STERLING SILVER
Sterling Silver - Luxury Travel Magazine
 | |||||
Sterling Silver | |||||
| By: Andrew Conway, Issue 27 – Winter 2006 | |||||
| (Cruise through Asia) | |||||
| A SILVERSEA CRUISE THROUGH SOME OF ASIA’S MOST EXOTIC PORTS BEARS ALL THE HALLMARKS OF TOP-DRAWER LUXURY. | |||||
| It’s mid-afternoon at Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s sacred symbol and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the heat and humidity are intense. I’ve climbed into the north-west tower of the inner gallery of this extraordinary temple in the vain hope of finding a cool breeze to dry the river of perspiration running down my back, but the air is still even at this great height, and the thick jungle which stretches off into the far distance shimmers languidly in a tropical haze. The old song, Mad Dogs and Englishmen, springs to mind, but ever-persistent tourists continue to clamber across the well-preserved ruins, albeit somewhat slower with each footstep and photograph. The locals, of course, have it right. Temple workers, Buddhist monks in saffron-coloured robes, and waif-like children recline on the cool sandstone floors in shady alcoves and passageways, watched over by vast statues of Buddhas, wreathed in garlands of fresh flowers and smiling benevolently despite the heat. It’s one of those rare frozen-in-time moments which I want to capture on film, but decide instead to press in the memory book. This awe-inspiring monument, built in the 12th century as a state temple and capital city for King Suryavarman II, is considered to be the finest example of classical Khmer architecture in Cambodia, a proud symbol which appears on the national flag, and the nation’s number one tourist attraction, enticing close to a million visitors each year. It has taken a bus ride from the sea port of Sihanoukville, a 90-minute flight to Siem Reap, and another bus ride to get here but the distance travelled and the heat endured pales into insignificance when you cross the vast castle-like moat which surrounds Angkor Wat and provides such a dramatic entrance to the ruins. Earlier in the day, we had visited Angkor Thom – a much smaller but, for my money, more intimate and appealing temple with vast faces carved into its complex of towers and exquisite basrelief wall carvings – a stunning double whammy of ancient history and culture, both of which have somehow managed to survive the ravages of Cambodia’s murderous civil war. The best part about this outstanding day was that we hadn’t trekked, backpacked or hiked our way across the country to get here, but sailed into Sihanoukville in supreme luxury on board Silversea’s Silver Shadow, and transferred by air-conditioned coach and plane to Siem Reap in Cambodia’s remote north-west and the gateway to Angkors Wat and Thom. And when we finally returned to the ship at the end of a long day – the heat and humidity still sticking to our clothes – a shoreside welcoming committee of Captain Emanuele Chiesa, his senior officers, and ever-smiling waiters bearing chilled face cloths and frothy cocktails, has never been more welcome. Cruising is a spectacular way to see the world, but when it’s on board a luxury liner like Silver Shadow or her sister ship Silver Cloud which also sails around the Asian ports, the experience is all the more attractive and appealing. Our 10- day cruise journeyed through some of the most exotic and intriguing destinations in Asia from Bangkok in Thailand, to Angkor Wat and Phnom Pehn in Cambodia, Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in Vietnam, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and finally to Singapore, with a handful of leisurely sea days in between, wrapped up in the sort of five-star luxury usually reserved for major city hotels. Whichever of the four Silversea ships you choose to sail on – the larger Silver Shadow or Whisper (382 passengers and 295 crew), or the smaller Silver Cloud or Wind (296 passengers and 212 crew) – it’s an all-inclusive, allsuite, all-wonderful voyage of discovery. The on-board facilities and accommodation are the last word in luxury, style and understated elegance – spacious and well-designed suites, the majority with private teak verandahs; Italian marble bathrooms with full-size baths and Acqua di Parma amenities; an in-suite cabinet stocked with your favourite drinks, and complimentary wines, spirits and champagnes served throughout the ship; an open-seating dining policy, combined with 24-hour room service; superb gourmet cuisine and wine selections often reflecting the cruise’s ports of call; exclusive Silversea Experience shore excursions providing an extra-colourful and cultural insight into the destination, and an extensive program of entertainment and enrichment presentations. The ships are so intimate and cleverly designed as to have all the facilities of a larger liner – stunning dining room and indoor-outdoor Terrace Café, multitiered show lounge, casino, boutiques, beauty salon and fitness centre, library with internet, outdoor swimming pool and Jacuzzis – with unique additions such as The Humidor by Davidoff stocked with the world’s best cigars and liqueurs, Le Champagne private dining room offering six-course, wine-paired dinners, and butler service in the premium suites. The overall ambience is that of a private house-party on the superyacht of an Italian shipping magnate, staffed by a crew that literally doesn’t let you lift a finger. Silversea has such a high ‘repeat’ clientele that it has created the Venetian Society – an exclusive club of past passengers who gather for a private cocktail party with the captain each cruise. It looked like half the ship attended the party on my Indochina cruise – certain proof that Silversea woos back its loyal passengers with its highly successful combination of luxury, comfort, facilities and service. Mix in rare treats like Angkor Wat or a bicycle rickshaw ride on the bustling streets of Saigon, and you have the cruise holiday of a lifetime. | |||||
| Details: | |||||
| Silver Shadow will embark on her – and Silversea’s – first-ever World Cruise early next year, a spectacular 126-day voyage departing Fort Lauderdale on January 15 and ending in New York on May 22, having crossed three oceans and visited 61 exotic ports. While Australia is not part of her itinerary, that honour will go to smaller sister ship, Silver Cloud, which will be here for an extended summer season. She arrives in Darwin on December 28 this year and sails for Cairns, Townsville, Newcastle and Sydney, arriving on January 7, and then embarking on a series of passages between Sydney, Brisbane, Newcastle and Eden until February 20, followed by Hobart, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Broome and other selected ports. Full details and bookings, Wiltrans, 1800 251 174, Cruise Brokers, 1300 880 943, www.silversea.com | |||||
| Malaysia Airlines flies daily from Australia to Kuala Lumpur with easy onward connections to Asia and a vast network of global destinations. Details, 132 627, www.malaysiaairlines.com.au | |||||
|
