Taking to the water is a supremely soothing and restorative experience – whether you’re gliding across Vietnam’s storied Halong Bay, traversing the neon-bright waters of the Great Barrier Reef, or simply plying the waters of the ancient Nile. River cruises, overnight “boatels” and adventurous day sailings should all be a part of your luxury travel itinerary. Here’s where Luxury Gold comes in – with our built-in days at sea or along the river, you’ll see your destination from a different perspective, stopping off for bucket-list swimming and sightseeing along the way. Here are the luxury cruise experiences to book for the year ahead.

Norway’s Fjords

The peaceful, rock-encircled fjords of western Norway are a must-see while in Scandinavia. On Luxury Gold’s 12-day Timeless Scandinavia tour – which traverses three countries in total – you’ll board a RIB boat to explore its Geiranger Fjord, gliding around this hook-shaped body of water surrounded by cathedrals of rock and skyscraper-tall waterfalls. You’ll feel dwarfed by the sheer scale of nature along this unspoiled body of water, counting the Seven Sisters waterfalls along with the lonely Suitor cascade while a guide tells you all about the local landscape – and lore. Afterwards, retreat to the nature-swathed Hotel Union Gerainger, where you’ll unwind in luxury surrounded by fjordland scenery.

Book Luxury Gold’s Timeless Scandinavia tour.

Egypt’s River Nile

One of the most important waterways in the history of civilization, the Nile still hums with ancient magic. You’ll spend seven nights sailing it on Luxury Gold’s Elegance of the Nile tour, embarking on one of the world’s best luxury cruise experiences aboard the deluxe, all-suite River Tosca vessel. Drifting along past riverbank palm trees, golden kasbahs, mountainside sunsets, wading birds and crocodiles, you’ll be living in style. A spacious outdoor sundeck has a swimming pool and lavishly cushioned sun loungers, a river-view restaurant lets you order with the breeze in your hair, and a smart library-lounge with books, views and a bar are the place to unwind. 

Book Luxury Gold’s Elegance of the Nile tour.

Halong Bay & the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Southeast Asia is famous for its waters: glittering jade bays hugging white-sand beaches, snorkel-friendly lagoons, placid lily-ponds reflecting crumbling temples, jungle waterfalls with cooling pools. But nothing beats the two bucket-list experiences the region holds: Vietnam’s luminous Halong Bay and the mighty Mekong Delta. On Luxury Gold’s 16-day Inspiring Indochina tour, you’ll first take to the Mekong for a guided boat tour close from Ho Chi Minh City, stopping for lunch at the authentic Mango Home thatched restaurants and learning about life along the waterway. On day 11 of the tour, you’ll board a traditional Junk boat for one of the planet’s best luxury cruise experiences: sailing Halong Bay. A dazzling spot for a water-based adventure thanks to its bright emerald waters and vast limestone karsts (island mountains), it has floating villages, complex caves and white-sand beaches to spy from the comfort of your vessel. Sunset over this otherworldly setting is something to experience in your lifetime.

Book Luxury Gold’s Inspiring Indochina tour.

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

Crowned one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World, the expansive Great Barrier Reef off Australia’s northeast coast, can be seen from outer space. On Luxury Gold’s Inspiring Australia tour, you’ll get up close and personal with its lurid turquoise waters, containing some 2,500 individual reefs and 400 types of coral, not to mention turtles, sharks, manta rays, clownfish and colourful Maori wrasse fish. On day three of your 13-day tour, you can opt to cruise the Barrier Reef, getting to know one of the world’s most complex eco-systems from the comfort of a captained boat. Borrow masks and snorkels to see the world beneath the surface, and speed past idyllic castaway islands on a sun-soaked day at sea.

Book Luxury Gold’s Inspiring Australia tour.

Matsushima Bay, Japan

Matsushima Bay, Japan (Tohoku Tourism/JNTO)

The world’s finest luxury cruise experiences take you to the still and quiet of nature, often found a stone’s throw from the most bustling metropolis. So it is in Sendai, northeast Japan, where futuristic Japanese architecture and innovation meets the wildness of the sea and craggy coastline. While here, a cruise through Sendai’s contemplative Matsushima Bay is a must; revered as one of Japan’s top three views, it’s factored into day seven of Luxury Gold’s 11-day Majestic Japan tour. Your private sailing will give unparalleled views of the hundreds of pine-covered islands, and you’ll hear about the cultural significance of Matsushima, which has had countless Haiku poems written about its beauty. Along with a serene tea ceremony, this luxury cruise experience will cement your love of Japanese culture while in underrated Sendai.

Book Luxury Gold’s Majestic Japan tour.

More luxury cruise experiences: Beauty Beyond Words: Past Guest Sal On Cruising Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast.

At the heart of the small village of Gerianger lies one of Norway’s most scenic hotels, The Hotel Union. Blessed with sweeping views of the UNESCO listed Geriangerfjord, this first-class establishment is a destination in its own right.

A family run business for four generations, we spoke to husband-and-wife team and current managers Sindre and Monja. The share with us the Hotel Union’s history and the many ways you can pass a relaxing 48 hours in these blissful surroundings.

For travel inspiration: Norway destination guide

The Hotel Union – A Destination in Itself

“My wife Monja and I have been running the hotel for over 25 years and our family have owned it since 1899,” Sindre tells us, adding that The Union’s history began with his great grandmother who came from the area outside Lillehammer. “She moved to a village not far from here in the 1890s, working herself up from being a maid to the managing director [of a hotel].

When she met his great grandfather, they shared a mutual desire to buy the hotel in Geiranger. “It was my great grandmother who bought the hotel,” he says. “She’d inherited money and they bought it in 1899.”

Discover this on: Timeless Scandinavia

Rooms With a View You Won’t Want to Leave

Originally built in 1891 out of timber, Sindre tells us that that the hotel was constructed in “the Swiss Norwegian dragon style”. Having been expanded and renovated several times, today the Union is a modern hotel with 197 rooms. Over and above standard rooms, guests can choose deluxe rooms with a fjord view.

With this kind of scenery, you may not even want to leave your room, but there are plenty of reasons to. “The hotel is a four-star hotel but is also a full-service hotel with all everything you can imagine for a [fabulous] vacation,” says Sindre. “We have two restaurants, a small cafe, bars, and even a nightclub if you want to go dancing. We also have our spa.”

For more spectacular views: Discover the Boutiques, Vineyards and Views of the Swiss Riviera

Wining and Dining

Of course, exceptional dining comes hand in hand with a hotel of this caliber. Fjorden is the main restaurant which serves a breakfast and dinner buffet, with a wide selection of both hot and cold dishes. You can also lunch outside with spectacular views of the fjord at the hotel’s Café Løsta.

For a bespoke fine dining experience, Restaurant Julie is the a la carte restaurant, serving a seasonal lunch and dinner menu. Enjoy dishes showcasing fine local ingredients such as halibut, served with nashi pear, green chili, Tamari soy sauce and finger lime. You can also savor a fine range of selected international ingredients and a great vegetarian menu, the perfect way to spend an evening. The hotel has its own wine cellar and offers wine tasting for groups upon request.

You may also be interested to read: Best of British: How This 5-Star Hotel Elevates the Beef Wellington

Geirangerfjord, a Natural Paradise

The Geirangerfjord was created over a succession of ice ages, its deep blue waters surrounded by mountainous peaks and numerous waterfalls which create a never-ending display of rainbow colors. The perfect setting to create one of Norway’s most scenic hotels, Sindre explains that “the nature here is dramatic and beautiful,” and has not only placed the fjord on the UNESCO World heritage list but has also been creating tourism for the area since 1869.

“Geirangerfjord has so many waterfalls and also its mountain farms, which make not only the nature but also the life stories around Geiranger such a very special experience,” he says.

More Scandinavian inspiration: Alternative dining and CO2 absorbing aprons: welcome to Fotografiska 

Lose Yourself in Nature

There’s plenty of ways to enjoy this natural paradise, using the Union Hotel, one of Norway’s most scenic hotels as a base, “You can go on different hikes around in the area here, or spend time cycling and kayaking,” says Monja. “You can sail the fjord, either with tours or small private boats.”

She also recommends spending time at the World Heritage Center right beside the hotel. The exhibitions and interactive stations give you an opportunity to learn about the geological processes that formed the fjord landscape, and to see what the landscape looks like today.

“Of course, you have to see the Seven Sisters,” she enthuses, talking of the famous and most photographed waterfall in the fjord. The 410m waterfall consists of seven separate cascades, one of which has a 250m freefall.

“The Flydalsjuvet is a beautiful viewpoint where you can take great pictures,” she advises. Divided into an upper and lower area, this is one of the most popular photography spots in Norway and for good reason

You may also enjoy: Dine, Sleep, Do: How to spend a chic 24 hours in St. Moritz

While Away Time Admiring Vintage Cars

Image credit: @hoteluniongeiranger
on Instagram

For all petrol lovers, the Union Hotel has a unique vintage car museum, featuring American and British cars from the 1920s and 1930s and is open for all guests staying at the hotel. Perfect way to while away a few hours in admiration.

“The car museum was established by my father,” Sindre explains. “He was interested in the history and the culture of the village, and in the 1930s there were a lot of taxis in Geiranger.” Fascinated by these vintage cars, Sindre’s father, together with friends, collected and bought them.

When asked his favorite from the collection Sindre says “the Studebaker 1932 model, which is the only one existing in the world. With a sentimental thought, Monja says the Buick 9032, because that’s the one “I was driven in by my father-in-law when we got married.”

If you love vintage cars and nostalgia, you’ll enjoy: Napier, New Zealand is a Gateway to the Glamorous 1930s

Relax in the Spa

“We Norwegians love to be on the couch, relaxing and maybe watching TV,” says Monja, “but we also like to go to different hotels, enjoy the food and wine and the spas. So, we built our Spa at The Union with this coziness in mind.” With Norway’s hygge culture gaining an international following, the cozy, intimate and welcoming vibe is something you must experience for yourself.

There’s no nicer way to enjoy the views from one of Norway’s most scenic hotels, than to while away a morning, afternoon or even a decadent full day at the Spa. A place where the body and soul can rest, swim inside or out. Enjoy a sauna, Japanese hot bath or a hydra walk, then choose from the extensive treatment menu. The signature ‘Geirangerfjord’ massage and facial with hot black stones is highly recommended.

“You can be in your bathrobe, lay down on the sofas and enjoy a glass of wine as you look out over the fjord and the mountains,” says Monja. “That’s how we do it in Norway – here you relax by just being and not doing.”

Bookmark for later: A Haven of Tranquility: Discovering the Best Luxury Spas in Japan

Simply Unmissable

Its undeniable that this is a place you simply must have on your travel bucket list. “UNESCO have listed Geirangerfjord as one of the top natural sites in the world,” says Monja, adding that National Geographic have rated it as one of the top five unspoiled places on Earth. “You should absolutely come here to see it once in the lifetime and all of us at the Union Hotel look forward to welcoming you.”

To enjoy a stay at The Hotel Union, one of Norway’s most scenic hotels, take a look at our Timeless Scandinavia small group journey.