Taipei, Shanghai and Shenzhen towards Korea and Japan, it is the destinations in China which are reopening to cruises. MSC will be the first company to return to pristine oases and UNESCO heritage sites. Seven different itineraries, from April to October 2024, with a latest generation ship, Bellissima, with low environmental impact.
After Covid, MSC cruises return to China
We return to the foot of the Great Wall, after the long shutdown of the destination imposed by the Covid pandemic. MSC Cruises will be the first company to offer itineraries with MSC Bellissima, with homeport Keelung (Taipei), ShanghaiAnd Shenzhen until summer 2024, for routes to South Korea and Japan. The three, five, six, seven or eleven night itineraries will offer the traveler unique experiences, including breathtaking landscapes and excursions to discover oriental cultural heritage.
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China, South Korea and Japan: we board in Shanghai
We are leaving Shanghai in August, for a 5-day itinerary between China, South Korea and Japan. The skyline of East Asia's main shopping center is now iconic: more than a thousand skyscrapers, luxury shopping malls and dream hotels. A mountain excursion is a must Bund, with them colonial buildings on the west bank of Huangpu River.
We continue sailing towards Gangjeong on the island of Jeju Islandthe largest island in South KoreaUNESCO World Heritage Site, then MSC Bellissima will reach Fukuokain Japan, considered one of the best places in the world to live.
A happy city, where you can find countless yatai, street food stands along the roads, where you can enjoy typical ramen and gyoza, while sipping beer and Japanese sake. And then temples, sanctuaries, streets to get lost among the artisan shops.
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Last stop one Kagoshimaa gulf with a Mediterranean climate and an active volcano, that of Sakurajimawhich earns it comparison with Naples, with which it is twinned.
Cruise from Keelung to the Rising Sun Islands
One of the routes, a long one 6 days, will leave Japan in June, precisely from Yokohama, on the border with Tokyo, the second largest in the country in terms of number of inhabitants. A lively city, full of attractions.
The next stop will be on the island of Okinawa, the fifth largest island of the Rising Sun: mild and tropical climate, endless beaches and splendid coral reefs. We continue towards Ishigaki, snorkeling paradise, where you can admire the rare blue coral of Shiraho Reef in Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park.
The route will stop at Keelung, not far from Taipei, the crossroads of Japanese and Chinese cultures, where ancient and modern alternate in a play of shapes, styles and colors, and characterize the views. One of the symbols of the metropolis is the Taipei Tower 101, so called because there are 101 floors. Built in 2004, it is shaped like a bamboo and, at 509 meters high, it was the tallest building in the world at the time.
From Shenzen, between art and design, to the UNESCO heritage sites of Okinawa
The third Chinese city at the center of MSC Cruises' summer program is Shenzhen, in Guangdong province, not far from Hong Kong. There are many places of interest and attractions to discover: theOCT Loft Creative Cultural Parkis a temple of art: photography, painting, animation, installations and exhibitions in one place, where you can also go shopping for design objects and works of art.
The itinerary from to Shenzen lasts 5 days with a departure in July, heading to the Japanese port of Naha/Okinawa, on the Okinawa Islands, belonging to the archipelago of Ryukyuwhere you can visit the medieval residence of the Ryūkyū dynasty, center of government and religious seat, one of Okinawa's nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Shikinaen Gardena place of peace and contemplation (super photographed, editor's note) with the typical wooden buildings with red tile roofs, which are reflected in a pond surrounded by flowers.
SEE ALSO: What to see in Kyoto: from the most beautiful temples to the Imperial Palace, via the city of Nara
Second stop on Miyako Islandsaway from the bustling shopping streets and glittering nightlife, for a dip in the sea in absolute silence.
MSC Bellissima, the ship that loves the environment
The return itineraries of the China cruises, to South Korea and Japan, will be aboard MSC Bellissima, one of the most modern and environmentally friendly ships in the company's fleet.
Like MSC Splendida, the ship is equipped with the technology to take advantage of shore power, allowing theengine stop when docked in port, thereby reducing emissions, a commitment made by MSC Cruises in protecting the environment and creating a a sustainable future for cruises.
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