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a perfect jumping-off point for sea kayaking tours. Here, you can paddle all day between anchorages or take the kayaks onboard and sail to different locations. The bird cliffs and lush valleys ensure vivid scenery. While kayaking or hiking along the coast or in the mountains, be sure to keep an eye out for arctic foxes, seals, whales, and porpoises. Your stops will include Hornbjarg bird cliffs, Vigur Puffin Island, Leirufjörður with Drangajökull ice cap and glacier river, and Reykjanes hot springs. Even if your yacht outing does not offer a formal sea kayaking trip, there will likely be kayaks onboard. For travelers looking to be more self-reliant, Borea Adventures also offers kayak trips where guests camp in the fjords and bays of the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve. While previous paddling experience isn’t vital, you need to be in good physical condition to take these trips.

Steam rises from the Blue Lagoon in Iceland.

During Iceland’s summer, you can go hiking or biking among frozen lava flows, glaciers, and lakes. Take a whale-watching tour and look for minke, blue, and humpback whales, dolphins, and harbor porpoises. You can also go riding on sure-footed horses that will take you over grassy plains, up and down rocky slopes, through rivers, and over fields of rough lava. You can play golf under the midnight sun, go caving, canoeing, diving, and trekking. Your outfitter will be determined by which activities you’re looking for. Visit Iceland (see below) can recommend operators who specialize in the various sports and tours. Iceland has a reputation for being cold, but with all these adventurous options, you’re sure to find something that warms your heart. —LF

Visit Iceland (www.visiticeland.com).

TOURS: Arctic Adventures, Laugavegur 11, #101 ( 354/562-7000; www.adventures.is/Iceland/Kayaking). Borea Adventures, Hildarvegur 38, 400 Isafjordur ( 354/869-7557;www.boreaadventures.com).

When to Go: Summer.

Reykjavik.

$$$ Icelandia, Tungata 34 ( 354/534-0444;www.icelandia.com). $$$ CenterHotel Klöpp, Klapparstígur 26 ( 354/595-8520;www.centerhotels.com).

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Touring Musandam Peninsula by Dhow

Arabian Dreams at Sea

Khasab, Oman

The Musandam Peninsula at Oman’s rugged northern tip is one of the Middle East’s best-kept secrets. Just 2 or 3 hours by car from cosmopolitan Dubai, this secluded piece of land is ripe for adventure. For the most thrilling overview of the area, travel around for a few days on a dhow—a small wooden sailing vessel traditionally used for commercial journeys to transport goods such as dates, fish, and timber between the Persian Gulf and East Africa. Today, the small boats offer a unique way to visit places that would otherwise be unreachable.

Khasab—the peninsula’s largest town and a picturesque one, set among date palms—is the launching point for any trip at sea. As you drive there from Dubai, a good place to stop along the way is the emirate of Sharjah, just north of Dubai. There are several interesting museums, shops, and traditional buildings to explore in Sharjah City, deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 for its commitment to preserving its Arab art, culture, and heritage. Continuing your ride along the Gulf’s waters is a perfect tease for the epic sailing adventure that comes next.

After an overnight in Khasab, it’s time to board your dhow. Plenty of tour operators offer short cruises, but adrenaline seekers will want to book a longer trip where you travel farther around the peninsula, sleeping beneath the stars on the dhow’s deck or camping out on remote beaches for a couple of nights. (Typically, there aren’t any cabins on board, but a basic toilet and shower are available.) Food and water are kept on the dhow, as well as provisions to make cups of customary mint tea.

During the day, eagles and falcons soar through the sky while dolphins and brightly colored fish glide through the azure waters. You can even hop off the dhow at times to swim or snorkel along with them. You’ll pass Telegraph Island, a rocky outcrop that was once home to British telegraph officers when the first