This is a departure for your Tour-smart magazine as it alerts you all to a rather special cruise that will take place in early 2013. We hope you enjoy the article and are tempted to book yourselves onto this experience that ticks many of the 'gourmet experience' boxes.

Prestigious Relais & Chateaux member Hambleton Hall Hotel takes to the ocean waves from 25th February – 3rd March 2013 with Silversea Cruises on a culinary discovery voyage aboard Silver Shadow from Singapore through the South China Sea to three ports of call in Vietnam and Hong Kong. The cruise link is: www.silversea.com/destinations/plan-voyage/?voyage=3305&year=2013


Singapore: In this Mecca of huge shopping malls, you can either shop till you drop or venture further afield to discover a greener, deeper Singapore, with choice no doubt governed by the length of your pre-cruise stay. Wherever you are in and around Singapore, the blend of cultures and the fascinating attire of women from a variety of ethnic backgrounds create a colourful palate of moving theatre with a sound track of a hundred and one different languages all playing at the same time, local Malay, Tamil, Chinese, English and “one kind language” Singlish, blending with those of tourists from all over the world.
The Night Safari in the zoo grounds is a real thrill. You occupy tram carriages that travel the route in the darkness so that animals on their floodlit islands are clearly visible from your seat. If you have never before sat this close to wild beasts busily living their lives right alongside you then now is the time to do so, you won’t regret your night safari. And cocktails beforehand offered in The Fullerton, followed perhaps by an al fresco quayside meal beside the Singapore River and a stroll along Boat Quay provide a great start to your night.

Clearly, a Singapore Sling in the Long Bar of Raffles Hotel is on most visitors’ agenda, but a word of caution, in that the bar celebrates the colonial era and retains as much authenticity as it can, you may find that the lazily rotating ceiling fans leave a little to be desired in diffusing the tropical heat. Also the preserved custom of nibbling peanuts and thereafter throwing the shells on the floor can cause a little surprise to visitors. Forewarned is forearmed – return to a past era and just enjoy, and if it palls, there are other bars in Raffles, all with air con.

Time limitations may impose a decision between that carefully tailored suit “made to measure in eight hours” and a visit to the lush Botanical Gardens. The Jardin Restaurant will take extremely good care of the inner man and a table on the balcony that overlooks the surrounding greenery is to be recommended. The gardens are full of giant trees, hibiscus and tropical plants, palms, fossils, cactus and little sheltered stone caves in which to recover from the heat. In the pool turtles swim peacefully with the golden carp while butterflies flutter above. It is a dreamily romantic place.

Pay a visit to Sentosa Island, either by cable car from Mount Faber or by ferry over the strait, or by bus via a causeway. Half the island is a popular golf course, and the other half comprises what is billed as an Island Resort. The selection of things to do here is enormous from horse riding to playing croquet, and all in the peaceful green setting of this attractive island. You can use the monorail to view the choice before deciding which option appeals.

I was very moved by my visit to Canning Fort and the underground Battle Box. It seems unbelievable that all the warnings of an imminent approach of marching armies should have received such scant attention, but one salutes the proud General Percival who was courageous enough to sacrifice his own reputation in the prevention of further civilian bloodshed and to utter those chilling words of surrender on the 15th February 1942. The Legends Country Club here at Canning Fort provides a very comforting return to the present century after you have shared the agony and sorrow with the British of those days.

The battlefield of Bukit Timah is now preserved as a nature reserve and it is here with the cicadas, monkeys and tropical birds in the lush tropical rainforest vegetation that you recognise the Malayan jungle. Walk and cycle tracks have been discreetly set in the reserve and there is a wonderfully peaceful Reflexology Walk comprised of pebbles of all shapes and sizes.

As always, language brings delights, and I loved reading on one of the plaques at Bukit Timah that our Queen was “coronated” in 1952!

Vietnam: It is always a thrill to discover new ports and a new country, and as Vietnam is a comparatively new cruise destination, this thrill awaits many. At risk of pontificating, this is one place where a little homework in advance pays dividends, so head out and buy that guide book forthwith.

I knew little of Vietnam other than a few place names familiar from long ago war reporting that issued from sinister looking jungles, and I had rapidly to shed those war image memories as the Vietnamese people I met were smiling, welcoming, well educated, with an enviably relaxed command of English. The 2,000 mile coastline of their country is unbelievably lovely – think romantic desert island scenes of white coral sand beaches and palm trees – and there are over thirty national parks. I saw more tea plantations and rice paddy fields than jungle.

French/Chinese influenced Vietnamese cuisine will be the highlight of the voyage. Vietnamese food is delicious but rather more flavoursome than we are used to as half a dozen flavours appear in the same dish, and the unadventurous cross fingers before taking a bite, as there is no way of knowing whether it will be sweet or savoury, and indeed it is quite likely to be both! However, the exotic fruit is divine as is all the produce “picked that morning” on sale in the markets.

I favour an organised tour the first time I visit somewhere new so as to get my bearings and to see as much as possible in a short time. Tour guides say it takes six weeks to explore Vietnam, but with a cruise itinerary we have to make do with quick tantalising snatches that certainly more than whet the appetite.

Ho Chi Minh City: Former Saigon, the capital city of Ho Chi Minh (named in 1976 after its founder) is a loud, larger than life and very exciting port with a population that tops seven million. Pagodas, ancient temples and modern shops compete with glorious French Colonial architecture of the Notre Dame Cathedral, the General Post Office, the Opera House, and of several hotels such as the Continental, Rex and Caravelle. A walking tour in the footsteps of Graham Greene, who wrote his novel “The Quiet American” here, is a very useful orientation exercise and it takes in many popular tourist destinations. A tour of the city markets is exciting and introduces you to what will appear on the menu.

Many museums here are housed in buildings of lovely French Chinese design. Much visited, although it is designed to shock, is the War Remnants Museum originally built to depict American war crimes, which now includes relics from other wars. If a reminder of this kind is not for you, a visit to the beach eighty miles south (a hydrofoil can get you there in 80 minutes) to Vung Tau is a gentler way to spend your time. The scenery is stunning; you can climb the lighthouse for views and admire the Rio-look-alike Statue of Christ on its cliff top.

Another out of City visit is to the Cu Chi tunnels and Ta Ninh, where the intricate and cunning labyrinth of underground tunnels beggars belief. Initially dug out in 1940 when the French were the enemy, this network was subsequently enlarged and expanded for use by the Viet Cong against the Americans, when patient digging effectively beat all the high tech gadgets of the invaders.

A visit to one of the rooftop bars is a very pleasant way to round off your night (or perhaps to start it?) when the hum and glow of the illuminated city below you provides a scintillating backdrop.

Nha Trang: A five hour visit gives but a taster of this mountain fringed beach resort. The temptation to go scuba diving is hard to resist, but if you prefer staying dry to view your marine life, then the Oceanographic Museum offers open tanks of sharks, rays and turtles.

Chill out at one of the many five star hotels and restaurants or visit Po Nagar with its ancient Cham temple. The Chinese market of Dam surrounded by dilapidated old houses merits a visit if only by way of contrast to the holiday resort itself.

There is an interesting Pasteur Institute that celebrates the work of Dr Yersin in his control of Bubonic Plague, alongside the Yersin museum which contains a more personal account of his fascinating life.

Chan May is the port for Da Nang, Hoi An and Hue

Da Nang: The third port of Vietnam is the commercial hub situated halfway down the country on the Han River. A beach, nineteen miles long, China Beach, runs from Mykhe, the resort closest to the city. Visit the Marbled Mountains (named for the five elements in Tao belief, fire, water, earth, metal and wood) where exploration of the caves and temples and a saunter along the peaceful paths offer tranquillity. Or there is Ba Na Hill on Pagoda Mountain, one of the hill stations where the French of the 1920s used to go in order to escape the heat. Nowadays it is a resort that boasts a gondola and a nature reserve.

The Museum of Cham Sculpture in Danang itself contains an impressive collection of temple art with statues of Cham gods and goddesses and of many Hindu gods and symbols such as the dancing girls, elephants, snakes and bulls.


Hoi An: Hoi An is fifteen miles from Danang and its historic Old Quarter has been renovated for tourism. It features older beamed homes with elaborately carved doors which are left open for the rooms within to be seen and visited. Most rooms contain quite as many modern souvenirs on sale as they do museum pieces, but beyond the preserved quarter lie temples, pagodas and shrines, and it is possible to visit the ceramic and handicraft workshops. A walking tour of Hoi An is very pleasant with its Japanese covered bridge, all the busy boat life, the picturesque balconies of homes that overlook the river, its central market, and its various elegant Assembly Halls with wonderful carvings and ceramic roofs.

Hue: Hue was the ancient Imperial Capital and seat of the Nguyen dynasty, with an inner Forbidden Purple City that was reserved for the exclusive use of the Royal families. To get further and further inside the complex system of walled enclosures, you cross bridges over moats and canals, go through gates with sturdy watchtowers that bear colourful roof tiles, pass massive stone walls, temples, and the Palace of Supreme Harmony. The theatre at the heart of the citadel presents displays by dancers and musicians throughout the day. This lovely place is situated on the banks of the Perfume River inland from the coast. Away from the antiquity there is also a modern downtown Hue packed with things to do, museums to visit and restaurants and cafes. The Imperial Hotel has a penthouse bar; a watering hole that offers a great panoramic photo opportunity.

Ha Long Bay: This Bay is incomparably lovely. I think entering it is like stepping straight into a poster that advertises Paradise. It is probably one of the most beautiful places on earth. Hundreds of green and grey island-like rock formations made of limestone rest on the still aquamarine coloured water while sail boats cruise gently round them. One of the natural wonders of the world, in 1994 it acquired the coveted status of Unesco World Heritage Site. Although it is fascinating to explore the caves, you really need do nothing more than simply gaze and indulge your eyes in the wonder of the spectacular landscape of cliffs, beaches and coves, lagoons and grottoes, floating fishing villages, and at the variety of boats to be seen.

HKSAR - Hong Kong Special Administrative Region - Hong Kong:


The Dutch claim that “although God made the world, the Dutch made Holland” – and for sure, Hong Kongers make a similar claim. So much land had been reclaimed since my last visit that I found myself totally disorientated. The mist was down and so The Peak was not visible and I had no firm point on which to get my bearings and although previously I had always arrived at Ocean Terminal by ship, this time I flew in to the new International Airport on Lantau Island, some fifteen miles from Central Hong Kong.

Perhaps I was jetlagged, anyway, thankfully, it all looked reassuringly familiar after a good night’s sleep (although the red post boxes of British times had since been painted blue and green!) and I gazed with pleasure at the backdrop of the city skyline and the bustle of sampans, fishing boats and junks competing for space in Victoria Harbour, with the continual action of ferries plying back and forth and ocean liners arriving and leaving, not to mention all the private yachts cluttering the harbour surface. Happily re-orientated, I set off to sample, however briefly, as many of Hong Kong’s varied delights as I could.

There are pure deserted beaches, dreamy woodlands and hills and valleys, elegant parks and gardens all waiting to be explored and although the unforgettable sight of Victoria Harbour, the high rise jungle of sophisticated Hong Kong city and Victoria Peak remain etched in the memory as being the “real Hong Kong”, additionally, the hundreds of outlying islands and those green open spaces deserve their place in the memory box.

Clearly one must scale the Peak for the views, the experience and for the living map it presents by way of orientation. From choice, I use public transport to get about – not only is it efficient and inexpensive, but it gives you the chance to live like a local. Buses, trams, ferries, underground MRTs and the local mini buses known as PLBs transport you everywhere. If your taste is for something more elaborate, then you must overnight in the Peninsula Hotel where its fleet of gorgeous Rollers is available for the use of guests. A more luxurious mode of travel certainly, but you won’t get the same atmosphere as slumming it on the tram!

As a walking enthusiast, I am always happy to find myself in Hong Kong where some lovely walking trails have been laid out, so that there is no worry about getting lost and failing to make it back to the ship in time. Eating is also on my list, as Hong Kong offers unlimited choice and incomparable quality in its many restaurants. If you are lucky enough to receive an invitation to a Chinese banquet, accept, it is an amazing experience as course after incredible course continues to arrive.

Neither would I miss a harbour cruise, either by ferry to my destination or simply to view the sights from the water, especially after dark when the nightly Symphony of Lights display features laser beams that play across the shoreline on both sides of Victoria Harbour towards its skyscraper skyline and highlight the commercial and business centre, the markets and shopping malls, and linger on the beautiful old Colonial style architecture. If you can get on board, it is rather lovely to cruise the Harbour on the red sailed tourist Chinese junk “Duk Ling”.

1 July 1997 marked the end of the 99-year British lease on Hong Kong. The handing back to the Chinese alarmed many residents who, although China had promised to leave intact the capitalist way of life for fifty years, feared the tanks rolling in and the possible presence of machine guns, and so decided to leave. A few bucked this trend and set up home and businesses. Their confidence was not misplaced, basically nothing changed for the average person leading an average life. The city continued to function as it always had done and it remains a great place to live and to work, with business as usual. The new flag and official flower seem to unite HK residents and give them confidence in their new identity. The most noticeable change is the influx of Mainland Chinese and the increasing use of Mandarin. Chinese reminbi can be used in the shops today and indeed the Mainland Chinese have swelled Hong Kong’s coffers enormously. The downside is a corresponding increase in pollution with all the extra traffic and certain reluctance by old HKers to accept all these Mainlanders.

Countless spectacular museums offer an easy means of catching up on the history of Hong Kong. Temples, Eastern cultural centres, monuments, mosques, churches and monasteries beckon the visitor. It is lovely to relax in a tea house, exciting to go up through the New Territories to the border with China. An hour or so away by ferry is Macau, the former Portuguese colony with the stunning façade of its Church of St. Paul and its many casinos. Visit the spectacular HK Convention and Exhibition Centre on the harbour front Try and catch the Hong Kong Ballet or the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Go into St. John’s Cathedral for a few moments of calm - this is the oldest Anglican Church of the Far East. And as you leave Hong Kong, hopefully you did as its motto suggests: “Live it, love it”

Hambleton Hall is situated on the beautiful peninsula of Rutland Water plumb in the centre of England, the last word in quiet elegance and serenity that is a favourite getaway of the cognoscenti and of Food and Wine Societies.


Tim Hart, mine host of Hambleton Hall, and his wife Stefa, will be aboard for this Culinary Arts voyage on Silver Shadow. Members of Relais & Chateaux since 1982, they enthusiastically uphold the Society’s strict standard of excellence. Their Head Chef, Aaron Patterson, member of the cruise enhancement team aboard, will be giving cookery talks and demonstrations and discussing the local food of the various ports.

Silversea Cruises – ‘Transcending the Trends’
This up-market cruise line describes itself as being renowned for extraordinary worldwide voyages aboard intimate, all-inclusive ships. Silversea is a luxury cruise line that offers unparalleled service and superlative comfort. Discover the art of luxury travel as perfected by Silversea Cruises.


‘Silver Cloud’ Specifications
She has a crew of 302 and her officers are predominantly European. She carries up to 382 guests. She is 610 feet long, 81.8 feet wide and weighs in at 28,258 tons. Her maximum speed is 18.5 Knots.

See what great Silversea Cruises shore excursions are offered on this cruise:
www.silversea.com/destinations/plan-voyage/?voyage=3305&tab=tours




Links to:

Relais & Chateaux: www.relaischateaux.com

Hambleton Hall: www.hambletonhall.com

Silversea Cruises: www.silversea.com

Tour-Smart articles on two countries/ports

Singapore: www.tour-smart.co.uk/destinations/singapore/singapore

Hong Kong:
www.tour-smart.co.uk/destinations/hong-kong/hong-kong-return-to-hong-kong

Singapore Raffles Hotel: www.raffles.com/singapore

Singapore Zoo Night Safari: www.nightsafari.com.sg

Legends Country Club: www.legendsfortcanning.com

Hong Kong Peninsula Hotel: http://www.peninsula.com/Hong_Kong/en/default.aspx

Ho Chi Minh Rex Hotel: www.rexhotelvietnam.com

Hue Imperial Hotel: www.imperial-hotel.com.vn