| Although the sailing season in the South Eastern | | | | The other interesting alternative is Cuba. The |
| Mediterranean runs from mid-May to the end of | | | | country does not always enjoy the best of press |
| October, there is still significant demand from | | | | coverage, and is in many ways a good |
| European sailors for charters in waters warm | | | | advertisement for the failure of socialism. Despite |
| during the long, cold Northern winter. | | | | that there is a rapidly emerging yacht charter |
| | | | industry on the northern coast. Transfer times |
| Traditionally the Caribbean has been the main | | | | from Havana airport are a little long at 2 1/2 |
| beneficiary of this. The British have tended to go | | | | hours, but you do get to see some of the islands |
| to the ex-colonies - the Virgin Islands, Antigua, | | | | magnificent scenery. The sailing itself is fabulous. |
| and Grenada. This always has two problems. | | | | Getting there is also relatively easy via either |
| Travel costs are high and/or inflexible, and the | | | | Madrid or Barcelona. The latter in particular has |
| area is equally popular with North Americans to | | | | plenty of low-cost flights from all over the UK, so |
| the point that it gets very crowded. Getting there | | | | it isvery easy to combine a couple of days there |
| from the USA is seriously cheap and easy, and | | | | with a Caribbean holiday sailing in Cuba. |
| there is little or no time difference. | | | | |
| | | | Last but by no means least is Belize. OK OK, so |
| The charming French islands of Martinique and | | | | you don't know where it is. Neither did we until |
| Guadeloupe have long been an attractive | | | | we got interested in the yacht charters business. |
| alternative to the traditional winter destinations for | | | | You may know it as British Honduras though. |
| frost-bitten Brits, but one that they seem | | | | Anyway it's in the middle of the Central American |
| determined to ignore. A quick connecting hop to | | | | mainland. Yes it is very very difficult to reach, and |
| Paris and a direct flight from there to either | | | | should only even be on your agenda if you have |
| French island is an altogether more attractive | | | | at least two weeks to spare, with three an |
| option; when you get there the Gallic charm (and | | | | advantage! It's definitely near the top of our |
| excellent food) is much in evidence; and there are | | | | personal wish list. There are three reasons for |
| plenty of yachts to charter from companies | | | | this. Belize is home to the world's second biggest |
| every bit as well equipped and more flexible than | | | | coral reef, and you are sailing inside it in a |
| their neighbours in the English speaking Caribbean! | | | | catamaran; on shore there are some of the |
| The cruising opportunities are almost the same. | | | | world's greatest Mayan monuments, and some |
| | | | amazing luxury boutique hotels. |