A unique and inviting aspect of travel in Southeast Alaska is that no roads connect most of the communities. People are forced to get out of their speeding cars and ride on boats, where they can meet their fellow travelers and see what's passing by -- slowly. The islands of the region form a protected waterway called the Inside Passage, along which almost all of the region's towns are arrayed. Thanks to the Alaska Marine Highway ferry system, it's not too expensive to travel the entire passage, hopping from town to town and spending as much time in each place as you like. And if you're short on time, air service is frequent, with jets to the major towns and commuter planes to the villages.
