Back in the early days of bareboat charter, there were monohull sailboats in the British Virgin Islands, more monohull sailboats in the British Virgin Islands, and still more monohull sailboats in the Virgin Islands. Which was great for people who love to sail monohulls in the British Virgin Islands, but quite limiting for everybody else.
Nowadays, it’s a bonanza of bareboats out there—including an increasing number of modern power catamarans and trawler-style motoryachts—and they’re available all around the world, giving people opportunities to create itineraries that not only match their favorite cruising style, but also their favorite activities. Here’s a look at some options for everything from culinary adventures to remote exploration to wandering through some of the most fascinating parts of human history, all around the globe.
Journey through time
It’s hard to beat the Eastern Mediterranean for taking a tour through the history of humanity. The region that stretches from Croatia through Greece and into Turkey is filled with stone-walled cities, the remains of ancient amphitheaters, and shopping bazaars in locations that have served as the intersections of the world’s trade routes since back in the day when the only ocean transit was by sail. Nowadays, a bareboat charter can include haggling over a hand-knotted rug while drinking apple tea in the same spot where someone else, many generations ago, did the exact same thing. And then walking up the way to the spice dealer, who sets out his offerings on a table in much the same sacks that his forefathers filled with saffron and cinnamon in centuries past.
Dream Yacht Charter has bases throughout the region, including Greece. There’s Athens, which is easily accessible via international air travel and is a good jumping-off point to explore the Saronic Gulf archipelago. Or, head to Corfu for a cruise through the Ionian archipelago, with the base at Gouvia Marina near intriguing archaeological sites such as the Venetian arsenal at Gouvia. It was built in 1716 to defend against the Ottomans, and it includes what’s left of arched docks where people used to service the fleets of boats stationed there. Today, you can book a far more modern Fountaine Pajot Astrea 42 or Dufour 390 GL out of that Corfu base, and then cruise through the wake of history.
Croatia, too, offers bareboat options, especially out of the Dubrovnik or Agana (to the north of Dubrovnik) bases that Sunsail has in the country. There’s a 44.3 monohull there that’s new to the Sunsail fleet and among the first yachts in the Sunsail fleet from the builder Dufour, creating a great platform for exploring up and down the Dalmatian coast. Dubrovnik itself is worth several days of walking around, including a trek along the top of the stone wall that rings the city’s perimeter. Fans of the television series Game of Thrones will recognize filming locations here before it’s time to sail off to one of the nearby islands for a look at spots like the house on Korcula island that’s believed to be the birthplace of Marco Polo.
Bar Hopping
Many a debate has been had—for a shocking number of hours—over whether the best way to spend a day in the British Virgin Islands is sipping on rum punch or a Painkiller. What’s really fun about this conversation is that a proper Painkiller is made with rum and the juice of pineapples, coconuts and oranges, making it arguably a variation on rum punch. True aficionados can detail the merits (or demerits) of adding lime, nutmeg and grenadine. Taste testing may be in order. Arguably, it’s a must as the arguments grow louder and the steel-drum music plays louder, carrying on well past moonrise over White Bay.
MarineMax Vacations has the MarineMax 505 power catamaran available in the British Virgin Islands for precisely this type of mixology mission. It’s a five-stateroom yacht, which means the crew can include plenty of friends to take turns being the designated skipper throughout the week. And this boat has an indoor-outdoor galley for setting up cocktails at anchor on days when you want to stay on the hook and away from the crowds.
Horizon Yacht Charters also has a BVI fleet with sailing catamarans from Lagoon, Nautitech and Fountaine Pajot, as well as monohulls from Sun Odyssey, Bavaria and more. This company’s base is at Nanny Cay Marina on Tortola, in a central location between Road Town and West End.
Sunbathing
A person can catch some rays just about anywhere that bareboats are available, but the beaches in the Seychelles offer a whole other level of spectacular sun-worshiping. Anse Source d’Argent is the most famous, known for its iconic granite boulders, and there are countless other spots that are family-friendly, sparsely populated and positively drenched in sunlight.
The Moorings has a fleet here, including the 464PC, with four staterooms and lots of deck area for lounging on the boat when the crew is done relaxing on the beach. “This power catamaran was built for a tropical getaway, with ample space throughout for large groups to spread out and have plenty of elbow room,” says Marketing Manager Ian Pedersen. “Choose from a selection of sunbeds at the bow, or on the expansive flybridge, as well as tons of shaded areas for taking a break from the sun.”
Dream Yacht Charter also has options in the Seychelles, including numerous Bali sailing catamarans with three to six staterooms. This bareboat company, too, understands the allure of the Seychelles’ great beaches. “It’s one of the most beautiful places on the planet, comprising 41 of the earth’s oldest granite islands and 74 low-lying reef islands which embody the phrase tropical paradise.”
Remote Exploration
Bareboaters who have spent years or decades cruising in hot spots sometimes want an itinerary that’s altogether different. For those types of options, NW Explorations bases its bareboat fleet in Bellingham, Washington, giving cruisers the option of itineraries in the San Juan and Canadian Gulf islands, British Columbia’s Desolation Sound or through the Inside Passage up to Southeast Alaska. Fans of trawler-style cruising can book a Nordhavn, Ocean Alexander, Fleming, Grand Banks or Ranger Tug with this fleet, which also has occasional availability aboard a 50-foot Riviera Enclosed Flybridge. NW Explorations also has a Canadian fleet for exploring British Columbia’s west coast, with power as well as sail options in that area.
For a completely different kind of remote exploration, Dream Yacht Charter has bareboats in the South Pacific’s New Caledonia, which is well-known to scuba divers but otherwise generally off the traditional cruising path. The company describes this part of the world as being like a “natural aquarium” with an extensive reef system and a diverse range of healthy coral and marine life, including whales, turtles and tropical fish. Its bareboat options in New Caledonia include various sailing catamarans by Bali and Lagoon, with six to eight staterooms for the whole family to enjoy the adventure.
Culinary Decadence
The Moorings base on St. Martin is at Marina Fort Luis on Marigot Bay, and Marigot is the capital of the French part of this Caribbean island. That can only mean one thing: fantastic options for foodies. La Cigale has long been a top waterfront choice for fine dining and chef’s platings that appear like works of art, with options such as lobster and mushroom ravioli in a truffled bisque soup, or duck liver foie gras with chanterelles and green asparagus. Another fine waterfront choice is Ocean 82 in Grand Case, serving options such as roasted sea scallops with smoked duck breast carpaccio and creamy lentils, or braised lamb shank cooked for 24 hours with white wine, honey and rosemary.
Leftovers can be savored back on board the Moorings 5000, which is available for bookings here. The company says this boat is also an ideal platform for one of The Moorings All-Inclusive Crewed Yacht experiences. “While your trained personal chef crafts delectable meals curated to your group’s personal tastes and preferences, each meal can be paired with the perfect cocktail or bottle of wine,” Pedersen says.
For a wholly different style of culinary adventure, Dream Yacht Charter has bookings in Italy. Bareboats are available out of Sardinia (with its stuffed pasta known as culurgiones), Naples (the birthplace of modern pizza) and Sicily (where the arancini, or fried rice balls, are positively addictive). In Naples, there are monohulls and catamarans available for sailors, with a good amount of room in the galleys to stock some fine Chianti or Barolo to enjoy at anchor along the way.
Scuba Diving and Snorkeling
One of the best shallow-dive sites in the British Virgin Islands is The Indians, which has four rocky pinnacles that rise and descend about 50 feet above and below the water’s surface. There are memorable coral gardens here, along with a 15-foot tunnel and an underwater cavern filled with colorful fish—all of it accessible from a MarineMax 505 through MarineMax Vacations.
There’s a lot to be said for booking this size powercat if you want to dive or snorkel, with the broad cockpit for everyone to gear up comfortably, and then the easily accessible swim platforms that make it easy to step into the tender or do a giant stride right into the water. Especially for bareboaters who are cruising with kids who are beginners at these water sports, all that extra deck space and ease of entry into the water can make first experiences a whole lot more enjoyable.
TMM Charters also has a BVI fleet with sailing catamarans from Lagoon, Fountaine Pajot and Nautitech, all with various layouts but always that same broad catamaran cockpit that seems tailor-made for snorkeling and diving gear. This company has been booking charters in the BVI since 1979, and its staff knows the region inside and out—including some fun spots that the locals think of as truly special.
December 2025
