10 Cruises That Sail to Exotic Locales

Exotic cruise ports are springing up around the world, taking travelers to far-flung locales that are way off the beaten path.

No matter whether you are at sea or on the river, the beauty of cruising is that passengers pack and unpack one time and let the captain deliver them to each unique destination.

Up-close wildlife viewing in Africa usually brings to mind a safari-style experience, but cruising the Chobe River offers unparalleled views of African landscapes and the animals residing within.

Several river cruise companies offer Chobe River cruises. With AmaWaterways, travelers set sail onboard the 28-passenger Zambezi Queen, an environmental vessel that brings guests up close with the region's wildlife.

Seychelles, off the coast of East Africa, is an archipelago of 115 islands, yet many people don't consider cruising when visiting, opting for resort stays instead.

But travelers can make the most of paradise with small-ship cruises available from Variety Cruises in Seychelles. The cruise line offers three itineraries that range in length from four to eight days. The eight-day Cruises in the Garden of Eden cruise roundtrip from Mahe and include St. Anne, Cousin Island, Moyenne Island and more.

Crystal Cruises will also be visiting Seychelles starting in January 2020.

Travel to Myanmar has picked up in recent years, and the once-isolated country is now very much open to tourism with amazing cultural treasures, beautiful landscapes and welcoming people.

Exploring the country via its main waterway, the Irrawaddy River, is one of the easiest ways to navigate the nation and gives guests access to the former capital of Mandalay, the more than 3,000 temples and stupas of Pagan, the teak forests of Prome as well as the current capital of Yangon.

Pandaw takes passengers on luxury small-ship cruises on the river onboard the brand-new Kanee Pandaw. Guests can also sail up the river on larger, ocean-going ships with cruise lines such as Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

For those looking for a truly remote experience, the Pitcairn Islands are one of the most far-flung. The islands offer truly untouched environments, pristine waters and rare flora and fauna that make voyaging to the destination unforgettable.

Several cruises sail to Pitcairn, including Paul Gauguin Cruises, Princess Cruises and Ponant, among others.

The upper Danube is arguably one of the most popular routes for river cruise passengers in Europe, but the Lower Danube is growing in popularity. Sail through Central and Eastern European countries such as Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and more.

Several major river cruise lines offer these cruises, including AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Viking Cruises, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection and more.

These cruises are relatively new and sometimes controversial but definitely exotic. Exploring polar destinations is growing in popularity and more and more cruise lines are navigating the Northwest Passage where guests can see remote villages, endangered wildlife and amazing landscapes.

Ponant, Hurtigruten and Scenic Cruises are among the lines that offer Arctic Cruises as well as tour operators such as Abercrombie & Kent and AdventureSmith Explorations.

The Russian Far East is one of the least explored destinations on the planet, but now, travelers can explore the region on cruises offered by Silversea.

The cruise line offers a variety of sailings, some starting in Japan and ending in Vancouver or sailing roundtrip from Alaska. Stops include Tyuleniy Island, Atlasova Island, Attu Island, Kiska Harbor and more and give guests the chance to follow in the footsteps of early traders, getting a look into this wild, unknown region.

Cruising is one way of the best ways to travel between the major ports in both Australia and New Zealand. Most of the major cities in both of these countries are located on the ocean and setting sail to either or both is a comfortable and easy way to get around.

If you really want to go off the beaten path on a cruise down under, look for voyages that sail to New Zealand's southernmost city, Invercargill, and ports such as Hobart on the island of Tasmania or Perth on Australia's west coast. These far-flung destinations offer unique experiences like visiting the world's southernmost Starbucks, getting to know Hobart's unique wildlife inhabitants and the largest city in Western Australia and one of the world's more remote major metropolises.

The beautiful Chilean coastline is something to be marveled at and even more so are the country's beautiful fjords. Many cruises that visit the Chilean coast and fjords begin in Buenos Aires and also include the remote Falkland Islands, Montevideo, Uruguay, and the charming Argentinian city of Ushuaia, located at the end of the world.

Another destination growing in popularity with cruise travelers is the Andaman Islands and sailing in India. Cruises, such as Costa Cruises seven-night Costa Diadema itinerary, travel between Dubai and Singapore, including Mumbai, Goa, Sri Lanka, Phuket, Thailand and more.