Take a Yangtze River Cruise or Sail the Inland Seas of Japan

Taking a Yangtze River cruise in China is one of the best ways to tour this beautiful country - but there are other areas of Asia that can be toured by small ship, also.

Asia is probably the most fascinating part of the world to me. I've been lucky enough to visit often, but I was traveling for business and did not get to see nearly as much as I would have liked. My dream is to visit the Great Wall of China (and do a lot more China sightseeing!), and I plan to do it on one of these cruise/tours.

Because of the great cultural and language differences, I think Asia is an area best explored on an escorted tour. But you don't have to be stuck on a bus for days at a time - these tours combine river or sea travel on a lovely ship with extensive land excursions. It's the best sightseeing in China or Japan.

Yangtze travel offers the best of tour options - by land and by river. These tours include the Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China, and the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi'an.

A Japan cruise in the Inland Sea reveals gorgeous gardens and temples, and you will experience authentic Japanese cuisine. There are also cruises to Vietnam and other countries.

One of the joys, and concerns, of world travel is the food. I love to try the local cuisine when I travel - it's a great way to learn about the people and culture of the region. But it's easy to become "homesick" for the foods you're familiar with (if it's of any comfort, there are McDonald's throughout Asia, too!). On therse tours, you'll be able to try local cuisine, but more traditional American fare is also available.

Yangtze River Cruises in China

Uniworld River Cruises Imperial China cruise/tour combines a Yangtze river cruise with land excursions. You will visit the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi'an, The Great Wall of China, and the Forbidden City in Beijing,and enjoy an acrobatic performance in Shanghai. Cruising the Yangtze, you will travel through the Three Gorges, and enjoy a spectacular view from Shibaozai, a jewel of Chinese architecture. This is a 12 day trip from Shanghai to Beijing.

Viking River Cruises has a Yangtze river cruise and tour with a similar itinerary (Beijing to Shanghai and Lhasa, Tibet, but it adds Lhasa, Tibet! There you will visit monesteries and the former palace of the Dalai Lama. This is a 16 day trip from Beijing to Shanghai.

The video, below, shows a Viking Yangtze cruise ship in detail - they're beautiful and spacious! It's a bit long (over 6 minutes), but well worth seeing.

Japan

Cruisewest's Hidden Treasures of Japan tour combines a cruise of the Inland Sea with land excursions. You will visit Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, as well as Kobe and Hiroshima, among other cities. You will enjoy the history and cuisine of Japan, plus lush Zen gardens and peaceful temples. You'll visit samurai and geisha districts, and enjoy Chinese and Japanese folk art. This tour also includes a brief stop in South Korea. This is a 15 day trip from Osaka to Kobe.

Vietnam

To get the best possible price on a Yangtze river cruise or other Asian small ship cruise, go to CruiseCompete. They have information on all of the major small ship lines (from CruiseWest to Uniworld). You choose your cruise, place your request, and you'll get quotes emailed to you from several travel agents. You can grab the best price or negotiate some "perks" (like a bottle of wine in your cabin!). The service is free, and you'll get someone else to do the leg work!

Where Would You Like to Go Next?

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