The Arabian Peninsula is the size of Alaska, Texas and California combined (give or take Rhode Island), and 9 out of every 10 square feet belong to one of the most inhospitable patches of land on the planet. The Arabian Desert includes the largest contiguous stretch of sand anywhere, and generously offers daytime temperatures normally associated with baking bundt cakes or branding steers.

All of which makes it a perfect destination to explore by sea, bypassing the bone-bleaching heat and choking dust of land travel in the desert, and allowing casual travelers to experience a truly foreign culture - with the option of familiar surroundings at the end of the day.