Pure relaxation. Pure adventure. That is what it means to charter a yacht for an ultimate seagoing experience. Often people wonder; once you are on a yacht where does the day take you? From the gentle beginnings in St Tropez, to lunch in Monaco and dinner in Portofino or a relaxing time off Pampelonne beach, soaking up the sights, sounds and flavours of the Mediterranean? The world is your oyster when you are chartering a yacht that can re-locate to practically anywhere, catering to your own customized itinerary. If you’ve set your mind to discover the world anew then an international yachting holiday complete with yacht parties will make it happen for you. Experience is becoming more important than ownership. A luxury yacht charter is like a gateway for those driven by entertainment, by discovery, fighting boredom, increasingly living a transient lifestyle, freeing oneself from the hassles of permanent ownership and possessions and a lust to collect as many experiences and stories as possible. The past is over and the future is uncertain, all that remains is the present and living for the ‘now’.
International yacht charter companies have much to offer; from the biggest super yachts to the fastest speedboats, a corporate meeting or a discotheque on water, a romantic spree with your love or simply unwinding with friends on a sundeck, whatever it may be; as long as it’s under the sky and on the sea, they can customise your vacation to set your soul soaring along with the wind on the open seas. Minimalist accommodation, ensures a peaceful ambiance to settle you in after a busy day of activities. Yachts often use neutral salon tones in their interior design to perfectly blend the natural teak floors with light leather furnishings and bleached teak walls. Light floods through the large windows, creating an oasis of calmness. Enhanced by a first-class crew, the impressive cabins often boast of a large walk-in wardrobe and have en-suite shower rooms.
A Yachting Holiday with Family & Friends
One of the most commonly asked questions is what is the best time and place for a yachting holiday? For most yachting destinations, the best season tend to be when the weather is the finest in a particular area and when all the northerners flock to the sun. The summer months have become a peak-demand period, regardless of the weather. Although the two most prominent areas for luxury yacht charter are the Mediterranean and Caribbean, luxury yachts of excellent quality can be found the world over, including exotic new destinations such as Thailand, the Seychelles, the Amazon, the Northeast Passage and Antarctica. If you are looking for secluded beaches then you are sure to find them in the Bahamas or the chic south of France. Make sure you check that the seasons will be right in your chosen destination to avoid bad weather or winds that can spoil your charter.
The most popular luxury charter regions of the world are the Mediterranean Sea, the Caribbean Sea, Florida and the Bahamas, the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, Tahiti and the South Pacific and other exotic destinations like Alaska Wildlife Adventures, Patagonia, the Great Barrier Reef, the Galapagos, and Antarctica!
The Mediterranean Sea offers an old world charm simultaneously with new world chic! At the French Riviera and Monaco, ports including Antibes, Cannes, Cap Ferrat, Villefranche and St Tropez beckon an esteemed charter clientele throughout the summer months. The Caribbean Sea is filled with adorable tropical islands. Hopping from one impossibly beautiful island to the next, sampling sumptuous cuisine and sipping a piña colada is the way to go in the Caribbean. World renowned island destinations include St Barthelomy (St Barths/St Barts), the Virgin Islands, St Maarten, Antigua, the Grenadines, and Anguilla. The India Ocean and South East Asia can make your holiday exotic and exciting! The Seychelles, Madagascar, Maldives, and the west cost of Thailand are famous for sparkling white sandy beaches, glorious lagoons, secluded coves, breathtaking bays, brilliant turquoise waters teeming with kaleidoscopically coloured fish and extraordinary living coral. The South Pacific introduces couples to the romantic Tahiti, Bora Bora and other Island Paradises in Southeast Asia. The very mention makes one think of coconut trees, gorgeous jungle covered mountains and gentle breezes. For a first or second honeymoon, or just a romantic getaway, the South Pacific offers it all!
A Yachting Holiday for the Party Crazy
If you are looking at making a different kind of splash altogether, make your way to the biggest yacht party destinations the next time you plan your vacation. We suggest you give the crowded clubs a miss and instead have a party outside on a yacht. Yacht cruises and island hopping are all part of the sailing scene when you opt for a yachting holiday abroad, but for the party animal in you that’s always seeking stimulating people and places, partying on a yacht is like being on a party bus, only way cooler! You can party as hard as you like or just relax and sail around. It is the ultimate lounging experience and that’s how they do it from Istanbul to Ibiza!
Istanbul, one of the world’s most dynamic cities transforms its skyline as artists and students help make it buzz. Istanbul thrives as the new party capital of Europe! Istanbul seen from the Bosphorus is an unforgettable cruising experience. What’s more; Turkey welcomes you to one of the best yacht charter holiday destinations in the Aegean and offers a great variety of skippered or bareboat sailing yachts, catamarans or privately crewed Gulet cruises and cabin charters.
Get your sea legs and your disco head on for an unforgettable yacht party as the fantastic party atmosphere and stunning coastal views of Barcelona unleash the party animal in you! Its four hours of massive entertainment as you head out at sea with an open bar and barbeque; music on board and various water sports and activities. Barcelona’s incredible social scene makes it one party-mad city! From quiet neighbourhood bars in the sun to industrial-sized nightclubs, Barcelona throbs. It is the city that naps in the afternoon and then parties till sunrise. This Spanish gem has set the gold standard for European nightlife and offers everything from swinging jazz joints to salsa spots.
Last but not the least, Ibiza, known as “The White Isle”, is renowned for its natural beauty, picturesque old town and world famous party scene. If you thought that the nightlife in Barcelona was crazy, then you’re going to be blown away by the mischief, the mayhem and the madness that makes up Ibiza’s revelry. Though most people visit the city enroute from Barcelona, for the happy haze of sunburns, cocktails and pounding electronic music, Ibiza offers so many more adventures and you don’t need to be drunk or high to enjoy these! Cruise to the smaller islands and coves – Formentera, CalaSaona and the beaches at Seis Salinas are all-time favourites. There’s definitely no shortage of beautiful places to kick back and relax on a yacht in Ibiza!
A Yachting Holiday for the Experienced Sailor
Flotilla sailing belongs to the category of Bareboat charters where a group of small sailing yachts, 28-35 feet long are rented together without crew. The yachts sail together accompanied by a leader-guide following a pre-arranged specific route. Guests can enjoy instruction and help from the crew aboard the lead yacht. Flotillas are generally safer and more social. The flotilla charter will generally have a skipper, hostess and mechanic aboard the lead charter boat. On a flotilla yacht charter you sail separately in your own chartered yacht, but meet-up with the other yachts in the flotilla each evening at an agreed location. You have the benefit of an experienced crew on the flotilla lead boat to help you throughout your holiday.
Each skipper in the flotilla can benefit from their local knowledge of weather and wind, harbours and eating places and should there be any problems on passage, help is close at hand. These professionals will organize an enjoyable cruise itinerary and also tend to anything that goes wrong with your yacht. This therefore increases safety for all and bestows a feeling of security that makes the sailing holiday more relaxing, whatever the season. More recently, however flotillas have developed into something that can also be great for the more experienced yacht charterer. Many flotillas now not only emphasize on the social pleasures of the flotillas structure but also allow flexibility in what each yacht chooses to do. For example, it is possible to develop your own individual itinerary and catch up with the other boats at the beach party or night anchorage, if desired.
To conclude, besides the summer months and good weather, the world’s biggest boat shows also make for an ideal time to take a yachting vacation. The events and parties alongside these shows are world class with some of the finest and most expensive yachts premiering. Boat shows gives one an opportunity to witness the entire spectrum of the culture and lifestyle of boating. It’s a great way for to experience, explore, enjoy and discover boating. Showcasing the finest collection of super yachts and leisure crafts from across the globe and attracting thousands of visitors, international boat shows offer a combined mix of family entertainment and live events – the complete visitor experience, with something for everyone! Whether you are an enthusiast or new to boating, an international boat show will give you a vast range of yachts to sea-trial and explore.
This article was also published in Millionaire Asia (India) Nov-Dec’14 issue, and here is the link to its pdf. We thank Millionaire Asia (India) for giving us the opportunity to author a story with them on the unique experience of International Yachting Holidays.
http://www.indiayachtpage.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Experience-feature.pdf