Gay travel and cruise to China mainland is just weeks away! Last year, Atlantis Cruises set sail on the first all-gay cruise from Hong Kong to Singapore with a sold-out ship, the Azamara Quest.

Atlantis will set sail on the five-star Azamara Quest from Shanghai, home to Expo 2010, on March 20, 2010. The 10-day cruise will make stops in Busan, South Korea; Hiroshima, Osaka, and Kagoshima, Japan; Taipei, Taiwan; and Hong Kong. With an overnight in Osaka, guests can visit Kyoto, home to thousands of temples, gardens, palaces and even cherry blossoms. There’s also a long stay in Taipei, Taiwan’s largest city with even more ancient temples as well as the country’s tallest skyscrapers and surprisingly incredible gay-friendly nightlife. – There are still a few rooms left – although I am not sure you could secure traveling documents in time…

Expo 2010 is happening May – October and is expected to bring 70 million people to Shanghai! World Expo 2010 Shanghai China is the occasion for China to bring the world at home, and for the world to feel at home in China. By dedicating a 5.28-square-kilometer area at the core of the city to exhibitions, events and forums on the Expo theme, “Better City, Better Life,” Shanghai hopes to build a powerful and lasting pilot example of sustainable and harmonious urban living.

There is so much to see and do in Asia. Utopia Asia is a great resource for gay and lesbian travelers in Asia.

Utopia was founded in 1994, by Singaporean, American, and Thai partners, with the goal of creating positive social alternatives for gays and lesbians in the Asian region.

Utopia opened Southeast Asia’s first gay and lesbian center, located in Bangkok, featuring a gay gift and book shop, café, mixed gay/lesbian pub, and guesthouse. The center went on to host author readings, women’s workshops, AIDS/HIV education and fundraising, and Bangkok’s first International Lesbian and Gay Film/Video Festival: Hearts of Light.