Christmas is a special time of year, where friends and family come together to celebrate, eat, drink and be merry. And while a traditional Christmas with turkey and all the trimmings is always heart-warming, feeling the pressures associated with the festive season can leave a lot of people more stressed than jolly. If you’re one of the people who struggles with the hustle and bustle the festive season brings, or you simply want to experience the traditions of other cultures around the world why not consider planning a different kind of festive season next year which combines celebrating with relaxing and culture on one of our Christmas yacht charters?
Take a look at a few of our favourite destinations that offer a great Christmas getaway…
Christmas in the British Virgin Islands
Create some memories you’ll look back on with love on a yacht charter in the BVI. Like the UK, Christmas is celebrated on 25th December and locals celebrate much like we do. Traditions such as gift giving and religious thanks are observed but they’re coupled with something extra – sun, sea and sand. As well as the calm trade winds and warm sunshine, the BVIs offer a whole host of joyous things to see and do over the magical month of December.
Head to Anegada for a delicious feast of lobster and fresh seafood or, for a party like no other, make your way to Foxy’s bar over on Jost Van Dyke. The Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties here are worth traveling to the BVI for if nothing else is! For the nights in between, you’ll enjoy premium luxury with your skipper taking you to all of the BVI’s best-kept secrets and your private chef cooking you some of the nation’s most amazing cuisine.
Related article: Introducing the Tortola Dream by the cabin charter
Christmas in the Bahamas
Head to the Exuma Islands for a Christmas sailing holiday in The Bahamas. The Bahamians go all out during the festive season, with lavishly lit streets and steel drums playing reggae music. Head to the straw market in Nassau where you’ll find beautiful hand made straw dolls, great for giving as a gift. One of the highlights of the Festive season in the Bahamas is the Junkanoo Festival, which is held in Nassau and other big Bahamian cities on Boxing Day every year. Locals spend weeks preparing brightly coloured costumes and practicing lavish dances, ready for the amazing parade.
Make your way to the beach and enjoy lunch on the sand, surrounded by the locals, who’ll flock to the shoreline to enjoy a day of celebrations. No holiday in the Bahamas would be complete without a swimming with the pigs on Big Major Cay or walking with the iguanas on Allen’s Cay.
Related article: A complete guide to sailing the Exuma Cays
Christmas in Australia
Head over to the other side of the world for a Christmas sailing holiday in Australia. With opposite seasons to us here in the UK, the locals are more likely to be donning bikinis and surf boards that they are Santa suits and holly wreaths, but part of the charm lies in the fact that the Ozzies go all out to make their festive season as ‘traditional’ as possible. Families flock to beaches and back gardens for celebratory Christmas BBQs, where everyone’s goal is to eat, drink and be merry.
While the traditions may be the same, the warm temperatures and ability to swim in the ocean on Christmas morning (without needing a wetsuit and a strong set of…courage!) are what make Christmas in Australia such a popular choice with us here in the UK. Sail around the islands of Whitsunday’s and enjoy champagne on deck before you head ashore to one of the islands and for a few festive shrimps from the Barbie!
Did you know…Australians often decorated their houses with ‘Christmas bush’, a small plant native to the country with green leaves and white flowers.
Christmas in the Seychelles
Christmas in the Indian Ocean is a very special event and is very similar to that here in the UK, but with one big difference, guaranteed glorious sunshine, ideal for a yacht charter in the Seychelles. While the locals do take part in giving and receiving gifts, the emphasis is on family and religion, where locals attend church mass on the four Sundays preceding Christmas Eve culminating in a celebration service on Christmas Day.
The small islands are the perfect place for lazing in the sunshine with the rays beating down on you, or joining in with the locals who will enjoy hours of dancing and socialising.
Did you know…Merry Christmas in Creole is “Bonn e Erez Ane”
How do I plan and book a Christmas yacht charter?
We have a fleet over 1200+ yachts in 60+ destinations around the world available for bareboat, by the cabin, luxury crewed and skippered yacht charters. For more information, a quick quote or to book your sailing holiday, call 02380 455527 or email [email protected].
