Wyndham Wisdom

Asia the Easy Way

As cruise lines add more trips in the Far East, exploring this exotic swath of the globe is suddenly a lot more doable

Ever since Marco Polo hit the caravan road and headed east, travelers have dreamed of reaching the fabled shores of Asia. Replacing camels with jumbo jets has made that journey much easier, but it's still a challenge to take in a continent that's home to 60 percent of the human race--unless you make your initial tour aboard a cruise ship. Many of the best-known lines offer itineraries that stop in a half-dozen ports during a two-week cruise. As you float from city to city, you'll only have to unpack your bags once. And at a time when the dollar's value is struggling against historic lows, it's nice to know your food and lodging are taken care of. While you won't be able to immerse yourself in any one port, you can treat the expedition as a scouting mission, and return later for an in-depth visit to your favorites. Here are some of the best attractions in the six cities you're most likely to see on an Asian cruise--a plateful of amuse-bouches from this rich, culturally diverse region. (sample itineraries follow).

SINGAPORE
The Melting Pot

Established as a British trading post in 1819, Singapore is a busy, business-minded, English-speaking city with a reputation for squeaky-clean living--chewing gum is banned. But this island of 4.6 million does have a colorful side: The population is descended from a mixture of Chinese, Malayan and Indian, and all three culinary traditions have fused to create a gastronomic paradise. Experience the riches at one of Singapore's numerous hawker centers, where open-air food stalls, operating under strict health-department supervision, sell a huge range of local favorites, from laksa (rice noodles and seafood in coconut broth) to grilled stingray with sambal chili paste.

BACKSTORY Peranakan Museum - This newly opened space spotlights Singapore's fusion of Chinese immigrant and local Malay cultures, with exhibits on Peranakan culture and cooking. 39 Armenian St.; 011-65-6332-2982; peranakanmuseum.sg; admission $4.25*

FAMILY TIME Haw Par Villa - A former amusement park is now a garden filled with more than 1,000 statues and 150 giant dioramas depicting scenes and mythical characters from Chinese folklore. 262 Pasir Panjang Rd.; 011-65-6872-2780; admission free

SHOPPING Mustafa - After browsing Orchard Road (Chanel, Marks & Spencer, Donna Karan), head to this round-the-clock six-story emporium, which sells everything from spices to diamonds. 145 Syed Alwi Rd.; 011-65-6295-5855; mustafa.com.sg

BANGKOK
Silk and Sculpture

Once a sleepy backwater best known for its sensuous silks (as well as other pleasures), Thailand's capital has become the most vibrant and sophisticated city in Indochina. Its longtime traffic jams have been eased by both a new subway system and a monorail. For a taste of the country's burgeoning art scene, get off at the Surasak monorail station and walk down Silom Road, Bangkok's gallery row. You'll find works by the finest contemporary Thai painters on display at places like La Lanta 657 Baan Silom; lalanta.com and H 201 Sathorn Soi 12; hgallerybkk.com

DON'T MISS Wat Pho - The oldest and largest Buddhist temple in Bangkok houses a 150-foot-long gold-plated Reclining Buddha. 2 Sanamchai Rd.; admission 60¢

BEST VIEW Vertigo Bar, Banyan Tree Hotel - An open-air lounge on the 61st floor has live music most nights. 21/100 S. Sathorn Rd.; 011-662-679-1200; banyantree.com

BACKSTORY Jim Thompson House - Silk guru Jim Thompson's home exhibits his cache of Asian antiquities. 6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama 1 Rd.; 011-662-216-7368; jimthompsonhouse.com

INDULGENCE Being Spa Treatments range from traditional (Thai pepper body scrub, $30) to modern (algae detox wrap, $60). 88 Sukhumvit Rd., Soi 51; 011-662-662-6171; beingspa.com

HO CHI MINH CITY
Saigon a-Go-Go

Decades ago, foreign correspondents went to seed amid the faded French colonial splendor of creaky old hotels like the Rex and the Continental. Thirty-three years after this city fell to Communism, those hotels have been renovated and re-opened as shinier, glitzier versions of themselves. Should it be so surprising? Vietnam's largest city has always exhibited more entrepreneurial swagger than Hanoi, the country's capital. Go poke around the famous Ben Thanh Market, a sprawling, roofed collection of vendors where everything under the sun has been vigorously offered for sale since 1914. That enterprising instinct is transforming the city with ever greater velocity. Best time to visit: right now.

BACKSTORY War Remnants Museum - See the "American War" through the eyes of the Vietnamese. 28 Vo Van Tan St., District 3; 011-84-8-829-0325; admission 60¢

NIGHTLIFE Temple Club - Behind a lantern-lit entrance, this barrestaurant gorgeously evokes the glamour of 1930s Saigon. 29 Ton That Thiep St., District 1; 011-84-8-829-9244; dinner for two, $20

DON'T MISS Thien Hau Pagoda - A beautiful temple in Chinatown, dedicated to the goddess of the sea. 710D Nguyen Trai, Cholon

SHOPPING Si Hoang - For a taste of authentic Vietnamese couture, take home a traditional ao dai dress, hand sewn from fine silk at this tailor shop. 36-38 Ly Tu Trong St.; 011-84-8-829-9156

HONG KONG
Sizzle and Flash

After Hong Kong's 1997 handover from Britain to China, the world wondered if the change would undermine the region's famous cosmopolitan verve. By now, the answer is clear: Gaudy, brash Hong Kong is still a city where consumption can never be too conspicuous, and glitter is never gauche. Shopping and nightlife are more over-the-top than ever. Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island is now an epicenter of chic, with the Philippe Starck-designed boutique hotel JIA and Island Beverly, a four-story building where stall-sized boutiques sell up-and-coming Hong Kong designers 1 Great George St.; 011-852-2890-6823.

THE CLASSIC The Peak Tower - Take a 120-year-old funicular railway to this entertainment center, home to restaurants, shops and Madame Tussauds. 1 Lugard Rd.; 011-852-2849-7654; thepeak.com.hk

DON'T MISS Aqua Luna - Cross the harbor on one of the last traditional junks--with gigantic tree masts and huge red sails. 011-852-2116-8821; aqualuna.com.hk; $23, including one drink

NIGHTLIFE Finds - This Scandinavian eatery is one of hottest spots in the nightlife district of Lan Kwai Fong. 33 Wyndham St., Central; 011-852-2522-9318; finds.com.hk; dinner for two, $170

SHOPPING Kowloon Temple Street Night Market - Excellent peoplewatching as spirited vendors sell cheap watches, T-shirts and food. Kansu St. and Jordan Rd., Mongkok, Kowloon

*Prices throughout have been converted to U.S. dollars. Restaurant prices cover a three-course meal for two without drinks, tax or tip.

SHANGHAI
China Busts Out

Once a drowsy colonial outpost, Shanghai today is a forest of skyscrapers, including some of the tallest in the world. The ambitions of 20 million people, all seemingly struggling to get rich as quickly as possible, create an almost unfathomable electricity. The best place to start is at the heart of it all, the Bund, the famous waterfront promenade that has always served as the centerpoint of Shanghai. Still lined with colonialera buildings that predate the Communist revolution of 1949, the Bund is currently in the process of a major redevelopment to restore its former glory.

BACKSTORY Shanghai Museum - Stunning exhibits of ancient Chinese art, from bronze sculptures to paintings to Ming and Qing furniture. 201 Renmin Ave.; 011-8621-6372-5300; shanghaimuseum.net; $3

SHOPPING Guo Chunxiang Family Collection - Located in the up-and-coming shopping district of Duolun Road, this chic boutique sells retro memorabilia, including Mao and Lin Biao buttons. 179-181 Duolun Rd.; 011-8621-5696-3948

INDULGE Xian Qiang Fang - Enjoy Chinese opera and folk songs at a restaurant that was once Shanghai's fanciest department store. 600 Jiujiang Rd.; 011-8621-6351-5757; dinner for two, $60

TOKYO
Shopping for the Future

For nearly 300 years, the Japanese were cut off from foreign trade and travelers by the xenophobic Tokugawa shoguns (1603-1868). Some of that sense of separateness still remains, as Japan continues to hew its own distinct path. To get a sense of typical Japanese style, visit the Omotesando district--it might be the world's most artistically inspiring retail environment. Omotesando Hills (Omotesando B1F 5-9-11 Shibuya-ku; omotesandohills.com), a delightful slablike edifice, houses Yves Saint Laurent, Dolce & Gabbana and dozens of other top-end stores, while across the street a crystalline glowing lightbox is home to a Dior flagship (5-9-11 Jingu Mae, Shibuya-ku).

MUST SEE Meiji Shrine - A classic hip-roofed temple dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and his wife, set in a forest. 9 Kasumigaoka, Shinjuku-ku; 011-81-3-3401-0312; mijijingu.or.jp

LOCAL FLAVOR Tsukiji fish market - Take advantage of your jetlag and visit the world's largest fish market at dawn. Sushi for breakfast! 5-2-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ko; 011-81-3-3542-1111

BACKSTORY Yanaka Cemetery - The final resting place of the Tokugawa shoguns is in a neighborhood of temples and antiques shops--all untouched by the WWI bombings that incinerated much of Tokyo. 7-5-24 Yanaka, Taito-ku; 011-81-3-3821-4456

DIG IN Tonki Japan's most famous tonkatsu (deep-fried pork) restaurant prepares the cutlets on an assembly line. It's part performance art, part culinary treasure. 1-1-2 Shimo Meguro, Meguro-ku; 011-81-3-3491-9928; lunch or dinner for two, $35

SIX SAMPLE CRUISES

SEABOURN
Singapore to Hong Kong;
January 17, 2009; 14 days
on the Seabourn Spirit:
Singapore-Bangkok-Ko Kood,
Thailand-Ho Chi Minh City-
Hong Kong; seabourn.com;
from $8,186*

SILVERSEA
Tokyo to Singapore: April 5,
2009; 14 days on the
Silver Whisper: Tokyo-
Keelung,Taiwan-Hong Kong-
Da Nang, Vietnam-
Ho Chi Minh City-Singapore;
silversea.com; from $11,095

PRINCESS
Beijing to Bangkok: March
14, 2009; 16 days on the
Diamond Princess: Beijing-
Shanghai-Hong Kong-
Ho Chi Minh City-Singapore-
Bangkok; princess.com;
from $2,371

REGENT SEVEN SEAS
Singapore to Hong Kong:
April 9, 2009; 15 days on
the Seven Seas Mariner:
Singapore-Ko Samui,
Thailand-Bangkok-Ho Chi
Minh City-Hanoi-Hong Kong;
rssc.com; from $10,495

HOLLAND AMERICA
Singapore to Hong Kong:
April 4, 2009; 14 days
on the MS Volendam:
Singapore-Bangkok-Ho Chi
Minh City-Kota Kinabalu,
Malaysia-Manila-Hong
Kong; hollandamerica.com;
from $2,003

CRUISE WEST
Hanoi, Vietnam to Kobe, Japan:
November 24, 2008; 22 days
on the Spirit of Oceanus:
Hanoi-Hong Kong-Shanghai-
Nagasaki, Japan; 888-851-
8133; cruisewest.com;
from $7,549

*Cruise prices are per person, double occupancy.

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more about RCI's cruising options, visit
cruiserci.com or call 877-RCI-BOAT
(877-724-2628).