South East Asian Discovery with India

Razed to the ground by bombing raids in World War II, but since revived and developed into one of Borneo’s most important and thriving cities, Sandakan – once connected to German, Arab and Indian traders, pearl divers and Chinese planters – is now a buzzing hub of industry and culture once again.

You can really feel the energy of modern Sandakan, as the locals go about their daily lives, making their contribution to the local palm oil, tobacco, coffee, cocoa and numerous other industries, but there are plenty of reminders of the city’s fascinating past to discover too. Sandakan Memorial Park and the Heritage Museum offer a wonderful insight into the history here, while visiting the Chinese and Japanese cemeteries is always an emotive experience. Don’t miss the magnificent temples of Puu Jih Syh and Sam Sing Kong – the city’s oldest building – too.

Beyond the city, Sandakan also serves as a gateway to encountering some of Borneo’s most mesmerising natural treasures and wildlife; on tour, it’s possible to visit Sepilok and see orphaned orangutans up-close, explore the Gomantong Caves, and visit Turtle Island, to name just a few of the highlights.

Spanning both sides of the Saigon River, north-east of the tranquil Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City is a vast and cosmopolitan hub. Not far from the hustle and bustle of this central destination are the highlands and rainforests that teem with exotic wildlife where you can discover the Mekong Delta and more rural parts of Vietnam.

The beaches here are famed for being some of the best in Southeast Asia, and the cuisine is universally acknowledged for its range of tastes and dishes, you simply can’t leave without indulging in these hand cooked specialities.

Sihanoukville is the gateway to the eerily impressive Angor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world, one of the main reasons visitors travel to Cambodia. The second reason being that Sihanoukville is surrounded by white-sand beaches of Occheuteal and Serendipity beach, and undeveloped tropical islands. Sihanoukville is a place to unwind by the surf, enjoy the fresh from-the-ocean seafood, and generally slow down and relax.

Sihanoukville has a different look and feel than most Cambodian towns. With an abundance of things to see and do, from snorkelling to scuba diving, your batteries will be recharged in no time at all. There is often a balmy heat that wavers over the palm trees and grass umbrellas, making Sihanoukville the ideal spot to roll out a towel and sip on a refreshing cocktail, or two.

Located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, this dynamic city-state is the perfect cocktail of culture, cruising, arts and architecture. This global financial centre with a tropical climate and multicultural population is passionately working towards its dream of a ‘City in a Garden’.

Getting around Singapore is a fairly rapid affair, thanks to one of the world’s most efficient and widespread public transport systems. Its colonial core centres on the Padang, a cricket field since the 1830s and now flanked by grand buildings such as City Hall, and its multitude of Corinthian columns. The 19th century red-and-gold Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Chinatown, allegedly houses one of Buddha's teeth.

The concrete that once dominated the city skyline is slowly being replaced by ‘green skyscrapers’, which look more like living ecosystems than office buildings. Visitors stepping out of the centre will find walking trails, treetop bridges, indigenous wildlife and the city's green jewel, the UNESCO-listed World Heritage Singapore Botanic Gardens.

A tantalizing selection of food sold from street markets is dotted around the city. Food is taken very seriously: from cheap street fare to Michelin-starred dining, Singaporean foodies will happily queue for it. Of course, for sheer elegance, nothing beats a Singapore Sling in the Raffles Hotel.

Singapore has always drawn visits from a variety of sea craft. Merchants of every race, colour and faith were quickly drawn to the island, and by 1911, Singapore’s population comprised of 48 races, speaking 54 languages. Malay is now the official language.  

The rain-forested, mountainous island of Phuket in the Andaman Sea, has some of Thailand’s most spectacular beaches situated along the clear blue waters of its western shore. This idyllic high-end island resort contrasts nicely with the culturally-rich capital, Phuket Town, which offers busy markets and fabulous food.

Thailand’s largest island, Phuket, is connected to the southern tip of the country by a couple of short road bridges. The island has wonderful soft white beaches, fringed by shady palm trees and grass huts. Just offshore, many uninhabited outcrops of tall limestone crags rise straight out of the sea and cry out to be explored. Phuket is the ideal spot to truly relax and unwind with incredible views of the surrounding bays. 

In Phuket Town, the Thalang National Museum has fascinating displays about the island’s indigenous culture. There are a couple of Hindu Temples on the island, as well as a number of Buddhist shrines, including the Wat Chalong Temple, which is the centre for worship on Phuket. High in the Nakkerd Hills, northwest of Chalong Circle, the 45m-high Big Buddha sits in imposing fashion on the island's finest viewpoint.

The port city of Colombo is rich with colonial heritage, religions, races and cultures. With a population of over 4.5 million people, Colombo is a bustling, fascinating and noisy city. It combines Dutch and British colonial buildings, with Buddhist temples, Islamic mosques, Christian churches, and modern gleaming skyscrapers. The impressive Colombo National Museum, dedicated to Sri Lankan history, is worth uncovering and it borders the sprawling Viharamahadevi Park, home to a giant Buddha. 

The narrow cobbled streets of Pettah, the main bazaar district, are full of shops and street markets selling an amazing array of goods at bargain prices. There are plenty of places to eat, from small shops selling pancakes to coffee shops and upmarket restaurants.

A more rustic, slow-paced Sri Lankan experience can be found in nearby Negombo, with its quaint village streets and lively fish market. Alternatively, sun seekers can venture to the private beach of Mt. Lavinia, located on the breath-taking Golden Mile beachfront.

Known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, serene Kochi on India’s south-western coast has been drawing traders, explorers and travellers to its shores for over 600 years.

Formerly the port of Cochin, Kochi grew to prominence as an outlet for the spice trade in the 14th century, and is most famous for the iconic-cantilevered Chinese fishing nets that billow out across its harbour. This ancient trading centre is a melting pot of cultures and religions, evident in the town’s buildings, which range from the oldest synagogue in the British Commonwealth to the austere Mattancherry Palace, built by the Dutch but influenced by the Portuguese.

Mormugão is the main port of the tiny State of Goa, renowned for superb beaches and a colonial history that combines the best of Indian and Portuguese culture.

Known as the ‘Pearl of the Orient’, Goa showcases a mix of scenic beauty and architectural delights, from golden beaches and spice plantations to striking temples and bustling markets.

The Arch of the Viceroys was built in 1597 to commemorate Vasco da Gama’s arrival in India, while the nearby Church of St. Cajetan is modelled on St. Peter’s in Rome. Opposite the magnificent Se Cathedral at Old Goa – one of the largest churches in Asia, is the Basilica of Bom. Here the remains of Francis Xavier, a founder of the Jesuit order and patron saint of Goa, lie in a silver casket next to the altar.

Yoga is king in Goa, and the crop of spiritual activities available to visitors grows each year. T’ai chi sessions, Reiki healing courses, meditation, and most forms of spiritual exploration are all practised freely. The scents, spices and flavours of Goa’s cuisine is the area’s other main attraction, and the Indo-Portuguese influence will surprise and tantalise even seasoned travellers.

Once a cluster of seven islands covered with coconut palms, Mumbai, formerly Bombay, is a sprawling, vibrant city on India’s west coast. It is a busy, densely-populated city, home to India’s most prolific film industry, Bollywood, and the largest tropical forest in an urban zone.

Mumbai can prove to be a surprising introduction to India. On its harbour waterfront stands the iconic Gateway of India stone arch; through it is India’s centre for finance and fashion, and a fervent religious crossroads. As such the city’s furious energy – and often heavy air pollution – can make it a totally different experience for visitors.

But once in Mumbai’s heart, some of the most imposing colonial-era architecture on earth is on view, as are its secret bazaars, hidden temples, and India’s top restaurants and intense nightlife.

The cultural mix is extraordinary: religious sites like the Jain Temple and the closely guarded Parsi Towers of Silence all exist happily next to the Victoria Railway Terminus, the Royal Bombay Yacht Club and the Ghandi Memorial Museum. The unique and popular bazaars offer souvenir trinkets, traditional shawls and shoes all ready to be bartered over.

Venturing beyond Mumbai, the elusive and lesser known Elephanta Caves are captivating. Set in attractive surroundings of lush green vegetation, vines and towering trees, Elephanta Island offers a stark contrast from the bustling inner city of Mumbai. The eerie Buddhist and Hindu caves, and their honeycomb of halls, shrines and pillars, are a must-see.

Porbandar, a coastal city in the Indian state of Gujarat, is the birthplace of the ‘Father of India’ and the loyal friend and devotee of Lord Krishna, Sudama. As a result, Porbandar is of great religious and spiritual importance, and a place of pilgrimage for Hindus across the world.

Porbandar’s fascinating history dates back to the Harappan age (1600-1400BC). Its ancient port served as a vital trade link to Arabia and countries in the Persian Gulf, and had close ties to some of India’s great religious and spiritual figures.

Best known as the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and Sudama, Hindus make the pilgrimage to visit various dedicated temples and museums. The must-see Kirti Mandir, a memorial dedicated to Gandhi, is on the site where ancestral properties of the Gandhi family once were, and contains various pictures and paintings depicting the life and influence of Mahatma.

The Krishna Sudama Temple, dedicated to the friendship between Lord Krishna and Sudama, is another of Porbandar’s unmissable attractions, while the beautiful temple of Sir Hari is well worth a visit too.

Muscat, Oman’s port capital, offers plenty of history, an air of tradition, and a distinctly exotic location, all crammed between the mountains, the sea – laden with fauna-rich lagoons – and the desert.

With history dating back to ancient times, Muscat mixes modern architecture and fashionable shopping malls with souks, Royal Palaces and landmarks like its 16th century Portuguese forts, Al Jalali and Mirani that keep watch over the harbour.

The ornate marble-clad Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, with its 50m dome, can accommodate 20,000 people. This most modern of Islamic buildings is also home to the world’s second largest hand-woven carpet, which took four years to thread and is made from various vibrant vegetable dyes.

The opening of the Royal Opera House in 2011, and the splendid National Museum which opened six years later, offer additional culture highlights that give the city a personality all of its own.

The only one of the seven United Arab Emirates on the Gulf of Oman, Fujairah is mountainous, unlike the desert Emirates on the Persian Gulf, and rife with colourful markets and wonderful buildings. Fujairah boasts a much slower and relaxed pace compared to its UAE counterparts, you will notice its peaceful ambience when visiting its most beautiful of sights, the Al Bithnah Fort and Al Bidyah Mosque.

The local souk sells goods for local residents, such as plants, spices and textiles. Along the Corniche there is a smaller evening souk which sells items such as perfumes, watches and clothing, an ideal opportunity to pick up something unique for your loved ones back home.