Itinerary
Day 1 : Tokyo/JAPAN
Huge department stores brim with shoppers, neon flashes from dusk to dawn, and the entire world pays heed to the slightest fluctuation on the Nikkei Index. From the Imperial Palace and Meiji Shrine to the fabled Ginza district, 20th-century Tokyo is an intriguing composite of East and West. Yuppies sporting Walkmen bow formally in greeting. Women in kimonos and Dior suits stroll side-by-side. Geishas play samisens while disc jockeys play the Top Forty. Japanese houses of wood and paper stand in the shadow of towering steel and mortar. Not far away, one of the world's most impressive sights soars 12,388 feet to its snow-clad peak: Mount Fuji, the majestic symbol of Japan.
Day 2 : Tokyo/JAPAN
Huge department stores brim with shoppers, neon flashes from dusk to dawn, and the entire world pays heed to the slightest fluctuation on the Nikkei Index. From the Imperial Palace and Meiji Shrine to the fabled Ginza district, 20th-century Tokyo is an intriguing composite of East and West. Yuppies sporting Walkmen bow formally in greeting. Women in kimonos and Dior suits stroll side-by-side. Geishas play samisens while disc jockeys play the Top Forty. Japanese houses of wood and paper stand in the shadow of towering steel and mortar. Not far away, one of the world's most impressive sights soars 12,388 feet to its snow-clad peak: Mount Fuji, the majestic symbol of Japan.
Day 3 : At Sea
Day 4 : Kobe/JAPAN
Famous for its succulent Kobe beef and cosmopolitan flair, this booming port town sits between the Rokko Mountains and Osaka Bay. It contains a remarkable cultural mix of Swiss chalets, Moslem mosques and Russian Orthodox churches tucked between traditional Japanese buildings. A cable car ascends to the summit of Mount Rokko, a national park.
Day 5 : Kobe/JAPAN
Famous for its succulent Kobe beef and cosmopolitan flair, this booming port town sits between the Rokko Mountains and Osaka Bay. It contains a remarkable cultural mix of Swiss chalets, Moslem mosques and Russian Orthodox churches tucked between traditional Japanese buildings. A cable car ascends to the summit of Mount Rokko, a national park.
Day 6 : At Sea
Day 7 : Fukuoka/JAPAN
Day 8 : At Sea
Day 9 : Beijing/CHINA
From the port of Tianjin, you can venture to the ancient capital of China: Beijing. It is a veritable treasure-trove of historic wonders, including the Forbidden City where you enter the world of The Last Emperor, a complex of incredible historic significance and physical grandeur. Just outside the walls of the Imperial Palace lies the largest plaza on earth, Tiananmen Square, home to Mao's Monument and his Mausoleum. At the Summer Palace, you'll step into a pastoral mist of natural and man-made beauty: 700 acres of stunning parkland, dreamy lakes, fascinating temples and halls. The Summer Palace evokes a feeling of serenity as you wander through fairy-tale landscapes and manicured gardens. Then witness the efforts of nearly a million workers who walled in an empire by hand. As you climb the Great Wall toward one of its towers, the spirit of endurance and determination takes hold, a poignant reminder of the painstaking endeavors of 2,500 years ago.
Day 10 : Beijing/CHINA
From the port of Tianjin, you can venture to the ancient capital of China: Beijing. It is a veritable treasure-trove of historic wonders, including the Forbidden City where you enter the world of The Last Emperor, a complex of incredible historic significance and physical grandeur. Just outside the walls of the Imperial Palace lies the largest plaza on earth, Tiananmen Square, home to Mao's Monument and his Mausoleum. At the Summer Palace, you'll step into a pastoral mist of natural and man-made beauty: 700 acres of stunning parkland, dreamy lakes, fascinating temples and halls. The Summer Palace evokes a feeling of serenity as you wander through fairy-tale landscapes and manicured gardens. Then witness the efforts of nearly a million workers who walled in an empire by hand. As you climb the Great Wall toward one of its towers, the spirit of endurance and determination takes hold, a poignant reminder of the painstaking endeavors of 2,500 years ago.
Day 11 : Dalian/CHINA
Dalian sits at the tip of the Liaodong peninsula... because it sits right on the sea, the city is free from the heavy pollution facing other Chinese cities... In the summer, Dalian transforms into a resort town, with Chinese families from the inland making the trek out to the beaches on the outskirts of the city. The twenty mile stretch of beach here is among the finest in all of China. Dalian is also home to an annual International Fashion Festival, along with a Spring Festival to ring in the Chinese New Year.
Day 12 : At Sea
Day 13 : At Sea
Day 14 : Shanghai/CHINA
From opium wars to junks and barges, images of Shanghai flood the senses. The real Shanghai is a teeming metropolis of 11 million, bustling with energy, towering skyscrapers and art deco buildings, honking traffic and shopping crowds. But once you enter China's largest city, you'll 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, the Wuxingting Tea House, Long Hua Temple and more.
Day 15 : Shanghai/CHINA
From opium wars to junks and barges, images of Shanghai flood the senses. The real Shanghai is a teeming metropolis of 11 million, bustling with energy, towering skyscrapers and art deco buildings, honking traffic and shopping crowds. But once you enter China's largest city, you'll 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, the Wuxingting Tea House, Long Hua Temple and more.
Day 16 : At Sea
Day 17 : At Sea
Day 18 : Hong Kong/CHINA
Hong Kong is the cosmopolitan hub of the Far East. This former British colony reverted to Chinese control in 1997, yet the culture-rich atmosphere remains. See the Wong Tai Sin Temple, tour local markets and the floating village of Aberdeen. Take the Tram to the top of Victoria Peak for one of the world''s most exciting views, or cross the harbor aboard one of the famous Star Ferries. After shopping and exploring, enjoy high tea at the favored retreat of many world travelers-the Peninsula Hotel.
Day 19 : Hong Kong/CHINA
Hong Kong is the cosmopolitan hub of the Far East. This former British colony reverted to Chinese control in 1997, yet the culture-rich atmosphere remains. See the Wong Tai Sin Temple, tour local markets and the floating village of Aberdeen. Take the Tram to the top of Victoria Peak for one of the world''s most exciting views, or cross the harbor aboard one of the famous Star Ferries. After shopping and exploring, enjoy high tea at the favored retreat of many world travelers-the Peninsula Hotel.
Day 20 : At Sea
Day 21 : Da Nang/VIETNAM
Today this lovely town on the South China Sea reflects the peaceful era of pre-war Indochina. And up the coast, the grand Thien Mu Pagoda and stately Tu Duc Tomb welcome you to Hue, Vietnam's ancient royal capital, on the banks of the Perfume River.
Day 22 : At Sea
Day 23 : Ho Chi Minh/VIETNAM
Day 24 : At Sea
Day 25 : Singapore
One of Asia's great success stories, this island republic has merged diverse cultures into a dynamic and thriving nation. Clean, modern and full of green gardens, its neighborhoods reflect the Chinese, Malay, Indian, Arab and European backgrounds of its past. After sampling the legendary shopping, retire to Raffles Hotel's famous bar and toast Maugham, Kipling and Noel Coward with a Singapore Sling.
Day 26 : Singapore
One of Asia's great success stories, this island republic has merged diverse cultures into a dynamic and thriving nation. Clean, modern and full of green gardens, its neighborhoods reflect the Chinese, Malay, Indian, Arab and European backgrounds of its past. After sampling the legendary shopping, retire to Raffles Hotel's famous bar and toast Maugham, Kipling and Noel Coward with a Singapore Sling.
Day 27 : At Sea
Day 28 : At Sea
Day 29 : At Sea
Day 30 : Colombo/SRI LANKA
Formerly known as Ceylon, Sri Lanka means "Resplendent Land," an apt description for this beautiful island. Sri Lanka lies fifty-five miles north of the equator, just off the southern tip of India. With its unique beauty, warm climate and near-perfect beaches, Sri Lanka is one of Asia's most adored destinations. Since the sixteenth century, the Portuguese, Dutch and British have all left their architectural and cultural marks in Sri Lanka's capital of Colombo. Yet despite its colonial architecture, Sri Lanka has always remained Oriental in spirit, with colorful bazaars, dancing elephants, graceful women in saris, and many Buddhist shrines and temples.
Day 31 : At Sea
Day 32 : At Sea
Day 33 : Mumbai/INDIA
Few cities evoke such a wealth of sensations as Bombay. Entering the city under the Gateway of India, which commemorates the visit of King George and Queen Mary in 1911, the sounds and aromas are exotic and the level of activity from the bazaars to the street vendors is non-stop. Remnants of British rule along oceanfront Marine Drive stand alongside the thought-provoking former home of Mahatma Gandhi, and the cave temple at Elephanta with its second-century Hindu gods. Bombay also serves as the gateway for land tours to Agra, home of the Taj Mahal, and Delhi, the historical center of India.
Day 34 : Mumbai/INDIA
Few cities evoke such a wealth of sensations as Bombay. Entering the city under the Gateway of India, which commemorates the visit of King George and Queen Mary in 1911, the sounds and aromas are exotic and the level of activity from the bazaars to the street vendors is non-stop. Remnants of British rule along oceanfront Marine Drive stand alongside the thought-provoking former home of Mahatma Gandhi, and the cave temple at Elephanta with its second-century Hindu gods. Bombay also serves as the gateway for land tours to Agra, home of the Taj Mahal, and Delhi, the historical center of India.
Day 35 : At Sea
Day 36 : At Sea
Day 37 : Fujairah
Because it's unique location offers free access to the major shipping routes of the world, making it the pick of ports for entrepreneurs around the world, Fujairah is known as the jewel of the Middle East. Its government's liberalized procedures and firm infrastructure provides excellent support for entrepreneurs to build, grow and diversify. The land of Fujairah is endowed with remarkable beauty. The beaches are sun-kissed, the mountain ranges are majestic, and the convivial weather conditions present Fujairah as an exotic land, ripe for discovery by tourists and businesspersons alike.
Day 38 : Dubai/UAE
Despite the primeval desert that surrounds it, spirited Dubai has spent its oil income on modern architecture based on soaring Islamic spires. Explore the souk bazaars for gold and silks, Persian and Afghani rugs and more. And be sure to visit the Juneira Mosque.