“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life—and travel—leaves marks on you,” Anthony Bourdain once observed. Today, that has never been more prized.
Affluent explorers are trading in their familiar five-star stays for true adventure: private seaplane charters over emerald bays, multi-day wilderness train journeys through Malaysia, and intimate wildlife-conservation cruises in Borneo. After all, a journey worth taking should reshape your outlook, not just your photo feed. Here are the luxury expeditions set to leave their mark on travellers for the rest of the year and into 2026.
PSA: For the best deals on hotel room bookings, don’t forget to register for Mastercard’s Travel & lifestyle services if you are a Mastercard cardholder. It’s free, and you’ll also get access to a round-the-clock travel manager who can help with all your travel bookings.
1. Embark on a seaplane flight in Halong Bay, Vietnam
Image: Hai Au Aviation
If Halong Bay conjures images of slow-moving junks and emerald karsts, try flipping the script: board a seaplane and see the archipelago as an aerial painting.
Hai Au Aviation, Vietnam’s dedicated seaplane operator, flies a Cessna Grand Caravan 208B-EX that seats up to 12. Every passenger enjoys an unblocked view as limestone towers, hidden coves and aquamarine lagoons slide beneath.
Flights start from about 2,500,000 VND; book a charter for a private hop or take a scheduled scenic flight to feel the scale and geometry of this UNESCO landscape in one sweeping glance.
Choose your vantage. From above, Dau Be Island reads as a secretive jewel tucked into Lan Ha Bay; Cong Do rewards you with inland sea valleys, natural lakes and a dramatic relief of forested bluffs; and the Bo Hon cluster frames famed caves such as Sung Sot and Luon against a palette of deep blue and green.
Image: V’Spirit Cruise
For those who prefer to be closer to the water, glide instead through the Lan Ha Bay, a quieter pocket of Halong Bay, on V’Spirit Cruise. The 18-suite wooden junk is decked out in burnished timber, billowing red sails, and private balconies. Days here are for kayaking through limestone corridors, visiting floating villages, learning Vietnamese cookery, or simply unwinding at the Top Deck Skybar. DCS Imperium World Elite cardholders can secure preferential rates for trips up to 31st December 2025.
Image: Sofitel Legend Metropole
After your adventure, overnight in Hanoi at the Sofitel Legend Metropole. Book the newly refreshed Metropole Suite and enjoy arrival comforts. Similarly, DCS Imperium World Elite card holders may also secure perks such as room upgrades, complimentary breakfast and flexible check-in/out.
2. Go mountain trekking in the Himalayas
Image: Tree Of Life Resorts & Hotels
For those who crave mountains, the Binsar trek in the Himalayas is pure, unvarnished elevation therapy. Set on the Jhandi Dhar ridge at roughly 2,500m, the route threads oak- and rhododendron-clad forest. March to April brings a ruby flush of blooms and more than 200 bird and mammal species make occasional, thrilling appearances—think Himalayan goral, chital, musk deer and the rarer leopard.
Image: @devbhoomidarshann
The roughly 22km itinerary begins in Binsar Sanctuary and winds toward the centuries-old Jageshwar temple complex, pausing at the Dhaulchina campsite for postcard panoramas of Nanda Ghunti, Trisul, Nanda Devi, and neighbouring summits.
With your DCS World Imperium Elite Card, you can make it effortless. Book a guided 4D3N trek, offered in partnership with The Great Nextand, and your logistics melt away. The offering bundles two nights in village guesthouses, one night in a tent, all meals (lunch and dinner included), an experienced local guide, and air-conditioned transfers.
You’ll arrive staged, briefed and ready to savour the route rather than manage it. For travellers who want wild landscapes with five-star planning, this is Himalayan trekking on one’s own terms.
Image: Hyatt
If you’re routing home through New Delhi, finish the expedition properly. A short stay at Andaz Delhi is the perfect–think a long pool dip, a warm shower and attentive service before your flight. DCS Imperium World Elite Card members enjoy added ease and perks: daily breakfast for two, a room upgrade at check-in (subject to availability), a USD100 hotel credit (redeemed on property), and early check-in (subject to availability).
3. Traverse the jungles of Malaysia aboard a luxury train ride
Image: Belmond
For the discerning traveller accustomed to the finest experiences, a cramped regional flight simply won’t do. Instead, board the Eastern & Oriental Express straight from Singapore and let this legendary train whisk you through Malaysia’s verdant heartland in style. High-gloss teak coaches, gleaming brass fittings, and attentive white-gloved service set the tone for three nights for the Wild Malaysia itinerary. The journey begins at Woodlands Station, where every detail is curated for comfort and elegance.
Image: Belmond
But the real allure lies off-train. On day two, the train pauses at Taman Negara National Park, one of the world’s oldest rainforests. This is your chance to learn to forage for edible jungle plants, join a rainforest photography workshop, or track camera traps in support of the endangered Malayan tiger alongside Save Wild Tigers conservationists. By day three, you’re on Penang Island. Here you’ll cruise the UNESCO-listed George Town by vintage Vespa, shop for spices in its Chinatown markets, and master Peranakan cuisine under a local chef’s tutelage.
All meals onboard are included: from continental breakfasts in your cabin to three-course lunches and elegant four-course dinners that spotlight regional flavours. Pair each course with complimentary house wines or craft cocktails poured in the Bar Car, then linger over live jazz as the train glides past paddy fields and coconut groves.
Eastern & Oriental Express website
4. See orangutans from Borneo river cruises
Image: Secret Retreats
Here’s a chic bit of trivia: Borneo’s jungles predate even the Amazon, making it home to some of the planet’s oldest rainforests. Glide through this primeval landscape aboard a Secret Retreats river cruise and you’ll find yourself perfectly poised to spot the “old man of the woods”–the elusive Bornean orangutan–in its untouched habitat.
Choose between a full private charter or a cabin cruise on a meticulously refitted wooden river boat, each one outfitted with plush seating and discreet onboard comforts. One of which is the Spirit of Kalimantan, a traditional barge featuring three double cabins, an indoor sitting area, and an upper viewing deck.
Image: Secret Retreats
As you drift along the rivers of Sebangau National Park, naturalist guides will point out proboscis monkeys, hornbills, and macaques amid the towering dipterocarp canopy. And when the sun dips low, your boat’s deck becomes the perfect perch for cocktails as fireflies dance in the twilight.
Beyond wildlife watching, these cruises champion conservation. Secret Retreats partners with the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, whose rehabilitation islands within the Rungan River offer a sanctuary for rescued orangutans. Your itinerary can include a visit to these private isles, where you’ll witness first-hand the reintroduction efforts that give hope to this imperiled species.
5. Explore the world’s largest cave or an ancient jungle in Vietnam
Image: Oxalis Adventure
If your idea of an adventurous quest includes headlamps and sense-heightening dark, Vietnam’s Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park has you covered. The national park is known for the legendary Son Doong Expedition by Oxalis Adventures, a six-day, five-night pilgrimage through the planet’s largest cave. Here, colossal stalactites, underground rivers, and sky-piercing sinkholes redefine “grand.”
Image: Oxalis Adventure
There is a caveat, however. The Son Doong Expedition remains booked out through 2025, although you can start booking your adventures for 2026. For adventure seekers looking to fill their calendars this year, the Hang Ba Deep Jungle Expedition opens new terrain for high-end explorers.
Over four days and three nights, you’ll navigate under a cathedral canopy of primary rainforest. 95% of your route lies beneath ancient foliage. Campsites perch beside the dramatic entrances to six caves (Dai Cao, Maze, Ba, Vinh Dai, Light and Circle Bay), inviting you to swap gala attire for well-worn boots. Silent camera traps record gibbons, langurs, wild boar and mountain goats in their natural realm, delivering a private wildlife cinema without disturbing their natural habitats.
You’ll sleep under an unfiltered Milky Way, then retrace your steps through ever-shifting shadows. Both itineraries demand fitness and curiosity, and reward you with bragging rights as one of the few who’ve truly descended into Vietnam’s hidden heart.
6. Motorbike adventure along the Hai Van Pass
Image: Toàn Vinh via Unsplash
For a shot of pure cinematic Vietnam, throttle up the Hai Van Pass, a 21km ribbon of tarmac that threads between jungle-clad peaks and the East Sea. Expect sharp switchbacks, sudden mist, and vistas that swing from Lang Co Bay to fishing villages tucked into the coastline.
The classic loop runs Da Nang–Hue–Da Nang, roughly 210km return. Allow five to six hours with pauses for coffee at the summit, a dip at Lang Co Beach, and oyster slurping at Lap An Lagoon. Rentals with Motorvina put you on solid machines — think Kawasaki Versys X 300 or Honda XR150 — with proper safety kit and roadside support. But if you’re not keen to drive, guided tours like Hai Van Pass Motorbike Tour pair English-speaking riders with pillion-friendly bikes.
Image: InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort
Post-ride, trade hairpin bends for bold architecture at InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, a Mastercard Luxury Hotels and Resorts Collection property set on its own private bay. It’s jungle, sea, and Bill Bensley’s playful design all rolled into one. DCS Imperium members: enjoy daily breakfast for two, room upgrades (subject to availability), and USD 100 property credit when booking.
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort website
Luxury adventures across Asia in 2025
Let 2025 be the year you swap routine for revelation. These curated Asian expeditions make transformative chapters in your travel stories. Pair your journey with the DCS Imperium World Elite Card and every detail becomes seamless privilege.
Enjoy complimentary luxury hotel upgrades, VIP airport access, and en-route perks for an annual fee that’s now at S$1,188. Earn up to 10 Imperium points per foreign dollar spent (4 miles) on your first S$4,000 of overseas transactions, plus a welcome bonus of 40,000 miles (100,000 Imperium Points). If you’re ready to elevate your travels, join the waitlist today.
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