journey through the far east with thailand & vietnam

Glimmering golden temples and sacred statues of Buddha; khlongs (canals), bustling with riverboats and floating markets; sensuous silks and fragrant orchids; sparkling sapphires and rubies; exquisite "spirit houses" and people with perpetual smiles on their faces -- that's what the Kingdom of Thailand is all about.

As one of the most developed and progressive nations in Southeast Asia, Thailand -- once known as Siam -- is bordered by Myanmar (Burma) to the northwest, Laos to the northeast, Cambodia to the southeast and Malaysia to the south of Thailand's isthmus. The government is a constitutional monarchy, and Westerners are eagerly welcomed -- even though con games and price-gouging, aimed at tourists, can be rampant.

Thailand's roots reach back to the 10th century, but Bangkok itself wasn't founded until 1782, when Rama I became the first king of the Chakri Dynasty. Since that time, this "city of angels" has been an economic and cultural powerhouse in the region. The current ruling faction is the People Power Party. However, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) staged demonstrations throughout 2008, showing their opposition to the PPP. While generally peaceful in their protests, PAD did temporarily shut down Suvarnabhumi Airport from November 25 to December 3, 2008.

Most cruise ships call on the port of Laem Chabang on the Gulf of Thailand, which is two hours south of Bangkok, the nation's capital, though smaller ships often dock at Klong Toey on the Chao Phraya River, right on the outskirts of the big city.

Known as the Venice of the East, due to the many canals slicing through the city, Bangkok lies at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River and has been wowing tourists with its exotic temples, lavish palaces and teeming markets for decades.

If your cruise is embarking from Laem Chabang, you'll want to fly into Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport and explore the city for several days before joining your ship. If you're merely calling upon Laem Chabang, your best bet is to consider shore excursions to Bangkok, although there are a few spots near Laem Chabang -- like the beach resort of Pattaya or the Jack Nicklaus-designed Laem Chabang International Country Club golf course -- that could be explored by those who have visited Bangkok extensively in the past and don't wish to make the two-hour trip north.

No matter where your travels take you, the people of Thailand will greet you with genuine smiles and a respectful wai (hands pressed together, as if in prayer, accompanied by a gentle bow of the head).

Glimmering golden temples and sacred statues of Buddha; khlongs (canals), bustling with riverboats and floating markets; sensuous silks and fragrant orchids; sparkling sapphires and rubies; exquisite "spirit houses" and people with perpetual smiles on their faces -- that's what the Kingdom of Thailand is all about.

As one of the most developed and progressive nations in Southeast Asia, Thailand -- once known as Siam -- is bordered by Myanmar (Burma) to the northwest, Laos to the northeast, Cambodia to the southeast and Malaysia to the south of Thailand's isthmus. The government is a constitutional monarchy, and Westerners are eagerly welcomed -- even though con games and price-gouging, aimed at tourists, can be rampant.

Thailand's roots reach back to the 10th century, but Bangkok itself wasn't founded until 1782, when Rama I became the first king of the Chakri Dynasty. Since that time, this "city of angels" has been an economic and cultural powerhouse in the region. The current ruling faction is the People Power Party. However, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) staged demonstrations throughout 2008, showing their opposition to the PPP. While generally peaceful in their protests, PAD did temporarily shut down Suvarnabhumi Airport from November 25 to December 3, 2008.

Most cruise ships call on the port of Laem Chabang on the Gulf of Thailand, which is two hours south of Bangkok, the nation's capital, though smaller ships often dock at Klong Toey on the Chao Phraya River, right on the outskirts of the big city.

Known as the Venice of the East, due to the many canals slicing through the city, Bangkok lies at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River and has been wowing tourists with its exotic temples, lavish palaces and teeming markets for decades.

If your cruise is embarking from Laem Chabang, you'll want to fly into Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport and explore the city for several days before joining your ship. If you're merely calling upon Laem Chabang, your best bet is to consider shore excursions to Bangkok, although there are a few spots near Laem Chabang -- like the beach resort of Pattaya or the Jack Nicklaus-designed Laem Chabang International Country Club golf course -- that could be explored by those who have visited Bangkok extensively in the past and don't wish to make the two-hour trip north.

No matter where your travels take you, the people of Thailand will greet you with genuine smiles and a respectful wai (hands pressed together, as if in prayer, accompanied by a gentle bow of the head).

Hanoi is a hectic collage of sights, sounds and smells. Masses of motorbikes roar down roadways, and bike and car horns are constantly honking. Women wearing traditional conical straw hats carry poles with baskets on each end, small shops overflow with colourful embroidery, food vendors sell cooked pigeons with their heads still on, and signs cover buildings. For more than 4,000 years, from a humble fishing village to a busy seaport, the city has thrived along the banks of the Red River in Northern Vietnam. The seaport was given the name Ha (river) Noi (in) by King Minh Mang in 1831. Hanoi is the country's intellectual and cultural heart that draws the best and brightest artisans from around the country. Many streets in the old district are named after the products made there at one time, and you can still come across shrines here and there dedicated to an artisan's god. As the northern capital, Hanoi was heavily bombed during the Vietnam War. Still, there are reminders of the past, including French colonial architecture and 1,000-year-old temples and pagodas. The capital city, home to 6.5 million people, boasts parks with gnarled banyan trees and many lakes, some peppered with swan boats. The Hoa Lo Prison or "Hanoi Hilton" where U.S. Sen. John McCain was imprisoned as a POW is now the site of a high-rise. Really nice hotels and high-end shopping also beckon tourists. Most cruise travellers reach Hanoi via Halong Bay where most of the large cruise ships anchor. The bay itself is one of Vietnam's most celebrated attractions, with about 2,000 limestone islands that make up a spectacular natural UNESCO World Heritage site. A trip on the water of the bay is the kind of awe-inspiring experience travellers crave. Sit in a Vietnamese junk (boat) on silk couches and drink green tea or local beer as you cruise into the mist of the large bay, past giant, craggy limestone formations protruding from the sea. According to legend, a dragon sent by the gods to help the Vietnamese fight Chinese invaders, fell into the bay and formed the islands. In fact, these islands have seen their share of warring -- the bay is in the Gulf of Tonkin, where Vietnamese and U.S. forces first fought. The islands are mostly uninhabited, and many form odd shapes -- one looks like a man's face in profile, another like two roosters fighting. Their sheer cliffs and otherworldly presence has inspired writers, poets and artists. And it's easy to see why. The place is magical.

Hanoi is a hectic collage of sights, sounds and smells. Masses of motorbikes roar down roadways, and bike and car horns are constantly honking. Women wearing traditional conical straw hats carry poles with baskets on each end, small shops overflow with colourful embroidery, food vendors sell cooked pigeons with their heads still on, and signs cover buildings. For more than 4,000 years, from a humble fishing village to a busy seaport, the city has thrived along the banks of the Red River in Northern Vietnam. The seaport was given the name Ha (river) Noi (in) by King Minh Mang in 1831. Hanoi is the country's intellectual and cultural heart that draws the best and brightest artisans from around the country. Many streets in the old district are named after the products made there at one time, and you can still come across shrines here and there dedicated to an artisan's god. As the northern capital, Hanoi was heavily bombed during the Vietnam War. Still, there are reminders of the past, including French colonial architecture and 1,000-year-old temples and pagodas. The capital city, home to 6.5 million people, boasts parks with gnarled banyan trees and many lakes, some peppered with swan boats. The Hoa Lo Prison or "Hanoi Hilton" where U.S. Sen. John McCain was imprisoned as a POW is now the site of a high-rise. Really nice hotels and high-end shopping also beckon tourists. Most cruise travellers reach Hanoi via Halong Bay where most of the large cruise ships anchor. The bay itself is one of Vietnam's most celebrated attractions, with about 2,000 limestone islands that make up a spectacular natural UNESCO World Heritage site. A trip on the water of the bay is the kind of awe-inspiring experience travellers crave. Sit in a Vietnamese junk (boat) on silk couches and drink green tea or local beer as you cruise into the mist of the large bay, past giant, craggy limestone formations protruding from the sea. According to legend, a dragon sent by the gods to help the Vietnamese fight Chinese invaders, fell into the bay and formed the islands. In fact, these islands have seen their share of warring -- the bay is in the Gulf of Tonkin, where Vietnamese and U.S. forces first fought. The islands are mostly uninhabited, and many form odd shapes -- one looks like a man's face in profile, another like two roosters fighting. Their sheer cliffs and otherworldly presence has inspired writers, poets and artists. And it's easy to see why. The place is magical.