Protecting natural and cultural treasures of outstanding value to humanity lies at the heart of UNESCO World Heritage designation. We have selected ten extraordinary sites for you to visit on your next PONANT EXPLORATIONS cruise. Protecting natural and cultural treasures of outstanding value to humanity lies at the heart of UNESCO World Heritage designation. We have selected ten extraordinary sites for you to visit on your next PONANT EXPLORATIONS cruise.
Arctic, Greenland

The Ilulissat icefjord

In Disko Bay, 250 km north of the Arctic Circle, a massive ice flow from the polar ice cap pours into the frozen Ilulissat Fjord. Towering icebergs break away with a thunderous roar before drifting serenely across the water. A truly breathtaking natural spectacle!

An iceberg pierced through its centre in the Ilulissat Icefjord, Disko Bay, Greenland
The Arctic, Iceland

The Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

The Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, in Vatnajökull National Park, is one of Iceland's most photogenic natural wonders. Countless icebergs calved from the glacier are sculpted by the waves and then washed onto the black-sand shoreline, where they glitter like thousands of diamonds.

Glittering blocks of ice on the black sands of Diamond Beach of Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Iceland
The Americas: Canada and Panama

L'Anse aux Meadows

This remarkable archaeological site on the island of Newfoundland, Canada, preserves the remains of an 11th-century Viking settlement, complete with turf houses and a blacksmith's forge. Archaeological evidence that proves the discovery of the Americas by these Nordic explorers is not a legend.

Reconstructed Viking dwelling at L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, Canada

This remarkable archaeological site on the island of Newfoundland, Canada, preserves the remains of an 11th-century Viking settlement, complete with turf houses and a blacksmith's forge. Archaeological evidence that proves the discovery of the Americas by these Nordic explorers is not a legend.

Europe, Greece

The Ancient Site of Delphi

The “navel of the world” was the name given to the sanctuary of Apollo by the ancient Greeks, majestically situated on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. Its temples, terraces and theatre still retain their timeless aura, even though the Oracle's voice has long since fallen silent.

Panorama sur le théâtre antique de Delphes, en Grèce
Europe, Norway

Geirangerfjord

Listed by UNESCO alongside neighbouring Nærøyfjord, Geirangerfjord is among the world's longest and deepest fjords. Sheer cliffs streaked with waterfalls plunging from heights of up to 1,500 metres, crowned with dense conifer forests, create one of nature's most iconic landscapes.

A PONANT EXPLORATIONS ship at anchor in Geirangerfjord, Norway
Asia and the Pacific: Japan and French Polynesia

The Itsukushima Shrine

Like the perfect composition of a master painter, the Shinto shrine of Itsukushima embodies the harmonious union of nature and human creativity. Seeing its iconic vermilion torii gate rising from the sea against a mountainous backdrop is an unforgettable experience.

The iconic red torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima, Japan

Like the perfect composition of a master painter, the Shinto shrine of Itsukushima embodies the harmonious union of nature and human creativity. Seeing its iconic vermilion torii gate rising from the sea against a mountainous backdrop is an unforgettable experience.

Africa, Namibia

The Namib Desert

The dunes of the Namib Sand Sea display an extraordinary palette of colours and textures, constantly reshaped by the wind. Moisture carried inland from the Atlantic sustains a remarkable diversity of endemic plants and wildlife in one of the world's most arid coastal deserts.

The dunes of the Namib Desert, Namibia, Southern Africa
Atlantic Islands, Cape Verde

Cidade Velha

In the south of Santiago Island in Cape Verde, the historic centre of Ribeira Grande bears witness to centuries of exchanges between Europe, Africa and the Americas. It was the first European colonial settlement established in the tropics when founded in the late 15th century, and the birthplace of a rich Creole culture shaped by diverse influences.

Historic colonial fort at Cidade Velha, the historic centre of Ribeira Grande, Santiago Island, Cape Verde