To See China, Get Off the Bus

Q. We're active travelers going to China and don't want to just sit on a bus. Any advice?

Nancy Reed, Luray, Va.

A. Trade in your bus ticket for a pair of sturdy shoes: China is made for walking. "In every city, you can do a hiking or walking tour," says Helen Yue, manager of China Custom Tours (800-865-6221, http://www.chinacustomtours.com/), which has offices in New York and New Jersey. "You get a much better sense of the city by walking around."

Beijing has numerous foot tours; Yue, for example, recommends the Hutong tour, which takes travelers through ancient alleys as well as to a school, to a local family's home for tea or a meal, and on a pedicab ride. For a day trip from Beijing, hike many miles atop a portion of the Great Wall. (You'll need to hire a car or take a bus to reach the wall, so ask your hotel about arranging a ride.) Shanghai, known as the Paris of the East, is also a pedestrian-friendly city, especially on the waterfront. The Bund has 50-odd buildings displaying myriad architectural styles, a riverfront park, restaurants and other attractions. Boats cruising the Huangpu River day and night depart from here.

To explore the countryside, travel south. Guangxi Province's Guilin, two hours by plane from Beijing, is surrounded by villages set amid green mountains and rice paddies. Activities include treks through bamboo and conifer stands; cave adventures, such as Reed Flute Cave; and Li River cruises that pass by water buffalo. To the west, Yunnan Province borders Burma and is populated by minority tribes. Outings include hiking the Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the world's deepest, and visiting the ethnic communities and experiencing their customs and costumes.

North of Yunnan in Sichuan Province is the large city of Chengdu and the Wolong Reserve, a conservation center for giant pandas. Find more nature, plus Tibetan culture, in Sichuan's Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area, a hike-friendly sweep of land with sky-blue lakes, waterfalls and snowy peaks.

For excursions that require transportation, avoid the bus mobs and hire a private car or van. It'll be more expensive, but you'll have greater flexibility. The China National Tourist Office (888-760-8218, http://www.cnto.org/) has a list of tour operators as well as other travel ideas.

I'm taking two of my teenage grandchildren to Alaska's Kenai Peninsula in June. Do you have recommendations?

Ginger Swope, Alexandria

The Kenai Peninsula is like Alaska in miniature. "Everything Alaska has to offer, we have on the peninsula," says Teresa Nichol, sales manager for the Kenai Peninsula Tourism Marketing Council.

In June, the southern strip of land comes alive: The fish are jumping, the bears are active, and the white water is flowing. For active adventures, try halibut fishing in Seward or Homer, white-water rafting in Hope and hiking around Cooper Landing. You don't have to go deep into the woods to view the state's finest (e.g., eagles, moose, caribou and bears). "You will see wildlife anywhere on the peninsula," says Nichol, "even just driving."

For a taste of civilization, spend some quality time in Kenai's towns. Seward, for one, has the Alaska SeaLife Center, which rehabilitates wildlife, and fjord cruises to Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park. Farther south is Homer, an arty town with museums, crafts stores and galleries. Bear-viewing trips to Katmai National Park depart from Homer; visitors can spot the grizzlies by air or land.

When choosing a home base, pick a central location, such as Soldotna or Cooper Landing. To book individual outings, visit a tour operator in town or check with your lodge, which might have an activities representative. Nichol adds that reservations are not always required in June, because the area is not "being bombarded [by tourists] day after day." That would be July. Info: Kenai Peninsula Tourism Marketing Council, 907-262-5229, http://www.kenaipeninsula.org/.

Can we use credit cards in Ireland, and what is the weather like in September?

Kay Evans, Edgewater

Last year there was a huge increase in places across Ireland that accept major credit cards. Now, says Tourism Ireland representative David Irwin, "almost every shop, restaurant and hotel takes them."

You might be needing those credit cards for indoor diversions: September is rainy, with temperatures in the 40s and 50s. The west coast is a little wetter than the east coast, but because the island is so small, you can't really escape the inclement weather.

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