11-night Asia/Far East Cruise

Yokohama is located on the southern part of Honshu Island, on the western shore of Tokyo Bay, and is our gateway to Tokyo. It has excellent harbour facilities and is one of the leading ports industrial centres of Japan. There are numerous shrines, temples, and Christian churches and a number of beautiful parks. A small fishing village in 1854, Yokohama was almost totally destroyed in 1923 by an earthquake. Gradually reconstructed the city is now among the most modern in Japan. It was heavily bombed in 1945, during World War II.

One of Japan's most historic cities, Nagasaki was a major port, trading with the Portuguese and Dutch in the 16th century. You can still see this colonial legacy in the brick buildings, old forts, canals and curving cobblestone streets. On a hill overlooking the bay, beautiful Glover Mansion, the setting of Madame Butterfly, is typical of the fine homes built by wealthy foreign residents. But Nagasaki's ties with Korea and China are equally apparent in the famous Chinese temple, a large Chinese colony and the numerous fine Korean and Chinese restaurants.

Korea's "museum without walls" is akin only to China in its depth and cultural wonder. From Pusan, you can journey to the ancient Silla capital of Kyongju, a dynasty which reigned in Korea for almost a thousand years. Today this small provincial town is virtually a museum without walls, dotted with many splendid ruins. Nearby, the forested mountains and valleys shelter hundreds of beautiful Buddhist shrines including the renowned Sokkuram Grotto, and Tongdosa and Pulguksa Temples. Pusan is also a shopper's mecca and Korea's vital southern link to Japanese and American trade.

Cheju Island is known as a place of fantasy or mystery and is highlighted for its uniqueness. In the center of this island, there is Halla Mountain which was a volcano once rising 6,397 feet above sea level. About 1,800 kinds of plants find home in this island. It holds rich underground resources, and every kind of fish and corals in the clean blue sea area. Cheju is a tourist resort due to the many guests visiting this blessed island from around the world.

Shanghai is a teeming metropolis of 11 million, bustling with energy, towering skyscrapers, art deco buildings, honking traffic, and shopping crowds. Once here, visitors will find Eastern ways abound: Tai Chi along the Bund, the serenity of exquisite ponds and gardens, and an endless flotilla of sampans edging along the Huangpu River. Explore Shanghai old and new: the busy bazaars and alleyways of the Old Town, Yu Garden, Wuxingting Tea House, Long Hua Temple and more.

Shanghai is a teeming metropolis of 11 million, bustling with energy, towering skyscrapers, art deco buildings, honking traffic, and shopping crowds. Once here, visitors will find Eastern ways abound: Tai Chi along the Bund, the serenity of exquisite ponds and gardens, and an endless flotilla of sampans edging along the Huangpu River. Explore Shanghai old and new: the busy bazaars and alleyways of the Old Town, Yu Garden, Wuxingting Tea House, Long Hua Temple and more.

Ishigaki Island is the main island of the Yaeyama Islands. The island offers visitors calm beaches, snorkeling, and diving in the surrounding coral reefs.  Visitors can also explore the jungle like scenery around the rivers by taking a river kayak tour. At Tamatorizaki Observation point the platform offers lovely views of the cape.  Ishigaki also has the highest mountain in the region, which afford visitors great hiking trails throughout the island's hilly interior.

Manila is the heartbeat of the Philippines. Multi-faceted, multi-layered, lusty and lively, it is the seat of government and center of arts and education. It is a city of contrasts and contradictions. Here streets pulsate with life at all hours; within its boundaries live the richest and poorest in the country. Occupied over decades by Spanish, Americans, British and Japanese, East meets West, giving the city a unique character. The Walled City, a medieval fortified town, was the heart and soul of the country for more than 300 years. This city fortress, surrounded by moats and turreted walls 30 feet thick, was known as Intramuros and comprises Fort Santiago, Manila Cathedral and San Agustin Church - suggested priorities on any visitor’s itinerary. Manila attracts migrants who arrive from throughout to study or seek work. The cosmopolitan air in this fascinating city comes from its substantial Chinese and other foreign communities, busy port, multi-national corporations and constant flow of tourists. Other sights to see include Manila Cathedral, the Coconut Palace, and the National Museum.