Living There
Will 2015 be the year you discover something new? Every year, new countries are opening their doors to travelers. Whether you’re looking for luxury resorts or exclusive guided tours, here is our top 5 luxury travel destinations worth visiting in 2015:
5) Travel the Silk Road by private jet
The Silk Road is one of the oldest international trade routes in the world. It’s been used for centuries to transport spices, porcelain, and Asian treasures to consumers in Europe. Made famous by Venetian explorer Marco Polo, the Silk Road crosses the entire Eurasian continent.
Today, there are a number of ways to explore the historic sights of the Silk Road. While some people travel portions of the Silk Road by car or bus, others take a more luxurious form of transportation: private jet.
Private jet companies like Captain’s Choice take tourists from the UK to Kashgar, China before zigzagging their way back across the continent, hitting all the major cities along the way. Samarkand, Bukhara, Yalta, Sebastopol, and Istanbul fly beneath your feet as you enjoy a luxury Marco Polo would have never dreamed of.
One of the major advantages of exploring the Silk Road by private jet is that many of the cities are so far-flung that private jet is the only feasible way to get there. While the cities may have been bustling trade hubs back in the heyday of the Silk Road, today, they’re often difficult to get to.
Expect to pay about $30,000 USD to travel the Silk Road for two weeks by private jet. For a detailed explanation of this luxury adventure, check out this story.
4) Enjoy a luxury wine tour while sailing the Dalmatian coast in Croatia
Croatia’s tourist industry has exploded with growth over the past few years. Coastal cities like Split and Dubrovnik are teeming with tourists while even inland cities like Zagreb have attracted the attention of luxury hotels.
Why not sail the Croatian coastline and avoid all of those annoying tourists? Croatia’s world-famous Dalmatian coast offers an abundance of medieval towns and stunning views of the aquamarine sea.
Sailing the Croatian coast is nothing new: the Dalmatian coast is one of the most popular sailing spots in the Mediterranean. Today, luxury yacht chartering services like Burgess Yachts and Fraser Yachts; travelers can enjoy the wine tours up and down the coast.
Croatian coastal wineries have exploded with growth over the past decade. Today, the country is known for its rich variety of Zinfandel and Chardonnay. In fact, both of those wines likely originated in Croatia hundreds of years ago.
Croatia’s two most prolific wine-growing regions are Istria and Dalmatia – both located along the coast. Today, luxury travelers sail the Croatian coastline spending their days touring the country’s best vineyards and dining in the best restaurants before returning to their yachts at night.
With warm summers and temperate shoulder seasons, Croatia is best visited between April and September. Today, a growing number of yacht charters are servicing the region. Prices for a seven day cruise start at approximately $3,000 USD per person.
3) Explore Antarctica, the Falklands, and South Georgia Island on a luxury cruise
Just a few decades ago, Antarctica was reserved for brave explorers. You couldn’t just hop on a ship and ask for a round-trip ticket to Antarctica.
Today, you can do exactly that. If you’ve ever wanted to visit all seven continents of the world, then there’s no better time than 2015 to check Antarctica off the list.
A growing number of luxury cruises (and even some research vessels) now offer trips to Antarctica and surrounding areas. Cruises typically depart from Ushuaia, the capital of Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego.
A two week cruise often takes you to Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia Island – all of which have been immortalized in exploration history.
Highlights of Antarctica include passing breeding grounds with over 100,000 penguins while spotting icebergs and ice-covered mountains from your seaside cabin. It’s a part of the world few people will ever get to experience – and today, it’s more accessible than it’s been at any point in human history.
2) Experience the Arctic in Svalbard or the Northwest Passage
If the Antarctic is a little too far away for you, consider the Arctic – which is slightly closer for those in the Northern Hemisphere. As Arctic sea ice melts, the Arctic Sea is becoming more and more accessible to luxury cruise liners.
Arctic cruises typically depart from Svalbard, Norway. As you travel through endless seas of icebergs and rocky islands with creaking glaciers, you’ll truly feel like you’ve stepped into another world. One popular Arctic cruise circumnavigates Spitsbergen, which is the main island of Svalbard and one of the most amazing sights in the Arctic.
Other Arctic cruises travel through the historic Northwest Passage: an area of the world that has only recently become navigable thanks to retreating sea ice. Cruises depart from far-flung corners of the world like Resolute, Canada and Anadyr, Russia.
Roald Amundsen crossed the Northwest Passage in 1906. Today, you can walk in his historic footsteps and relive the greatest Arctic adventure in history.
1) Visit the Maldives before they sink beneath the ocean
Cold-weather destinations aren’t for everyone. If those descriptions of Antarctica and the Arctic chilled you out, then consider visiting the Maldives.
The Maldives are a luxury travel destination filled with miles of soft white sand beaches and crystal-clear lagoons. Unfortunately, the Maldives are also sinking beneath the ocean – which means you may not get to experience them a few decades from now.
For now, the Maldives remain relatively dry. Luxury resorts on the Maldives typically encompass an entire island to themselves. Resorts offer private cabins located over sparkling blue water. With plenty of world-class spas and amenities, the Maldives are one of the most remote island chains in the world – which means you’ll feel like you have the entire ocean to yourself.
