Boat journeys

If you visit Ushuaia, it is a definite must to cruise the Beagle Channel, and there are plenty of agencies at the port which offer sailing trips. It is beautiful to see the town from the sea flanked by snowcapped mountains / glaciers, and the many small islands inhabited by sea lions, penguins and lots of different bird species. You can also go ashore on several of the small islands and observe nature and wildlife up close. In the middle of one of the other small islands, Faro del Fin del Mundo is located. It is a famous lighthouse, that sailors throughout time have used to navigate by in the surrounding dangerous waters of Drake Passage and the Magellan Strait. Besides enjoying the area's rawness and beauty, it is a very special feeling to sail at world's end - literally.

You can travel down the Brazilian Amazon starting at the triple border with Colombia and Peru from the town of Tabatinga. From here to Manaus the river is called Rio Solimões. Only after the Rio Negro joins, it changes its name to Rio Amazonas. At this place, you can see the "encontro das aguas", the meeting of the two rivers that don't mix for about 6 kilometres because of their different temperature, speed and density.
Tie your hammock amidst hundreds of others on one of the passenger/cargo boats, catch up with your reading, chat with the locals or just stare at the horizon.
Downstream is the fastest way. Count on about a week travelling from Tabatinga to Belem but it is even better to stop for a few days in places such as Manaus or Santarem.

The Southern part of Chile has a very rugged coastline full of fjords. Within Chile there are not that many roads to travel between Central and Southern Patagonia so a great way to cover this distance is by taking the Navimag Ferry between Puerto Natales and Puerto Montt. This three-day trip is a truly fantastic journey! You are treated with amazing scenery of volcanoes, snowy mountains, glaciers and whales - all if weather permits of course. If you get bored, there are lectures about the environment and bingo nights. This ferry is a combination between a basic cruise ship and a cargo ferry. Cheapest is to take dorm-style berths that are actually quite comfortable but you can move more upscale to private huts with bathroom. Even if it is all quite comfortable, the smell of manure from the cows that are being transported on the lower deck reminds you that it is also a cargo ship.

Cruising down the Li River on a bamboo boat nestled amongst the countless peaks and verdant bamboo is a quintessential Chinese experience. While there is also the option of exploring the river with the bigger, faster and more expensive cruise boats, it just feels so much more fitting to take the bamboo option. If you can find a vintage parasol to accompany you on the journey, then your transformation into an aristocratic British traveller from the 1920s (a la "The Painted Veil") is complete.

If taking this option to reach Yangshuo from Guilin, it is likely that the boats will not actually be bamboo but instead made of the far less romantic PVC pipes! So for the genuine experience, wait until you reach Yangshuo- or neighbouring towns before finding a ride.

Set out on the rough Atlantic in a boat that seems way too small for the task, the captain steers skillfully out of the tiny Vestmanna Harbour and into the fjords. It's a short ride to the open ocean and one of the highlights of any trip to the Faroe Islands: The Bird Cliffs of Vestmanna, spectacularly towering almost 700 m above the small boat. Thousands of seabirds use the cliff as their breeding ground – and it's nearly as spectacular as the cliffs when a large flock sets off. Depending on the tour, the captain and the weather, the sail might include visiting free-standing rock formations, grotto explorations and fjord adventures. A few outfits even do grotto concerts on the boat during the less windy summer months.

For anyone who wants to change their travel routines to something other than the buses and tro-tros that crisscross Ghana's road network, the Yapei Queen is a welcoming surprise. The passenger-cum-cargo ferry sails the full length of Lake Volta once a week – 430 km. The going is slow and pleasant, with both food and plenty of drinks available from the bar/restaurant. It's a change of pace, giving travellers plenty of time to chat with the locals – including the captain – and enjoy the views. The Queen has two first class cabins that come with two bunks and air-condition – which can be reserved a few days ahead by showing up at the administration building by the docks. Everybody else sleeps on the benches in the restaurant, though the crew can usually find a foam mattress if you prefer to sleep on the upper deck. The journey used to take anywhere between 36 and 60 hours, but a new engine has reduced this to 30 hours sharp. The ferry leaves Akosombo, in the south, Monday afternoon and departs northern Yeji for the return journey on 4 am Wednesday.

The old ferry Ilala travels the length of Lake Malawi docking at lakeside towns and islands along the way. The second class is cramped and grubby, but the first class (which at times also can get crowded) has a bar and an open deck, where the famous Malawian sunset can be enjoyed with a cold beer in hand. Sleeping can be done in cabins, but people mostly just sleep out on the deck, or, for the second class passengers, on piles of cargo.

When driving or biking along Norway’s west coast, it inevitably becomes necessary to catch ferries across the fjords. Although expensive, the fjord ferries certainly add a bit of variety – and save a lot of time – to the long, narrow, winding roads. Some are short, some are long, but they all provide beautiful views of water, mountains and villages. The most famous fjord ferry in Norway is the Geirangerfjord Ferry, which takes you past some of the country’s most beautiful waterfalls. The western and northern fjords alone boast more than 80 ferries. As they say in Norway: the fjord is the road!

In days gone by, the west and northern coasts of Norway were all but inaccessible. Before roads, rail or air travel, the only lifeblood for the brave few who called the area home was the Hurtigruten shipping line. Originally charting the waters, then sailing the route on a regular basis, the shipping route is a big part of Norway's history. Today, cruisers have their choice of vessels from new and shiny to old and "authentic". Whether opting to do the 12-day return trip from Bergen to Kirkenes or merely hopping on for a shorter trip, the Hurtigruten is a unique opportunity to experience a bit of Norwegian history, while taking in some of the country's most spectacular scenery.

Doha is hot, most of the time it's super hot. Walking around the corniche to check out the skyline is made only barely tolerable by the cooling breezes off the sea. So, to cool off just a little bit more, it makes perfect sense to head out onto the sea itself; enter the tradition Dhow. The tradition sea vessel used through much of the region, taking a trip on a dhow is a great way to sea the city. They have trips for any budget ranging from a quickie zip around the harbour to a full blown luxury dinner cruise. Either way, the opportunity to cool down while getting a cool view on a cool boat equals a cool experience.