A turbulent adventure on the South China sea

A bumpy cruise on the ancient Maritime Silk Road takes guests to vibrant ports in Malaysia and Vietnam.

After I threw up everything I had eaten for dinner for the second time in a row, I wondered whether I could complete the rest of my voyage aboard the Beibu Gulf Star.

My discomfort intensified as the strong currents of the South China Sea caused the toilet doors to slap violently. A passenger in the cabin opposite mine vomited loudly. It was late at night, but the other girls in my cabin remained wide awake. They talked about the possibility of flying back home as soon as the ship reached Kuantan in the morning.

I went to the deck to get some fresh air and passed the tea-tasting area, where several passengers planned to spend the night on the couch. It was only the second day of an eight-night-and-nine-day trip across the South China Sea on the Beibu Gulf Star.

The trip began at Beihai port, in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, with more than 300 passengers embarking on the journey. We planned to sail along the old routes of the Maritime Silk Road while exploring the exotic atmosphere at the Southeast Asian ports that ancient traders frequented.

The stops included Da Nang of Vietnam, Kuantan of Malaysia and Nha Trang of Vietnam, before returning to Beihai two days before the Spring Festival. Many passengers were ill-prepared for the sea sickness.

On one very turbulent day, many people stayed in their cabins. Those who appeared in the dinning hall were hailed as "heroes". When our trip reached the halfway point, a couple who shared a table with us for lunch said that this was the first time they had ventured out of their rooms.