North Pacific Passage

Tokyo, located on the eastern side of the main island of Honshu, is the core of the most populated area in the world (urban area 38M). The small fishing village of Edo was fortified in 1457 with Edo Castle (The Imperial Palace now stands at this location) and became one of the largest cities in the world by the 18th C. Its stringent policy of seclusion ended in 1854 and opened Japan to outside trade. In 1869, the 17-year-old Emperor Meiji moved to Edo, and the city was renamed Tokyo (meaning Eastern Capital). Read more about Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo, located on the eastern side of the main island of Honshu, is the core of the most populated area in the world (urban area 38M). The small fishing village of Edo was fortified in 1457 with Edo Castle (The Imperial Palace now stands at this location) and became one of the largest cities in the world by the 18th C. Its stringent policy of seclusion ended in 1854 and opened Japan to outside trade. In 1869, the 17-year-old Emperor Meiji moved to Edo, and the city was renamed Tokyo (meaning Eastern Capital). Read more about Tokyo, Japan

Otaru is a small city and port on the island of Hokkaido, Japan, NW of the larger city of Sapporo. It faces on the west the Sea of Japan and mainland China. The original inhabitants were indigenous Ainu people. Otaru is for many a commuter town for Sapporo. Read more about Otaru, Japan

Otaru is a small city and port on the island of Hokkaido, Japan, NW of the larger city of Sapporo. It faces on the west the Sea of Japan and mainland China. The original inhabitants were indigenous Ainu people. Otaru is for many a commuter town for Sapporo. Read more about Otaru, Japan

Read more about Okhotsk, Russian Federation

Petropavlovsk is the main city and the main administrative, industrial, and cultural centre of the Kamchatka peninsula. Arriving on a fine day presents visitors with spectacular views of a massive harbour, four active volcanoes, and one of the oldest towns in the Russian Far East. Petropavlovsk is still home to a Russian submarine base. Weather and time permitting, it is well worth taking a helicopter flight that targets the Valley of the Geysers, the second biggest collection of geothermal features after Yellowstone. Read more about Petropavlovsk, Russian Federation

Petropavlovsk is the main city and the main administrative, industrial, and cultural centre of the Kamchatka peninsula. Arriving on a fine day presents visitors with spectacular views of a massive harbour, four active volcanoes, and one of the oldest towns in the Russian Far East. Petropavlovsk is still home to a Russian submarine base. Weather and time permitting, it is well worth taking a helicopter flight that targets the Valley of the Geysers, the second biggest collection of geothermal features after Yellowstone. Read more about Petropavlovsk, Russian Federation

Actually the peaks of a submarine mountain range, the Aleutian Islands, part of the U.S. state of Alaska, are now part of the National Wildlife Refuge. They were set aside in 1980 as a 3.3-million-acre unit of the 4.9-million-acre Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. This chain of 14 large volcanic islands and 55 smaller ones belong to both the United States and Russia. Read more about Aleutian Islands, USA

The City of Kodiak is situated on the second largest island in the United States, SW of Anchorage in the Gulf of Alaska. Kodiak Island is famous for huge Kodiak brown bears, elk, Sitka deer (black tail), and mountain goats, all of which invite tourists to the Kodiak Archipelago. The magnificent green that the island turns during the summer is why Kodiak is affectionately called Alaska's Emerald Isle. The biggest attraction on Kodiak Island when it comes to wildlife would have to be the huge Kodiak grizzly bears that call the island home. Read more about Kodiak, USA

Seward is the most often used cruise ship port for Anchorage, Alaska. (Whittier is used by Princess Cruises.) It lies at the head of a fjord that enters the Gulf of Alaska in the North Pacific Ocean. Seward is a two to four hour trip by car, bus or train from Anchorage. Ice-free the year round, Seward was a natural choice as the ocean terminal and supply centre during the construction of the Alaska Railroad that links Seward and Whittier passing through Anchorage to Fairbanks 760 km north. Read more about Anchorage (Seward), USA

Valdez is an important ice-free port (pop. 4000) in Alaska, at the head of a fjord 24 km from its mouth at Prince William Sound. It was at the mouth of the sound that Exxon Valdez hit Bligh Reef and spilled 40-120 thousand tonnes of oi in 1989. The port developed as a gold rush town after it was connected by road to Fairbanks in 1899. Read more about Valdez, USA

Glacier Bay, situated in the SE Alaska panhandle, USA, opens 90km west of Juneau. The Bay is 100 km long, with branches and 1000m mountains on each side, and at its headwaters is Mt Quincy Adams (4150m) on the Canadian border. The Bay was originally a large single glacier of solid ice until early in the 18th century. Since it started retreating, it has left about 50 glaciers in its trail and become the largest protected water area park in the world. Read more about Glacier Bay, USA

Sitka, the fourth largest city by population in Alaska, is nestled on the west side of Baranof Island, and is thought to be the most beautiful of SE Alaska cities. The flora and fauna of Sitka and its surrounding area are notable attractions. Residents and visitors alike enjoy fishing, hiking, wildlife viewing, and simply experiencing all this dynamic town has to offer. Sitka is one of the oldest and most culturally significant communities in Alaska. Read more about Sitka, USA

Alaska’s ‘first city’ Ketchikan is situated along the shores of Alaska's Inside Passage within the heart of the Tongass National Forest. Evergreen mountains rise out of the water, the lush green landscape nurtured by the abundant rainfall of the temperate rainforest environment. Visitors are presented with a remarkable array of activities and attractions that highlight the town's history, industry and culture, and bring them up close to resident wildlife. Ketchikan’s impressive variety of shops and galleries feature work by many of the island’s resident artists as well as an assortment of souvenir items and unique gifts that make shopping a ‘must-do’. Read more about Ketchikan, USA

Vancouver is a sophisticated coastal city located to the south of British Columbia, Canada. The city is linguistically and ethnically diverse as reflected in the fact that 52 percent of its inhabitants do not speak English as their first language. Ranked highly in worldwide ‘liveable city’ rankings for many years and being surrounded by nature’s scenery at its best, makes tourism its second largest industry. This beautiful city brims with attractions such as Vancouver's Olympic Village located on the SE side of False Creek, which offers stunning views of the city's downtown skyline and Coastal mountains. Read more about Vancouver, Canada