Southern Roundtrip Phuket

A vision glides out of the mists, the tall foremast bearing five ghostly white square sails echoes the symmetry of a Buddhist pagoda. Offshore, a myriad of islands stand on end in the sea, rocky sentinels that look as if they were dropped down by a giant hand. A throaty temple gong sounds through the swirling mists, greeting Star Clipper as she slowly makes her way into the harbor.

This is the beginning of your journey to the ends of the earth in Thailand's Andaman Sea, a voyage into the mysteries and marvels of a far-eastern land little known to the western world. Visit a hidden corner of the Orient that adventurous travelers treasure for its unspoiled beaches and dream-like natural beauty. The little ports and scores of islands dotting the Andaman Sea along the west coasts of Thailand and Malaysia have long been stopping places for traders from India, Indonesia, China, Burma, Arabia and Europe. Here, indigenous peoples traded for goods they could not obtain locally.

So it's not surprising to see temples that look Chinese and wooden fishing boats that could be Portuguese. The people are friendly and their smiles are genuine, perhaps because they haven't had to cope with crowds of tourists. The clarity of the water and the variety of coral and marine life are amazing. What's more amazing is that many of these beautiful islancIs and their surrounding waters are designated national parks, preserved forever to explore and enjoy. When you walk along a palm-fringed beach, the only footprints you see might be yours and a sandpiper's. For diving and snorkeling, or just curling your toes in warm sand, this is paradise found.

After exploring the pristine beauty of the Andaman Sea, select sailings continue along the western coast of Malaysia to Malacca, known as the "City of Dreams" and also the oldest city in Malaysia, before reaching cosmopolitan and very immaculate Singapore.

Itinerary:

Day 1 - Phuket, Thailand
Phuket, Thailand's largest island, lies in the Andaman Sea and is joined to the mainland by a causeway. The landscape is one of lush green hills, coconut groves and rubber plantations, with a coastline dotted with a dozen spectacular beaches. Phuket is a holiday paradise with the lively area of Patong providing the up-beat resort life with its many shops, restaurants and bars, leaving the rest of the island to show off her natural beauty and unspoiled culture.

Day 2 - Batong Group, Thailand

Day 3 - Penang, Malaysia
"The Pearl of the Orient" lies off the north-western coast of Malaysia and is linked to the mainland by one of the longest bridges in the world. The capital, Georgetown, bears the stamp of a mixture of foreign influences and boasts a 65 story skyscraper called the Komtar, a complex of department stores, restaurants, theatres and squash courts. In total contrast, this beautiful island is home to one of the finest Buddhist temples in south-east Asia, Kek Lok Si Temple.

Day 4 - Ko Lipe, Thailand
Lying south of the Butang Group, the island of Ko Lipe offers a beautiful 3/4 mile long white sand beach with a discreet local Thai restaurant, and not so discreet monkeys! The crystal clear waters are a perfect site for snorkeling, diving and watersports. A ten minute walk across the island takes you through luxurious vegetation to the authentic fishing village of Chao Le also situated on a white sand beach with a stunning view of several small rock islands.

Day 5 - Ko Khai Nok, Thailand
Situated off the coast of Phuket, the island of Khai Nok or Ko Khai Nok (Ko means island in Thai) is an idyllic tropical paradise. She offers spectacular views of Phuket's coastline which can be seen on the horizon and her white sandy beaches are lapped by a crystal clear sea, perfect for watersports and teaming with marine life.

Day 6 - Phang Nga/Ko Hong, Thailand
The sheer-sided sea mountains that rise vertically out of Phang Nga Bay form some of Thailand's most spectacular scenery. The islands in this region feature wonderful white sandy beaches and superb coral reefs. Ko Hong. ("hong meaning room"), part of the Ko Hong archipelago is so named because of its large intemallagoon. One of the prettiest bays in the area, huge monolithic rocks provide shade all day long on a beautiful white silica sand beach.

Day 7 - Similan Islands, Thailand
The Similan Islands, or Nine Islands as they are also known because of their number, nestle in the Andaman Sea to the north of Phuket and are world-renowned among diving enthusiasts for underwater sightseeing. Accessible only by sea, the Similan Islands are stunningly beautiful with scenes straight out of your dreams of a tropical paradise.

Day 8 - Phuket, Thailand

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