24 October - At sea

25 October to 26 October

China: Shanghai

Booming Shanghai has long been China’s most outward-looking, cosmopolitan city, as evidenced by the fascinating mixture of European and Asian architecture. The Bund, a riverfront promenade flanked by grand colonial era buildings, is the city's most famous thoroughfare, while the Pudong financial district lights up the city skyline at night with its futuristic towers.

27 October - At sea

28 October

Japan: Naha

Naha is the capital of Okinawa prefecture, a subtropical region of southern Japan with its own distinct culture. The city is a bustling commercial centre despite being flattened during the Second World War, and the architectural highlight is the elegant Shuri Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

29 October

Japan: Motobu (Okinawa)

Motobu is situated in the north of Okinawa island, in an area with some lovely beaches. The town is home to the impressive Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, where you can see whale sharks, bull sharks, manta rays and numerous species of tropical and deep-water fish.

30 October

Japan: Miyako

31 October

Taiwan: Keelung (Taipei)

Keelung is a fairly unremarkable port city close to Taipei, Taiwan’s capital. Taipei draws on an interesting mix of Chinese, Japanese and Western influences, and is home to attractive temples, a burgeoning street food scene and Taipei 101, which was the world's tallest building until it was eclipsed by Dubai's Burj Khalifa in 2010.

1 November

Taiwan: Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung is Taiwan’s second largest city and one of the world’s largest container ports, situated on the south west coast of the island. Formerly a rather grim industrial centre, the city has been transformed in recent years, with new parks, cafés, galleries and museums popping up all over the place.

2 November

Philippines: Batanes

3 November

: Claveria/Aparri

4 November

Philippines: Hundred Islands

There are actually 123 islands in the Hundred Islands National Park, ranging from mushroom-shaped limestone outcrops to larger islands fringed with sandy beaches. Native wildlife includes macaques, dolphins, dugongs, turtles and giant clams, and there are some excellent snorkelling spots.

5 November

Arriving in Manila

Manila is a sprawling, chaotic conglomeration of soaring skyscrapers, faded colonial facades and ramshackle slums, and it’s certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. But if you have the stamina and an inquisitive nature, there is plenty to be enjoyed in the Philippines’ boisterous capital.