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W I N T E R I S S U E 2 6
magical ballet display, these were quite simply
the cultural icing on the cake for me. And
each evening I was also mesmerised by the
hauntingly beautiful sounds of the guqin
(a traditional seven-stringed Chinese
instrument), which was played in the
Explorers' Lounge and The Living Room.
For those interested in local history and
culture, there were fascinating daily lectures
in The Star Theatre, presented by the resident
historians. These lectures were hugely
relevant to the areas we were visiting,
bringing context and meaning to China's
history, the Chinese people's psyche and how
modern-day China has evolved, with
an understanding of China's politics too.
With my food writing hat on, I can't end
without mentioning the food on the Viking Yi
Dun. It was simply amazing, with an emphasis
on local destination dining. Chinese food was
offered alongside regular favourites in The
Restaurant, World Café and for room service,
with Manfredi's Italian Restaurant and The
Chef's Table retaining their Italian and
regional tasting menus, so something for
everyone. The Pool Grill menu had its usual
burgers and hotdogs, but with dan dan
noodles and Chinese skewers on offer, too.
Chinese breakfasts of Dim Sum in The
Restaurant were a must, as was the
opportunity to enjoy an authentic Chinese
Hot Pot on the Aquavit Terrace.
My Chinese coastal sailing was a voyage of
discovery, where I tasted, visited, and saw
things I'd never encountered before—even
after living in Colonial Hong Kong for over
12 years, this itinerary took to me to places I'd
only ever dreamed of—what a fabulous
10 days of cultural discovery.
GETTING THERE: The new 15-day
Coastal Jewels of China voyage, from
Beijing to Hong Kong (Shenzen) or in
reverse, offers several departures in
September and October 2025.
CHINA
Beijing
Tianjin
Qingdao
Dalian
Zhoushan
Dongtou
Pingtan
Xiamen
Hong Kong
(Shenzhen)
E as t
C h in a
S ea
Ye ll ow
S ea
S o u t h
C h in a
S ea
Shanghai
Guilin
MONGOLIA
–
C r ui s e
•• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••
M o to r C o ach
••
O ve r night in Po r t
VIEW
VOYAGE
Clockwise, from below: The
Viking Yi Dun in Shanghai;
traditional Chinese clothes;
Xianhu Botanical Garden,
Shenzhen
heart—one that took us into China's rural
heartland: An'xi Tieguanyin Tea Culture. As
we started to climb up the verdant
mountainous countryside, passing through
small towns and villages, suddenly I could see
the tea terraces; we were in Oolong tea
country. Taoist temples, with their ornate
decorative roofs, punctuated the landscape as
we climbed higher into China's tea-growing
area. Small villages clung to the sides of the
mountains, and I felt as if I could reach out
and touch the real China with my hand. This
was an excursion I'd been looking forward to,
a trip to a tea garden in An'xi, where I plucked
tea and explored China's tea culture through
food (with an included meal) and a traditional
"Kung Fu" tea ceremony.
It wasn't all about onshore excursions,
however, as there were several Chinese
cultural shows on board. From a Chinese
shadow puppet show with traditional folk
music in The Star Theatre, a spectacular
acrobatics show, with local acrobats, to a
