Longing for that summer holiday? Fed up of being cooped up indoors and just want to focus on something fun for the future? Have your plans been put on hold for your dream summer sailing holiday this year? Looking to splash out for Christmas? Well, its always summer somewhere – but where? Belize!
Enjoy white sand beaches, turquoise water and exceptional sailing conditions in one of the most underrated chartering areas in the world.
A Belize yacht charter offers endless opportunities to enjoy amazing snorkelling and diving off the world’s second-largest barrier reef. Belize is an archipelago with over 200 untouched rainforest islands and atolls, charming towns, friendly locals and an Aztec influence.
Embark in Belize City and benefit from two fantastic Belize yacht charter itineraries. Sail to the popular northern island hotspots of San Pedro Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, as well as the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Alternatively, head to the less frequented southern island hotspots of Man-o-War Caye, Tobacco Caye and Placencia.
Want to find out more? Speak to one of our brokers today who will walk you through what’s possible on your Christmas sailing charter!
Boatbookings outlines 5 main reasons to book your yacht charter now! With Charter protection policies, booking your bareboat charter has never been so easy!
Availability
Just like the supermarkets – the availability of the yachts is becoming less and less. Whether you are chartering a bareboat monohull in the BVI’s or a bareboat catamaran in Greece, most yacht charters scheduled for 2020 are now moving to 2021. This means if you want to charter in 2021 you have to book now! There will be a serious lack of availability during the early part of 2021 than compared to other years. Trust us, we can see all the yachts calendars!
Your first choice when it comes to yacht and destination
There are favorable weeks during the year which sees an increase in sailing charters such as the first two weeks of August in the Mediterranean, and the Christmas week in the BVI’s. These weeks are busy regardless, and as such 2021 will not only have the guests that want to charter during the year of 2021, you will also now see that all the guests that were previously booked in 2020 have moved their charter to 2021. This means that it will be increasingly hard to secure those best weeks of sailing in your desired location.
Discounts!
We all love a discount, by securing your yacht charter early you can benefit from various forms of early booking discounts. Most charter companies have specific covid19 policies meaning lower deposits and flexible rescheduling if your travel plans are affected by covid19.
Supporting the industry that you know and love
It is no shock that the travel industry has been severally affected, and was probably one of the first industries to really feel the hit of COVID19. By booking your yacht charter for 2021 or 2022, you are actively supporting an industry that relies on sailors and charterers from all over the globe. Without you, there is no industry.
Something to look forward to when the world returns back to normal
Sailors, charterers, and everyone at Boatbookings have one thing in common – a sense of adventure. The freedom to sail the seas and travel to some world-class destinations is our way of life. Staying home, and having our freedom taken away has his us all hard in different ways. By booking a risk-free charter it gives you something to look forward to, break up the day with some passage planning or speak to one of us today and bounce some ideas around!
The ‘escape reality’ series is back with another bespoke itinerary for you! Read through our Bahamas Itinerary and escape to the turquoise waters! Written by us, imagined by you!
Has your summer vacation been put on hold, and now you’re longing for a Christmas escape? Look no further because this could be the itinerary for you. Did I mention, these itineraries are also great for kids?!
This week we explore one of the most captivating itineraries we have ever sailed – the Bahamas, Exumas. Imagine turquoise crystal clear waters, white-sand beaches and baron islands. Could this be for you?
Day 1 – Highborne Cay
Begin your charter in a beach village on the eastern shores of Nassau and spend a few days relaxing around a pool before embarking upon your charter! Although the Bahamas is home to over 300 islands, but the Boatbookings brokers asure you that the different islands that you can visit from your yacht charter in the Bahamas are the best islands in the Bahamas! Sailing around the Exumas allows for some of the best wildlife on the globe, swimming pigs, wild iguanas, crystal blue waters for swimming, Thunderball Grotto (as seen in James Bond) and amazing restaurants for every island you visit in the Exuma island collection.
Day 2 – Allen Cay
The first day of sailing will be long, but it will be worth it! The first leg is just over 40 nautical miles, and would take you roughly 7 hours to get there. So wake up, have a hearty breakfast and shake those sails out! Your first day will give you the chance to get a lot of sailing in, surrounded by the bluest water on the globe! When you reach the Exuma islands, it is worth the long sail due to the sheer beauty of each individal island, called a Cay in true Bahamian fashion. The first island to visit on your charter is Highborne Cay, known as the gateway to the Exumas – a great location for the first overnight stay.
Visit the uninhabited beaches of Hawksbill Cay and have a relaxing evening. This cay is a key part of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea National park and has no other facilities than mooring balls in this beautiful location. Anchoring is not permitted however there are plenty of mooring balls for this idyllic spot.
One of the most sheltered cays in the Exumas, this National Park offers the best conditions for kayaking, snorkelling or taking a hike around the island. There is a large selection of boats anchored within the bay here as it is sheltered from any wind. Our top recommendation is the dead whale construction and a stroll along one of the 30 deserted beaches here!
Day 5 – Staniel Cay and Pig Beach
Wild pigs on Big Majors Island in The Bahamas, lounging and walking around in the sand and ocean.
Take a slightly longer sail from Waderick Wells cay to Staniel Cay and Anchor in the sheltered yachting paradise of Staniel Cay amongst many other catamarans. Visit Staniel Cay yacht club for a lunch and visit the beautiful island. Take your dinghy to shores and tie up amongst nurse sharks in the bluest waters in the world. Be sure to take the dinghy to visit the pigs at Pig Beach the swimming pigs at Big Majors Cay will swim out to you to visit you on your dinghy! Bring some food to feed them! Visiting the swimming pigs is an absolute must in the Bahamas and does not disappoint. Be sure to charter a yacht to get this ticked off the bucket list this winter!
Day 6 – Norman’s Cay
Before sailing off to Normans Cay be sure to go snorkelling before you leave Staniel Cay and visit Thunderball Grotto at low tide, see where James Bond was filmed and swim with tropical fish. Sail north to Norman’s Cay have dinner at Mcduffs at Normans Cay- go snorkelling with the nurse sharks and spend time on your own private island to have lunch.
Day 7 – Nassau
Set off early for your sail back to Nassau – factoring in Rose Island if you have time before getting back to Palm cay marina for 6 PM to disembark the following morning. Spend another few nights in your own private beach villa at the marina and relax after a fun-filled yacht charter.
Enquire today with one of our expert brokers who can personalise an itinerary that suits you and your guests! The Boatbookings brokers have personally sailed and reviewed the best sailing grounds, activities, restaurants and boats in the Bahamas. Be in touch to get the most from your yacht charter this winter!
You want to go sailing, but want to avoid the crowds. But where? How? Can I still go to Greece and escape the crowds? Find the Boatbookings secrets below to ensure you have a crowd-less charter!
Foki Bay – Ionian
Northern Hemisphere
Places like the Mediterranean see thousands of sailors flock to visit these gorgeous islands and quaint medieval towns. The only issue is is that these islands can get so saturated over the summer it leaves some sailors lusting for the quiet secluded bays. find below the top 4 places in the Northern Hemisphere that offer perfect sailing, in quiet destination
Number one: The Azores
Say goodbye to the crowds of Athens, and say hello to nature, dramatic land formations and some of the best sailing in the Atlantic! The Azores offers long-distance sailing for the gung-ho sailor type during April/May/June, and island hopping with the family during the July and August months! Check out our 7-day itinerary and our 14-day itinerary for some inspiration!
Number two: Corsica
Calanches de Piana in Corsica, France, late spring.
Corsica, a French island located south of the French Riviera and north of Sardinia. This rocky oasis offers some of the most picturesque bays that the Meditteranean has to offer. There’s only a small amount of yachts based in Corsica so our advice would be to start on the northeastern tip of Sardinia and sail up towards the east coast of Corsica stopping off at one of our favorite anchorages: Santa Guilia. Check out of Corsica sailing itinerary for some inspiration!
Number three: Croatia
Croatia has seen the rise in nautical tourism over the past 5 years, with it nearly topping the sailing capital of the world – Greece. This long skinny country, with thousands of islands, is the perfect playground for sailors. Islands such as Brac, Hvar, Solta are heavily visited during the summer months (unsurprising as they are truly unique). One area which is sometimes forgotten is the national park – Kornati. Located north of Sibenik, and just south of Zadar, the Kornati national park provides some of the most exquisite sailing. The islands are easy to navigate through and offers protection from Jungo and Bora winds. Read our various Croatia itineraries to get a feel for what you can experience!
Number four: Turkey
Turkey, where east meets west. A culturally diverse corner of the Mediterranean perfect for first-timers looking for some stress-free sailing. As the political unrest comes to a halt, Turkey is dying for people to come back sailing, it has the infrastructure to berth thousands of yachts and used to be an exciting hub of sailing. Turkey is mainly coastal sailing with a few islands laying close to Gocek and Fethiye.
If you are looking to explore and off the beaten track location, speak to one of our worldwide brokers today!
Specializing in Caribbean charters, here are our top 5 reasons to charter a yacht and why the British Virgin Islands is officially one of the best places in the world to charter for your 2020 holiday season!
Escape the bleak mid-winter and spend Christmas 2020 island hopping between the white sand beaches of the British Virgin Islands. The world’s best sailing conditions, island hopping, world-class scuba diving grounds, and a Christmas day conch meal. All of this plus an unforgettable New Year’s Eve makes the British Virgin Islands the only place to charter a yacht this Christmas!!
Christmas day on the yacht
Whether you’re a seasoned yachtie or sailing around the best sailing grounds of the Caribbean is something you’ve always dreamt of, a yacht charter in the BVI is guaranteed to make 2020 your best Christmas yet.
Although you’ll be on a yacht in the Caribbean, don’t worry there’s still plenty of decorations to make you feel just at home. Expect to see masts with fairy lights going to the top, red and white bikinis and palm Christmas trees!
Spend this Christmas walking around the white sand-beaches of Anegada and join in the local celebrations! Chose from having your own personal crew onboard to sailing solo around the many BVI white-sand beached islands.
New years eve at Foxy’s
Be sure to head to the island of Jost Van Dyke to bring in the New Year. Foxy’s on the island is renowned as being one of the top 5 parties in the world on New Year’s Eve.
Instead of celebrating the ‘New Year’, this bar celebrates the ‘Old Year’s Night’, making this iconic location different from every other New Year Party on the globe.
Hop off your boat and enjoy being in one of the best places in the world this New Year. Be sure to catch the theme before deciding on your outfits!
December diving
Switch the traditional family board games on Christmas day for a scuba diving lesson! Scuba dives are an extremely popular Christmas day activity and really make it a Christmas day to remember.
The BVI waters surrounding the islands of Norman Island are renowned for being extremely clear during the months of December and January. The Caribbean waters are full of different corals, turtles, shipwrecks and thousands of different species of fish.
Surprise your loved ones with a diving course and give the gift of the ocean this Christmas!
A Caribbean Christmas lunch
Eat like a local and celebrate the festivities with a freshly grilled lobster or conch! Head over to the Bitter End Yacht Club in Virgin Gorda for your Christmas lunch, be sure to book early this year as most restaurants serving local Caribbean Christmas delicacies tend to get booked up very quickly.
Unrivalled weather conditions
The trade winds blowing across the islands of the BVI offer a consistent breeze, ideal for sailing and for keeping slightly cool during this period. Christmas is without a doubt one of the best times of year to visit the BVI due to long, sunny days with ocean breezes coming through in the afternoon and slightly cooler evenings.
The BVI is known for ‘line of sight’ sailing and protected bays for anchorages and sailing. Unlike other locations in the Caribbean, the waters in the BVI are usually a lot calmer than many other locations.
Aftermath of Irma
Despite the saddening damage, caused by hurricane IRMA in 2017, the BVI’s are being cared for and maintained. The process of rebuilding infrastructure has been a work in progress since the hurricane struck, however, the BVI is back on track and the boat standards and sailing grounds are as popular as ever.
Don’t let the damage caused in 2017 put you off from a yacht charter in the BVI this Christmas – the BVI is up and running. For current information, we please see our “what is open in the BVI after Irma” page, which is updated regularly.
Give Santa a change from the chimney and let him slide down your mast this Christmas! Get in touch today!
