MILFORD SOUND, NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand is famous for its incredible landscapes, glaciers and waterways but nothing will quite prepare you for the arresting sight of Milford Sound, a stunning fjord on the southwest coast of the South Island. Rudyard Kipling once described it as the “eighth wonder of the world”, and if you cruise through this spectacular waterway, you’ll soon see why.
Located within the Fiordland National Park, part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Site, Milford Sound (Piopiotahi in Maori) is home to fur seal colonies, penguins, bottlenose dolphins and kea, the only alpine parrot in the world. It boasts a dramatic landscape of snow-capped mountains, shimmering lakes and fjords and pristine forests. Rising above the fjord’s indigo water is Mitre Peak (Rahotu), a 1692 metre-tall mountain which dominates the landscape, featuring two waterfalls that cascade dramatically down its sheer sides.
The history of this destination is as mesmerising as the place itself. Milford Sound was well known to the indigenous Maori residents, who named the area Piopiotahi after a local thrush-like bird, the piopio. It took on its European title in 1812 when Captain John Grono and his crew were the first Europeans to visit the area, with Grono naming the awe-inspiring scene after Milford Haven in Wales.
You can visit Milford Sound on Royal Caribbean’s New Zealand cruise in November 2025. Trips here also feature on 2025 itineraries on Celebrity and Princess cruises too.
Milford Sound is part of Fiordland National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Site.
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WAT BENCHAMABOPHIT, BANGKOK, THAILAND
With its ornate gables and stepped-out roofs glistening in the scorching Bangkok sunshine, Wat Benchamabophit is one of Thailand’s most revered temples. Built in striking white Italian marble in the late 19th century under the instruction of King Rama V, it’s also known widely as the Marble Temple.
Guarding the entrance to the temple are two imposing stone lions, while inside you’ll find interiors decorated richly in lacquer and gold. The temple’s design exemplifies the orderliness and symmetry of classic Thai architecture – in the open courtyard to the rear of the main chapel, you’ll discover 52 Buddha statues that represent every gesture and style from Thai history. While there, look closely at the base of the central Buddha – it contains the ashes of Rama V.
However, history and iconography are only two aspects of the temple’s appeal. Local families regularly visit the temple for prayer ceremonies and between 6 and 7am every morning, the temple’s monks arrive to receive alms. These daily rituals demonstrate the city’s love and appreciation of this incredible temple. If you’re enjoying an Asian cruise in February or May, put a note in your diary to check out the evening candlelit processions around the temple during the Buddhist festivals of Magha Puja (in February) and Visakha Puja (in May).
You can visit Wat Benchamabophit on Holland America Line’s Far East Discovery cruise onboard Noordam in February 2025. Trips here also feature on 2025 itineraries on Cunard and P&O cruises too.
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