16-Day Shanghai Nights & Seoul Sunsets

Busan is the second largest city in South Korea, and the country’s seaside connection to Japan and the West. Lovely urban scenery, the Pusan International Film Festival, and near-by hot springs has made Busan a popular leisure destination. Busan has the sophistication of a major city, as well as famous beaches that lure visitors from all over the world. The city is a microcosm of South Korea, a nation whose economic success often obscures, to Westerners, one of Asia’s most sophisticated and venerable cultures.

Incheon, famous as the site for MacArthur’s strategic landing during the Korean War, provides Korea one of the few ports along the Yellow Sea. Off the coast are numerous islands, some still uninhabited. Many people who live in Inchon make the arduous trek to Seoul each day, and Seoulites flock here on the weekends to enjoy fresh fish and visit the islands. Inchon has been the major port serving Seoul since the early days of the Chosen Dynasty. Seoul became Korea’s capital city in 1394 at the beginning of the Choson Dynasty (1392-1910). Currently home to 10.1 million people, it is the financial, political, commercial, recreational, educational, and cultural center of the Republican nation. Seoul is a blend of the old and new, where skyscrapers tower above the graceful architecture of ancient gates, palaces, and temples, thus reflecting the legacy of its previous era.

Incheon, famous as the site for MacArthur’s strategic landing during the Korean War, provides Korea one of the few ports along the Yellow Sea. Off the coast are numerous islands, some still uninhabited. Many people who live in Inchon make the arduous trek to Seoul each day, and Seoulites flock here on the weekends to enjoy fresh fish and visit the islands. Inchon has been the major port serving Seoul since the early days of the Chosen Dynasty. Seoul became Korea’s capital city in 1394 at the beginning of the Choson Dynasty (1392-1910). Currently home to 10.1 million people, it is the financial, political, commercial, recreational, educational, and cultural center of the Republican nation. Seoul is a blend of the old and new, where skyscrapers tower above the graceful architecture of ancient gates, palaces, and temples, thus reflecting the legacy of its previous era.

“Paris of China” and “Pearl of the Orient,” the vibrant city of Shanghai is a shining symbol of the economic emergence of the world’s largest nation. A comfortable jumble of old and new, it is a city in seemingly unstoppable transition. Like the rest of China, Shanghai is undergoing one of the fastest economic expansions the world has ever seen, yet has striven to retain its historical roots. Today’s Shanghai is a montage of stunning architecture, mixed with noble reminders of long-gone eras. Shanghai, as you soon discover, has many faces.

“Paris of China” and “Pearl of the Orient,” the vibrant city of Shanghai is a shining symbol of the economic emergence of the world’s largest nation. A comfortable jumble of old and new, it is a city in seemingly unstoppable transition. Like the rest of China, Shanghai is undergoing one of the fastest economic expansions the world has ever seen, yet has striven to retain its historical roots. Today’s Shanghai is a montage of stunning architecture, mixed with noble reminders of long-gone eras. Shanghai, as you soon discover, has many faces.

Miyako Island is 300 km south of Okinawa island, and is famous for its beaches, said to be Japan’s most beautiful. Maehama beach is for swimmers, while Yoshino has great coral reefs for snorkelers and the white-sand Sunayama has dramatic rock formations. Cape Higashi-Hennazaki is a long, narrow cape with the picturesque lighthouse at the end. The city’s Botanical Garden boasts over 1600 tropical varieties. Nakasone Tuyumya was an important leader of Miyako and the Okinawan people in the 16th century. Near the port in Hirara is memorial to him and his descendants, a designated national cultural asset. At the island’s north end, the graceful Ikema Ohashi bridge leads to the small Ikema Island.

Located on the Pacific coast of Taiwan island, where the Hualien River enters the sea, Hualien is a gateway to the island’s most spectacular natural splendors. It was here that Portuguese sailors in the 16th century caught a first glimpse of the grandeur and named the island Formosa. For a first visit nothing could beat a tour to the Taroko National Park, a swathe of mountain peaks, deep-cut canyons, rivers and waterfalls that is simply breathtaking. The rivers here have carved deep gorges into the marble cliffs, and attractions such as the Tunnel of Nine Turns make it even more dramatic. This path leads through marble-walled tunnels, interrupted by natural windows that let the light stream down from above, culminating in a rushing waterfall.

Keelung is the second largest port in Taiwan, and a booming trade industry has turned it into a very prosperous city and international seaport. However, the main reason for calling here is to travel inland to visit the contemporary metropolis of Taipei. Not long ago, the scenic valley of the Tanshui River was home to rice and vegetable farmers, but today it is the site of Taiwans bustling center of culture, commerce and government.

Hong Kong is divided into four sections: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories, and the numerous outlying islands. One hundred sixty-four square miles of dense real estate dominate Hong Kong Island, including enormous skyscrapers with futuristic architecture, opulent hotels, residential compounds on Victoria Peak, and some of the oldest Chinese communities in the region. All these elements create one of the most exotic and exciting ports of call in the world; one that is universally loved by tourists and its own enterprising citizens.