Diving into Southeast Asia for the Holidays
By Cherri Briggs, Founder & President
Where will you spend Christmas and New Year’s?
Thanksgiving passes, and whew, here comes Christmas and New Year’s! I wanted to do something very different for the holidays this past season, as it felt like it had only been a couple of months since the last New Year. So, I made a plan to return to Indonesia with Richard, as we love to dive. We chose Aqua Expeditions and its gorgeous 5-star small cruise ship, Aqua Blu, which offers excellent scuba diving, fantastic snorkeling, and wonderful land explorations on the islands. There were days the snorkelers saw more than the divers, so don’t worry if you don’t dive.
We explored the Raja Ampat archipelago for the second time. Scientists believe all sea life on Earth began in these turquoise waters. More than 1,500 islands dot the vast area, and most are surrounded by vividly colored reefs teaming with vividly colored fish, turtles, exotic birds, and sea life. The service, food, visits to small island villages, and educational experiences on the boat were top-notch. The staff and the clientele were amazing, a very international crowd of people who know how to enjoy life. One of our best holidays ever!
We had clients who invited us to join them on the Aqua Mekong cruise off Cambodia. We said why not; we’ll be in the neighborhood. We had time between departures, so we stopped in Vietnam for five nights. Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) turned out to be one of my favorite cities ever, much to my surprise, and though you don’t see many of the most significant Vietnam War sites, there are several you can visit on a day trip, including the Cu Chi Tunnels and some fascinating museums.
Cambodia was my favorite part of this trip. It’s stunningly beautiful, and I have never met more welcoming, genuinely warm people. We loved the food, historical visits, bike rides, and museums. And of course, the Aqua boat was perfect. It was a great way to celebrate with friends and family, and I encourage you to create your own new traditions abroad this holiday season.