Multicultural Discoveries from Malaysia to Thailand

Set sail from Singapore with Ponant to discover the natural treasures and history-filled cities of South-East Asia. From Malaysia to Thailand, Le Lapérouse invites you on a brand-new 9-day cruise featuring heavenly islands, exceptional natural heritage and cultural discoveries where Asian, Indian and European influences mingle to make your Christmas unforgettable. Throughout your journey, you will benefit from an excursion included per person per port of call, to choose from a selection offered by Ponant.

On this cruise, discover the Habitat Penang Hill nature park and admire fascinating...read more plant and wildlife; appreciate the richness of Laman Padi when you call at Langkawi Island to see rice plantations and visit a Buddhist temple; and explore the historic city of Malacca, now recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The diversity of experiences on offer promises you intense and varied moments (to discover the full range of excursions, go to the itinerary tab).

You will cross the Strait of Malacca, once a strategic hub of the spice and silk trade, and discover the colourful and multicultural island of Penang, known for its British colonial buildings, its Chinese shops and its mosques. Your cruise will continue along the coast of Thailand. In a sublime setting of emerald water, karstic cliffs, mangrove and white sand, Le Lapérouse will also drop anchor off the coast of the uninhabited island of Ko Rok Nok, a paradise for swimming and relaxation. The ship will head southward to Langkawi Island, where you will discover scenery including picturesque rice fields and hills covered in rainforest.

On Christmas Day, spend some time relaxing on an idyllic beach, go snorkelling to admire the marine environment or take a swim in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Le Lapérouse will then make its way to Lumut, where a Kuala Sepetang river cruise will be an opportunity to contemplate the mangrove and perhaps spot some orang-utans among the trees.

From this coastal town, known for its crafts using shells and coral, you will also be able to visit Ipoh, which for a long time attracted sultans, colonists, tea barons, merchants, street artists, entrepreneurs and miners, and which perfectly reflects Malaysia's multiculturalism, history and traditions. Finally, your cruise will end in Malacca City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where spices and silk were once traded.