Cruise Where You’ve Never Cruised Before

Go farther, travel deeper and experience more by cruising to seven of the most remote regions of the planet

BY DIANE TIERNEY

Some places are just better accessed by sea, especially if you’re looking for an honest-to-goodness, off-the-beaten-path adventure—and one that you can reach without abandoning comfort, style and world-class cuisine. Here are six remote destinations worth charting a course for.

ALBANIA

Albania is a small country with a population of about 2.8 million and is often overlooked, despite its sun-kissed coastline, which stretches along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, not to mention secluded beaches and lagoons set against a dramatic backdrop of snow-capped mountains.

FORTRESS IN GJIROKASTRA

From the Riviera-style port of Saranda, you can take a scenic drive to Lekuresi Castle, built in 1537 by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, for great views of the town. Visit Berat, famous for its white-washed houses—their many windows earned it the nickname “town of a thousand windows”—and Gjirokastra, one of the most attractive towns in Albania and also a UNESCO site. A trip to Butrint Archaeological Park is a must for its impressive ruins reminiscent of ancient Mycenae and Porto Palermo Castle, which is shaped like a triangle and has remarkable walls that are 60 feet tall.

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, ECUADOR

To experience a marine version of Jurassic Park, visit the Galapagos islands, 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. These 21 Islands are home to giant tortoises that can weigh up to 450 pounds. You might also spot rare blue-footed boobies along with frolicking sea lions, jumping crabs and the land and water iguanas that sunbathe on the rocks. You can hike, cycle and snorkel at your leisure, although only small cruise ships with fewer than 100 passengers are permitted to cruise the region and only about 20 people per group can embark on land tours at a time.

BLUE-FOOTED BOOBY

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s oldest city, dates back to the 6th century AD and is most famous for being a gateway to Mecca and Medina, the holiest cities in Islam.

The old town Al-Balad is the heart of the city and recognized by UNESCO. It features a traditional souk marketplace of narrow streets laced with an aroma of spices, incense and coffee. Many of the buildings are painted in turquoise and emerald and some are partly made of coral.

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA

On the waterfront, Al Ramah is called the floating mosque because it’s built on stilts. The iconic exterior is made of white marble and topped by a turquoise dome while inside you’ll find traditional Islamic art and stained glass.

At 1,024 feet high, King Fahd’s fountain is the tallest in the world and is best seen at night when 500 spotlights light up the plume.

Since Saudi Arabia has only been open for non-pilgrimage tourism since 2019, enjoy all the wonders it has to offer soon, before mass tourism takes hold.

DOMINICA, CARIBBEAN

Dominica, located south of Guadeloupe, is known as the “nature island.” It’s famous for its Boiling Lake, which is fed by a volcano and is the second-largest lake of its kind in the world. You can visit geothermal hot springs and black sand beaches or try tubing down the Titou Gorge, hiking the 213-feet Trafalgar Falls or taking an aerial tram ride above the lush jungle. Thanks to the variety of eco-adventures on offer, Travel + Leisure awarded it first place in its list of World’s Best Caribbean islands for 2022.

GREEN HILLS OF DOMINICA

GQEBERHA, AFRICA

If you’ve always dreamed of embarking on a safari, why not sail your way to one? Your best bet is a ship that stops in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) in South Africa, situated on Nelson Mandela Bay. Founded in 1820 by British settlers, the port city is a bustling hub of restaurants, shops, art galleries, museums, memorials and marketplaces to explore before you head out on safari.

GQEBERHA, AFRICA

Many shore excursions to nearby game reserves include 4x4 vehicle adventures to see elephants, rhinoceros, leopards, buffalo and lions (the “big five”), as well as antelope, warthogs, monkeys and more. For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, visit Addo Elephant National Park, the third-largest national park in South Africa and home to 600 elephants.

JEJU, SOUTH KOREA

Jeju in South Korea has it all: dramatic volcanic landscapes, mysterious caves, impressive cliffs, magnificent waterfalls and gorgeous beaches.

Mount Hallasan, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a dormant volcano that created a spectacular crater lake, the Jusangjeolli cliff with its unusual honeycomb surface and a lava tube with a 4.5-mile-long cave. If you enjoy waterfalls, Cheonjeyeon is a three-level waterfall that cascades into what’s known as the Pond of God for its purported healing powers. Also visit Samseonghyeol Shrine, which is situated in a pine forest, and Yakcheonsa Temple, renowned for its colorful decor.

SEONGSAN ILCHULBONG ON JEJU ISLAND, SOUTH KOREA

If you’re lucky, you’ll get a chance to buy fresh seafood from Jeju’s amazing women divers, who harvest abalone, octopus, conch and more from the sea floor without scuba gear—they dive about 100 feet below the waves and can hold their breath for up to three minutes.

ANTARCTICA

Set sail for what’s literally one of the coolest places on Earth –Antarctica—to see epic ice-scapes, towering turquoise icebergs and magnificent wildlife, including up to 10 types of whales, such as Humpback, Killer, Fin, Minke, as well as five different penguin species that live on the continent. The world’s biggest sheet of ice is about 1.2 miles thick, and you can head ashore by Zodiac to explore it like a true adventurer.

EMPEROR PENGUINS

Depending on your interests, cruise lines offer trekking, sea kayaking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, climbing and even scuba diving and camping. You might also be able to tour an important meteorological research station. (Some cruise lines are only permitted to cruise the region, while others are allowed landings.)

If you’re not sure about cruising the infamous Drake Passage, notorious for being one of the roughest waters in the world, consider a Polar-class expedition ship, depending on the weather, or a line that offers a charter flight over the area instead.

There is no end to the wonders you can experience when you arrive by sea—the whole world awaits!