Sydney to Hong Kong

Sydney, capital of New South Wales and one of Australia’s largest cities, is best known for its harbourfront Sydney Opera House, with a distinctive sail-like design. Massive Darling Harbour and the smaller Circular Quay port are hubs of waterside life, with the arched Harbour Bridge and esteemed Royal Botanic Garden nearby. Sydney Tower’s outdoor platform, the Skywalk, offers 360-degree views of the city and suburbs.

Sydney, capital of New South Wales and one of Australia’s largest cities, is best known for its harbourfront Sydney Opera House, with a distinctive sail-like design. Massive Darling Harbour and the smaller Circular Quay port are hubs of waterside life, with the arched Harbour Bridge and esteemed Royal Botanic Garden nearby. Sydney Tower’s outdoor platform, the Skywalk, offers 360-degree views of the city and suburbs.

Brisbane, capital of Queensland, is a large city on the Brisbane River. Clustered in its South Bank cultural precinct are the Queensland Museum and Sciencentre, with noted interactive exhibitions. Another South Bank cultural institution is Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, among Australia’s major contemporary art museums. Looming over the city is Mt. Coot-tha, site of Brisbane Botanic Gardens.

In Cairns, breathtaking dives along the reef await us, while, for the more adventurous, you can try out the cage to see great white sharks up close. Enjoy a stop at the port of Cairns to discover the magic atmosphere of one of the sunniest beaches in the Northern State of Queensland, Australia. During this stop you can admire the great barrier reef, one of the world’s most fascinating coral agglomerates, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981. You can also visit the Cairns botanical garden where you can enjoy truly idyllic scenery.

Rabaul is an important City of Papua New Guinea, the last of a string of islands, extending from Southeast Asia to the Pacific.
During the cruise, you’ll discover a wild land, unspoilt, varied and almost unknown. Papua New Guinea is located south of the Equator and North of Australia.

A land beloved especially by naturalists and explorers who can have fun with almost 9,000 plant species of rainforests and over 250 species of mammals.

Rabaul was the capital of the Province of West New Britain until 1994, when it was destroyed by an eruption of Tavurvur volcano.

It previously served as the headquarters of the German New Guinea until its conquest by the Commonwealth of countries during World War I, when it became the capital of the Australian protectorate territory of New Guinea. On 23 January 1942 the city was conquered by Japan and became the most important base for Japanese military operations in Oceania.

Tokyo, Japan’s busy capital, mixes the ultramodern and the traditional, from neon-lit skyscrapers to historic temples. The opulent Meiji Shinto Shrine is known for its towering gate and surrounding woods. The Imperial Palace sits amid large public gardens. The city’s many museums offer exhibits ranging from classical art (in the Tokyo National Museum) to a reconstructed kabuki theater (in the Edo-Tokyo Museum).

Tokyo, Japan’s busy capital, mixes the ultramodern and the traditional, from neon-lit skyscrapers to historic temples. The opulent Meiji Shinto Shrine is known for its towering gate and surrounding woods. The Imperial Palace sits amid large public gardens. The city’s many museums offer exhibits ranging from classical art (in the Tokyo National Museum) to a reconstructed kabuki theater (in the Edo-Tokyo Museum).

Kobe is a city on Osaka Bay in central Japan. It is known for its signature marbled beef and scenic setting of mountains framing the harbor. The Ikuta Shrine, dating to the 3rd century, is among Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines. Antique cable cars connect Kobe to Mt. Rokko, which offers panoramic views over the port. Beyond the Mount Rokko hills are the outdoor hot springs of Arima Onsen.

Nagasaki is the capital of the prefecture of the same name, situated on the island of Kyushu, the third largest island of the Japanese archipelago. The narrow strait of Shimonoseki separates it from Honshu. Kyushu is shaped like an irregular rectangle and features various areas of high ground reaching nearly 1800 meters including Mount Aso, the volcano.
The island’s climate is characterized by abundant precipitation which encourages the growth of subtropical vegetation. The city of Nagasaki is in the middle of a long bay, the island’s best natural port. The residential and commercial area of the city has been built on a small level area, whereas the metropolis of nearly half a million inhabitants extends along two main river valleys, divided by a rocky spur.

The port of Busan, also known as Pusan, is the largest in the country, as well as our dock in South Korea. Seomyeon is the hub of Busan, with a large shopping area. Here there are also local offices of major Korean and international banks, but it is also the entertainment district with cafes, bars and restaurants. Nearby, there is also the market of Bujeon, the largest in the city with things never before seen in the West. Mt. Geumjeongsan offers the ability to scale its heights and visit the Beomeosa temple, associated with Korean Buddhism. Busan attracts tourists with its beautiful beaches, such as Haeundae Beach, its many luxury hotels, and Gwangalli Beach, famous for its bars and restaurants. Finally Taejongdae, located on the Island of Yeongdo, is a natural park with a cliff overlooking the sea.

To the northeast of the island is a contained yet very active urban centre, that will captivate you for the variety of the landscapes that surround it. To the northeast of the island is a contained yet very active urban centre, that will captivate you for the variety of the landscapes that surround it.

Hong Kong is a “Special Administrative Region of China”. It comprises the island of the same name, 259 other islands in the South China Sea, as well as areas of the mainland around the Kowloon Peninsula and in the so-called “New Territories”. Although it was occupied by Chinese settlers as early as the 2nd millennium B.C., the region remained untouched by Chinese imperialism up until the 17th century when it was the setting for a conflict between the Ming and the Manchu dynasties. However it only acquired international interest in the 19th century with the Portuguese being the first Europeans to develop colonies and trade here, silk and tea being the most sought-after goods in Europe