We took a cruise On Holland America’s M.S. Noordam, from Singapore over the Xmas and New Year period in December 2024 stopping at Koh Samui (Thailand), Laem Chabang (Thailand), Sihanoukville (Cambodia), Phú Mỹ (Vietnam), and Da Nang (Vietnam). We arrived in Singapore a day early and stayed with friends allowing us to sample some local food before boarding the ship. From the Marina Bay Cruise Centre we got a wonderful view of the city at sail away.
Koh Samui, Thailand
After a 2 day sail we arrived into the beautiful island of Koh Samui in Thailand. Here we had to execute a tender transfer to the pier as the dock could not accommodate the large cruise ship. Arriving into the town of Nathon we wandered the small streets and then visited the beautiful Hai Lam Shrine. From here we strolled down to the waterfront Sunset Thai Restaurant for drinks and then some local Thai food at the Lucky Restaurant run by an English guy before returning to the ship.
Laem Chabang, Thailand
Laem Chabang is the main port for Bangkok in Thailand where we docked on Xmas Day. We took an Uber car down the coast to Pattaya where we met up with my wife’s daughter and her boyfriend for a wonderful Xmas buffet lunch at the Dusit Thani Hotel. Returning to the ship we then had a lovely Xmas dinner in the restaurant as we sailed out on our way to our next stop, Sihanoukville in Cambodia.
Sihanoukville, Cambodia
Sihanoukville in Cambodia is their only main port and the town is somewhat run down with abandoned hotels, apartments and casinos which had been started pre-Covid by the Chinese and then the projects abandoned with the Covid shutdown. After short walk around Independence Park we hired a small van and took a drive to the Independence Beach and then found a seafood restaurant next to the Victory Beach Pier for lunch before returning to the ship.
Phú Mỹ, Vietnam
Arriving in the port of Phú Mỹ in Vietnam on 29th December we took a car down to the small coastal town of Vung Tau. Here we visited the Vung Tau lighthouse stopping at the Tịnh xá Ngọc Hương shrine on the way back down. We then had a seafood lunch at a restaurant on the sea front. On our return we stopped in Phú Mỹ town and visited the Dai Tong Lam Pagoda and the incredible Song Vinh Church.
Da Nang, Vietnam
We arrived into the port of Da Nang on the last day of the year and decided to revisit the beautiful historical town of Hoi An for the day. Here we wandered the old town admiring the wonderful architecture and the brightly painted houses and had lunch in a restaurant on the waterfront.
On returning to the ship we prepared for the New Year celebrations with a great party on the pool deck to ring in the New Year of 2025.
On New Year’s Day we had the day to do a walking tour of Da Nang before the sail out for Singapore in the evening.
Passionate Photographer …. Lost in Asia
Stuart Taylor of HighlanderImages Photography has been making images for over 40 years focusing on Asia with a documentary/photojournalistic style.
Stuart is available for a variety of assignments in subject areas of photojournalism, commercial, architectural, real estate, industrial, interior design, corporate, urbex, adventure, wilderness, and travel.
E-Mail : staylor@highlanderimages.com