traveling

How do I travel from Tyria to Cantha with existing characters? Try using boat at Lions Arch, but it didn't give an option to go to Cantha.

Prophecies characters may travel to Cantha using the quest "Mhenlo's Request," which is offered by Firstwatch Sergio in Lion's Arch.

Two keys to remember though...
1: your character must be ascended in order to go
2: if you have the quest Defend North Kryta Province Mhenlo will not spawn outside of LA

they added the ascension requirement in the april 27th update probably just after you took your unascended character over to cantha. but there is no reason to bring an unascended character from tyria to cantha because all the canthan areas after shing jea island (which is only accessible to factions campaign characters) you pretty much have to be lvl 20 (or pretty close to it) to survive.

OK, I've gone across to Cantha, and I'm in the marketplace, the site says to go 'south to the docks, and speak to Firstmate Xiang.

'South' of Marketplace is Wajjun Bazaar, and going to the coast (where docks would logically be), shows nothing of Mr Xiang.. the only portal to the south of this map (again following the coast where such a docks would logically be), is locked to me, or I can't go through it...

So, does anyone have a route to follow to see Mr Xiang?

Ok, I've found the docks now.. it's the *NORTH WEST* exit from the Marketplace...

NOPE

after and i still have access now.

my character is level 20 but not ascended.

Alex Weekes said that level 20 was considered ascended not that you had to do the desert ascention to cross over.

Not true, you just can't do much there.