Do you have experience with Ports in the Kyoto to Singapore Itinerary?

[Miamiboy1]

We are booked on the March 5, 2015 cruise on the Quest from Kyoto to Singapore that includes the ports of Hiroshima, Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City and Hong Kong.

 

We would appreciate advice and tips regarding the destinations from previous cruisers. Thanks.

[ellbon]

We are booked on the March 5, 2015 cruise on the Quest from Kyoto to Singapore that includes the ports of Hiroshima, Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City and Hong Kong.

 

We would appreciate advice and tips regarding the destinations from previous cruisers. Thanks.

 

I am on this cruise. I have been to HK before. I am using "tours by Locals" both in HK and Singapore.

 

I decided to do the very long all day tour in Hiroshima thru ship.

 

HCMC i have been to also.. seen everything the ship offers for less.. i again would look at "tours by locals" . iwoyuld suggest using the roll call for help. very slow but i check there.

 

main things in zoo- chinatown-little india-hawkers makets etc.

[ctkathy]

We cruised Singapore to Honk Kong a couple of years ago. Had a great guide in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). Waterbuffalotours.com. Khoi Nguyen is the Managing Director and was our guide. email khoi.n@waterbuffalotours.com. We toured the afternoon of arrival starting with the best pho for lunch. The following day we went to the Mekong Delta. Great tours and guide!

[2fromTO]

We had a wonderful day on The Mekong Delta with Saigon River Express. Highly recommended. In Singapore, the museum of Asia civilization is very interesting (go at a time when there is an English speaking guide) and we loved the Orchid garden at the National Botanical Garden - go early before it gets hot. Enjoy!

[pickypicky]

Second the recommendation of Orchid Garden at the Singapore Botanical Gardens. In Hong Kong, we had a delightful walking tour with Ski Yeo of Bigfoot Tours. Most informative and "off the beaten path". She will customize your tour any way you like...we had dim sum in a locals only place, snake soup in a traditional establishment, and visited a shop to buy loose tea You can see her website and read reviews on TripAdvisor. Much fun and highly recommended.

[work2fly]

We are booked on the March 5, 2015 cruise on the Quest from Kyoto to Singapore that includes the ports of Hiroshima, Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City and Hong Kong.

 

We would appreciate advice and tips regarding the destinations from previous cruisers. Thanks.

 

Hi Miamiboy1,

My husband and I have booked this cruise as well. This is our first time in Asia aside from a business trip to Taiwan. After reading the suggested web pages of Tours by Locals we have a lot of interest in this type of tour. We have done a number of private tours all through Europe with cruisers that we have met on cruise critic prior to sailing. The Tours by Locals itineraries look flexible and will work with timing in ports. We are also open to other private tours you may have found as well. Are you interested in joining to make up a tour of 4 people in one or more ports if we find that our interests match? I have not seen any activity since your original post date.

 

Looking forward to hearing from you and/or other cruisers on this itinerary.

 

Thanks, Danielle

[ellbon]

Hi Miamiboy1,

My husband and I have booked this cruise as well. This is our first time in Asia aside from a business trip to Taiwan. After reading the suggested web pages of Tours by Locals we have a lot of interest in this type of tour. We have done a number of private tours all through Europe with cruisers that we have met on cruise critic prior to sailing. The Tours by Locals itineraries look flexible and will work with timing in ports. We are also open to other private tours you may have found as well. Are you interested in joining to make up a tour of 4 people in one or more ports if we find that our interests match? I have not seen any activity since your original post date.

 

Looking forward to hearing from you and/or other cruisers on this itinerary.

 

Thanks, Danielle

 

I am on that cruise but no one is posting with ideas.. I tend to only post to answer or if i have a tour idea.. I have been looking at toursby loclas but have not found anything i need so far.. been to Nam before.

[Miamiboy1]

Yes Danielle we are interested. Lets talk as we get closer to the date.

[jnjcruz]

In Hiroshima we took the ship shuttle into town. It stopped very near the Hiroshima Peace Park. The museum there is superb; it tells about the atomic bombing and covers both the aftermath and the WWII context. We found it very evenhanded--not anti-American like some of the museums in Vietnam. The Peace Park itself is lovely. Nearby is Hiroshima Castle. You really don't need a tour here--do it yourself.

We took a very good shore excursion into Kyoto and saw a lot including a lovely Zen Buddhist temple, a fascinating warlord's palace, and a big shrine (and much more). We took the bus tour rather than paying extra for the bullet train.

You can't go wrong in Singapore. Even if you just walk around and visit little India, little China, the wall-to-wall shopping malls and the dozens of little restaurants you will have a great time. Nicest people we have ever met. But I do agree with other posts that the Orchid Garden is amazing.

Jay

[Trend]

We are departing from Singapore and have given ourselves two full days plus the morning of departure. What is best to cram in? We plan on walking their Chinatown area and the Flyer but zoo VS gardens?

[work2fly]

jnjcruz - Thank you for your input. Your information will be very helpful.

 

MiamiBoy - sounds good. My email for your future contact: dhass30@aol.com

 

There is much more planning involved with this cruise thank with any of our previous trips. I like to get things done in advance. With obtaining visas being the first thing on my mind, the China and Vietnam policies can be confusing.

 

Danielle

[jnjcruz]

We are departing from Singapore and have given ourselves two full days plus the morning of departure. What is best to cram in? We plan on walking their Chinatown area and the Flyer but zoo VS gardens?

 

The zoo is good but what is unique is their "night zoo". Special lighting so you can observe the nocturnal animals moving around. The orchid garden is spectacular--I didn't know so many types of orchids existed.

Jay

[Trend]

So is it better to go to the night safari rather than the zoo during the day?

[spw1947]

We are departing from Singapore and have given ourselves two full days plus the morning of departure. What is best to cram in? We plan on walking their Chinatown area and the Flyer but zoo VS gardens?

 

We have been to Singapore many times and have been shown around by a friend who was an expat there at the time, poked around on our own and with my elderly mother, have taken walking tours.

 

I think the experience of the Night Safari at the zoo is excellent because of the opportunity to see nocturnal animals which I have only previously seen sleeping during the day. On the other hand, Breakfast with the oragutuans was fun, followed by a show where elephants demontrated some of their work skills was also interesting but the heat/humidity was difficult to cope with, so I would recommend the Night Safari.

 

The orchid garden and nearby ginger garden in the original Botanic Gardens are delightful, but the Gardens by the Bay are also spectacular with the Cloud Forest, which we particularly liked , the Flower Dome, and the Suprtees with their vertical plantings which are particularly spectacular at night. Be sure to check their website as at times parts are closed for maintenance.

 

We quite enjoy wandering around China Town but it has been beautifully done up and is very touristy, although I highly recommend the Chiantown Heritage Museum which gives a much better understanding of the area, as does the Singapore History Museum. The Asian Civilization Museum is a more traditional museum in a beautiful colonial building on the Singapore River. It hoses, as the name suggests, a most beautiful range of arts and crafts from across Asia.

 

You might also enjoy exploring the Peranakan (Chinese/Malay) culture at the Pernakan Musem in Armenian Street (with a quick outside view of the Armenian Church) or around the Joo Khiat or Katong areas. Amazing decorative skills and great, spicy food!

 

Little India is a more authentic local area than China Town, but is best avoided on Saturday night and Sundays as it is very crowded.

 

I'm not sure that I would go on the flyer, the views are good (the number of ships is mind-blowing) but I'm a much more learn about the culture on the ground sort of person.

 

If you plan well, aren't too jet lagged, and not overwhemed by the heat/humidity, you can cram in lots of sightseeing, but don't forget to eat. The food is sensational and the street food is safe. They joke that the traditional greeting translates as 'have you eaten yet?' and with so many opportunities there really is no excuse not to taste food all over the place.

 

I recommend you think about the sorts of things that interest you then start your planning with the yoursingapore.com website to guide you...there's something for everyone.

 

Cheers,

 

Sue

[Trend]

Thanks so much for the info, thought about the heat for the zoo during day time and also it gave us something interesting to do in the evening. We are used to traveling in heat even though we are Canadians.

[AvastMate]

We are booked on the March 5, 2015 cruise on the Quest from Kyoto to Singapore that includes the ports of Hiroshima, Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City and Hong Kong.

 

We would appreciate advice and tips regarding the destinations from previous cruisers. Thanks.

We are on same cruise and would be interested in sharing small private tours. We are new to this web-site and find navigation difficult. How do we get in touch?

[shoreboy]

I second Khoi Nguyen and Water Buffalo Tours for Saigon. The absolute best guide we have ever had.