of Chinese, Indian, and Islam Arabians. Also, the consequences of colonial rule, the struggle for independence, and in some cases, war influenced the economic attitudes and policies of each Southeast Asian country.
As one may notice, the peoples who ate with their fingers were more likely influenced by the culture of India, for example, than the culture of China, where the people ate with chopsticks. And rice is the staple food and tea, as a beverage, can be found across the region. The fish sauces, chilies, and other spices distinctive to the region tend to vary in taste.
Rice paddy agriculture has existed in Southeast Asia for millennia, ranging across the subregion. Some dramatic examples of these rice paddies are in lowlands and terraces in the mountains. Most Southeast Asian countries share similar farming techniques and maintenance of these rice paddies and terraces. They were built and farmed to suit the monsoon climate of the region.
Another example, are the stilt houses that can be found all over Southeast Asia. The homes were built pretty much in the same way because of the monsoon climate, too.
The arts of Southeast Asia have an affinity with the arts of other areas. For example dance in much of Southeast Asia includes movement of the hands as well as the feet, to express the dance’s emotion and meaning of the story that the dancer is going to tell the audience.
There are many more examples of a shared culture and tradition in Southeast Asia. And they’re a lot more treasures in the region that includes great wildlife biodiversity with diverse flora and fauna and also the region’s coral reef and marine life.
Most of the people of the Southeast are reputed for being fun-loving, compassionate, gentle, hospital, open-minded, laid-back, smiling, and friendly. There’s a prevailing sentiment that life should be enjoyed at the moment and problems should not be taken so seriously that disrupt enjoyment.
Southeast Asia was nicked named the land of smiles because people smiled often.
Visiting Southeast Asian countries should be exciting with all the different overlapping cultures, and with people smiling back at you.
Let’s go visit, Southeast Asia.
