Hong Kong to Singapore -- Thoughts and Recommendations on Itinerary

[ggo85]

Having just completed a cruise from Hong Kong to Singapore, wanted to share some thoughts for those considering this or a similar cruise in the future.  We visited Vietnam and Thailand:  Halong Bay (1 day), Da Nang (1 day), Ho Chi Minh City (2.5 days), and Bangkok (2 days). 

 

First, the itinerary is absolutely fantastic!  Each port was interesting and unique – I would not have wanted to miss any of them.  Another good thing was having a sea day between each port, which was really helpful in terms of “recovery” after long days of touring (see below).  

 

For tours, I did Hanoi in Halong Bay, Hoi An in Da Nang, War Relics and City Tour in Saigon, Temples and Flower Market in Thailand.  All except Saigon were 9-11 hours; Saigon tours were about 5.5 hours.  I thought every tour was wonderful and the sites are fascinating.  Wish we’d had more time/days!

 

The itinerary / tours are fairly arduous so IMHO you need to be reasonably mobile / agile to enjoy them to their fullest.  You don’t have to be a fitness nut, but you do need to be able to stand for long periods, walk, and climb stairs.  I don’t recommend this cruise / itinerary for the mobility challenged.   Asia has no ADA-like requirements for accessibility at tourist sites.

 

The buses were air conditioned and comfortable; they did have steep steps.  Sometimes, we had to get on / off quickly as the bus could only stop briefly.   Many tours required extensive walking and / or standing.  Many of the sites, including temples, had lots of (steep) steps and most had no railings.  Afternoon rain made for slippery footing.  Almost none of the places we visited (including museums) had air conditioning.  Few had places for visitors to sit and almost none had elevators.  

 

The 90+ degree heat and 80% humidity were oppressive, especially if you’re not used to it;  there was little relief outside of the bus.  The climate literally saps your energy, even when downing copious amounts of water.  

 

Bus rides to/from were often long.  Trip to Hanoi was 2.5 hours each way; 1-2 hours each way in Ho Chi Minh City and 2.5-3 hours each way in Bangkok.   SOME of the above would be ameliorated with a private car/tour, but for many of the sites (e.g., temples in Bangkok), there’s no way to avoid walking and climbing.

 

The above is not to complain – this is the reality of touring in southeast Asia.   But if you’re considering this itinerary, you need to consider your state of health and mobility. 

 

In almost every location, the ship tied up at an industrial port – there was not much (if anything) in walking distance.  I never saw taxis (though there might have been some).  SS provided free shuttle service to/from the city at most, if not all, ports.   Many tours offered a reasonable amount of free time, as there was rarely any shopping at the pier.

 

Most temples and the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum area have a “dress code” for women, which means shoulders and knees must be covered.  The sites can be very strict.  You can bring scarves but IMHO it’s easier to wear slacks/long skirt and a short-sleeved shirt.  Men can wear shorts; not sure about tank tops but didn’t see any.  

 

The above are just some general reflections.  Others who took different tours or did things on their own may have differing opinions.  Overall, highly recommend this itinerary.

[RetiredandTravel]

Very insightful and value added review, thank you.

[drron29]

Just a couple of observations. November is one of the better months to do this cruise December or January slightly better. April to September the temp can be 95-105F and humidity >90%.

 

Some mobility challenged people can still do the tours. I have a muscular dystrophy and basically I have to walk as much as I can to keep as much muscle bulk as I can. On the previous sector of this cruise was a fellow in his 40s with exactly the same condition as I but much more severe. He didn't miss excursions even one with ~ 300 stairs. On the ship he never used the elevators. He became my hero.

But if you use a frame or wheelchair it is going to be more difficult. But in virtually every building we went to there was an elevator though often hidden and you needed to ask. For example i went to the wooden temple in Pattaya. At least 2 on the excursion were on crutches but here is the elevator going up.

[taxatty]

We had much better tours in many of those same ports by creating an 8 person group in our CC roll call to book private tours by van--far preferable to a bus. We saw a lot more than the ship tours and went at our own pace. We did make the same mistake of going in the summer and enduring the oppressive heat and humidity, especially in Singapore, but almost everything there does have A/C.

[ggo85]

Agree with above points.  My intent was to be realistic, not discouraging. On one tour, there was a gentleman who could walk but not stand for long periods. For various reasons, we ended up standing for long periods inside one of the tour sites. There was no place to sit inside.  So the guide stopped the tour for 15 minutes while he took the man to a seat outside. The man missed the rest of the this site while the other 20 members of the group stood around in the hot building waiting for guide to return.  No one was thrilled, though the man seemed more upset at missing out on the tour.  
 

Also, on our cruise, the shore excursion folks were no help. The info they provided, such as whether sites had a dress code or were air conditioned was, invariably, incorrect.  
 

If you have mobility challenges or don’t do well in high heat and humidity, do your own research in advance so that you CAN participate as fully as possible.