If you love nature, the ocean and the sound of the waves, then a sailing holiday is for you. On a sailing holiday, you will come across vibrant cultures, tasty food and breathtaking scenery, all within minutes of docking in any harbour or port.
A sailing holiday offers travellers the best of both worlds, access to nature and the great ocean and the wildlife that comes with it, alongside activities on-shore like hiking, history and biking.
One of my favourite things in the world is watching a beautiful sunset, and a sailing holiday is one of the best ways to experience this.
I have pulled together the 10 best sailing holiday locations around the world, to help you choose where to go on your next adventure at sea.
Keep reading for serious wanderlust…
Photo by Mudassir Ali from Pexels
Looking to buy or charter a yacht?
If you’re looking to charter a boat for your sailing holiday, check out the amazing team at Oyster Yachts. Oyster is a British bluewater sailing yacht builder and is well-known around the world for its 60ft–120ft ocean cruising yachts.
They can offer advice on everything from the places to sail, to the best yacht for you and you can even take part in the Oyster World Rally 2024-2025.
Contents
10 Best Sailing Locations Around The World
1. British Virgin Islands, Caribbean
The British Virgin Islands has long been synonymous with sailing, offering travellers the opportunity to dance until dawn, taste amazing seafood such as tuna, and dive in crystal clear waters.
The islands are the epitome is island life and its no wonder they’ve become a favourite with sailing fanatics around the world.
Some of the best things to do in the British Virgin Islands is heading out to the caves at Norman Island to swim amongst exotic sea life, or relaxing on the chilled island of Anguilla, where you can find some amazing beaches. Then once the sun sets head over to The Rum Bar at Cooper Island for food and drinks until the sun rises again the next morning.
Photo by Oliver Sjöström from Pexels
2. Greece
A holiday favourite, Greece offers so many amazing experiences for travellers. There are numerous islands to choose from, including Ios, Mykonos, Santorini and more. All of the islands offer plenty of unique and interesting things to do in the Greek Islands.
By day you could find a secluded cove for snorkelling and swimming, and then in the afternoon explore the white-washed villages on Mykonos, before eating the night away.
The weather is stunning here and makes for an amazing sailing holiday, with sunshine 300 days a year. Here are some of the best Greece tourist attractions to add to your list.
3. Ibiza
The third-largest island in The Balaerics, Ibiza is world-famous for its laid-back vibes, party atmosphere and incredible beaches. The island is also a World Heritage Site, due to the biodiversity and culture on the island, including its diverse marine ecosystem.
There are four marinas on Ibiza in Eivissa and two more in Sant Antoni de Portmany and Santa Eulalia Marina, so there are various places for you to pull up around the island on your sailing holiday.
Or if you want a more private escape, there are secluded anchorages at Puerto de San Miguel and Cala Characca.
4. Sardinia
Sardinia is a large Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea and a sailing holiday here really is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It has over 2,000km of coastline, sandy beaches and a mountainous landscapes as well as an interesting history, including mysterious Bronze Age stone ruins shaped like beehives.
Some of the best spots on the island are Olbia’s old town where you can find bars, cafes and shopping, or you could head to glamorous Costa Smeralda, the holiday spot of the A-listers.
Oyster sailing charters in the Corsica and Sardinia area generally cruise between Bonifacio and Olbia to include the beautiful Maddalena islands and this is an amazing place to visit.
Photo by Oliver Sjöström from Pexels
5. The Galapagos
There are often no words for this incredible part of the world. The Galápagos Islands is a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean and is considered one of the world’s foremost destinations for wildlife-viewing.
A province of Ecuador, it lies about 1,000km off its coast and offers travellers isolated terrain, a diversity of plant and animal species, many found nowhere else and a long history with Charles Darwin who visited in 1835, and his observation of Galápagos’ species later inspired his theory of evolution.
A sailing tour of The Galapagos will take you to far out remote places where you will see amazing animals in their natural habitat and will enable you to see places often missed on the larger tours and boat routes.
In these islands, you can expect to see whale sharks, dolphins, colourful fish and even sea lions. And on land expect Iguanas, Giant Tortoises and Blue-Footed Boobies.
6. New York and Oyster Bay
Sailing New York isn’t always the first choice for many when heading off on a sailing holiday, but it offers travellers something completely different to the usual routes they might experience.
The area is synonymous with Theodore Roosevelt and in this area, you can find Theodore and Edith Roosevelt’s Grave, aswell as the Matinecock Lodge Temple and Matinecock Historical Society Building on West Main Street. Theodore Roosevelt and Quentin Roosevelt II were both members of Matinecock Lodge, No. 806.
Also places to explore include Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center, a wildlife sanctuary and nature centre operated by Audubon New York, Planting Fields Arboretum, a 400 acres (1.6 km2) arboretum and botanical garden including Coe Hall near Oyster Bay and the Raynham Hall Museum, home of the Samuel Townsend family and a British headquarters during the American Revolution.
Photo by Maël BALLAND from Pexels
7. French Polynesia
French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France, comprises more than 100 islands in the South Pacific, stretching for more than 2,000km, with the largest island of Tahiti offering incredible waterfalls.
It’s said the islands were one of the last places on earth to be inhabited due to their remote location and that’s worth a visit in itself… and it’s here you can follow in the footsteps of Captain James Cook, who explored the island in the 18th century.
Divided into the Austral, Gambier, Marquesas, Society and Tuamotu archipelagos, they’re known for their coral-fringed lagoons and over-the-water bungalow hotels. Island features include white- and black-sand beaches, mountains, rugged backcountry and towering waterfalls. A sailing holiday here is one to add to the bucket list with year-round winds and a mild climate.
It’s a great place to sail due to the calm waters and island-hopping adventures you can experience. Throughout your trip, you will encounter island communities, dramatic scenery and diverse oceanic wildlife.
8. Mallorca
Another island in the world-famous Balaerics, only a few hours from Ibiza, Mallorca is a very underrated island, with some of the most beautiful beaches and stunning coastlines in the world.
Some of the best places to visit on the island include Puerto de Soller, which is a great place to base yourself to explore the rugged northern coastline or you could head to Soller further inland on the island for hiking, cycling and trail-running.
And for those who love the beaches and seafood, the harbour town of Pollenca is amazing, and the old town has an amazing market in the week.
The most famous harbours and anchorages on the island of Mallorca are Cala Figuera, Cala Deia, Cala de la Calobra and Cala de la Foradada.
Photo by Andre Furtado from Pexels
9. Croatia
I have always felt that Croatia is best explored by sea. By sailing around Croatia you get to see a different side of the country, only possible by boat.
There is so much to do in Croatia with secluded bays, clear waters and spectacular scenery. It honestly is one of Europe’s best spots for a sailing holiday and offers travellers a safe haven, diverse culture and some incredible experiences.
The amazing area of Istria is also a must-visit! Aswell as the Dalmatia coast, Kvarner Bay and also the islands of Lošinj, Rab and Brijuni.
10. The Channel Islands
To end this list, I’ve come closer to home because some of the best holidays I had as a kid were in Jersey and it’s also a magnet for yacht owners too.
Guernsey is one of the Channel Islands in the English Channel near the French coast and is a self-governing British Crown dependency.
The island is known for beach resorts like Cobo Bay, the amazing scenery and its stunning coastal cliffs. A visit to the iconic Castle Cornet, a 13th-century harbour fortification in the capital of St. Peter Port, and now contains history and military museums, is a must!
Guernsey offers travellers five marinas, however, only two are available for visitors so check out Victoria Marina in St Peter Port and Beaucette Marina.
For many UK based boats, a visit to Guernsey is a day sail during the summer or you can stop on the island of Jersey to explore the island from the coast inward.
*This is a sponsored blog post with Oyster Yachts.
If you on a bigger trip exploring more of Europe check out my guides to France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Portugal, Spain and United Kingdom.
My Travel Tips and Recommendations
Flights
To book flights, I always use flight search engine Skyscanner, I regularly use the Everywhere tool to find the cheapest places to travel. It’s how I get to travel so much all around the world. I find it the easiest way to compare flight prices across airlines and get the best deals.
Accommodation
For accommodation, I usually book most of my hotels or hostels through Booking.com. I love using this platform as it provides me with some amazing deals for accommodation all around the world. Or if you prefer, I also recommend using Airbnb. If you haven’t signed up with Airbnb already, you can use this link to get £25 off your first visit!
Travel Insurance
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Sophie X
