Day 1 : 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 2 : At Sea

Day 3 : Taipei/TAIWAN

Across the Formosa Strait from mainland China is the bustling port of Keelung, on the island of Taiwan. Just 20 miles inland is Taipei, the national capital, one of the most prosperous cities in Asia. Marvel at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, the Grand Hotel, and the National Palace Museum, with its art treasures from Beijing''s Forbidden City.

Day 4 : At Sea

Day 5 : At Sea

Day 6 : Seoul/S. KOREA

Inchon is the port of Korea's booming capital, a shopping paradise which vies with Hong Kong. But historic Seoul also brims with treasures. Begin with a bird's-eye view atop Namsan Hill. Visit Kyonbok Gun, the Palace of Bright Happiness, and the 14th-century Changdok Palace, home of the royal family. Stroll through its beautiful Secret Garden, 80 acres of ponds, tea houses and pavilions. Discover the extensive collection of Korean art in the National Museum. Or travel beyond Seoul's ancient gates to the Nanhan Mountain Castle or historic Suwon and its wonderful Folk Village of Minsokchon.

Day 7 : Seoul/S. KOREA

Inchon is the port of Korea's booming capital, a shopping paradise which vies with Hong Kong. But historic Seoul also brims with treasures. Begin with a bird's-eye view atop Namsan Hill. Visit Kyonbok Gun, the Palace of Bright Happiness, and the 14th-century Changdok Palace, home of the royal family. Stroll through its beautiful Secret Garden, 80 acres of ponds, tea houses and pavilions. Discover the extensive collection of Korean art in the National Museum. Or travel beyond Seoul's ancient gates to the Nanhan Mountain Castle or historic Suwon and its wonderful Folk Village of Minsokchon.

Day 8 : At Sea

Day 9 : Kyongju/S. KOREA

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.

Day 10 : At Sea

Day 11 : Hiroshima/JAPAN

Set on a bay in the Inland Sea, Hiroshima was the infamous site of the first atomic bomb explosion of August, 1945. But perhaps the best reason to visit Hiroshima is the enchanting island of Miyajima with its famous Itsukushima Shinto shrine, considered one of Japan's three most beautiful sights. Its famous torii stands just offshore, a tall, vermilion-colored symbol of Japan, which appears to float during high tide.

Day 12 : At Sea

Day 13 : Osaka/JAPAN

This large, bustling port is the starting point for tours to the ancient cities of Kyoto and Nara, the cultural fountainheads of classical Japan. Kyoto's Old Imperial Palace and the shogunal Nijo Castle remain glorious symbols of the power the city held for over 1,000 years. Until 1868, Kyoto was the capital of Japan, filled with elegant timber buildings and, perhaps more than any other Japanese city, imbued with Kami, the divine spirit. You'll sense it everywhere, for there are hundreds of Shinto shrines and over a thousand Buddhist temples, as well as sacred treasure-houses of religious sculpture, painting and exquisite gardens. Nara, City of the Seven Great Temples, lies in an idyllic setting.

Day 14 : Osaka/JAPAN

This large, bustling port is the starting point for tours to the ancient cities of Kyoto and Nara, the cultural fountainheads of classical Japan. Kyoto's Old Imperial Palace and the shogunal Nijo Castle remain glorious symbols of the power the city held for over 1,000 years. Until 1868, Kyoto was the capital of Japan, filled with elegant timber buildings and, perhaps more than any other Japanese city, imbued with Kami, the divine spirit. You'll sense it everywhere, for there are hundreds of Shinto shrines and over a thousand Buddhist temples, as well as sacred treasure-houses of religious sculpture, painting and exquisite gardens. Nara, City of the Seven Great Temples, lies in an idyllic setting.

Day 15 : At Sea

Day 16 : Shimizu/JAPAN

Day 17 : 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.