The charter-sailing industry is booming, and these are the operators taking adventurers to the edge of the map.
Cruise lines are edging into the charter-yacht business, too. Ponant, the French expedition line, will this month launch the Spirit of Ponant, a 76-foot catamaran with six guest cabins. It’s available as a private charter, as well as on a per-cabin basis, for trips in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean.
Here are four exciting destinations to consider.
Spanish Virgin Islands
Off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, Culebra and Vieques are increasingly popular, according to Dream Yacht Worldwide. Culebra is home to Flamenco Beach, a stunning mile-long curve of golden sand, while Vieques has plenty of dive sites and a bioluminescent bay.
Seychelles
The six-cabin Spirit of Ponant is a new addition to the French expedition line’s fleet. After a short summer season sailing around Corsica, the catamaran will move to this Indian Ocean archipelago known for its steady winds, gorgeous beaches, and charismatic giant tortoises.
Thailand
A growing number of guests booking with the Moorings are considering destinations like the Andaman Sea, Pedersen says. On a weeklong charter from the island of Phuket, it’s possible to sail to anchorages around the famed Phi Phi Islands and other hard-to-reach white-sand spots.
French Polynesia
The Sailing Collective is organizing its first two-week expedition from Tahiti to the remote Tuamotu Islands, in part because of demand from past guests, Armstrong says. The epic hands-on adventure, led by cofounder and captain Ross Beane, will include 100 hours of open-ocean sailing.
A version of this story first appeared in the July 2024 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline “Off the Charts.”
Spanish Virgin Islands
Off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, Culebra and Vieques are increasingly popular, according to Dream Yacht Worldwide. Culebra is home to Flamenco Beach, a stunning mile-long curve of golden sand, while Vieques has plenty of dive sites and a bioluminescent bay.
Seychelles
The six-cabin Spirit of Ponant is a new addition to the French expedition line’s fleet. After a short summer season sailing around Corsica, the catamaran will move to this Indian Ocean archipelago known for its steady winds, gorgeous beaches, and charismatic giant tortoises.
Thailand
A growing number of guests booking with the Moorings are considering destinations like the Andaman Sea, Pedersen says. On a weeklong charter from the island of Phuket, it’s possible to sail to anchorages around the famed Phi Phi Islands and other hard-to-reach white-sand spots.
French Polynesia
The Sailing Collective is organizing its first two-week expedition from Tahiti to the remote Tuamotu Islands, in part because of demand from past guests, Armstrong says. The epic hands-on adventure, led by cofounder and captain Ross Beane, will include 100 hours of open-ocean sailing.
