Malaysia/Thailand or Vietnam eentric cruise for best snorkeling?

[mikeerdas]

Which itinerary below would be best for snorkeling opportunities? A Malaysia-centric or Vietnam-centric one?

 

#1 Malaysia/Thailand:

 

Singapore, Singapore; Kuantan, Malaysia; Laem Chabang, Thailand; Ko Samui, Thailand; Singapore, Singapore; Port Kelang, Malaysia; Phuket, Thailand; Langkawi, Malaysia; Penang, Malaysia; Malacca, Malaysia; Singapore, Singapore

 

# 2 Vietnam:

Singapore, Singapore; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Da Nang, Vietnam; Ha Long, Vietnam; Sanya, Hainan Island, China; Hong Kong, China; Keelung, Taiwan; Shanghai, China

 

Snorkeling isn't the only thing that interests me; but if I was to focus exclusively on it, which would of the above would be better and why?

 

Also, can anyone recommend a site for Malaysia port reviews? Guidebooks that include Malaysia seem rather scant on coverage.

[mikeerdas]

I'm also wondering: if I did want to do a snorkeling-centric vacation to Southeast Asia, would a cruise even be the best option? Or would it be more efficient and cost effective to fly directly to a particular region in Malaysia or Vietnam and perhaps travel to just a few locations?

 

I'm not much of a "ship person" beyond wanting a ship to be clean, safe and well-maintained. I love the efficiency of cruises, but sometimes a land-based vacation makes more sense depending on the Theme of one's trip / one's intentions.

[mikeerdas]

Would gladly settle on general advice on great snorkeling spots in Southeast Asia. Are there any Southeast Asian ports you'd recommend for snorkeling or advise against?

[whitestripes]

Hey, if you're interested in a cruise from Singapore, Royal Caribbean's cruises are currently 'on sale', with savings of up to S$400. So it might be a good time to book