Staying inside has us all dreaming of wide-open spaces. What better way to satisfy that desire听than by planning a future ocean adventure? And as听all of us wait听to reconnect with our loved ones, these seabound journeys offer a great way to come together once we鈥檙e able to travel again. Whether by kayak, sailboat, or yacht, here are nine itineraries to start planning for now.听
Go by Sea Kayak
For a warm-weather trip, head south to Baja, Mexico, where听 has a new seven-day paddling itinerary (from $3,295) around Isla Esp铆ritu Santo, a national marine park off the coast of La Paz in the Sea of Cortez. Its听January and April 2021 tours听include stops for reef snorkeling with sea turtles, hikes to the highest point on the island, and swimming with friendly whale sharks. If you鈥檇 prefer to do the trip yourself, book one of eight safari-style tents at the island鈥檚 听(from $375 for two nights), located听right听on the beach. Your stay starts with a boat pickup in La Paz and includes the company of a naturalist guide on your kayaking, snorkeling, hiking, or bird-watching excursions. The camp is open from November to June.听
Many paddlers will have heard of the Maine Island Trail, a 375-mile route that passes some 200 islands along the state鈥檚 coast听from Casco to Machias Bay. While many of the islands are public, join the (from $45) in advance for access to 50听privately owned sites. If you have a few days, base out of the 271-site , set听on a 255-acre peninsula at the southern end of Phippsburg, an hour鈥檚 drive northeast of听Portland. Or book a trip with , which leads overnight trips (from $349)听ranging from two to four days, with camping on remote islands or stays in boutique inns.
For advanced kayakers, the 100-mile paddle along Alaska鈥檚 Prince William Sound counts as a bucket-list trip. Enter the water at Whittier, a harbor town 60 miles southeast of Anchorage, where a number of rental shops offer fiberglass doubles, drysuits, and maps of camping spots along the sound (from $185 for two days from听). Give yourself 10 to 14 days for the trip; the amount of time it takes听will听depend on the area鈥檚 temperate-rainforest conditions, which can shift from calm to stormy in a matter of minutes.听Allot a few days听in Columbia Bay, home to one of the state鈥檚 largest tidewater glaciers. Or sign up for a six-day paddling trip next year with (from $1,429), which run听from May through September. The tours start in Valdez and head听to Prince William Sound and the Columbia Glacier. You鈥檒l camp on islands and spot sea lion colonies, icebergs, and orcas along the way.
Go by Sailboat
While there are many ideal ways to experience Iceland, including via its one of its long-distance treks, seeing the country from the water offers a better vantage of its glaciers, iceberg-filled lagoons, and black-sand coastlines. Book a trip for 2021 on the听 (from six days for $2,606), a 60-foot sloop that sleeps up to 12 and departs from the harbor town of Isafjordur, a 40-minute flight from Reykjav铆k, with a captain named Siggi or 脫li at the helm. You鈥檒l sail into the remote fjords of the roadless 听and, depending on the time of year, enjoy backcountry skiing, trail running, or sea kayaking on excursions to shore.听
If you want to learn to sail, the听听leads an adult 14-day sailing course (from $5,490) from Nelson, New Zealand, on the country鈥檚 rugged South Island, where you鈥檒l learn how to operate 35-foot keelboats through the Marlborough Sounds, an extensive network of submerged valleys. Every day will have you taking on a different role in the boat and focusing on a new skill, including navigation and overboard drills. It鈥檚 also a great听way to study the country鈥檚 history鈥攎uch of it听built upon a seafaring past鈥攚ith stops at important Maori sites.听
For a trip a little closer to home, head to Maui鈥攊ts hard-to-access shoreline means the best way to see the island is from the ocean. The coast is known for its 30 different trade winds, which have听kept local operators from renting sailboats, but there are plenty of charter options available at every price point. departs from Lahaina听on five-hour sailing trips (from $109), complete with snorkeling or scuba diving through the .听
Go by Yacht
You want to cruise the open seas but would rather avoid being on a giant ship with hundreds of other people. We understand. These small expedition ships are designed for adventure travelers looking to explore less traveled ocean nooks that the bigger boats can鈥檛 get to.
Canada鈥檚听, 50 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia, is home to hundreds of tiny islands scattered throughout the Salish Sea. To visit the area, start in the provincial capital of Victoria, where you鈥檒l board听鈥 88-foot converted tugboat for a five-day cruise (from $2,267). The boutique outfitter鈥檚 permits and agreements with First Nations mean exclusive access to sites that are off-limits to larger operators, and the crew of five, which includes a naturalist and a chef, are all from the region. The boat features six private cabins with full bathrooms, four kayaks, and a hot tub.
Island-hop through Indonesia on听鈥 15-to-21-day small-ship cruises (from $8,535). Start in Darwin, Australia, and set off on a 120-passenger expedition vessel en route to some of Indonesia鈥檚 less visited isles, where you鈥檒l hike in search of Komodo dragons, snorkel in , and visit local villages. Or, for a once-in-a-lifetime splurge, sign up for a trip aboard the , a 167-foot traditional phinisi-style yacht that hosts up to 14 guests with 18 crew members (a dive instructor and chef included). The custom itinerary includes surfing Sumbawa鈥檚 uncrowded waves, diving in Raja Ampat鈥檚 pristine reefs, and kayaking across crater lakes (from $16,000 a day).听
If you鈥檙e a scuba diver, head to the 20-cabin 听in Kimbe, Papua New Guinea, then board the newly renovated , an 89-foot catamaran that calls the resort home. From September to November and April to June, the 16-passenger听ship charters eight-day trips (from $3,810) to the island鈥檚 most popular diving areas, including Kimbe Bay, the Witu Islands, and Fathers Reefs, which are known for their crystal-clear waters, barrier reefs, and World War II shipwrecks.听