RIVER IDYLL

Today, more and more companies offer world tours on floating hotels. These range from barges, which can be chartered entirely, to large ships, whose infrastructure is only slightly inferior to the variety of resorts on land. We'll tell you about several river travel options.

Mekong – Vietnam and Cambodia

Many international and local companies offer Mekong cruises, and the most famous of these are combination trips that combine sailing on the Mekong and Halong Bay with overland itineraries through Vietnam and Cambodia. These trips were developed by Smithsonian Journeys in collaboration with AmaWaterways, and starting this year, they will be offered on the new, luxurious 120-passenger AmaMaya.

Aqua Expeditions, meanwhile, offers 3- to 7-night cruises on the Aqua Mekong, with 20 cabins. Equipped with motorboats, kayaks, and bicycles, it offers a varied excursion program accompanied by experienced guides. All this is complemented by local cuisine from David Thompson, whose Michelin-starred Thai restaurant, Aksorn, is a highlight.

Selecting Scenic Spirit from Scenic Luxury Cruises, you'll enjoy the most spacious cabins in the region. The itinerary includes a gala dinner against the backdrop of Prasat Kravan Temple, illuminated by contemporary lighting, a visit to a distillery with rum tasting in Phnom Penh, and a blessing from a Buddhist monk.

Vietnamese Victoria Mekong Cruise offers 35-cabin cruises, and starting this November, the new 38-cabin Victoria Mekong Cruise II. Both barges feature whirlpools, miniature golf, a spa and gym, a cinema, and a library. The morning begins with yoga with a guide on deck, and a traditional performance in the evening. The cuisine onboard focuses on regional dishes, featuring exotic fruits from the Mekong Valley, local fish, and farm produce. Excursions include visits to bird sanctuaries, floating markets, and islands.

Magdalena - Colombia

The barge AmaMaddalena and the brand-new AmaMelodia from AmaWaterways were designed by renowned Colombian architect Camilo Restrepo, and their interiors reflect the culture and traditions of the region. The 8-day "Magic of Colombia" and "Wonders of Colombia" itineraries, designed specifically for them, travel between Cartagena and Barranquilla, but offer extended pre-tour and post-tour programs. Admire the colorful facades and graffiti in the bohemian Getsemani neighborhood, relax on the Caribbean coast in Cartagena, visit San Basilio de Palenque, the first free African city in the Americas, and listen to open-air jazz in Mompox. In Santa Bárbara de Pinto, immerse yourself in the centuries-old traditions and crafts of Colombia: from weaving fishing nets to rolling cigars. And at the end of the cruise in Barranquilla, a private carnival awaits!

Yangtze – China

Cruises on the Yangtze (Chan), the longest and deepest river in Eurasia, on the new Yangzi Explorer operate from March to the end of December. The ship accommodates 148 passengers, with a 1:1 staff to guest ratio. All guests are accommodated in luxury cabins ranging from 31 to 105 square meters, with balconies or terraces overlooking the river. The all-inclusive design, with 24-hour beverage and snack service, enhances comfort. Guests staying in Celebrity Suites are provided with a personal guide and private transportation during each excursion.

Onboard restaurants serve regional cuisine. The spa offers traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and a fitness center and beauty salon are also available. The leisure program includes morning tai chi classes, Chinese tea ceremonies, TCM training, dumpling-making workshops, engaging lectures, live music and performances, and children can enjoy not only games but also natural history lessons.

Yangzi Explorer cruises depart from Yichang to Chongqing (one-way or round-trip) lasting 4 or 7 nights, respectively. You'll visit the Shennongjia Biosphere Reserve, known as the "roof of Central China." Its pristine mountain forests are home to golden snub-nosed monkeys, clouded and common leopards, Himalayan black bears and other animals.

Admire the picturesque Qutan and Wu Gorges. Visit the Baidicheng Castle and Temple Complex (White Emperor City), or watch the sunset over the Three Gorges. See the 12-story wooden Shibaozhai Pagoda, soaring above a 220-meter-high hill and the river. The pagoda is over 200 years old, built without a single nail, and very few structures of this type survive today. Or stroll the streets of the ancient city of Situo, preserving 2,000 years of history. In the Wuling Mountains, descend into the world's largest man-made military cave, Project 816, which took over 17 years and more than 60,000 workers to construct, or visit the Baiheliang Underwater Museum, where rock paintings from the Tang Dynasty (8th century) are preserved at a depth of 40 meters. In Wushan, ascend above the cliffs to the private Yangzi Explorer observation deck, offering panoramic views of the river and 12 peaks. You'll also enjoy a tour of the Three Gorges boat lift, which lifts boats to the height of a 40-story building (113 meters). The Yangzi Explorer is the largest vessel in the world capable of traversing this stretch of the river in such a comfortable and fast manner.

Congo - Central Africa

The tropical forests of the Congo River basin are second only to the Amazon in area and are home to gorillas, chimpanzees, forest elephants, hippos, and pangolins—400 species of mammals—and thousands of bird species! Discover this amazing biodiversity on cruises on the barge Princesse Ngalessa, built in 2017 and renovated in 2023/2024. On board are 14 cabins, a restaurant serving African and European cuisine, a Jacuzzi, and motorboats and kayaks for excursions. Expeditions on the Congo River last 8 and 15 nights. You'll visit the UNESCO-protected Dzanga-Sanga National Park, where you'll see bongo antelope, pygmy forest buffalo, forest elephants, and western lowland gorillas. You'll also go bonobo trekking, visit local communities, and in the evenings, enjoy a glass of wine while listening to lectures on forest conservation in the Congo Basin, the history of the region, and the peoples living there.

Amazon – Brazil and Peru

Amazon cruises can be considered a standalone trip or an addition to a sightseeing tour or cruise. For example, on the "Caribbean to Amazon" tour from Viking Cruises, which runs from December 15 to January 5, 2027, you can combine a Caribbean cruise (Puerto Rico, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) with an Amazon cruise.

On the new Pure Amazon, South America's first barge from Abercrombie & Kent, you can embark on a floating safari lasting 3 to 7 nights through Peru's largest national park, Pacaya-Samiria. This barge is part of the A&K Sanctuary collection, featuring luxury safari lodges and campsites in Africa's top national parks and six exquisite barges for cruises on the Nile and Amazon. The designer Pure Amazon features 12 spacious cabins with panoramic windows, including two single cabins. The staff-to-guest ratio is 1:1. Guests can enjoy a swimming pool, jacuzzi, gym, library with books on Amazonian nature, and restaurants serving Peruvian, Amazonian, and international cuisine.

Guests can enjoy motorboat excursions in the morning and evening, when birds and animals are most active, and at night, when the forest's magic is most vivid. During the dry season, from June to November, jungle hikes are also available. Tours include visits to local communities within and around the reserve, lectures, and astronomy evenings. Amazon cruises are part of more comprehensive programs from Abercrombie & Kent, including trips to Machu Picchu, the Uyuni Salt Flats, and the Galapagos. With Uniworld Cruises, you can begin your journey in Rio de Janeiro, visit Iguazu Falls, and board the Aria Amazon in Lima. A cruise can also be combined with a trip to Machu Picchu.

Unusual Places in Europe

Many companies offer cruises on European rivers. Celebrity Cruises will debut an innovative floating hotel as early as 2027. This May, Emerald Cruises' Emerald Astra will embark on its maiden voyage. Styled like a luxury superyacht and designed to accommodate 180 passengers, it will offer cruises on the Rhine, Moselle, and Danube. Also starting next year, you can take a cruise on the innovative Emerald Lumi along the Seine. On this journey through Normandy, beginning and ending in Paris, you'll discover Claude Monet's legacy in Giverny, stroll through medieval Rouen, a city steeped in Joan of Arc and the Vikings, visit the beaches where Allied troops landed during World War II, and visit the picturesque port town of Honfleur and the thousand-year-old Château de La Roche-Guyon.

An example of how exciting a European river cruise can be is the "Rhine, Mosel, and the Great Discovery of Belgium" (available on various dates) from Uniworld Cruises. On a journey from Basel to Brussels or back, you'll climb to the summit of Mount Rigi, offering views of 620 Alpine peaks and 13 lakes. You'll stroll the streets of Strasbourg, whose beauty inspired the Disney film "Beauty and the Beast." You'll experience the charm of its historic Petite France quarter with its half-timbered houses, and see Strasbourg Cathedral, long the tallest building on the planet. You'll also have the opportunity to visit Baden-Baden, with its health resorts and casino with a nearly 200-year history. In the German city of Speyer, you'll see the UNESCO-protected cathedral, built a thousand years ago and now the largest Romanesque church in the world. Savor the finest Riesling in the Rhine Valley in Rüdesheim and sample the wines of the Mosel Valley, Germany's premier wine region. Visit Trier, Germany's oldest city, also known as the "Northern Rome," where few cities can match the number of preserved ancient buildings. Or take a tour of Luxembourg. Visit Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Maastricht and see some of its 1,670 national monuments. In Antwerp, enjoy Belgian cuisine and visit the chocolate museum. New this year and next from Uniworld: S.S. Emilie, with interiors inspired by Gustav Klimt, and S.S. Audrey and S.S. Marlene, named after and decorated in memory of the incomparable Audrey Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich.

Belmond Barges on the Canals and Rivers of France

Boutique Belmond barge cruises offer a unique opportunity to explore the culture, culinary, and winemaking traditions of France and admire its magnificent landscapes while traveling along the country's rivers and canals. Belmond's Les Bateaux collection includes barges for 4-12 passengers: Coquelicot for Champagne cruises, Pivoine for the Camargue, Lilas, Marguerite, and Fleur de Lys for Burgundy, Alouette for the Canal du Midi (Languedoc) and Bordeaux, and Napoleon for Provence.

Champagne itineraries are created with the support of Ruinart, the world's oldest champagne house. You'll descend into the historic chalk cellars of Veuve Clicquot and stroll through the historic village of Ovillers, the birthplace of Dom Pérignon. You'll visit Épernay and see the Gothic Reims Cathedral. You'll soar above Champagne in a hot air balloon and enjoy a horseback ride through the vineyards. Your Champagne journey will take place on the floating villa Coquelicot, designed for six guests. Its three spacious cabins feature marble bathrooms. A personal chef will be responsible for your onboard menu, and a butler will ensure your comfort throughout the voyage. Ruinart champagne will enhance the romance of your evenings under the stars.

In Burgundy, explore the traboules of Lyon, the Hôtel-Dieu in Beaune, and the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy in Dijon. Fly over the Côte d'Or in a hot air balloon or helicopter, play golf on elite courses, hunt for black truffles, and learn about Pascal Wagner, a "living encyclopedia" of winemaking, at the Académie de Vin.

In the Camargue, admire the vast expanses of sand dunes and salt marshes, observe Camargue horses and flamingos, discover the legacy of Vincent van Gogh in Saint-Rémy, see the Roman amphitheater in Arles and the Papal Palace in Avignon, and savor the magnificent oysters of the Etang de Thau lagoon.

In Bordeaux and along the Canal du Midi, you'll visit world-renowned wineries, indulge in grape-based treatments at the Caudalie Spa, visit the ancient Celtic fortified town of Oppidum d'Ensérunes, and the Abbey of Fontfroy.

In Provence, you'll follow the paths of Cézanne and Van Gogh, canoe through the Gorges de Gardon, visit a multimedia art exhibition at Carrières de Lumières, play golf, and soar into the sky in a hot air balloon.