In China it may be a languid cruise down the Yangtze River, gaining access to one of the many Chinese Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist temples that dot the landscape, or touring the Forbidden City in Beijing. And of course there's always The Great Wall of China. South Korea treasures are equally worth the effort, including Mount Songnisan, home of Korea's tallest Buddha, or Mount Soraksan, which boasts stunning views of both mountain and sea. When traveling in Japan the smaller islands off the mainland proffer excellent scuba diving, snorkeling, and surfing, a decidedly different option to the bustling modernity of Tokyo. North-East Asia is many different and contrasting things. The region is dominated by two giants: The economic superpower Japan and the more and more influential world power of China. While the countries of North-East Asia now show some diversity, their cultures all draw from the Chinese. Traditional scripts of the Korean and Japanese languages are, in fact, borrowed from Chinese. The further West you travel, the lesser the influence of the Chinese is seen, with the Mongolians and the ethnic minorities in China, whose languages are more like those of Central Asia and the Indian sub-continent. Japan has kept an interesting mix between old traditions and new customs. Some people avoid Japan, assuming it is not interesting enough. The only reason we can imagine for not going there, is the high cost of living (and travel). But if your budget permits you should not give this extraordinary place a miss. Most people enter Japan by taking a plane to Tokyo or Osaka. Among the long list of highlights are, for example, the Forbidden City in Beijing, the stone warriors of Xian, the mountains of Guilin and the interesting ethnic mix of Yunnan Province. Something completely different is the commercial centre of China, Shanghai. It is hardly necessary to mention that Tibet is a great place to visit, too (especially in March). Visitors should be aware of the difficult political situation there. Do, however, consider, that China is a vast country, and a lot of ground has to be covered. Being now part of mainland China Hong Kong and Macau are still great places to visit. Hong Kong is still an economic power centre in North-East Asia. Just an hour away by jetfoil is Macau, the oldest former European settlement in the East and a relaxing contrast to busy Hong Kong Taiwan is situated about 160 kilometers off the southeastern coast of the Chinese mainland. Taiwan's relationship with mainland China has been complicated for many decades. The same is true for he economic strong South Korea and the rather isolated North Korea. There are hardly any accurate information on travelling available in North Korea. In recent months the ice between the hostile brothers is melting slowly. The main international gateways to East Asia are Tokyo (Japan), Hong Kong (China) and Seoul (South Korea). Transferring through mainland China, though increasingly an option in terms of flights, is painful and time-consuming (you may also require visas) and best avoided. If arriving from Europe, transiting via Bangkok and Singapore in South-East Asia may prove cheaper than a direct flight. Tea is the quintessential East Asian drink. Generally, green (unfermented) varieties are preferred over Western-style black tea, but the varieties available cover the entire color and taste spectrum. Rice is an East Asian staple, although in much of northern China wheat predominates .