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 Far East Treasures
by Marion Hager
Dazzling Silverse luxury cruise to Vietnam and Cambodia adds spice to lives of busy professionals. Plus where to stay before or after your cruise. Featured in STRATOS Magazine.
I love to cruise but being an intrepid traveler at heart, I seldom find a cruise itinerary that stays anywhere long enough to enjoy the destination. So when I discovered a cruise that included overnight stays in Vietnamese and Cambodian ports that were high on my list, I couldn’t resist it. Covering just three ports in nine days, it would be the perfect segue between our week in Hanoi and our visit to the magnificent temples of the Angkor Wat Complex in Cambodia.
I work long hours and deal with the continual stress of deadlines. When I go on vacation I want to relax – but I still want to experience the destination. I also want to live well, eat well, and be waited on hand and foot.
That is exactly what I experienced onboard the Silver Shadow, an all-inclusive 382-guest six-star luxury vessel operated by award-winning Silversea Cruises. I knew I was in the right place when we arrived at the pier. We boarded immediately, no waiting in line. A steward greeted us with a glass of champagne and escorted us to our suite, where more champagne on ice awaited us.
I was delighted with the spacious accommodations - king size bed, comfortable sitting area, nicely furnished veranda, fully stocked beverage cabinet, and beautiful décor. The suite had a walk-in closet, large bath with a double sink, and a TV with DVD player.
Our cruise began in Singapore. After spending a week exploring Hanoi and the surrounding area, we decided to spend a few days enjoying the sights, sounds and flavors of Singapore prior to boarding the ship. Known for its cleanliness and diverse ethnic population, Singapore is an exciting city filled with luxury hotels, fine restaurants, and fabulous shopping. For me, its main attractions are the ethnic quarters: Little India, Arab Street, Chinatown and the Malay community. It is in these tiny neighborhoods that we experienced authentic cuisine, visited colorful temples and shopped where the locals shop.
As the Silver Shadow slipped from the pier, tall buildings sparkled in the glow of the setting sun, accentuating Singapore’s magnificent skyline. We sat on our veranda sipping the last of our champagne as the ship headed out to sea. We made our way to the restaurant around eight, and the maitre d’ seated us at a table for two by the window, where we enjoyed a delicious dinner at a very leisurely pace. The restaurant-style dining, gave us the option to dine alone, or with some of the interesting people we met.
The attentive Silversea staff made this cruise special. Whether in the restaurant, the pool deck or just out and about on the ship, whatever we wanted was there for the asking. The first day of the cruise was a day at sea so I immediately headed to the fitness center for my morning workout, then on to Mandara Spa for a massage and facial.
Lunch on the veranda of the Terrace Café was exquisite, with white clothed tables set with china and crystal. I selected a mozzarella and tomato salad and freshly made pasta, accompanied by a glass of Chianti. Then I went to the library and snagged a copy of the DaVinci Code. What a day! Following an afternoon of relaxing by the pool with my book and a cold drink, I was ready for dinner and afterwards . . . perhaps dancing or a show?
Port Call
Our first stop was Sihanoukville, located on the Bay of Thailand in southern Cambodia. Named after King Sihanouk, it is Cambodia’s only deep-water port and best known for beautiful beaches and nearby islands that attract tourists from all over the world. Some say it is going to be the next Phuket.
Silversea arranged charter flights for guests who wanted to visit Angkor Wat or Phnom Penh. However, as we would be visiting central Cambodia after our cruise, we opted to explore Sihanoukville. Silversea arranged for a car, driver and local guide to be at our disposal during our 2-day port call.
It was in Sihanoukville that we experienced the culture of the friendly Cambodian people. We saw everything from the country’s heartbreaking poverty to the fabulous Sokha Resort where we enjoyed a lunch of local delicacies. It was Sunday afternoon, so our guide took us to Ream National Park to get a flavor of local life. With its waterfall, pond, and bubbly stream, this was where the city dwellers came for a cool and quiet relaxing Sunday afternoon.
Little girls walking around with straw trays on their heads, loaded with popcorn, chips and other goodies were busy honing their selling skills. People hung hammocks from the rafters of shaded pavilions to enjoy the shade and cool breezes. It was on these pavilions that families gathered for dinner. The aroma of freshly caught fish cooking over wood fires drifted through the air. Children laughed as they played in the cool water of the stream.
Nothing prepared us for our visit to the Central Market in Sihanoukville. It looked like acres of tin-roofed shacks with their roofs joined together. Narrow aisles with dirt floors and drainage ditches wove between the myriad of vendors, packed nearly on top of each other. They were selling everything from fresh fish, fruits and vegetables to toys, housewares, clothing and gold jewelry. Sewing machines buzzed as ladies busily completed custom clothing orders and replenished their stock of ready-made garments. I was surprised by the way market economics and socialist politics co-exist, not only in Cambodia, but Vietnam as well.
The local grocery store was totally different than the market. It was like going into an old-fashioned five and dime store selling everything from clothing to food, souvenirs and newspapers. My husband stocked up on local beer, selecting one bottle of every type to bring back to the ship, and I purchased a lovely sarong.
Pagodas and temples are to Asia what ancient ruins are to Greece – you find them everywhere you go. However, the pagoda at Sihanoukville was different than any others I’d visited. It was a peaceful place, set atop a hill, surrounded by lush vegetation. There were no other tourists – just the monks, a small family praying, a man teaching a boy to play a bamboo xylophone, and a street vendor selling freshly made sugarcane juice.
We had two days at sea to relax and enjoy the Silver Shadow before arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, still affectionately called Saigon by the locals. While Cambodia was laid back and unsophisticated, Saigon was vibrant, sophisticated and modern. The city is very open to western visitors and has a wide range of modern hotels, restaurants, and lively nightlife.
Saigon exudes an old-fashioned charm, as ladies in traditional dress stroll down its wide tree-lined boulevards. Streets are filled with throngs of people and what seems like thousands of motorbikes weaving in and out in a chaotic scramble, constantly beeping horns to avoid collisions.
As Vietnamese food is all the rage, and many new chefs are coming on the scene, we visited the newest and hottest restaurant in Saigon, Nam Kha. The interior is beautifully designed with ornate columns and reflecting pools. Tables were set with exquisite lacquerware and hand-blown glasses of every size and description. The menu, centered around seafood, got top billing in my book. The grilled king prawns and perfectly crisp soft-shell crabs were outstanding.
The food was so wonderful, I decided to take advantage of a shore event Silversea was offering the next day. Local Chef Pham Ba Chinh met us at the ship, where we climbed into Trishaws, and escorted us on an excursion to the Ben Thanh Market. From my seat at the front of the Trishaw, I had an exciting birds-eye view of the chaotic scramble of motorbikes – something everyone should do at least once.
The chef showed us all the different types of ingredients that are used in typical Vietnamese meals, and picked up fresh fish and vegetables for our lunch. We continued on to a 2-hour cooking class, where we learned to make the famous Vietnamese egg rolls.
Our last day in Vietnam was at Nha Trang, a lovely resort city to the north of Saigon, and Vietnam’s premier snorkeling and diving location. It is home to an intriguing arts and crafts center that specialized in traditional embroidery. After exploring the city with our local guide, and purchasing a couple of the magnificent embroideries, we strolled along the beach, enjoying the fresh sea air.
Silversea operates four ships all-suite, all-inclusive of two different sizes. The Silver Cloud and Silver Wind, at 16,800 tons, are roomy, intimate vessels. Each carries 296 passengers. The Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper, at 25,000 tons, carry 382 passengers. Silversea’s worldwide itineraries run from 7 to 126 days. Guests can either book the itineraries shown in the brochure, or personalize a voyage, selecting the embarkation and disembarkation ports of their choice - a wonderful way to discover the world.
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