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.

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.

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.

For hardcore overland travellers, getting from Central Asia to the Caucasus can be a challenge. To the north lies Russia which poses the near impossible task of getting visas while on the road. To the south is Iran, which some nationalities have serious difficulties getting into at all. That leaves crossing the Caspian Sea as the only alternative. Luckily, the Turkmen seem to have figured this out. Cargo ships leaving the port of Turkmenbashi headed for Baku, Azerbaijan will take passengers (for a fee). Information is scarce as there are no schedules. And on a 5-day Turkmen transit visa, waits of days at the port could be a serious issue. But for those with a bit of luck, the boat trip makes for some serious bragging rights.