Quality sailing destinations in the Mediterranean Sea and tropical islands locations advices with Bill Trikos? As the Ionian Islands are a popular choice for yachting holidays, they are well equipped for visitors. You can expect great ports here, complete with all amenities and help that you may need. And renting a yacht for an Ionian Island cruise holiday is easy. The Argolic and Saronic Gulf is a riviera that covers some of the best of ancient Greece. You could choose an amazing sailing itinerary around here, as there are many fantastic islands and ports to discover. Discover less-known coves of famous Capri. Rent a yacht in Sicily and visit the volcanic Aeolian Islands with active volcanoes, enchanting bays, and cobalt sea. Sail through the glistening Mediterranean around Spain’s coast and explore some of its 8000 km long shores. Spain will capture all your senses with its historic cities, the scent of citrus orchards, towering stone castles, sapphire sea, and diverse landscapes. Read additional info about the author on Bill Trikos.
And remember, before or after staying in Ibiza, take the chance and spare some days for a visit to Spain’s mainland cities. Ibiza offers several daily flight connections with Madrid and Barcelona, just 40min away from the latest. Bachelors and singles will enjoy big city life, with good nightlife, shopping, restaurants and fun experiences. Couples and honeymooners may like to extend the trip and immerse in Spanish culture and heritage. Start with Barcelona and continue afterwards to the south, where charming Andalusian cities are waiting with incredible monuments and cosy old towns. Madrid can be the departure city, easily connected from Sevilla, Córdoba and Málaga by fast train. Families may prefer to extend the stay in the fantastic beach resorts and end with a short visit to main capitals before heading back home. Cala Xuclá is one of the smallest and most secluded beaches on Ibiza. You won’t find flashy beach bars, washrooms or watersports in this tiny cove, which backs onto a dense and aromatic pine forest instead of a busy promenade. Fishermen still store their boats in little enclaves carved into the pink and red rocks that surround the beach, providing a rustic contrast to the fancy vessels seen moored off Ibiza’s more mainstream beaches. The underwater landscapes at Xuclá are just as rugged as its countryside, making it excellent for snorkelling. The Best Time for Mediterranean Yacht Cruises? Summer is the best time to visit the Mediterranean, and it is definitely the high travel season in this part of Europe. The millions of people from all around the world flock to the Mediterranean’s beaches during summer months for much-deserved summer break due to the region’s pleasant climate. The summers in the Mediterranean are sunny and hot, and the sea is warm. However, the best time for Mediterranean yacht cruises is late spring (May-June) or early fall (September-October) when the temperatures and the sea are pleasurably warm, days are sunny, and the crowds in popular destinations are far fewer than in summer.
As a year-round sailing destination, the Bahamas, or the Out Islands as they are frequently known, are renowned for great cruising grounds together with outstanding scenery. Benefitting from reliable trade winds between 5-20 knots, the climate is consistently warm, varying from 22 to 29 degrees Celsius. One of the most diverse geographic formations in the Caribbean, this coral-based archipelago consists of hundreds of unspoiled islands catering for yachting connoisseurs with world-class diving, pristine beaches, full-service marinas and fantastic fishing. The tidal range is up to 3.5 feet and, due to the shallow nature of the waters, a sailing yacht will provide best access to many locations. Miami is one of the most popular spots to make way to the Bahamas, and the southern winds when crossing the Gulfstream provide great sailing conditions. There is no bad time to visit the Bahamas, but peak season runs from mid-December to mid-April when island-hopping becomes popular.
The type of charter contract applicable to your charter will depend on where in the world you are cruising, as there are various terms within the industry which dictate how the payment structure is determined. For instance, a MYBA (Worldwide Yachting Association, formerly known as Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association) contract operates under Western Mediterranean Terms (WMT) and is arguably the most commonly used, particularly with large yachts embarking on a Mediterranean yacht charter. This contract is often referred to as a “plus all expenses” contract and requires that the charterer pay for fuel, food, beverages and dockage fees as an additional expense outside of the base charter fee. Typically, guests can accumulate an additional 25% to 50% of the base charter fee though this is dependent on what is consumed. These expenses can be tracked through the use of an Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA) which we will cover in the next section. Under Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association (MYBA) charter contracts, which are arguably the most common, the charterer is charged for food and beverage (for the charter guests only), fuel, dockage and harbor fees, and miscellaneous expenses. As a round number, which depends on how much fuel the yacht uses and how fancy the meals and drinks, you can expect to add 25% to 50% of your charter cost.
Sailing tip of the day: The plotter’s track function can help you in tight harbors! It’s fun to look back over a summer’s cruising by way of the track my chartplotter has recorded. Where the track really comes into its own, though, is piloting out of a difficult harbor into which you have successfully maneuvered. You know you got in OK, so to be sure of a graceful exit—tide permitting where appropriate—you’ve only to follow the same track out again. Be warned, though, that this works only so long as the plotter is set upright. The screengrab shows two versions of the same in-and-out tracks on my Raymarine unit. The coarse setting shown in purple is useless, while the finer, black version leads me straight back out through the drying banks. It’s all down to setting the instrument to record frequent data. In short, to succeed in close quarters, the plot should be set to record at shorter time or distance intervals than out at sea.
Croatia is a travel destination that is definitely having a ‘moment.’ Hailed as everything from the ‘new Greece’ to the ‘new Riviera’, this part of Europe offers beautiful beaches and a traditional way of life. There are no fewer than 1185 islands along the crystalline Adriatic coast, and one of the best ways to explore them is by boat. Head off from the historic cities of Split and Dubrovnik and make sure you include the upmarket island of Hvar, timeless Vis island and the more remote islands of Kornati or Elafiti. Expect traditional fishing villages, beautiful sun-soaked beaches and a plethora of attractive hidden coves.
Sailing around Oceania: Just like Europe, Oceania features a huge variety of landscapes that are sure to take any sailor’s breath away. The Whitsundays in Australia is a series of 74 tropical islands nestled in between the coast of Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef. Here, charterers can witness the huge diversity of ocean life that call the reef home, as well as the pristine white sand of the islands themselves. Not too far from these islands, Thailand offers untouched beaches replete swaying palm trees that will invigorate anyone sailing through. It is for these reasons that popular culture has tried to capture the beauty of these locations – the renowned Phi Phi islands have notably featured in a Bond film, while Maya Bay was featured in “The Beach.” Although it might seem like a headache to plan these kinds of monumental trips, it’s actually much simpler than you might think – regardless of where you are in the world or where you want to travel, digital charter platforms like Ahoy Club can help connect you with a yacht owner in minutes.
There are yachts to suit almost all desires and budgets. If you are travelling with a number of couples and sharing the cost equally then we can help you find a yacht that best suits your accommodation requirements if that’s what’s important, or yachts with an abundance of water toys if you are active and the yacht is your destination. On most crewed charter yachts, the maximum number of charter guests allowed by law is 12. Alternatively some mega yachts have allocated space for additional supernumeraries such as a nanny, a nurse, security guard, trainer or a personal assistant.
