The Best Sailing Vacations for Exploring Secret Islands
Imagine anchoring on an unspoilt island without a soul in sight; only lapping turquoise waves and silky sand. From the Seychelles islands to Bora Bora, these once-in-a-lifetime sailing holidays will give you a taste of life on a tropical hideaway – with the bonus of a private cook and skipper.
Pack your Desert Island Discs – these TRIPS by Culture Trip will take you to the most paradisiacal locations on the planet. While the boat is moored, snorkel around barrier reefs, sunbathe on empty beaches and kayak through aquamarine lagoons. With international destinations ranging from French Polynesia to the Caribbean and the Seychelles, here are the places where you can find your island sanctuary.
Swim with barracudas, sharks and rays on a trip to French Polynesia
Sailing destinations don’t come much more remote than the island of Bora Bora in French Polynesia, surrounded by a lagoon and teeming barrier reef. Swim with rays, barracudas and reef sharks in its coral gardens before sailing to Raiatea to visit a black pearl farm, browse the market and explore a temple reputedly built by descendants of Polynesian gods. The next anchor point is Huahine, where you’ll see ancient archaeological sites, snorkel off a sugar-white beach and meet sacred blue-eyed eels.
From US$
Next available from 1st Jan 1970
Secure your spot with a low deposit
Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Uturoa, Raiatea
ENDS AT
Uturoa, Raiatea
DURATION
8
GROUP SIZE
12
PHYSICAL RATING
Light
STYLE
Discovery
Deserted islands and geothermal pools await on this voyage around the Grenadines
Discover the uninhabited Tobago Cays on this sailing holiday around the Grenadine islands, where you’ll encounter green sea turtles and spotted eagle rays gliding through crystalline lagoons. You’ll also get the chance to step ashore at Petit Tabac, a pristine island that appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003). Cap off the trip with a mud bath inside Saint Lucia’s La Soufrière volcano and a swim at the foot of the Dark View waterfalls in Saint Vincent.
From US$
Next available from 1st Jan 1970
Secure your spot with a low deposit
Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Le Marin, Martinique
ENDS AT
Le Marin, Martinique
DURATION
8
GROUP SIZE
12
PHYSICAL RATING
Light
STYLE
Discovery
Hike through tropical forests and spot giant tortoises while sailing in the Seychelles
Sample a slower pace of life as you cruise around the Seychelles islands. Bike or hike around tropical La Digue, the fourth-largest island in the archipelago at 10sqkm (4sqmi). Make time to check out beaches such as Anse Source d’Argent, where sculpture-like granite boulders scatter the white sand. Deserted beaches await on Praslin and Grande Soeur, while on Curieuse you’ll share the sand with aldabra giant tortoises, a breed found only in the Seychelles.
From US$
Next available from 1st Jan 1970
Secure your spot with a low deposit
Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Seychelles, Africa
ENDS AT
Seychelles, Africa
DURATION
8
GROUP SIZE
12
PHYSICAL RATING
Light
STYLE
Discovery
Snorkel over a plane wreck and kayak through mangrove forests in the Bahamas
This Bahamas island-hopping excursion includes a trip to Norman’s Cay, an off-the-radar strip of land that was used as a den for the Medellín drug cartel in the 1970s and ‘80s. Here, you’ll have the option of spearfishing or snorkelling around the wreck of a World War II plane. On the neighbouring island of Shroud Cay, explore dense mangrove forests by kayak or dinghy, then swim inside a tidal lagoon known as the “washing machine”.
From US$
Next available from 1st Jan 1970
Secure your spot with a low deposit
Trip highlights and details
STARTS AT
Nassau, Bahamas
ENDS AT
Nassau, Bahamas
DURATION
8
GROUP SIZE
12
PHYSICAL RATING
Light
STYLE
Discovery
Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip
meet our Local Insider
Hanna
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?
I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!
Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.
KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?
Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
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