Beautiful ferry rides

Chile: The Patagonian fjords

This epic ferry ride spans 800 miles over four days, treating passengers to views of isolated estuaries and gulfs, massive ice fields and fjords slashed into the Andes. The boat even approaches the dramatic face of Pío XI or Brüggen Glacier, which, at 488sqm, is the largest glacier in South America. Toast your adventure with pisco sours made with iceberg ice that the crew collects from Pío XI.

Australia: Between Sydney and Manly

Within 30 minutes, the ferry breezes past Sydney's blockbuster sights — the Sydney Opera House, Harbour "Coathanger" Bridge and downtown skyscrapers — and greener ones, too. You'll see botanical gardens, tiny islands with Victorian homes and cottages, innumerable coves, little bays, hidden beaches and imposing brown sandstone cliffs topped with native gum trees. With a little luck, a bottlenose dolphin or southern right whale might pop up nearby. (Courtesy of Travelscape Images / Alamy)

Hong Kong: Between Kowloon Peninsula and Hong Kong

This short, sweet and cheap ferry ride transports you across Victoria Harbour from one shore of dazzling skyscrapers to another. Set out at dusk, when the office towers glow in multicoloured lights that rival the soft blues, pinks and purples of the sunset sky. Linger to admire the view from the rooftop Pier 7 Café and Bar at the Central Star Ferry Pier 7. (Courtesy of A. Howden - Hong Kong Stock Photography / Alamy)





British Columbia: Between Port Hardy and Prince RuFerries ply the Inside Passage from Port Hardy on the northern end of Vancouver Island passing rugged mountains, islands covered in coastal Douglas fir and Sitka spruce, quarter-mile-wide Grenville Channel and small First Nations' communities such as Bella Bella. Along the 15-hour, 250-mile journey to Prince Rupert, passengers may see orcas, porpoises, black bears, bald eagles and the scenic Boat Bluff lighthouse on Sarah Island. (Courtesy of British Columbia Ferry Services Inc)