A luxury family yacht in the Bahamas: A carefree Thanksgiving getaway

Thanksgiving is traditionally a time spent with friends and family, but if you’d rather put your feet up and let someone else take care of the hosting and catering, why not elevate this precious time of year by spending it aboard a luxury crew charter. boat, sailing the scenic Bahamas.

The Bahamas is a diverse and colorful archipelago set in 100,000 square kilometers of the world’s clearest ocean – where better to have the vacation of a lifetime surrounded by loved ones? Being close to the continental USA – within 300 miles – ensures easy access from Florida to some of the best yachts in the world that spend the winter charter season in the region. Each island has its own personality with something for everyone whether you want peace and solitude, nightlife and food or nature and water sports.

There are several well-established sailing destinations, with some of the most popular routes including the Exuma Cays chain, Nassau and Paradise Island or the Abacos Islands. To truly enjoy these destinations, it’s often best to book a weeklong charter to explore one region, but the possibilities are endless.

Seven nights in the Exumas

The Exumas are some of the most beautiful and uninhabited islands in the Bahamas that begin with Sail Rocks to the north and extend more than 100 miles down the western side of Exuma Sound, with the main islands of Great Exuma and Little Exuma to the south. the end. Amongst this chain are a number of excellent anchorages, hundreds of undisturbed white beaches and seemingly endless coral gardens. Seven days here can follow this trip…

After meeting your boat and crew in Nassau, it’s a scenic four-hour cruise to Highbourne Cay where you can spend your first night on board in a pristine, naturally sheltered bay. The team will make sure you want for nothing as you sit back and relax on the first leg of your Exuma tour.

The second day will start with a leisurely breakfast, followed by a swim from the shore, some water fun or even a daring fishing trip – many yachts now come with impressive tenders designed just for this purpose. After lunch, the captain will head to Allan’s Cay where you can explore the nearby beaches and meet a large population of Allan Cay Rock Iguanas. You can feed them by placing a piece of fruit on the end of the stick – the staff will let you know how to interact with the wildlife safely. There are also great snorkeling reefs and plenty of fishing opportunities. Your second night will be spent at Shroud Cay, just an hour’s drive away, so enjoy a sundowner and a private dinner prepared by the on-board chef.

While there’s a lot to see, it’s important to sit back and take your time – just like the locals do – so day three can be a lazy day spent swimming, enjoying a BBQ lunch and making the most of the water toys. Wildlife lovers can look for sea turtles and tropical birds or even go to The Wax Cay Cut for a drift dive. Rendezvous diving, where a dive team meets you on your yacht, is a common way to enjoy diving from a yacht, but some superyachts are equipped with their own SCUBA gear for licensed divers or RYA Water Sports Center licences. The early morning departure time creates an opportunity to enjoy a cocktail while sailing to Warderick Wells, headquarters of the Exuma Land and Sea Park, which was created in 1958 as the first such park in the world.

Waking up in another beautiful location on the fourth day offers opportunities to explore the 176 square miles of land and marine park on one of the best scenic walks. Look out for unique bird species such as Bananaquits – a small black and white bird with yellow breasts and try your luck at feeding one by putting a little sugar in the palm of your hand. There is an abundance of marine life, including abundant tropical fish that are easy to see with just a snorkel. We moved on to Big Major’s Anchorage on Staniel Cay – an easy 1.5 hour drive – for dinner at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club which is a great way to eat on the beach.

Another highlight of Exuma’s is Pig Beach where you can swim with a large number of wild pigs – a great start to day five. Thunderball Grotto, made famous by the James Bond movie, is the first stop in the afternoon, followed by Compass Cay where you can snorkel in caves and swim among a number of gentle nurse sharks. If you have chosen a yacht with a jacuzzi or pool on board, you can sit down in the bubbles and share stories with your friends and family as you enjoy a glass of something cold.

On the morning of the sixth day you may want to hike to Rachel’s Bubble Bath which is the name given to one of the best swimming holes in the Caribbean. This lake gets its name from the action of the waves that crash over the rocks when they reach the pool, creating bubbles of white foam – a natural version of a jacuzzi for those who don’t have one on board.

After breakfast on day seven, snorkel in Pablo Escobar’s plane crash before enjoying lunch at McDuff’s Pub – a popular open-air restaurant and bar. In the afternoon depart for Atlantis in Nassau where you can enjoy your last night in style. Try your luck at the casino or dance the night away at “Club Dragons”.

This trip gives you a taste of what the Bahamas has to offer and during Thanksgiving the yacht’s crew will be on hand to make your experience even more special. There are many other routes to take in this beautiful archipelago, so discuss your desired destinations, activities and food with your travel agent before booking.

Now you have a better picture of life in the Bahamas all you need to do is choose your charter yacht. There are yachts of all shapes and sizes available for charter from 40-metre-plus superyachts to affordable 15-metre catamarans. Good weather, calm waters and short sailing distances make sailing or motorboats ideal, so it’s up to you.

Luxury 44m motor yacht CROSSED SABER is one of the finest motor yachts available in the Bahamas this Thanksgiving in the larger yacht category, while smaller sailing catamarans offer stability and relaxed sailing. Both yachts have a large collection of rich water toys for the whole family.

The Bahamas has perfect weather for Thanksgiving with temperatures reaching 25 degrees with cool air and cool water temperatures to keep you cool and make snorkeling and swimming a dream.

So forget ordering turkey and mixed cranberries and opt for a luxury crew yacht charter.

Trina Howes

Trina Howes is the Director of CharterWorld America. CharterWorld America is a private yacht charter company that creates the best vacations on the best yachts at incredible prices – around the world. If you are interested in becoming a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog to raise your profile, please contact us.