17-night Asia: Maldives, Thailand & Seychelles Cruise

Victoria on Mahé is one of the smallest capital cities in the world, and the only major port in the Seychelles. It's also the only town in the country - every other settlement is a village. The courthouse and main post office have been untouched since colonial times, but rebuilt streets emanating from the center give the town a clean and modern look. The Natural History Museum in the center of town houses an eclectic collection with bones of the extinct Seychelles crocodile, giant robber crabs, dried out fish, a deformed piglet in a jar and lots of glassy-eyed stuffed animals. Other displays include the wreckage of a ship which came to grief off the Amiranteds in 1570 and a display of gris gris artefacts. For history of the country's people, visit the National History Museum or the Seychelles People's United Party Museum, which celebrates the history of the party. Victoria's Botanical Gardens are highly recommended for short and shady walks among a variety of native and introduced trees. Within the gardens is a cafeteria, a pen of giant tortoises and an orchid garden.

Penang, or more properly Pulau Pinang, is the northern gateway to Malaysia and also the country’s oldest British settlement. To the tourist industry, Penang has been marketed for a long time as the Pearl of the Orient. Although Penang is best known for its beaches, there is much more here than just sand and sea. The island is considered a cultural and architectural gem with Chinese, Malay and Indian influences. Other sights include St. George’s Church - built in 1818 of classic Georgian architecture; Penang Hill - a 2,500-foot hill with a splendid view over Georgetown; Botanical Gardens - the 74-acre landscaped gardens featuring many indigenous and exotic plant species, a waterfall, jungle-clad hills and two species of monkeys, the macaque and dusky leaf monkeys; Golf Courses - The Bukit Jambul Golf & Country Club is located on Penang Island, and other golf courses in Province Wellesley on the mainland are the Penang Golf Resort and Bukit Jawi Golf Resort.