Come Sail Away with Culture Trip

It’s an iconic travel experience – to have the freedom of the seas, dropping anchor at otherwise unreachable beaches, and exploring the world with the wind at your back (and in your hair). Our new Sailing Trips deliver all of this, and much more. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of embarking on an open-water adventure with us.

Sailing Trips are a new way to see the world with Culture Trip. Taking place over eight days, in a range of dreamy locations, they combine the style and comfort of fully catered and crewed sailboats with unique, expertly curated land activities. From snorkelling over coral reefs, to kayaking through wildlife-rich mangroves, or just kicking back on beautiful deserted beaches, we’ve ensured that each day of our itineraries is packed with unforgettable experiences.

At launch, we’ll be offering three truly bucket list-worthy destinations: the Bahamas (Exumas), the British Virgin Islands, and Greek Islands (Northern Cyclades). In the Bahamas, it’s all about switching off, and soaking in the dream-like beauty of those sugar-heap cays, surrounded by neon-blue water. You can paddle with beach-dwelling pigs, snorkel in Bond-worthy filming locations and sunbathe on silky sands.

In the BVIs, variety is the name of the game – rum tastings, exploring pirate caves and sunrise yoga at a floating resort are on the agenda.

And Greek Islands? Think exploring ancient temple ruins on uninhabited islands, strolling postcard-pretty villages and dropping anchor in private crescent moon-shaped coves.

We’ll primarily be sailing on premium catamarans – around 50 to 60 feet in length. These boats are as graceful as manta rays through the water, and spacious enough for up to 10 guests, plus captain and crew, to spread out and feel at home for the week. There are sundecks for, well, sunning on, interior and exterior seating and dining areas, and comfy cabins with double beds and ensuite bathrooms with showers. There are no single rooms on board any of the boats, so solo travellers will need to book a double cabin to themselves – or why not convince a friend or that special someone to join you? Air conditioning will keep your cabin lovely and cool during the day, and although there’s no wifi on board, you’ll have kayaks, paddleboards and snorkelling equipment to play with.

Essentially it means that all your meals – whether onboard or onshore – are included in the booking price. You’ll also have drinking water, tea and coffee served at every meal, and occasionally soft drinks, local wines and aperitifs, too. Menus are developed in line with what’s available and in season in each location – this is important to us, as it plays into helping you feel a deeper sense of connection with the destination. It also means our cooks get to show off their creativity! There will be a bar on board, too, so guests are able to purchase their own drinks on a bar tab system, settling up at the end of the trip.

Your crew includes your skipper, who will be your go-to for local knowledge and information about each destination on the itinerary. As well as making sure you get to your destination safely, they’ll also inform you of any changes to the itinerary due to bad weather or sea conditions. The other crew member is your host and cook, who will be preparing and serving your meals, and keeping the common areas ship-shape. They will also be on hand to drop you ashore and pick you back up using the boat’s tender.

If there’s a designated excursion or guided tour on the itinerary, you’ll be met by a local guide who’ll look after you for the duration of that period. They will communicate with the boat’s crew to ensure you’re collected on time at the end of the activity. And don’t worry – it’s not all an activity-a-minute. You’ll have plenty of free time off-boat too, to potter about at your leisure. In fact, the time-split between being on the boat and on land is about 50/50, so both landlubbers and water babies will be happy.

We’ll always be happy to answer any questions you might have before booking with us, by contacting us here. But there are one or two other small things we can probably cross off first:

Sailing experience: You don’t need to know how to tie your shoelaces as far as we’re concerned, let alone man a yacht. In fact, the business of operating the boat should be left to the crew alone. All you need to do is enjoy the view.

Swimming: We require all guests on our Sailing Trips to be able to swim independently. If you’re not sure whether it’s suitable for you, talk to a member of our booking team before confirming your place.

What to pack: As well as your day-to-day holiday clobber, it’s worth bringing a couple of “going out” outfits, for onshore restaurants, our Welcome Dinner and Farewell Dinner. Don’t forget your swimming gear, a decent sunhat and preferably a duffel bag over a suitcase, as it’ll save you cabin space when stowed away. Linen and a bath towel are provided onboard.

Dress code: There isn’t one. If Speedos and a Hawaiian shirt are your thing, go for it (however, that’s not to say it might not raise an eyebrow or two with the other guests). When it comes to footwear, barefoot is best onboard.

Electronic equipment: There’s a generator and charging points on each boat, for charging small devices. Hair straighteners and hair dryers are usually allowed on board, but can depend on the boat, so please double check when booking.

Smoking: Smoking is only permitted in the very rear of the catamaran with respect given to non-smoking guests.

Can you picture yourself sunbathing on deck, diving into the crystalline waters of the Caribbean or Mediterranean, or exploring legendary islands? If so, these premium sailing experiences are for you! With only a handful of cabins on each boat, spots on our 2023 trips are limited and we’d hate you to miss out. Get in touch today and we’ll help organise the sailing trip of a lifetime.