TOURS & CRUISES

CHINA

Beijing, Shanghai, Yangtze Gorges and more on an 18-day odyssey

Stroll along the Great Wall of China, stand face to face with the mighty terra-cotta army of Xi’an, then drift by the natural wonders of the Yangtze Gorges on 18-day tours to China.

The tours, which will depart March 29 and Oct. 8, are being led by historian Bob Feldman, who will focus on the changing face of China in lectures and discussions during the trips.

One highlight of the trip will be a five-day Yangtze River cruise from Wuhan in central China to Chongqing in southwest China.

“This year the Three Gorges dam will be completed,” Feldman said. “Over the next few years water will gradually fill behind the dam and into the gorges.” Feldman is a professor emeritus at Cal State Fullerton.

The tours also will visit Beijing, Guilin, Suzhou and Shanghai.

Cost: $4,250 per person for the March tour and $4,350 for the October trip, including round-trip air fare from LAX, three flights and other transportation within China, accommodations, all meals, tours, entrance fees, three theater performances and taxes.

Contact: Laguna beach-based East-West International Tours; (800) 359-6719, www.east west-tours.com.

CARIBBEAN

A week’s cruise that’s music to passengers’ ears

MAKE music in the Caribbean with Grammy award winner Delbert McClinton and a group of other recording artists who will set sail on Jan. 11 for a weeklong cruise aboard the 1,266-passenger Veendam.

McClinton, whose latest album, “Room to Breathe,” topped Billboard’s blues albums chart, has won two Grammy awards. Joining McClinton on this year’s cruise -- it is an annual event called “The Delbert McClinton Sandy Beaches Cruise” -- will be Del McCoury, Bonnie Bramlett, the Derailers, Marcia Ball, Tommy Castro and Wayne Toups & Zydecajun.

The Holland America cruise will depart Tampa, Fla., and visit the Cayman Islands; Guatemala; and Cozumel, Mexico. On the ship there will be concerts, jam sessions and songwriter shows daily.

Cost: from $1,895 per person, double occupancy.

Contact: Delbert McClinton Sandy Beaches Cruise; (800) DELBERT (335-2378), www.delbert.com.

CALIFORNIA

Fine dining, Napa vintages and Yosemite’s beauty

EAT, drink and be merry on a six-day rail tour that includes wine tasting in the Napa Valley and a chefs’ banquet at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park.

The tour, which departs from Los Angeles on Jan. 31 aboard Amtrak’s Coast Starlight, takes advantage of an annual chefs’ holiday and seminar held at the Ahwahnee.

Travelers spend three nights at the Ahwahnee or Yosemite Lodge. The itinerary includes rail travel to the Bay Area, an overnight stay in Oakland, travel by bus to the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, winery visits, dinner aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train and an overnight stay in Napa. From there, tour members take Amtrak and a bus to reach Yosemite.

Cost: $1,199 per person, double occupancy, for accommodations at the Ahwahnee Hotel; $799 per person for accommodations at Yosemite Lodge. Included are transportation, accommodations, several meals and sightseeing.

Contact: Farr Discovery Rail Tours, of Laguna Hills; (800) 225-8728, www.farrrailtours.com.

MYANMAR

Temples, towns and festivals in Southeast Asia

Cruise to Mandalay aboard a colonial-era steamship during 13-day tours that visit popular sites in Myanmar (formerly Burma).

The tours, which depart Feb. 6 , Oct. 2 and Oct. 30, visit pagodas and temples, villages and market towns. During the Oct. 2 trip, travelers will see the PhaungDaw Oo Festival, a procession across Inle Lake that draws thousands of celebrators. In November, travelers will see hot-air balloon competitions.

Cost: $2,250 per person, double occupancy, including accommodations, 11 breakfasts, six lunches, three dinners, English-speaking guides, transfers, sightseeing, entrance fees, hotel and service charges. Round-trip air fare from Los Angeles is an additional $1,180.

Contact: Northridge-based Asian Pacific Adventures; (800) 825-1680, www.asianpacificadventures.com.

NEVADA

Are you young enough for this New Year’s party?

Party hearty in Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve on a tour for younger travelers.

Contiki Holidays, which specializes in vacations for 18- to 35-year-olds, has designed a four-day trip that includes bus transportation, lodgings and a tour of the city’s highlights.

Cost: $356 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip transportation from the Anaheim Ramada Inn, 1331 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim.

Contact: Contiki Holidays; (888) 266-8454, www.contiki.com.

*

The Times is not responsible for changes in prices, dates or itineraries. These should be confirmed with travel agents, cruise lines or tour operators.