GRAND FAR EAST with Emirates Airlines, 11 Nights

We meet at the international departures terminal of Istanbul New Airport three hours before departure. After baggage, ticketing and boarding formalities, we depart for Dubai on a scheduled Emirates flight. Upon arrival in Dubai, we connect to our scheduled Emirates flight to Hong Kong. We spend the day in flight. Upon arrival in Hong Kong, we board our private coach waiting at the airport. Transfer to our hotel in Hong Kong and free time to relax. Overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for our panoramic Hong Kong city tour. Sights include Aberdeen, the Fishing Village, Victoria Peak and Repulse Bay. After the tour, enjoy free time for shopping until the transfer time advised by your guide. During your free time, you can explore the world-famous Harbour City and IFC MAL shopping centres at your leisure. Following the tour, transfer to our hotel in Hong Kong. Guests who wish may join our optional “Dinner Cruise” tour (100 Euro). Accompanied by your guide, we depart from the hotel by private coach and board our boat at the harbour. With music and dinner on board, enjoy a delightful evening admiring Hong Kong’s spectacular illuminated skyline. Afterwards, we return to our hotel. Overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we check out. Guests who wish may then join our optional “Macau Island” tour (200 Euro). We first travel by coach to the ferry terminal. Following a pleasant 1-hour ferry journey, we arrive on Macau Island and begin our panoramic island tour. Sights include the Guia Circuit, the venue of the Macau Grand Prix; the statue of the goddess Kum Lam; A-Ma Temple; the world’s largest casino, an exact replica of its Las Vegas counterpart, featuring the first indoor artificial sky and Venice canals; and the Eiffel Tower at the Parisian, the Venetian’s sister hotel. Macau City Centre, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and the cathedral are also among the sights. After lunch, guests who wish may try their luck at the casino. Following the tour, we proceed to Hong Kong airport. After check-in and baggage formalities, we depart for Bangkok on an Emirates flight. Upon arrival in Bangkok, transfer to our hotel. Overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, guests who wish may join our optional “Floating Market” tour (50 Euro). Leaving Bangkok, we first stop at a coconut farm in Samut Songkram, the birthplace of the world-famous Siamese twins. Here, we learn how Thai people use the coconut palm and see souvenirs made from it. You can also explore the orchid garden on the premises. We then continue by coach for approximately 10 minutes to the pier where traditional Thai boats depart. From here, we enjoy a boat journey of approximately half an hour through exotic Far Eastern scenery to the famous Floating Market, featured on magazine covers and in documentary opening sequences. You will see an open-air market set up in single-oared boats on the river and have an opportunity to shop. We explore the Floating Market until it closes at noon. On the return journey, we visit a woodcarving workshop displaying exquisite examples of the craft and watch artisans skilfully shape precious woods such as rosewood and teak. On the way back to Bangkok, you will taste some of Thailand’s most famous tropical fruits, purchased by your guide. We then return to Bangkok for a city tour. During the tour, we visit the world-famous Reclining Buddha, measuring 46 metres long and 15 metres high, the Sitting Buddha, stupas (tombstones), and Wat Traimit Temple, which houses a 5,5-tonne Golden Buddha. We then enjoy panoramic views of Chinatown, the Flower Market, Democracy Monument and Avenue, Ministries Avenue, Parliament House, the Jewellery Factory and the Royal Palace, which has been home to the Kingdom of Siam since 1782 and houses the administrative and residential quarters of the current royal family. After breakfast at the hotel, check-out and overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we check out and transfer to Bangkok airport for our flight to Phuket with a local airline. Upon arrival in Phuket, guests who wish may join our optional “Elephant Safari” tour (35 Euro). How often do you have the chance to go on an elephant safari? Here is your opportunity. After learning about elephants, we ride them through the forest. We then transfer to our hotel. En route, we visit a jewellery factory to see how precious stones found in Thailand, such as sapphires and rubies, are cut and crafted into jewellery. In the evening, guests who wish may join our optional “Siam Niramit Show with Dinner” tour (70 Euro). Welcome to Phuket’s most famous theme park. After a buffet dinner before the show, we proceed to the theatre. Presenting Thai culture and history through remarkable choreography, the Siam Niramit Show promises an unforgettable evening with its enormous stage, cast of over 150 dancers and the latest stage technology. In a magical atmosphere, we enjoy 4-dimensional effects, dazzling costumes, aerial ballet and acrobatics, with lighting and stage sets bringing Thai culture to life as a fairy tale. After the tour, transfer to the hotel, distribution of room keys and free time. Overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, guests who wish may join our optional “Phi Phi Island with Lunch” tour (70 euro). Our speedboats take us swiftly to Phi Phi Don, the first of two idyllic coral islands near Phuket. We visit Maya Bay, with its palm-fringed sands and crystal-clear turquoise waters, where scenes from Hollywood star Leonardo Di Caprio’s film “The Beach” were shot. Our second stop is Phi Phi Ley, where we visit Viking Cave. Lunch is on Phi Phi Island. In the evening, we return by speedboat. Following the tour, transfer to our hotel and free time to relax. Overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, guests who wish may join our optional “James Bond Island with Lunch” tour (70 Euro). Our tour boat takes us swiftly to our first stops, Panak and Hong islands, which have featured in numerous documentaries. An adventure awaits as we explore by private canoe, taking in magnificent natural scenery among the bays and caves. After a buffet lunch on board, our next stop is James Bond Island, where the James Bond film “The Man with the Golden Gun” was shot. We see the island’s famous rock and beach, followed by free time to shop with the island’s Muslim villagers and take plenty of photographs. Our final stop after James Bond Island is Lawa Island or Naka Island, depending on weather conditions, where we can snorkel, swim, sunbathe and relax on the beach. After the tour, transfer to our hotel and free time. Overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast at our hotel, we check out and transfer to Phuket Airport. We then depart for Singapore with a local airline. Upon arrival in Singapore, we set off on a city tour. Sights include the Singapore River, the Parliament, Opera and Court buildings, and the Merlion monument. We then enjoy a short period of free time for shopping in Chinatown. After the tour, transfer to our hotel and free time to relax. Overnight stay at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, guests who wish may join our optional “Sentosa Island” tour (85 Euro). Our first stop is Singapore’s National Orchid Garden, the first and only tropical botanical garden inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015. The garden is also the world’s leading botanical institute. With more than 1000 species and 2000 hybrids, the splendour of these magnificent flowers makes the National Orchid Garden a must-see. We then continue to Sentosa Island, Singapore’s first and only leisure island, where Singaporeans enjoy spending their weekends. After reaching Mount Faber by coach, we take a cable car 100 metres above sea level, offering panoramic views of the entire island from the sky. On the island, we first visit the Images of Singapore museum, which presents Singapore’s rich and colourful 200-year history

. Our next stop is Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, one of Sentosa Island’s attractions. With more than 80 celebrity wax figures from Asia, Hollywood, Bollywood and beyond, get ready to become part of the story and experience fame in Singapore. After the tour, enjoy free time to relax and explore the island. In the evening, guests who wish may join our optional “Gardens By The Bay” tour (65 Euro). We witness Singapore’s magnificent night-time illuminations and stroll along its streets, which are lively at every hour. Our first stop is the world-famous Gardens by the Bay, a 101-hectare (250-acre) nature park in Singapore’s Central Region, beside the Marina Reservoir. The park consists of three waterfront gardens: Bay South Garden in Marina South, Bay East Garden in Marina East, and Bay Central Garden in the central area and Kallang. The largest is the 54-hectare (130-acre) Bay South Garden, designed by Grant Associates. Its Flower Dome is the world’s largest glass greenhouse. In 2018, the garden welcomed 50 million visitors, recognised as a world record. Following the tour, transfer to our hotel in Singapore and free time to relax. Overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast at our hotel, we check out and transfer to Singapore Airport. We depart for Bali with a local airline. Upon arrival in Bali, transfer to our hotel. Overnight stay at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, guests who wish may join our optional “Kintamani & Mount Batur” tour (85 Euro). On this full-day excursion, we discover Bali’s fascinating culture, handicrafts, picturesque rice fields and traditional villages, along with the spectacular scenery of Mount Batur and its lake. We first head to Batubulan to watch a traditional Barong dance performance. We then visit Mas Village, renowned for its woodcarving, where we watch artisans carve intricate patterns into blocks of wood. Next, we stop at Goa Gajah, known as the Elephant Cave, which dates from the 11th century. We then continue to the cool mountains of Kintamani for lunch. First, we admire and photograph Mount Batur, with its black lava trails descending from the summit towards Lake Batur beside the valley below. We then enjoy lunch at our restaurant with beautiful views. After lunch, our tour continues to Ubud Village, Bali’s artistic heart. Finally, we stop at Celuk Village, famous for its gold and silver craftsmanship, before returning to our hotel. A visit to Bali would not be complete without this excursion. Afterwards, enjoy free time for sunbathing. Following the tour, transfer to our hotel in Bali and free time to relax. Overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, check-out and free time. In the afternoon, guests who wish may join the optional “Tanah Lot Temples & Monkey Forest” tour (40 Euro), organised by your guide. We visit the Royal Temple in Kapal, the monkey forest with its 3 temples and approximately 300 monkeys believed to be their guardians, and the Tanah Lot Temples built on a rock in the ocean. We then continue to the world-famous Monkey Forest. A visit to Bali would not be complete without this excursion. Following the tour, transfer to Bali airport.

We depart for Dubai with Emirates and spend the night on board. Upon arrival in Dubai, we continue to Istanbul on a scheduled Emirates flight. Our arrival in Istanbul marks the end of our tour and services.