bestboatingholidays

Those who come to the Bahamas instinctively know they’ve stepped onto a piece of paradise, one that will stay with them long after they’ve left it. The Bahamas is the ‘land of 700 islands’, each strikingly beautiful in its untouched wilderness, aquamarine waters, shimmering beaches, and blessed with glorious sunshine and cooling tradewinds all year round. Each of these islands and cays is also strikingly unique in their marine and wildlife and their culture. While Nassau is a vibrant city where tourists can live it up, the Bimini islands are some of the most enchantingly desolate places you will visit. On some of the inhabited islands you can go snorkelling and deep sea diving, while on still others you can explore hidden cays and pools along beaches no one else would have ever walked. And there cannot be a better way to experience the surprises Bahamas has to offer, than with your private Bahamas yacht charter.

A luxury Bahamas yacht charter is the most apt way of exploring and experiencing the Bahamas. Imagine waking up surrounded by sheer azure waters, lazing on any beach you feel like for as long as you want, watching dolphins as you sip your morning coffee on the deck or dining in starlight and with the gentle sound of waves. A luxury yacht charter allows you to experience the Bahamas in any way you please, and for as long as you’d like. It’s like your very own floating luxury villa, replete with a professional staff to take care of your every need.

The great advantage of a Bahamas yacht charter becomes evident at islands like the Exumas. The Exumas are a long chain of many small cays and islands, and are a biodiversity hot spot, a world famous snorkelling and diving site, and the site of the famous Bond movie ‘Thunderball’. There cannot be a better way of exploring the 176 square mile Exumas Land and Sea Park, or enjoying the company at Staniel Cay Yacht club.

While most tourists make their way back to Nassau or Grand Bahama after a night at Staniel Cay, you needn’t. With your private yacht, you can sail off to the remote islands of Rum Cay/San Salvador, Mayaguna or Inagua. Take your time spotting flamingos, turtles and Bahamian parrots at Lake Windsor on Inagua or walking along secluded beaches on Mayaguna. Each of the islands also give you great insights into what life was like on the Bahamas 50 years ago, through the monuments that dot these islands.

A charter yacht is also the best way to be a part of the sailing culture of the Bahamas. Thanks to the trade-winds that blow all year round, regattas and sailing events are a regular feature at Nassau or the Grand Bahama island. These islands also boast of the best harbours and marinas in the world, where your ship is well taken care of.

With the safety, comfort and opportunities it provides you, a yacht charter is the best way to experience a place like the Bahamas. It epitomizes the carefree nature of life in the Bahamas, and at the same time, does not compromise on the care that we are used to.

Bahamas Yacht Charter: Fraser Yachts specialize in luxury yacht charter in the Bahamas.

Flying into Split airport, the second city of Croatia, the heat is a welcome boost from the cool British weather. We  have booked a week sailing along the Dalmatian coast between the islands. From Split we travel along the coast road heading south towards Dubrovnik, the mountains are spectacular as they tower above us on one side and the blue sea is on the other. After about an hour we  arrive at the resort of Baska Voda. This is where we board our yacht. Once all the instructions and stores were aboard, we set sail south west to the island of Brac and arrive in the sheltered bay of Sumartin. This was a nice short sail just long enough for us to get familar with the boat.

From here there followed 6 days of light winds which were ideal for sailing and sun bathing.  Stopping at Stari Grad on Hvar, the beautiful Venetian harbour, nestled against tree-topped slopes and littered with shops and pavement cafés, Komiza, Vela Luka and Jelsa with there waterside square framed by beautiful old buildings, including the 16th-century cathedrals and the arches of the Venetian influences. The towns are a maze of stepped alleyways that roll up the hillsides.  All this amongst numerous small bays and inlets, before returning to Baska Voda. 

We tended to avoid busy marinas although you could spend time in these if you want.  Our experience is that mooring stern to in a busy marina can be noisy at night will all the partying going on.  We preferred to moor up to a buoy and row into a quiet bay with a nice friendly restaurant to enjoy the food and local wine!

If this has interested you enough and you would like to spend some time this year sailing in these waters, why not  find out more about sailing off the Croatian coast.  We can recommend a sailing company that has plenty of experience chartering yachts in this area,  just  go here  for more information on dates and costs for your sailing holiday.