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USAWorld cruise holidays pose the ultimate travel feat – tens of countries and countless bucket list experiences. Here are just some of the amazing things you can see and do on a round the world cruise.
World cruise holidays pose the ultimate travel feat – tens of countries and countless bucket list experiences. Here are just some of the amazing things you can see and do on a round the world cruise.
Over in Malaysia, the colourful and vibrant tropical island state of Penang, the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the country, is also a crossroad of cultures; first-century Indian spice traders, Ming dynasty Chinese sailors and 18th-century British colonisers have all left their mark on the island. Indeed Penang was Britain’s first colony in Malaysia.
One of the most multicultural spots on the planet, here British Colonial buildings, Chinese temples, mosques and Sino-European shophouses all rub shoulders with one another. Indeed Penang’s capital, George Town, was named a UNESCO World Heritage site thanks to its “unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.”
Here you can visit the ornamental Khoo Kongsi clan house, the Pinang Peranakan Mansion (a museum offering a fascinating glimpse into local culture), Little India, the Kuan Yin Teng (Goddess of Mercy) Taoist temple, and the seaside semi-open-air hawker centre Rojak Ho Wei Jeng, to name a few highlights. Keep a look out for the amazing street art in the city, too.
Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve, home to 30,000 acres of ancient rainforest is another UNESCO World Heritage site. You can challenge yourself to all sorts of adventures, including zip-lining, abseiling and hiking. There’s amazing wildlife to spot, such as flying lemurs, silvered leaf monkeys, leopard cats plus countless birds and reptiles.
One of Penang’s claims to fame is the Second Penang Bridge. At 24km it’s one of the longest bridges in the world and the second longest in Southeast Asia. The dual-carriageway toll bridge – also known as the Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge – connects Batu Kawan on the mainland to Batu Maung on the island in just 20 minutes.
For more superlatives in Penang, there’s the world’s highest rope course challenge atop Penang’s tallest building.
Get your fill of picture postcard-perfect sun, sea and sand in the Seychelles – although there’s plenty more the gorgeous Indian Ocean archipelago has to offer. Mahé is the largest island of the 115 Seychelles islands and is home to coconut palm-backed white beaches (Beau Vallon is the most famous) and lush green flora.
In capital city Victoria on Mahé there are lovely colourful markets where you can pick up handmade souvenirs or tuck into freshly grilled seafood wrapped in banana leaves. It’s also where the jellyfish tree (Medusagyne oppositifolia) can be found; the critically endangered plant species is endemic to the island.
For easy access to nature during your stay, head to the Victoria Botanical Gardens where there are more than 280 plant species, from endemics to ornamentals. Highlights include the endemic coco-de-mer [pictured] which produces the largest seed in the plant kingdom! The palm tree was once believed to grow in the depths of the sea.
To explore the island inland, visit Morne Seychellois National Park, west of Victoria and covering roughly 20 percent of the landmass. The park – which features lots of easy-to-follow hiking trails – is made up of a mixture of mangroves, lush tropical jungles and mist forest on the most elevated mountains.
Keep your eyes peeled for the world’s tiniest and rarest sooglossid frog, tiger chameleons, Seychelles wolf snakes and Seychelles house snakes. Other wildlife to admire in the Seychelles include giant tortoises, Seychelles fruit bats and black parrots.
If you call at Mombasa, Kenya, try and wangle a visit to Tsavo National Park. The biggest national park in the country at 22,000 km² (13,671 miles), it is one of the world’s largest game sanctuaries so you’re guaranteed good wildlife viewing.
Tsavo National Park is known for its vast herds of dust–red elephants but all of the Big Five are present. Other larger mammals include rhinos, buffalos, lions (the park is known for its maneless lions in particular), leopards, hippos, crocodiles, waterbucks, lesser Kudus and gerenuks while bird life comprises 500 recorded species.
There’s oodles of wilderness appeal here; among nature’s greatest hits are the magnificent Mzima Springs, where limpid water gushes through volcanic rock, and the 300-kilometre-long Yatta Plateau, the longest lava flow in the world.
In Mombasa itself – the second largest city in Kenya – there is a plethora of intricate mosques and temples and fascinating open-air markets. Sixteenth-century Fort Jesus is Mombasa’s most visited site. The Unesco World Heritage gem was built by the Portuguese and features frescoed interiors and metre-thick walls – feel free to climb the battlements and explore the grounds. Mandhry Mosque is an excellent example of Swahili architecture and the bustling Spice Market is well worth a visit, as are the ornamental Jain Temple and mural-packed Swaminarayan Temple.
To the north of Mombasa are gorgeous white sandy beaches backed by palm trees – Nyali Beach then Bamburi, Shanzu and Kikambala, which are all great for snorkelling.
Durban and Cape Town often feature on world cruises calling at South Africa. The former, South Africa’s playground, is the country’s third-largest city and, interestingly, has the largest concentration of Indian descendants outside India.
Expect grand colonial villas, Art Deco buildings and a California-esque waterfront boardwalk. The city boasts Africa’s oldest surviving botanical garden (established in 1849) while Glenwood district is bursting with impressive street art and contemporary galleries. Why not go shopping at Durban’s Gateway Theatre of Shopping? Or check out Moses Mabhida Stadium, the city’s main venue for athletic and music events where the tallest swing in the world can be found, mounted 262ft in the stadium’s arch.
If you’d rather keep your feet on the ground then hit the beach or try your hand at surfing on your world cruise stop-off or simply laze on the beach. Don’t leave without munching on a bunny chow – a half loaf of bread that has been hollowed out and filled with curry – a unique trademark of Indian food in South Africa.
Over in Cape Town you can hardly miss iconic Table Mountain. Be sure to ascend to the top, whether by hiking or cable car, for jaw-dropping views.
Nearby, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, home to more than 7,000 plant species, is considered one of the world’s greatest botanical displays. Explore a fragrance garden, a medicinal garden, a Protea garden, a braille trail and a cycad amphitheatre.
The beaches are great in Cape Town, too, while the V&A Waterfront (a harbourside area featuring shops, restaurants, bars, cinemas and museums as well as buskers) makes for an entertaining afternoon. Be sure to sample South Africa’s excellent wine!
After South Africa and en route to Brazil, your around the world cruise might stop at Tristan da Cunha – and you can bet your bottom dollar most people you meet will never visit. The active volcanic island is positioned deep in the Atlantic between South America and Africa. Its nearest neighbour is over 2,000 miles away, making it the remotest island in the world.
The island is a dependency of Saint Helena – a British Overseas Territory – and, according to the archipelago’s website, 238 British Citizens live there. Fun fact, the main source of income here is the island’s lobster factory!
Are you a keen birdwatcher? The island group is home to 86 native species and 11 endemic, some of which are found only on one or two of the four islands. These include the rare inaccessible rail, the smallest flightless bird on the planet, the Tristan thrush and the rarest “British” bird, the Wilkins’ bunting. The vulnerable spectacled petrel, the Endangered Tristan albatross, the Vulnerable Atlantic petrel, the yellow-nosed albatross and the greater shearwater also reside here.
Marine wildlife credentials here are impressive too, including all manner of whales (southern right whales, fin whales, humpback whales and sperm whales) and sharks (seven-gill sharks, blue sharks and shortfin mako sharks). You’ll also find dolphins, albatrosses, elephant seals, 200,000 rockhopper penguins [pictured], 300,000 sub-Antarctic fur seals and more than five million shearwaters.
Be sure to invest in a stamp at the post office – they’re both uncommon and very popular with collectors. Fun fact, Tristan da Cunha didn’t have stamps at all until 1952, and islanders had to rely on the goodwill of visiting ships until their petition was successful.
Bora Bora is as picturesque as it gets and undoubtedly plays the starring role in the French Polynesian archipelago. Think white sand beaches, soaring mountain peaks, tropical-coloured fish, coral gardens and emerald waters.
A volcano set on a stunning translucent lagoon, Bora Bora offers holidaymakers the opportunity to enjoy all manner of watersports, from jet skiing, kiteboarding and paddle boarding to scuba diving, helmet diving or viewing the beautiful underwater paradise from a glass-bottom boat.
The cosmopolitan city of Adelaide in South Australia serves up a thriving restaurant and bar scene as well as plenty of cultural events. It also has world-famous wine regions on its doorstep so you know the plonk you drink here will be the good stuff.
Be sure to visit the Adelaide Central Market where fruits, vegetables, cheeses, chocolate, honey and more are for sale; you can even get a guided tour. The Adelaide Botanic Gardens are also worth a visit or maybe just relax at Adelaide’s favourite city beach, Glenelg?
Over at the Adelaide Oval (above, right), one of Australia’s most iconic stadiums, you can climb the roof for 360-degree views of the city, coast and hills beyond. Culture vultures will love the art scene – the Art Gallery of South Australia houses one of the country’s greatest art collections and features 45,000 works spanning 2,000 years.
The vibrant city state of Singapore is a veritable melting pot of culture, with influences from India, China and Malaysia. Old and new rub shoulders here, from temples filled with the aroma of incense to towering modern skyscrapers such as the iconic Hotel Marina Bay Sands (above) which straddles three towers and boasts the world’s largest rooftop infinity pool.
Top Singaporean attractions include the Botanic Gardens (one of only three in the world to be awarded UNESCO status), the shopping mecca of Orchard Road, Singapore Zoo and Sentosa Island with its beautiful beaches and theme parks.
Foodies on an around the world cruise will be well pleased; expect the full range from street food stalls at the city’s famous hawker centres to Michelin-starred restaurants. Be sure to visit Raffles Singapore to try the Singapore Sling cocktail, too – it was first created in this hotel’s Long Bar!
Salvador, the capital of the state of Bahia, is Brazil’s oldest city and has been influenced by both Portugal – check out the historical Pelourinho district lined with its pastel-coloured colonial buildings – and Africa – the food, culture and religion of the former slaves have been well preserved in Salvador so do try some spicy Bahian cuisine, while you’re there!
Be sure to stroll around the city taking in the colourful mansions, ornate churches and peaceful, flower-strewn courtyards on your world cruise stop.
Top sights include famous 18th-century church Igreja NS do Bonfim, Bahia’s oldest fort Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra (you get super views from here) and museum Museu Afro-Brasileiro.
