Yacht Charter Tropics

When winter arrives with its blustery winds, it is time to start thinking about a yacht charter in tropical destinations. Sailors dream of rent a yacht in tropical locations with the crystal clear coves, sandy beaches, and the palm trees swaying in the breeze. If you are looking for a sailing vacation this winter, here is our choice of the top destinations to consider:

Seychelles

The Seychelles are often called the paradise on Earth and for a good reason – with the porcelain white beaches, the shimmering aquamarine waters and an idyllic way of life, it is hard to conceive of a more perfect yacht charter sailing holiday destination.

One of most interesting yacht charter tropical destination are the Seychelles, a group of 115 islands, a thousand miles East of Africa. This isolated archipelago has a rich cultural mix with French, British, African and Indian influences. They are in two distinct groups including the Inner Island Group and the Outer Island Group and almost all of them are outside the cyclone belt. The 41 granitic Inner Islands cluster around the three principal islands of Praslin, La Digue and Mahe. There are also two coral islands in the Inner Island Group. They are Denis Island and Bird Island. Sailing around the Seychelles’ Inner Islands offers miles of scenic coastline with safe anchorages and over 65 beaches on Mahe alone as well as many secret coves and grottoes. Most of the Outer Islands are low lying coral atolls, while the Inner Islands have granite mountains covered with lush tropical forests. You will find the white sand beaches, terrific snorkeling, and giant tortoises.

From May to October, almost constant winds blow south-easterly with clear skies. The winds drop in November and give way to north-westerly winds, bringing heavy raining clouds. The heaviest rainfall is in January and can reach 370mm/4.5 in. The south-easterly wind pattern returns in April. In between these two periods, there are two short periods of flat calms or light winds. April and May are the sunniest months; however, the cloudiest months still manage a daily average of 5.30 hours of sun. These slight climate changes barely affect the temperature which remains at a steady 28°- 30°C (82°-86°F) and the level of humidity which is close to 80% year around. 

Grenadines

For those looking for an unspoiled yacht charter destination, the Grenadines are the perfect choice. The distance from the American and European main land’s protects them from being overly crowded. It takes a full day to reach them by plane. All islands enjoy tropical temperatures which hover around 86 degrees (30°C).  Visitors can enjoy stunning beach views, snorkelling, rainforests and volcanoes.

The dry season is from the 1^st of November till the 1^st of June. The weather: Sunny and windy. There could still be occasional "trade wind showers" which are usually very short. The prevailing winds will be from the North East at 15-25 knots. For a certain period after Christmas the wind will be 20-30 knots, these are the "Christmas winds". This period can occur any time in January or February. The rainy, or hurricane season is from the 1st of June till the 1st of November. The good news: St. Vincent and the Grenadines is located at the Southern edge of the hurricane belt. The last time a hurricane passed directly over the Grenadines was in 1955. Hurricanes from Africa usually have a much more Northerly destination.

French Polynesia

Situated midway in the Pacific Ocean between South America and Australia, the French Polynesia is comprised of 118 islands in the Austral, Gambier, Marquesas, Tuamotu and Society archipelagos spread out in an area roughly the size of Europe. Papeete on Tahiti is the capital. These jewels of the South Pacific offer dramatic volcanic coastlines, rich with lush tropical slopes of scented vanilla and hibiscus; spectacular turquoise lagoon-waters and colorful coral reefs ready for exploration and discovery. From picturesque Tahaa to romantic Bora Bora, the natural beauty of these islands will truly make a yacht charter in these tropical waters the trip of a lifetime.

The rainy season is wet and hot (85°- 95°F or 29 - 35 C) and runs from November to April. The dry season, which is the winter, is cooler (78 - 85°F or 25 - 29 C) and windier. It runs from May to September. Fall is April & May and spring is September & October. These are probably the best months to come sailing.