Set sail to new horizons in 2025 with this fleet of new water-based trips and experiences.
One of the joys of travelling is learning how to adapt to new environments. You come into contact with dynamic cultures, try new cuisines, tune your ear to foreign languages and – if island hopping and coastal cruising float your boat – learn to live like a sailor.
Find your sea legs and get on board with these new sailing experiences for 2025.
1. Wash away your worries in the Whitsundays
A totally new trip for 2025, Real Australia takes 18 to 35s from Sydney to Cairns – with a lot of adventures in between. Go stand-up paddleboarding with an Aboriginal guide, meet koalas on Magnetic Island, and stay in a rainforest lodge in Lamington National Park.
You’ll also embark on a two-night sailing trip through the Whitsunday Islands, making the most of their white-sand beaches and snorkelling and diving sites. If the surroundings aren’t luxurious enough, the catamaran comes complete with a jacuzzi – the MVP of sunset-watching spots.
2. Ease into island living in the Maldives
Enjoy a slice of paradise on the new Sail Maldives trip. From a dhoni – a traditional boat and your floating digs for the duration – you’ll explore white sandy beaches with crystal clear water, colourful coral reefs and shipwreck snorkel spots, keeping an eye out for manta rays, dolphins and turtles.
You’ll also get to experience Maldivian culture, sampling local snacks and learning how to cook the ubiquitous staple, tuna curry. On your penultimate night, you’ll moor up at the island of Fulidhoo to catch some traditional music and dance performances at a sunset dinner on the beach.
3. Beach hop along Turkey’s Turquoise Coast
Spend eight sun-drenched days on the turquoise Turkish Riviera on the new Sail Turkey: Fethiye to Bodrum trip (or its reverse itinerary, Bodrum to Fethiye). Staying aboard a traditional Turkish gulet (sailboat), you’ll spend your days hiking, swimming and hitting up the hottest holiday towns on the coast. While there’s no room for a spa on the gulet, you’ll have the chance to unwind at the mud baths and sulfur pools of Dalyan, and swim around the ruins of a submerged Roman bath where Cleopatra is said to have visited.
4. Explore Greenland’s unbowed beauty
This new Greenland Expedition is unusual for the fact that it is entirely land-based, rather than an adventure cruise. But that doesn’t mean you won’t get out on that iceberg-filled water.
Between epic hikes, opportunities to meet the locals and optional sea-kayaking trips, you’ll journey to Disko Island on one of the world’s most beautiful public ferry rides and take a full-day boat trip to the remote Qasigiannguit settlement, keeping watch for seals and whales along the way.
5. Set sail in the Southern Balkans
The Essential Southern Balkans trip for 18 to 35s is all about coastal cool, taking in sublime beaches and must-see medieval towns. Newly added for 2025, Himare is a laidback beach town away from Albania’s flashier resorts – ideal for a couple of days of downtime. From here, you’ll spend a morning zipping between hidden caves and tucked-away bays on a boat tour along the coast – with plenty of opportunities to stop and dive in for a swim.
6. Cruise West Africa’s rivers by pirogue
The new Benin, Togo & Ghana Adventure will expand your worldview and possibly shift your perspective with an array of unique experiences – from visiting a Ghanaian coffin maker to taking part in a Vodun ceremony in Ouidah. On a few occasions, you’ll literally see things from a different angle as you cruise the region’s croc-filled rivers by pirogue (traditional dugout canoe) to visit seldom-explored historic towns and stilted villages.
7. Snorkel the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Arabia Women’s Expedition soft-launched in 2024 but is set to go big in 2025. This woman-led, women-only trip delves deep into the country’s rich history and culture, with an emphasis on sharing the stories of underrepresented women. Water babies, there are some treats in store for you too. From Jeddah, you’ll set off on a boat trip in the Red Sea, where you’ll spot kaleidoscopic coral and sea life at some of the world’s best snorkel sites – before kicking back to watch the sunset on a private women-only beach.
Find out what else is new for 2025 with The Goods.
