Philippines – Island magic up close - Hongkong to Ho-Chi-Minh-Stadt

Hong Kong's port is a vibrant gateway to a unique blend of Eastern and Western cultures, characterized by its stunning skyline and bustling atmosphere. Must-do experiences include savoring local dim sum and exploring the lively markets. The best season to visit is during the autumn months, when the weather is mild and ideal for outdoor adventures.

Hundred Islands, Philippines is a distinctive port city where deep cultural heritage meets authentic local atmosphere, featured on itineraries by Star Clippers. Must-do experiences include exploring the vibrant local markets for regional specialties and fresh seafood, and discovering the waterfront quarter where maritime heritage meets contemporary energy. The optimal time to visit is November through April, when cooler dry months offer the most comfortable conditions for exploration.

Manila is the Philippines' sprawling, historically layered capital where the UNESCO-listed San Agustín Church in the Walled City of Intramuros, world-class museums, and one of Asia's most underrated cuisines reward travelers who embrace its magnificent complexity. Visit November through February via Cunard or Holland America Line for Baroque colonial heritage, revolutionary history, and the Filipino hospitality that makes even thirteen-million-person chaos feel welcoming.

Coron Island, Philippines, immerses visitors in Southeast Asia's intoxicating blend of ancient culture, extraordinary cuisine, and tropical beauty. Don't miss the vibrant local markets and street food scene, where regional flavors achieve remarkable complexity. The most comfortable visiting conditions occur December through April, during the dry season when skies are clearest and seas are calmest. Cruise lines including Norwegian Cruise Line feature this port on their most compelling itineraries. Whether you have a few hours or a full day, the port rewards exploration at every pace and in every direction.

Romblon is the "Marble Capital of the Philippines," a historically rich island where Spanish colonial architecture and artisan marble workshops coexist with pristine beaches and crystal-clear snorkeling waters. Visitors should watch marble carvers at work, swim at the stunning Bonbon Beach sandbar, and taste fresh kinilaw ceviche. The dry season from November to May offers the calmest seas and best conditions.

Boracay Island, Philippines, immerses visitors in Southeast Asia's intoxicating blend of ancient culture, extraordinary cuisine, and tropical beauty. Don't miss the vibrant local markets and street food scene, where regional flavors achieve remarkable complexity. The most comfortable visiting conditions occur December through April, during the dry season when skies are clearest and seas are calmest. Cruise lines including Holland America Line feature this port on their most compelling itineraries. Whether you have a few hours or a full day, the port rewards exploration at every pace and in every direction.

Malcapuya Island in the Philippines' Calamian group near Coron is an undeveloped crescent of powder-white sand surrounded by transparent turquoise waters, complemented by nearby world-class wreck diving and the volcanic lakes of Coron Island. Must-dos include snorkelling the recovering coral garden, diving the WWII Japanese shipwrecks, and tasting fresh kinilaw ceviche. November through May delivers the driest weather and calmest seas for this emerging Palawan paradise.

Puerto Princesa is the gateway to Palawan — repeatedly voted the world's best island — and home to UNESCO's longest navigable underground river, eight kilometers of cathedral-scale limestone caves explored by paddle boat. Visit November through May via Seabourn or Holland America Line for Honda Bay island-hopping, vibrant reef snorkeling, and access to the Philippine island whose natural beauty renders superlatives inadequate.

Con Dao, a remote Vietnamese archipelago, has transformed from a notorious colonial-era prison island into one of Southeast Asia's most important marine sanctuaries, protecting pristine coral reefs, Vietnam's last dugong population, and critical green sea turtle nesting beaches. Must-dos include the sobering prison complex tour, overnight turtle-watching on Bay Canh Island, and fresh bánh canh cua crab noodle soup. February through June offers the calmest seas; June to September adds turtle nesting.

Still whispered as Saigon by its ten million residents, Ho Chi Minh City pulses with an energy that outlasted every empire and every war. The French colonial grandeur of Notre-Dame Cathedral and Gustave Eiffel's Central Post Office stands in vivid counterpoint to the city's kinetic street life — an endless river of motorbikes, fragrant with pho broth and charcoal-grilled meats. Do not miss the Reunification Palace, a time capsule of Cold War modernism, or a dawn bowl of bánh mì from a sidewalk vendor. The dry season, November through April, offers the most comfortable conditions for exploration.