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The words ‘summer’ and ‘superyachts’ immediately conjures up visions of the Mediterranean — islands of windmills and bougainvillea, glamorous beach clubs and marinas full of the world’s biggest superyachts. These destinations have a reputation for exclusivity that make them eternally popular destinations. But what if you want to go somewhere else this summer? What if you want something different? Imagine cruising past coconut palms in exotic archipelagos this summer, or exploring cool-climate landscapes of fjords or icebergs under the midnight sun? Join us as we venture off the cruising path and into the routes less travelled, through the Indian Ocean, Asia, Northern Europe and the Americas. All of these locations make for spectacular summer cruising destinations—places that few, if any of your friends back home will be talking about.
The shock of seeing the Seychelles for the first time never quite leaves you. That first glimpse of La Digue Island from the sea is a joy— its jungled heart edged by blinding white sand and turquoise sea. Huge granite boulders, some bigger than houses, tower over the beach, where coconut palms bend down to kiss the water and giant tortoises lumber along, their ponderous feet whispering on the fallen palm fronds and sandy paths.
While the Maldives is justifiably well-loved as a superyacht destination, the Seychelles arguably offers more for those who enjoy a variety of landscapes and activities. The inner islands are volcanic, promising steep, dramatic landscapes rolling down through lush rainforest to the sea. Other islands are quiet coral atolls and tiny islets like visions out of a shipwreck movie —mere drops in the ocean with a few palm trees surrounded by coral reefs. of the Seychelles 115 islands, only 10 are inhabited, making this a desert island paradise.
Pass your days on a Seychelles charter hiking through the UNESCO-listed Vallee de Mai, a primeval rainforest known for its vanilla orchids, birdlife, and towering Coco de Mer trees. Dive coral reefs, go sport fishing for marlin or swordfish, and have long, lazy picnics on picture- perfect beaches. The Seychelles offer a stunning range of luxury hotels to pamper you on moments you’re off the yacht, so you can have the best of all worlds as you explore this paradise on earth.
Lying outside the hurricane belt and once thought to be the Biblical Garden of Eden for its lush and spectacular beauty, the Seychelles makes for a magnificent year-round destination.
The Anambas Islands occupy that perfect, glimmering position between being completely unknown..and being just known enough that a few superyachts have been there before you and paved the path, and where the first luxury resorts are opening for that spa or fine-dining fix. Only 150 miles from Singapore where you can begin your charter, the Anambas Islands are now a clearing port, making this glorious archipelago a superb place to explore the northernmost islands of Indonesia.
With 200 islands and only a fraction of those inhabited, you’ll drop your anchor off tiny jungled islands so perfect they look like AI, and dive coral reefs that have never seen a dive boat. Lagoons are empty of other yachts — except the occasional boat of a local, the seafaring Orang Bugis people of southern Sulawesi, who meet visitors with a wonderful and authentic welcome. This is proper off-the-beaten track travel, and definitely a story to trot out at a dinner party back home.
The ideal time to cruise the Anambas is during the southwest monsoon between April and September.
On Komodo Island, mighty Komodo Dragons roam in a rugged, desolately beautiful landscape of rusty red hills and white sandy beaches. Under the surface you are met with a kaleidoscope of marine life and corals that make Komodo National park one of the world’s most staggering dive locations. Highlights include Cannibal Rock and Manta Alley, Bubble Reef off the active Sangean volcano, and the wild and exciting currents of Shotgun and the Cauldron.
Komodo offers particularly good diving in the summer months from April to November.
For something that feels truly different than Mediterranean cruising, set your sights north into the wild, temperate grandeur of the Norwegian fjords. Journey through a land of Vikings and troll myths, as you power up crystal clear fjords past thundering waterfalls and colourful fishing villages. Far above, hikers look down from the mighty escarpments, and at the mouths of the fjords, cosmopolitan cities tempt you with their fine restaurants and galleries.
The fjords are a hauntingly beautiful place that you can explore on your leisure on a superyacht, sitting in the steaming Jacuzzi under a gentle midnight sun. Hike up to Alpine meadows, kayak on waters so still they look like sheet-metal, and have picnics on beaches framed by pine forest, your freshly-caught fish baking on the coals. If you want to journey into the Arctic Circle you’ll be drawn to the Lofoten Islands, where killer whales hunt in empty bays.
Scotland may not be a well-worn destination on the superyacht trail, but for those who love breathtaking landscapes and are partial to a game of golf followed by a dram of very good whiskey, there’s a great deal to love about cruising in Scotland.
Imagine cruising on a superyacht up the wild Atlantic coast of the Scottish highlands, stopping for games at some of Scotland’s most treasured courses- Tobermory, Fort William, Ardfin , Machrie Links, or Colonsay’s Renaissance Club, home of the Scottish Open. Take in the vistas of Ben Nevis and the Mull of Sound while you play, indulge in whiskey tasting, and live the fine life on your superyacht.
Sure, this itinerary may not be one for those into watersports, but superyachts, these days, are about so much more than just sunshine and sea.
There are few places on earth where you can kayak through a field of icebergs, then return to your yacht to soak in the sundeck Jacuzzi and watch for whales. Alaska is one of them. With its endless forests stretching off to the Arctic Circle and its jaw-dropping landscapes of mountains, bays and fjords, a superyacht charter in Alaska promises adventure and luxury in dizzying measures.
An Alaska charter might be walking along a river, feet crunching on the pebbles and looking for grizzlies feasting on salmon, or watching a glacier calve, 10 storeys of ice collapsing with a roar into the deep, cold sea. Flying above Mendenhall glacier in a helicopter, or taking a gentle walk to a lake in the hills to lie down in the summer sun surrounded by wildflowers. Alaska is pristine, wild nature that must be seen to be believed.
In Baja California, contrast is everywhere. Cruise through a haunting, silent landscape where whales breach against cinematic backdrops of the Sierra de la Gigantica mountain range and dunes marked with giant cacti. Walk among sea lion colonies on desert beaches, and dive into an underwater Galapagos of whale sharks, manta rays and dolphins.
On charter in Mexico, you’ll drop anchor in perfect lagoons, and take trips into the interior, where you can swim in desert oases shaded by palm trees and visit artsy desert towns. Mingle with the beautiful people in glittering Cabo San Lucas, explore the colonial architecture of La Paz or Loreto, or tear through the desert on a quad bike, hollering with joy. Baja Peninsula is whatever you want it to be.
This year, why not break away from the Mediterranean superyacht fleet and chart your own course. Bluewater’s charter yacht fleet extends across the world, so if you want to fill your summer with thrilling new memories in far-flung lands, please get in touch.
