Alaska & Japan Cruise: Ketchikan, Hubbard Glacier & Miyako

Snow-capped mountains peak out from behind tall glass skyscrapers on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Nestled somewhere between eastern culture and western tradition, Vancouver is a study in nature and urbanity coexisting peacefully.

A drizzly little city bordered by the Tongass National Forest, Ketchikan was once a native fishing village that has evolved and grown through its years in the logging and salmon canning industries. Surrounded by lakes, rivers, and streams, the “Salmon Capital of the World” is an angler’s paradise. Cast a line on your own, or hop on a charter to reel in salmon, halibut, red snapper, even trout. Keep an eye out for Ketchikan’s other marine residents, which include orca and humpback whales, sea lions, seals, otters, and porpoises. Zipline between cedars over a lush forest of Sitka spruce, hike Married Man’s Trail to surrounding waterfalls, kayak the twist of waterways along the Misty Fjords, or board a seaplane for a bird’s eye view of it all.

Located on Chichagof Island, Icy Strait Point is built on the site of the former Hoonah Packing Company salmon cannery. The facilities restored outbuildings now house a variety of restaurants, a museum, and local arts and crafts shops. More than just a tourist destination, the port is a cultural hub for the original inhabitants of the area—the Huna people. In addition to modern amenities, you can enjoy a variety of activities indigenous to the area including native dance performances, brown bear viewings, and whale watching.

Once a location for Russian fur traders and the site of the Dalton Toll during the Klondike Rush, Haines has long been a traditional stopping place for those on their way to Alaska’s interior or to Canada’s Yukon. With its rugged mountain vistas and seascapes, Haines offers plenty of adventure for outdoor enthusiasts. Hiking, biking, and kayaking are just a few ways you can explore this glacial paradise. For the ultimate experience, grab a snow machine, boat tour, seaplane, or even try heli-skiing and bring your inner adventurer even closer to Haines’s rugged landscape. Also known as the “Valley of the Eagles,” Haines is a birder’s paradise. With nearly 400 bald eagles calling the region home and 260 different species of birds visiting the Chilkat Valley at any given time, you can rest assured you’ve never seen variety like this in the wild.

Experience the breathtaking expanse and beauty of the Hubbard Glacier. Named after National Geographic’s first society president, Gardiner Hubbard, this frosty-blue glacier is a sight, unlike anything you’ve ever seen. While many of the world’s glaciers are retreating, the 8-mile-wide Hubbard Glacier continues to “gallop” across the Russell Fjord, at times temporarily damning its passage. The longest ice river in North America, this 76-mile stretch of glacier water begins at Mount Logan in Canada’s Yukon and meanders its way through Alaska to the Russell Fjord Wilderness. Witness this awe-inspiring phenomenon from onboard as you cruise through the misty, chilled air of the Gulf of Alaska. See whales, harbor seals, and otters hunting as your ship turns from Yakutat Bay into the narrow Disenchantment Bay to come face-to-face with the towering Hubbard Glacier.

Seward is one of Alaska’s oldest communities. Lying at the foot of Mount Marathon on Resurrection Bay, this scenic city offers unlimited ways to explore its natural splendor. Founded in the early 20th century as settlers plotted the construction of the northbound rail line, Seward’s ice-free port and crowning Harding Icefield quickly established the city as an important shipping terminal on the Kenai Peninsula and the southern terminus of the Iditarod National Historic trail. Temperate rainforest climate and active glaciers combine to offer countless tidewaters, marine-rich waters, lush forest trails, and a variety of wildlife.

Referred to by locals as the Emerald Isle for its rolling green mountains, Kodiak is a verdant paradise. Nearly leveled by the Good Friday Earthquake, today Kodiak has fully recovered as one of the top fishing ports in the US for salmon, halibut, crab, and more. Originally inhabited by the Alutiiq natives, Kodiak has been both a site for Russian fur trading and a naval base during World Word II. Remnants of each of these influences can still be seen today as you walk the streets of Kodiak. From the blue cupolas of the Holy Resurrection Orthodox Cathedral to the Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park, Kodiak is a history buff’s dream. Step into the Alutiiq Museum and Archeological Repository to explore the largest collection of Alutiiq artifacts in the state, or stroll along the docks at St. Paul Boat Harbor and explore the Kodiak Maritime Museum.

Nestled between the Pacific Ocean to the South and the Bering Sea to the North, Dutch Harbor’s position between Alaska’s mainland and Russia has endowed the port with a unique heritage and history as the only American port besides Pearl Harbor to be bombed during World War II. Today Dutch Harbor is one of the richest fishing ports in the US, bringing in huge harvests of pollock, cod, and most famously, Alaskan king crab, as documented on the hit series Deadliest Catch. The vast marine life of this area attracts more than 40 million seabirds to the region, making Dutch Harbor a birder’s paradise. Bald eagles, short-tailed albatross, and horned puffins—all share the bounty of these waters with sea lions, sea otters, harbor porpoises, and humpback whales. Take a charter boat to see these majestic creatures for yourself, or take to the water in a sea-kayak for an up-close look.

It’s hard to imagine Tokyo as a tiny fishing village named Edo. Tokyo is now the largest metropolitan area in the world, an exciting city with a seemingly unlimited choice of shopping, restaurants, museums, temples, and gardens to visit.