Sailing Travel Programs

The world is truly your oyster (and you might see a few of those along the way) when it comes to choosing a destination for adventure sailing! Of course, some seas make for far better sailing than others, so it’s important to consider the climate and conditions (and perhaps the time of year you wish to travel), before locking in sailing adventure vacations.

As a continent playing home to the sheltered waters of the Mediterranean and a great diversity of cultures and languages, Europe offers world sailing opportunities a plenty. A popular choice here is Croatia. Explore a great blend of stunning beaches, snorkeling, and awe-inspiring waterfalls and lagoons, which are all nicely contrasted with the culture of the UNESCO world heritage sites, home to a range of well-preserved historical architecture and a vibrant city life.

On the other side of the pond, you could lose yourself as you explore the untouched corners of the Caribbean. Picture this: you, sipping rum cocktails and watching the sun go down over perfect turquoise oceans, without another visitor in sight (apart from your shipmates of course!). On these jerk-y sailing adventures, check out the laid-back reggae nightlife in Jamaica, hike volcanoes in the Lesser Antilles, and scuba dive with some world-famous marine life, such as the world’s largest fish, the whale shark!

In another corner of the globe, Australia offers great opportunities for sailing adventure holidays, and is home to the world’s largest barrier reef– the underwater life might be even better than that on top! Visit cosmopolitan cities, such as Brisbane and Sydney, interspaced with time to take it easy and hit the waves on your surfboard in Byron Bay. So many travelers peruse the Aussie coast by road, but you can have the best of life on land and at sea by doing adventure sailing instead! Due to their proximity, you could also couple this adventure with a visit to the even more exotic waters of Fiji or Thailand, balancing sailing adventure trips with different cultures and experiences.

With opportunities as broad as the oceans themselves, you can certainly find something to “wet” your appetite. Most sailing adventures are ideal for solo travelers as they adjoin you with a group of like-minded individuals; if none of your friends are wise enough to join you on adventure sailing holidays, you don’t need to worry about going the distance alone. Programs vary in structure and content: Those looking to take it easy and see the world can opt for a sightseeing-focused adventure. Even more opportunities are available to maximize the experience, coupling it with opportunities for personal development or volunteering.

It could be as simple as learning how to sail and becoming qualified so that you are ready for the next adventure and clocking up some nautical miles to store in your dry-bag en-route. On the other hand, you might want to try scuba diving so that you can enjoy what’s under your boat just as much as the view from the deck. This licence will allow you to dive anywhere in the world, opening up even more world sailing opportunities to experience life below the surface. If, however, you prefer to keep your head above water, you can learn fishing to do more than just watch the waves. After all, eating something you caught yourself will always taste sweet!

Other programs might also include opportunities for language learning as you travel around a certain area, immersing you more deeply into the cultures you are experiencing along the way. Volunteering allows you to give something back to help preserve the beautiful ocean you are enjoying so much. Conservation-focused programs assist with protecting the marine environment, and will also help to educate you about the problems faced. 

Careful planning makes for a smooth ride, so think carefully about the time of year you wish to travel and where you wish to set sail. It might not only be that the climate affects conditions at sea, but also that there are certain times of year that are best for seeing certain species of marine life and suchlike. You don’t want to land in Mexico in October to realize you just missed the sea turtles if they are high on your list of priorities!

Pack wisely, as you may be living in basic conditions with limited space to unpack; make sure that your things are well organized and easy to grab (you just need your swimsuit anyways, right?!). Equally, don’t forget to pack plenty of the essentials like sunscreen and insect repellent for your sailing adventures, as these items might be harder to pick up en-route. Think about how long you will be at sea between stops when deciding how much of certain things to take. You’ll most likely be doing laundry by hand, so don’t take anything world sailing that you’d be devastated to ruin.

Consider your budget carefully when booking sailing adventures, taking into account what is included in the overall cost of the expedition and what you will have to cover for yourself along the way. You don’t want to find yourself short of spending money for those must-do adventures along the way of your international yacht charter. Consider creating a customizable FundMyTravel campaign to get those funds started!

Watching the sun go down after another day of exploration by sea, the benefits of joining a sailing adventure are not hard to imagine and stretch far beyond developing a great tan. Sailing adventures allow you to travel from a unique perspective, seeing things in a way that few others do. The ocean makes up around 70 per cent of the globe’s surface, meaning that by land, much of it lies uncovered. You’ll explore areas of the world that few have visited before you. There really is no better feeling than staring down the beach and finding not so much as another footstep in the sand.

Of course, every picture of perfection takes work to complete, and you, just the same, will have to work hard whilst on board. It may not all be plain sailing (pun intended), and you may come across tough weathers and conditions that force you to change course—the ocean is unpredictable after all. Smooth seas never made a skilled sailor! Living conditions will be basic, and you might not always have access to the luxuries you are afforded back home. However, it will be easy to forget the small things as you focus on the bigger picture and enjoy the opportunity you have.

By now you’re probably already packing your snorkel for a sea-bound sailing adventure vacation. You’ll be able to tailor the style of your trip to meet your preferences and will have opportunities to include some really exciting skill development and volunteering into the itinerary. Voyage into the unknown and sail ahead for this truly unique adventure!