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PVG destination photo
CMB destination photo

PVGCMB

Our Recommendation
8.5

Left Side of the Plane

The left side offers a stunning progression from the bustling Pearl River Delta and the South China Sea's coral atolls to the scenic coastal approach into Sri Lanka.

Left Side Highlights
8.5
🏙️

Pearl River Delta

Aerial views of the massive urban sprawl encompassing Hong Kong, Macau, and Shenzhen shortly after reaching cruise altitude.

🏝️

Paracel Islands

Vivid turquoise coral atolls and remote sandbars scattered across the deep blue South China Sea.

🌊

Vietnam Coastline

Dramatic views of the central Vietnamese coast, including the Marble Mountains and the lagoons near Da Nang.

🚤

Andaman Sea

Deep blue waters dotted with small tropical islands as the flight crosses from Southeast Asia toward the Indian Ocean.

🇱🇰

Sri Lankan East Coast

The first glimpse of the 'Teardrop of India' featuring palm-fringed beaches and lagoons near Batticaloa during the descent.

Book a seat well ahead of the wing to capture unobstructed photos of the South China Sea atolls. On daytime flights, the left side avoids the harshest direct sunlight, providing better lighting for photography of the Vietnamese coastline and the Sri Lankan entry.

Right Side Highlights
7.8
⛰️

Guilin Karst Peaks

The distinctive limestone 'sugarloaf' mountains of Southern China visible during the initial hours of the flight.

💧

Mekong River

The winding brown ribbons of the mighty Mekong River as it snakes through the borders of Laos and Thailand.

🌆

Bangkok Metro Area

The sprawling, dense urban landscape of Thailand's capital, recognizable by its winding Chao Phraya River.

🏝️

Nicobar Islands

Isolated and heavily forested island chains belonging to India, appearing as green emeralds in the Bay of Bengal.

🌅

Indian Ocean Sunset

On late afternoon departures, this side provides front-row seats to spectacular tropical sunsets over the open ocean.

Select the right side if you are on an evening flight to witness the sunset over the Indian Ocean. Be aware that during the monsoon season (May to October), heavy cloud cover often develops over the Indochinese mountains, which can obscure the inland landmarks on this side.

Top Activities in Colombo
Route Information

Distance: 5,099 km (3,168 miles)

Approximate Flight Time: 6 hrs

Departure: PVG (31.143400192260746, 121.80500030517578)

Arrival: CMB (7.180759906768799, 79.88410186767578)

Route Type: International

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