Explore to inspire, a PONANT podcast
PONANT's cruises
Expand your horizons
Endless discoveries with surprising lands and friendly people await in all four corners of the world. From meeting reindeer herders in Norway and a polar expedition, to tropical Japan, our top 10 inspirational trips for 2024 will give you some great ideas for your next adventure.
#1 Meet the Sami in Norway
Venture well into the Arctic Circle to Narvik and see the winding folds of Ofotfjord and its majestic mountains. In early spring, while the landscape is still covered in snow, set off to meet one of Europe’s last indigenous peoples: the Sami. A sleigh ride will take you across the vast expanses to meet these reindeer breeders, whose herds have been domesticated for 3,000 years now. Inside a lavvu, the traditional tent, you may be lucky enough to catch a performance of joik, a folk song, or one of its contemporary renditions. However old the Sami culture may be, its people live in the present.
#2 Dance with the Garifuna in Honduras
Off the coast of Honduras, the islet of Cayo Chachahuate is the best-kept secret of the small archipelago of Cayos Cochinos. Be one of the lucky few to visit this tiny Caribbean paradise that’s just 240 metres long. There you’ll meet the Garifuna people: fishermen and descendants of escaped slaves and Caribbean natives. In their village, let yourself be moved by the beat of the drums as you discover ancestral dances and rhythms that carry echoes of past generations.
#3 Unlock Polynesian mysteries in the Marquesas Islands
The birthplace of Polynesian culture, the Marquesas Islands in the middle of the South Pacific are fascinating for their wild nature and archaeological remains. On the island of Hiva Oa, nicknamed “Garden of the Marquesas“, follow the winding paths of the Taaoa valley and discover the site of Upeke. This sacred place holds the secrets of Polynesian civilisation and its thousand-year-old history, including ceremonial sites and tikis: rock sculptures with anthropomorphic shapes. These treasures of the Marquesas Islands stand like silent guardians over this deeply spiritual place.
#4 Spend a night on the ice floe in Greenland
https://www.ponant.com/destinations/groenlandMake the most of spring in the Far North to enjoy an exclusive experience on an immense ice floe. Like an intrepid team on an expedition, you’ll be swept away by the thrill of adventure on a Nordic ski tour accompanied by a mountain expert and local guides. As the sun dips below the horizon, you’ll camp in the heart of pristine nature, lulled by Inuit songs and legends. It’s a challenge synonymous with surpassing oneself and pure moments of sharing.
#5 Stroll through the world’s largest oasis in Saudi Arabia
On the Arabian Peninsula, just a stone’s throw from the shores of the Persian Gulf, come and cool off in the world’s largest oasis: Al-Ahsa, a green paradise in the middle of the desert. Bordered by the stunningly sculpted sandstone mountains of Al-Qarah, the oasis is home to more than 2.5 million date palms irrigated by an ingenious system of canals dating back to the Neolithic period. Wander through the palm groves, explore the Al-Qarah caves, stroll through the markets with stalls selling delicious sweet, dates, or visit the Ibrahim Palace, an Ottoman jewel. There are so many Saudi splendours to discover.
#6 Admire Mount Teide in the Canary Islands
The volcanic Canary Islands in the Atlantichttps://www.ponant.com/rivages-atlantiques-iles-volcaniques-et-cites-historiques-de-l-atlantique-nord-eu030524-1 may have lush landscapes but also offer magnificent lunar panoramas, such as Tenerife’s Mount Teide, one of the largest volcanoes in the world and the highest peak in Spain (3,718 metres). Enjoy the breathtaking views from the road to the Las Cañadas caldera, surrounded by a sea of clouds. Don’t be fooled by appearances: these lava flows and rock domes are home to an unexpected wealth of plant and animal life.
#7 Discover another side of Japan
Island hopping in the Okinawa archipelago, in the East China Sea, offers a singular view of Japan. This region is reputed to have the highest proportion of centenarians in the world, perhaps thanks to its tasty, plant-rich cuisine, which you can sample at the market in the capital, Naha. It could also be down to the gentle pace of life on the beaches and crystal-clear waters of the Ishigaki and Zamami islands. The traditional way of life preserved on the islands of Taketomi-jima and Iheya-jima is probably also a contributing factor. In a Japan with an unexpectedly tropical feel, soak up the Okinawan quality of life, with its natural riches and tranquillity.
#8 Sail the Misty Fjords in Alaska
Discover the incredibly diverse natural environment of the Misty Fjords, classed as a US national monument. This wilderness area, covering more than 8,000 km2 and accessible only by sea or air, offers fascinating panoramas of lakes, glaciers and forests. Enjoy the mystical silence as you gently explore these deep, interlacing fjords. Observe as the wildlife begins to emerge. Bald eagles soar overhead, curious seals pop up along the shores. Suddenly, appearing from the mists, humpback whales regale you with their fascinating ballet. And it doesn’t stop there: with grizzly bears, orcas, elk and more still, this area is home to some exceptional wildlife.
#9 Bid farewell to the twilight in Spitsbergen
Enter the boreal winter in the planet’s most northerly inhabited region, Spitsbergen. From the end of September, at the autumnal equinox, the last glimmers of twilight slowly recede behind the mountains on this island in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard to make way for the long polar night. In the dawning darkness, fjords and glaciers impose their enigmatic silhouettes, while the sky comes alive with the celestial glow of the aurora borealis. It’s a truly magical spectacle of rare intensity, in the heart of the Arctic landscape.
#10 Embark on a polar adventure in Antarctica
Follow in the footsteps of great polar explorers in the Ross Sea, the world’s largest marine sanctuary with majestic tabular icebergs and a monumental ice shelf. Landing on Ross Island is like stepping back in time: visit Robert Falcon Scott’s cabin or that of Ernest Shackleton (on Cape Royds) who led the first austral expeditions over a century ago. The intact interiors of the cabins provide a moving insight into the lives of these pioneers and the challenges they faced to survive.
Photo credits: ©iStock; ©PONANT/Julien Fabro; ©StudioPONANT/Soizic Roux; ©Studio PONANT/Servane Roy-Berton; ©StudioPONANT-Margaux Coupez; ©StudioPONANT/Guillaume Robin
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