Taking the boat to China, slow or otherwise, is next to impossible these days, unless you go by freighter. But inside the world's most populous nation, it's a cinch, especially when you're on a tour such as the one now being offered by Pacific Delight. Their 12- to 19-day trips work out at about $131 to $138 a day--including air!
The cost of the Yangtze River "SuperValue" packages range from $1,660 to $3,060 per person sharing a double room. Packages depart from November 2002 through April 2003, and all feature three to five nights on the river.
Among the highlights of the trip are the must-see places: the Yangtze River cruises through the Three Gorges (soon to be hidden from rising waters as the Great Dam is finished), Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs nearby, Shanghai's magnificent Museum, the Jade Buddha Temple and a performance at the Children's Palace by some of the world's cutest (and most talented) kids and ancient Xian with its terra cotta warriors.
Furthermore, you visit Chongqing and the Stillwell Museum there (remember the legend of the Flying Tigers?) and have the option to spend four days in Hong Kong (though this is included in the 19-day package, anyhow). All packages include roundtrip transpacific air from Los Angeles or San Francisco, lodging at deluxe or superior first-class hotels with private bath, outside cabins aboard a Victoria Cruise ship or Changjiang Cruise ship on the river, all land and air transport within China, sightseeing and entertainment, three meals daily (in Hong Kong, only breakfast daily), services of a professional bilingual tour escort and/or local guides, transfers, baggage handling, hotel taxes/service charges, and insurance. Add-on fares from dozens of North American gateways range up to $200.
All tours include three nights in Beijing, two in Shanghai and one or two in Xian. The 12-day packages range in price from $1,660 to $1,890. The three different 13-day tours, with four or five nights on the river, costs from $1,710 to $2,320. The 19-day package, which includes a Li River day cruise and tour of the Fu Bo Hill dramatic rock formations in Guilin, five nights on the river, and tours in Guangzhou, is priced from $2,570 to $3,060.
For more information or to book, contact your travel agent or Pacific Delight at 800/221-7179 or 212/818-1781, fax on demand 877/738-2742, Web site www.pacificdelighttours.com.